Taking advantage of the drivers' winter break and less news, we offer you a gallery of the main French-speaking personalities of the paddock who, each, represents one of the countless cogs essential to the sumptuous spectacle that is the Grands Prix.
We often hear about the Spanish armada or the Italian troops, but you will discover that the French-speaking colony, rather numerous and very united, has no reason to be ashamed of the comparison.
In the light or more in the shadows, verbose or more discreet, each of these men shared with us with pleasure their world and their news, always with the same passion as a common denominator.
Little by little, you will be able to know a little better who are, and what is going on today, for example Claude Michy, Piero Taramasso, Hervé Poncharal, Eric Mahé, Nicolas Goubert, Bernard Ansiau, Guy Coulon, Christophe Bourguignon, Florian Ferracci, Christophe Léonce, Marc van der Straten, Miodrag Kotur, Alain Bronec, Jacques Hutteau, Michel Turco, David Dumain, Michaël Rivoire, and many others.
This long series of interviews will first be broadcast on the official MotoGP.com website in a refined version, before being accessible here in their raw version.
So, when the Grands Prix resume, you will be almost unbeatable on the French-speaking part of a particularly cosmopolitan paddock...
Éric Mahé, Agent of drivers Fabio Quartararo, Loris Baz, Jules Cluzel, Jérémy Guarnoni and Randy de Puniet.
What is your year of birth?
"1970".
How did young Éric Mahé develop a passion for motor sports?
" By chance ! I rode BMX but didn't feel like motorcycling was a sport. I needed a vehicle to go to high school, but rather than buying a moped at 16, I took the small engine license to already have the code and benefit from cheaper insurance the day I I'll have a car. So I found myself on an 80cc trail, it was fun and I was able to realize that it was sport: I contracted the virus! Life choices often come down to little things..."
What are the main points of your career?
“After BMX, motorcycling was more of a hobby than anything else; plus I was a student with a job on the side, so not a lot of time available. At the end of my studies, I was offered an important position, but I wanted to try my luck in motorcycling sport. So I refused this offer and started the race; If I was offered a job of this type, it was because I deserved it, but on the other hand, 22 was already late to hope to be a professional pilot, and so I didn't hesitate for very long. »
“So I was a driver, from 1992 to 2000, in Supersport and Endurance. »
“When I stopped, I still had a passion for racing and I started to take care of Randy de Puniet who was in a bit of difficulty. I was friends with his dad and was bored in September, right after I stopped running. I asked him for a pass and went to watch the Grand Prix in Valencia. There, I observe Randy and find that he has talent but that his environment is not suitable. The following weekend, he came to my house to party when he received a phone call telling him that his team had decided to part ways with him. I then take matters into my own hands so that this doesn't happen. From there I found myself in Rio, the next Grand Prix, with Randy. It was the beginning of a long story…”
“Then there was, and still is, Jules Cluzel, Loris Baz, Jérémy Guarnoni and Fabio Quartararo. »
Throughout this journey, what were the most difficult moments?
“In motorcycling, there are always difficult years: fractures, disappointments, years where it is difficult to find the right shoe. I think in particular of my big injuries, like the neck of the femur or the vertebrae, but also of Randy when he was P4 in MotoGP after riding really well, and he broke his ankle. There is also Jules' fracture, in Jerez in 2015, the year when the title seemed offered to him, which handicapped him until recently. These are difficult times, even if they are not absolutely dramatic. And then, there are also the difficulties inherent to the job of agent: finding good handlebars for the pilots I look after. It was often difficult but there were always solutions, even if Randy's gradual descent was a little frustrating: Honda LCR with Christophe Bourguignon, then Pramac the year when the bike was average, then the CRT category, and till today. Yes, it's a little frustrating, but it's part of a career, which includes an uphill and downhill path. »
Conversely, were there any particularly strong moments that brought tears of joy to your eyes?
“Yes, every time it wins!” It's the emotion and the feeling of work accomplished, multiplied by adrenaline. There was Randy's first victory in GP250cc, in Barcelona in 2003, or Jules' victory in Moto2 in 2010 at Silverstone or even that of Fabio in Barcelona in 2018 as well as his numerous MotoGP podiums. There, yes, I had tears in my eyes, and more..."
Can you take stock of this 2019 season?
“Fabio's season has clearly been excellent, so the results can only be too! On the other hand, Loris bounced back well, after starting the season halfway. For Jules, there were ups and downs, and a bit of adjustment to be made with the team, but the end of the season was pretty good, with the reinforcement of a new technician who will also remain there. 'next year. For Randy, of course, it's more complicated because his team announced they were throwing in the towel just before the Bol d'Or: it's not an easy situation. And Jérémy Guarnoni is world champion! I was at Suzuka and it was really nice because there was a lot of suspense. At the end of the race, we felt a certain despondency but I spent my time repeating that as long as there was no checkered flag, something could happen. And suddenly, fate intervenes and Jérémy becomes world champion with Gilles Stafler and Kawasaki. »
What are the prospects for 2020?
“Doing much better next year is not going to be easy! If Fabio can continue to grow and develop his riding and experience, and if Yamaha provides him with a better overall package, we can expect to see Fabio ride like he rode throughout the second part of the 2019 season. If he succeeds, he has a good chance of getting on the podium in the general classification, and even a chance of being champion. We don't set a goal but logic would dictate that it happens like this in 2020 for Fabio. »
“As far as he is concerned, Loris is ready and his team too: after this first half-season spent learning the Yamaha R1, we can hope for great things from Loris. Jérémy started with the same program but, in endurance, there are more parameters: teammates, luck, breakage, tires, etc. So we'll see.
“As for Jules, I think he can also give us a solid season with the hope of winning. »
“There remains Randy, who has not yet finalized his program but who we have already seen at the 8 Hours of Sepang. »
What is your daily means of transportation?
“I don’t know how to ride slowly so I don’t ride a motorbike very much. Last time, it ended up resting in the gutter again. I have a Tmax from my father and a Kawasaki 750 Z that I gave him when he retired, but I use a Volkswagen Sirocco every day. »
In the same series, find for the moment the interviews ofHervé Poncharal, Claude Michy, Piero Taramasso et Christophe Bourguignon...
