It is no secret that the Dutchman Michael van der Mark will abandon his Yamaha R1 from the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team at the end of this season, after having succumbed to the Bavarian sirens.
Conversely, no one has yet been formalized to replace him alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2021.
The place is obviously very coveted but the list of applicants with serious chances seems to have been reduced to two names, after the declarations ofAndrea Dosoli to the site Speedweek. com from the pen of Von Ivo Schützbach: “ the driver has to perform well and be fast, there will be pressure. Fortunately, our bike is competitive and we have a lot of interest. Riders from the Yamaha family have priority. It makes sense, our pyramid starts in the Supersport 300 category and leads to the top, and that's how we want it to be. »
Reviewing the drivers currently racing for Iwata in WSBK, the competition director specifies: “Caricasulo is doing his first year in Superbike and learning. He makes mistakes and needs time to grow. Garrett knows Superbike, but not the circuits. Therefore, their performance is difficult to evaluate. »
With a more seasoned status and still crowned by his second position at the 2018 German Grand Prix, Jonas Folger is still part of the Yamaha family, even if his role as MotoGP test rider ended in favor of Jorge Lorenzo.
However, it must be recognized that the German pilot, who does not hide his wish to race in WSBK, drags behind him many uncertainties that his brief stint in Moto2 last year did not really dissipate…
“We will have to wait and see how he does in the German championship and when he uses his wildcard in the World Championship in Barcelona”, said Andrea Dosoli. “It will be tough for him, unfortunately we cannot organize a productive test for him in advance. But we must not forget what Jonas did. I still remember his MotoGP race at the Sachsenring when he finished second. This impressed many people. He has agreed to drive at national level this year and can start there without pressure. Hopefully he can come back. With the speed he showed earlier. »
This speed, “Folgas” tested it last weekend on the Magny-Cours circuit as part of the French FSBK championship. Registered on the R1 with which he will participate in the German championship, the ex-Tech3 driver was surpassed by Valentine Debise et Mathieu Gines, and this during both races.
Valentine Debise, winner of the two rounds, however explains this in part by the fact that Jonas Folger's Yamaha R1 was equipped with Pirelli tires (sole supplier in WSBK) undoubtedly more difficult to manage over the length of a round, while that of Mathieu Gines had Michelin and his Kawasaki used Dunlops.
This preparation with a view to a possible wildcard on the French circuit has therefore not revealed a spectacular supremacy of the German driver and confirms the current trend summarized by Andrea Dosoli : “Baz is at the top of our list of candidates. Strategically, this would make perfect sense. »
A position also largely explained by
Eric de Seynes at the microphone ofEurosport, during testing for the Superbike rounds in Jerez: "Loris's future?" I always saw him quite well! First, we must remember that Loris won his first international title with us, with Yamaha, on an R6 in Superstock 600. I remember that when I returned to Yamaha, in 2009, Jean-Claude Olivier told me said at the time
“keep an eye on him, I like him”. But beyond the fact that Jean-Claude liked him, Loris has talent. He is a rider who is young because he is ultimately only 27 years old, who has a long experience in MotoGP, which is not so common for a French rider, and he had his best results on Yamahas in MotoGP. He was also an official Superbike rider with great results, because we realize that being Rea's teammate is not so easy. So clearly, we know Loris' level, and when he found himself without guidance, he was right to be patient and we worked on that so that the agreement with Ten Kate could be made and Loris can find the handlebars. He had a complicated season, because getting to that level during the season is still very complicated, and he had great results. »
“So today, obviously he is at the top of our list to succeed Michael van der Mark. We have other drivers who are making advances towards us but I can say today that it is still Loris who is at the top of the list. Everything he did in a private team makes it legitimate. We'll see, we'll work. »
The future of the Haut-Savoyard therefore presents itself under the best auspices and his performances last weekend in Andalusia were of the same level as those of the official drivers, a status that we obviously wish him in 2021.
