Frantic programming, rookies winning races, extremely unpredictable scenarios: MotoGP offered a dizzying spectacle this year, but how was it experienced for those who work in the shadows: the mechanics?
Teams are used to travel and a racing campaign that takes place around the world for around 9 months, but the break imposed by the pandemic – which delayed the start of the MotoGP season until May – has condensed the season 2020: this year we experienced consecutive weekends of competition, not always on the same circuit.
“It’s much more demanding because on Sunday evening, the box must immediately be dismantled, or you leave it as is for the following week,” explains Jonny Eyre, mechanic for the Red Bull KTM MotoGP team. “It can be good in one sense, because if the driver struggles with the set-up, he can get another chance the following weekend. Having 3 weekends in a row is difficult because there is no break, no relaxation. On Sunday evening you are already changing things for the next weekend, while if you are moving you pack your bags, relax during the trip before unpacking. »
Working in MotoGP can be exhausting and requires compromise and commitment: this is nothing new, especially as the calendar has grown to almost 20 Grands Prix in recent years (plus pre-season testing, mid-season and winter). Teams are relieved to be on track in the current climate where international movements are particularly tricky, but 2020 has delivered a new level of intensity around a near-deserted pit lane and paddock.
“I don’t think it defeats the passion for work,” believes Eyre. “Having a fast rider and decent results lifts you up a bit and keeps you motivated, especially the boys you work with. It is essential to have a good group. If you're feeling a little depressed or need a little morale boost, they're there. They're friends actually. »
Brad Binder is not the last to set the mood
It looked like the South African would need a lot of time to acclimatize to MotoGP after testing at the end of 2019 where he was two seconds off the pace of the leaders. But since launching the championship with a double salvo at Jerez however, he has been the revelation of the category and achieved KTM's first victory, after only three and a half years on the MotoGP grid for the Austrian team.
The results and experiences with Binder mean that 2020 has been even more surreal for the entire KTM team. Indeed, Brad Binder has evolved since last year, in all aspects. He wants to learn. He wants to do it the right way. He doesn't mind testing and it makes a difference. He won't bother trying things while others are just waiting for a new part to make the bike handle better.
Binder's character helped create a beneficial working environment to deal with the constraints due to COVID and the multiple twists and turns that saw no less than 9 different winners this year. “Brad is a good boy. He will come and talk and discuss any subject. He rides his bike with the team. He played ping pong with us in Brno. He spends time with us and it creates a good atmosphere. »
“If you have a good relationship with the pilot, it creates a positive atmosphere,” adds Jonny Eyre. “When he crashed at Jerez, he came into the pits and immediately apologized to the team. We comforted him: “my friend, as long as you are well… we can repair the bike”. It's part of the race. You can't fix the rider, but you can fix the motorcycle. »
August 9, 2020 will remain a pivotal date for the KTM factory: the day when Binder won the first Grand Prix in the premier category and thus securing the winner's trophy in each major FIM discipline for the "orange" team of the business.
Routine allows you not to make mistakes
While a lot has changed around the Grand Prix this year – limited or completely absent fans, a closed paddock, regular PCR tests – the work inside the box remains the same, with the difference that everyone wears a mask.
The busiest time of any GP weekend is Saturday evening because everything is ready for the race and that means a lot of re-checking and possibly changing some parts in anticipation of the race length.
Mechanics may have a special bond with a rider, but they also have a special bond with the bike. “It’s now a real bike made to win. It’s built with that in mind,” he assesses. “It’s built to go racing and be easily maintained and repaired. KTM is a recent entrant to the category and there was a lot to learn but, over the years, the RC16 has become a truly competitive MotoGP prototype, on track and in the pits. »
A mechanic could probably maintain the machine he is assigned to with his eyes closed, but technical preparation is an area where his professionalism must shine. “You have to put it together the way you would want it put together for you. I would like to have full confidence in the bike, so I do it from my side,” He explains. “If you have a good group of guys you work well together and some will check what you've done - like the stirrups - and that doesn't bother me at all. We take care of each other. »
Preparing a MotoGP prototype for wet conditions is now a heavy task (around 15min with 3 or 4 mechanics) and a crash can mean several hours of work to repair the bike, but that's part of the job. If the driver is doing well and you have to work until 1 a.m., that's part of the race. When everything goes well, the day ends at 18-19 p.m. and other days the boxes are lit until midnight. No caution is spared when it comes to safety and parts evaluation, repairing a competition motorcycle: “If you have the slightest doubt or if a part seems “questionable”, it must be changed. You can't take any risks. That's why the guys I work with will have no problem changing parts. If the chassis is bent, we change it. If we need new brake lines, we install new brake lines. Each mechanic plays his role and works as a team as one. I might work on the swingarm and someone else will work on the front and yet another on the engine. You do your job but you are always moving and never stopping. »
There is obviously a certain sensitivity that must be protected as a MotoGP mechanic, but the teams make great efforts, work long hours and have an immeasurable sense of commitment so that we can enjoy the show!
Photos: KTM
