Here is the third part of Valentin Debise's adventures in the USA.
After his arrival, Its training and first race in Austin During the Grand Prix, VD53 only had a few days to travel to Atlanta for the second round of the MotoAmerica championship.
A circuit that looks like a roller coaster but a quick adaptation, with a great result…
Valentine Debise: “On Thursday when I arrived at the circuit, I did my usual laps running twice, including one with my direct competitor Garrett Gerloff, even after I insisted, he did not want to give me advice on this circuit that I didn't know, he still showed me a few braking points with his lips.
The atmosphere is very special on this circuit which is located in the middle of a forest north of Atlanta. The paddock is below in the middle of the track, you have to go through a footbridge to access it. When you pass the entrance to the circuit you have a bird's eye view of the team trucks, which is very nice. Here there are no boxes like in Europe (except in Austin, but we don't use them), the American semi-trailers, with the awnings unfolded, are lined up neatly following an order established by the organizer both for the look and for each team has its own space. I find it really nice for the public, everyone can come and observe the mechanics working on the bikes, or the riders debriefing the test session with the engineers. The audience can experience the show from the inside. The podium is located right in the middle of the trucks, to get there you have to pass through the middle of the public, really cool!
It's always quite stressful to go for a race on a circuit you don't know, especially when the other drivers are in their childhood years. I didn't really know what to expect, except for a crazy circuit, which had been pointed out to me several times, and I was not disappointed with the trip. There are a lot of turns with the walls near the track on the inside, and the circuit is very hilly, not like a Ledenon where there are sharp descents and big climbs, here it's more like several climbs and descents in the same bend or in the straights, like a motocross field, it makes waves! At first it's not easy to get used to it, because you can't stay flat out on the straights, you have to ease off the throttle slightly, even with the 600! I can't wait to try it with a 1000! In many parts of the circuit you cannot see the exit of the turn, so you have to be very precise about the landmarks. The braking of the last chicane, so arriving from the return straight where we take the top speed of the circuit is impressive.
I explain to you. We arrive at 270 km/h with a 600 Supersport, we tilt the bike to the right with the wall on the inside, so we see absolutely nothing. At first I stuck my head out of the bubble because I couldn't tilt the bike enough! Once the bike is tilted we spend a little while seeing the wall, then the inside wall withdraws, and there we have a view of the chicane below, but still not on braking because the track goes down steeply, I don't I've never seen that in my life. We grab the brakes at the start of the descent and we have the impression that the bike is not stopping as it goes down. The first few turns I even had the impression that the bike was accelerating when I braked! Then the slope stops, and we find ourselves on a slight climb, the body only wants to crash into the bike because the pressure is so strong. The motorcycle slows down very quickly in a very short period of time. Scary, but what a crazy feeling! For your information, the average lap is 160km/h….
My team was quite surprised by my adaptation to this circuit, usually drivers have difficulty driving fast the first time they go there. From the first day I achieved the second time. I qualified in the same position and crossed the finish line second twice. My two races were similar, starting third, on the first lap I went second in the braking that I have just explained to you, I chase the first who escapes towards the middle of the race. Gerloff had great pace, especially with the worn tires, it's been a long time since I've seen someone drive as well as him. That leaves me no choice but to continue working hard on my driving and with my technical team to grab the 3 tenths per lap that I'm missing.
So it was the first full MotoAmerica weekend with two rounds, and it was a success. We had crazy TV coverage on Bein Sport, the two races live, a pre-race show, interview on the starting grid and after the finish before getting on the podium, press conference at the MotoGP, high class ! There were giant screens at the edge of the track for the public, several autograph sessions, the pit-lane walk for the public, etc…
Now I have a week off before the next race at New Jersey Motorsport (near New York). Once again a new circuit to learn, I'm really looking forward to defending my second position in the championship, or even getting closer to first.
Case to follow.
