It is through an official press release that we unfortunately learn of the departure of Loris Baz from the MotoGP™ category at the end of the season.
Before we start talking about his replacement by another French speaker, we would like to thank Loris who always welcomed us very warmly during the Grands Prix! We wish him the best for the end of his MotoGP™ season and the rest of his career.
Baz: “Goodbye, MotoGP™”
Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) made his debut on the MotoGP™ World Championship scene in 2015, in the Open category. The following two years, riding a Ducati Desmosedici GP14 in 2016 and a GP15 in 2017, the Frenchman continued to progress despite serious injuries suffered last season.
While negotiations are going well before the overseas tour, the 25-year-old rider announces that he will not compete in MotoGP™ next year. As he himself confides, the goal is to look to the future by returning to the FIM Superbike World Championship.
In this interview, the Haut-Savoyard, who occupies 15th place in the general classification with 39 points – his best performance to date – looks back on his three years in MotoGP™, his current season as well as how he views the continuation of his career.
Loris, after the announcements published in recent months about the 2018 MotoGP™ grid, can you tell us more about yourself?
Loris Baz : “As expected for some time, I can today confirm that I will not compete in MotoGP™ in 2018. Despite all the efforts of those around me and the good season that I am having, this has not was sufficient to fight against other parameters. »
How do you assess your career in MotoGP™?
Loris Baz : “I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish and of my journey during these three seasons at the highest level. I learned a lot of lessons both as a pilot and on a human level. I would like to thank everyone who made this possible and all the people I met. I realized a dream during which I never stopped progressing. I'm only 25 years old and I have three years of experience in WorldSBK and three in MotoGP™, so I have quite a few years left in me. It will be WorldSBK or MotoGP™, we will see, but what is certain is that I will give the best of myself. »
What is your program for the coming season?
Loris Baz : “We are now looking to the future and we want to find the best option. I hope to get a ride in WorldSBK which would allow me to be among the leaders and protagonists in the category. I know it's not easy, there aren't many potentially competitive machines and many places are already occupied. »
