[Supersport] Exclusive interview with Jules Cluzel “I gave everything and have no regrets”

Jules did everything he could in Losail to capture the world title, but two unfortunate falls forced him to retire, facing Sandro Cortese and Lucas Mahias. How did Cluzel experience this Qatari weekend, and first of all, what is his state of health?

“I really wanted this title in my life as a driver, it was something I dreamed of. I was lucky to experience this last race with such an important challenge.

“It wasn't easy, but I wanted to try to be as relaxed as possible, to have fun. After two consecutive victories, I wanted to continue this momentum.

“The tests were super important. I really had to try to prepare well for my race weekend to achieve victory. »

Were you surprised that Lucas Mahias recovered his victory at Portimao on Thursday, the day of the first tests in Doha, and that you then found yourself only 5 points behind Cortese? What did that change for you?

“It was a point of recovery compared to the 6 following Portimao, so it was simply a little gift. The reasons why they gave him back those 25 points is none of my business and I didn't focus on that. »

The first day of testing was not extraordinary with 0.7 behind Mahias et Cortese. Then, you qualified 0.5 from Mahias and 0.4 from Cortese. Did that worry you?

" A little yes. This last race was weird. In terms of testing and qualifying, it was the same refrain all year: we didn't understand why in qualifying we were never really performing well, why the others were performing well on one lap. But each time I was ahead in the race, and that was the most important thing. »

Video: Brawl at the start of the race

You immediately took the lead in the race. What was your strategy?

“Simply to do my race, not to give up, and to get off to a good start. I knew that in relation to the tests I was the worst performing of the three. But in the end it was me who was in the lead. »

Video: Jules takes command

“So it was a good race, but unfortunately I lacked a bit of engine in the stretch. I couldn't escape. Cortese was easier than me, he managed to block me, which was a bit of his race.

“So I came across a race situation that we had considered, and Sandro played well. Sandro blocked me well, forced me to widen and let Lucas pass in front. I think that was his goal in any case.

“Lucas passed, Sandro braked in the next corner where I couldn't pass. I went to the outside, I tried as best I could, but it wasn't possible and there we lost two seconds per lap during the last two laps.

“So Lucas left, and once he was sure he was in front, Sandro was more or less calm. Unfortunately, I was trapped. »

Video: Mahias in front of Jules and Cortese

Did you have to force yourself to compensate for an inferior bike?

“I was completely at the limit. I'm not saying I had an inferior bike because I still had a great machine throughout the season. For the last race, the teams of Sandro and Lucas certainly progressed. It was complicated for me, but it was doable. Without his overtaking and stopping in the corner to let the other one go in front, if there had been a three-way fight, it could perhaps have been different. But I couldn't play there, it wasn't for me. I would have had to have a faster pace to be able to leave. »

You crashed twice on the last lap in turns 7 and 15. You were transported to the medical center where fractures of the left malleolus, 5th metatarsal and a small non-displaced fracture of the left acetabulum were diagnosed. How do you feel today ?

“I need some rest. My main concern at the moment is the acetabulum which is the bone into which the neck of the femur fits. It's a hip joint. »

Video: The fall of Jules

Now that the season is over, what memory do you think you will have in ten or twenty years from this year in 2018 compared to your entire career?

“It’s quite simple: the memory I keep remains positive. I was strong this year. It's been a crazy season. I don't want to go into detail – maybe another day, but not today – but mentally it was complicated. I'm super proud of how I still managed to manage these races.

“We got off to a really bad start. I haven't done a single private test session all season. And despite that we were still able to go until the last race to play for the title. I came across Sandro Cortese and his Kallio Racing team who did not achieve a single blank result. We had almost four. And five victories were still great.

“For the last race, what I really didn't want was to regret. I didn't want to leave Qatar thinking “but why didn’t you do that, why didn’t you do this, why did you make that decision, why?” » I had no choice: I had to go and attack him on the last lap to try to make him lose places, to make him make a mistake. I tried everything in the corner where I fell. In the end it didn't happen.

“Then I start again and have a second fall because there were no more brakes, but a river in the penultimate corner. I did everything to save two points to finish second in the Championship. Except unfortunately it was the last lap and I didn't know I was tenth. And I had time! (laugh). I wasn't in a hurry, I could take my time, especially since I no longer had any brakes.

“So it’s a shame that these unfortunate situations happened one after the other, but I have no regrets. »

Photos and videos: Pirelli, NRT, worldsbk.com / Dorna