After being crowned World Endurance Champion in 2016 with R2CL on Suzuki and GMT94 on Yamaha, and winning two Superstock 1000 races at Misano and Magny-Cours, you became the second French rider to win the world title in two different categories* when you won in 2017 in Supersport on an R6 from the GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team with 190 points. You achieved almost the same total in 2018 with 185 points, winning two victories (Portugal and Qatar), as many as in 2017 (Aragon and Qatar) but Sandro Cortese stole the title from you.
*The first being Raymond Roche, World Champion in endurance in 1981 and in Superbike in 1990.
You then created a surprise by announcing your move for 2019 to Manuel Puccetti's team, on a Kawasaki. Why did you choose the ZX-6R when the Yamaha seems difficult to beat?
“I wanted to ride with Yamaha in Superbike but everything didn't go the way I wanted. The proposal did not suit me on many technical and financial points, so for me it was out of the question to go up under these conditions. We were unable to reach an agreement.
“I knew there was eventually Kawasaki left in Supersport. I especially didn't want to leave an official team, because there are fewer and fewer of them. For me, being an official of a brand is definitely an advantage. And there weren't thousands of official teams left since after Yamaha there was only Kawasaki.
“I had good feedback from the team and I think it’s also a great story: I fought with Sofuoglu for a title, I beat him in 2017, and moving to the team he was racing for is the continuation of a great adventure. »
Kawasaki has clearly dominated the Superbike World Championship for 4 years. Do you think it motivates them to also win in Supersport, or does it risk dispersing their efforts?
“No, it’s really the opposite, on the contrary. That's also part of the reasons why I signed with them. They have the desire to win the Championship. Unlike other brands, it is not present in MotoGP. She only races Superbike and motocross. So for me it's only positive.
“Last year they won the Superbike and the SSP 300, missed the 600, so there is a real desire from Kawasaki to regain this Championship. This is really one of the reasons that weighed in the balance for my signing with them. »
The 6 Kawasaki ZX-2019R model is a 636 cm3 (67 x 45,1 mm), so a priori it is the model used in 2018 (officially named “ZX 600 RF”) which should benefit from an extension of approval one year and race next season. Is there no new 600 model planned for competition?
“No, unfortunately the new one is still a 636, so we will use the old version. In the projects, I know that in 2020 there is talk of running the 636 in Supersport. So for next year it will still be the old model, whether it will be good or not, I don't know.
“What is certain is that there will be no unpleasant surprises. The bike is finished and the job is up to me to do for now. There is no need to turn the bike over in all directions, I think that over the years, they have already done that. »
During the two days of testing at the end of November in Jerez, you achieved – despite a fall on the first day – the 2nd time in 1'43.574, 0.515 behind Raffaele de Rosa on MV Agusta. This was 0.3 faster than the lap record set in 1'43.922 by Federico Caricasulo. Were you satisfied with this first contact with the team and the bike?
" Yes. It was very important to go and do this test in Jerez at the end of the year, already so as not to spend the whole winter in doubt. What is certain is that we absolutely did not try to set a time. There were so many parameters and parts to validate that I never did more than five consecutive laps with the same bike. So going for a time in these conditions was not possible. And that certainly wasn't the objective.
“I came across a water stain on the first day, which ruined my entire day. The goal was to do laps, understand and try all the parts that had to be tested, and give an idea of the work to be done to the team for the winter.
“MV had a rider who knew the bike inside out, with already one season’s experience. I think he really pushed himself to set a time, in fact he fell after achieving it.
“No, I wasn't worried about the times, I don't have any more worries than that and so far the first contact has gone well. Now, for sure there are a lot of things to change in the way I ride because the two bikes are completely different.
“The strong point of the Kawasaki for me is really the braking, it has incredible stability on heavy straight braking. The front end also looks really good to me. I haven't been able to fully understand it yet, but I saw that it had clear advantages compared to the R6. All I'm having trouble with right now is the middle and exit of the corner, but I've done very few laps in two days, and it takes time to understand how it works, but there's no big problem. It’s not a bad bike and I think I’ll have the material to fight up front.”
Announcing your arrival, Puccetti specified that “Mahias has joined forces with Manuel Puccetti's team for a one-year contract, with an option in the case of Lucas moving to the Superbike World Championship and with automatic renewal. in the event of victory in the Supersport World Championship. What exactly does this mean for 2020?
“What I know above all is that I have a goal next year which is to be World Champion. 2018 is ending and my goal is 2019. We will then see in the middle of the season what happens. I know that if I do a good job, if I provide a decent job, I will have my place at Kawasaki for 2020 and for the future. Now it's just up to me to ensure.
“In what category?” I don't know. I won't do everything to go to Superbike. Going to WSBK on a bike that isn't a winner doesn't interest me. I don't want to run in any condition. Otherwise I would have stayed with Yamaha, in SBK on the R1 with Team GRT. It's absolutely not an end in itself to go to Superbike. I prefer to fight for the world title in Supersport than for tenth place in Superbike. »
Photos taken from the Facebook pages of Lucas Mahias et Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
