Supersport World Champion in 2002 with Ten Kate, Fabien is currently an ambassador for Kawasaki. This is the brand with which he has just been the coach of World Superbike Champion Johnny Rea four times in a row. He also assists Lucas Mahias on a psychological level. In Supersport 300, he also manages the careers of young Manuel Gonzalez (Championship leader), Filippo Rovelli and Tom Edwards within the Kawasaki ParkinGo Team.
This weekend is a bit special because Fabien joins the Eurosport team at Le Mans to commentate on the 24 Hours. Fabien, let's not forget, won the Bol d'Or in 2000 with Yamaha, as well as the Bol in 2015 and the 24H in 2013 and 2016 with the Team Kawasaki SRC.
First of all Fabien, why this desire to comment on 24H for TV?
“It’s an opportunity that presented itself following a call from Gilles Della Posta. It's a new experience, after I commented a little in Superbike. It’s different but I like discovering new things.”
As coach of World Superbike Champion Johnny Rea, how did you experience the domination of Alvaro Bautista and Ducati at the start of the season, after four years of uninterrupted superiority from Johnny Rea and Kawasaki?
“It’s obviously not something simple, even if obviously it was to be expected that it would happen one day. We have enough feet on the ground to know that it was going to happen one day or another.”
" What more can be said ? The season is still long, so even if his domination today lets us predict a difficult season, we are not the type to give up like that. A lot of things can still happen, like a race where there could possibly be rain, or an engine failure. So even if he started the season well, we will remain motivated until the end.”
How do Bautista and Ducati have the advantage?
“Bautista has excelled by adapting as best as possible to the Pirellis, which he finds easy because there is much simpler feedback to interpret than at Michelin or Bridgestone. So obviously it’s easier to push to the limit.”
“And then he remains a rider in the top 10 in MotoGP! He's a top rider, and let's not talk about the bike. She is very powerful today, so obviously that complicates things a little more.”
“Johnny found a driver of his caliber. I sincerely think that he is the only driver who has the same level. Maybe then it’s the power that makes the difference.”
What are your ways of reacting?
“Resources are limited. The equipment is used to the maximum and there is currently no possible development on a five-year-old motorcycle. It is regularly updated, particularly on electronics which is a point where we can perhaps make another small leap forward. At the moment there is nothing planned which suggests a huge progress in terms of performance.”
The Ducati is regulatory, it is approved by the FIM. So isn't it difficult to criticize his presence?
“There are manufacturers who make motorcycles for the road, then improve them to approve them for the track. Others take the problem backwards and adapt racing motorcycles for the road.”
“But the performance of the bike is not everything: we can see that Chaz Davies is having more difficulty being at the front. It’s not just the motorbike, of course.”
How are we progressing? in SSP300 your students Manuel Gonzalez, Filippo Rovelli (the son of ParkinGo boss Giuliano Rovelli) and Tom Edwards?
“I have a Spaniard, an Italian and an Australian. Manuel Gonzalez won the first two races, he is 16 years old, he is very mature for his age. He has all the ingredients to have a good Championship, and he is certainly a driver in the making. I’m enjoying working with these three drivers who have potential.”
“I also really enjoy collaborating with Lucas Mahias. It’s more for the psychological side than the track side.”
Do you think the SSP300 category has evolved compared to last year?
“There are more brilliant young drivers at the front, the races are closer, the level is higher. As for the hardware, I think they have leveled the performance of the machines well. There will always be someone to criticize, but we realize that Yamaha, KTM and Kawasaki are able to fight together. So from that side, I think it's not bad either. It’s still better than the 250 revs removed on the Ducati which means nothing.”
Photo above: Fabien Foret, Filippo Rovelli and Giuliano Rovelli
Photos © Kawasaki Motors Europe NV
