WSBK, Supersport: Exclusive interview with Jules Cluzel, winner in Argentina

On the occasion of a weekend that began with physical difficulty, then made complicated by a delicate track, Jules succeeded in San Juan with the GMT94 Yamaha and his precious teammate Corentin Perolari to achieve a magnificent victory. Already a winner at Buriram in Thailand then at Donington, he still has a chance for the title, and everything will be decided next week at Losail.

Jules, when you arrived in Argentina, did you have small health problems?

“On Thursday evening I was very ill. I didn't sleep at all. I spent the night in the toilet, and the next day I was dehydrated. However, Friday was the most important day, because it is the one where we ride the most and where we prepare for the race weekend. But overall it went well. »

This Friday the track was in poor condition. How did you manage to get out of it?

“It was the same for everyone. We had to go gradually and try to understand the track. In these conditions, we didn't do badly. In fact, the track has evolved. In the morning it was dirty, then it got better, and then in the afternoon there was another problem, because with the heat it was slower. Although it was cleaner, it was slower and very slippery. These parameters were identical for everyone, so we had to not make mistakes, and try to understand things to still progress the next day, and that's what we managed to do. »

On Saturday the result was good, but you had to work a lot on the bike's settings, and you on adapting your riding to the track since the grip was no longer the same?

“It actually had nothing to do with it anymore. On Saturday morning, the grip was exceptional. It was almost a normal circuit. So we had a lot of fun. I drove very fast, and on worn tires. It was crazy because I actually put on the tires from the day before which normally no longer work. When you wear out the tires and put them back on later, it no longer works the same. That's roughly two seconds slower. »

“In fact we did it saying to ourselves that we were going to improve on the bike's settings, even if I wasn't fast. And finally I found myself in front among the best times. We had planned to change the tires at the end of the session, but I decided not to do it. I did more than a race simulation, with 24 laps instead of 19. I had the second fastest time, with my best time on my last lap. I thus validated that I was in good shape and that the bike was good. We were able to understand things, and that was super important. »

“In the afternoon during qualifying, the track was really very tricky. It no longer had anything to do with it. In fact it was very hot, and it was as if the oil from the tarmac was coming out with the heat. It was really weird and difficult to understand. Some did better than others, including my teammate Corentin (Perolari), Badovini and Smith. »

“I was very fast too, but we had a little problem with the gearbox. I couldn't get in my first one and I couldn't do a real ride. I was a little disappointed not to have been able to compete for pole, but I was still happy to be on the first row and that Corentin had achieved pole position. I was happy for him. »

What were the conditions for the race?

“They were the best of the weekend. The warmup conditions were super good. I achieved the best time. »

“For the race, it was pretty much the same conditions. It was a normal track. I had a lot of fun during the warmup and the race. In fact, I didn't really know what to expect. I knew there would be a lot of fast drivers, including Corentin. »

“So I didn’t particularly expect to escape. I knew that not making mistakes would be key, and I actually felt very comfortable at the start. I overtook Corentin, then I traced my route. I realized that I was escaping quite quickly. I pushed it for a few laps, and from two seconds ahead I started to calm down because I didn't want to make any mistakes.

“I had a passage where I tried to understand the rhythm of my opponents. When I realized I could add a little more, I increased it to three seconds. With this lead, 6 laps from the end I started to relax a little to reach the finish. »

“In fact it was a bit of a race in three stages: the first stage where I took great pleasure in escaping, the second where I tried to gauge, it was a bit stressful moment, and the third time when I couldn't wait for it to end, without making any mistakes. »

During a weekend like this where the conditions change frequently, how do you manage to adapt your bike and that of Corentin to the condition of the track?

“What wasn't bad about this weekend, despite the track conditions, was that it was hot all the time. So we drove every day at 11:30 a.m. and in the afternoon around 16 p.m., which meant that we always had roughly the same track conditions. »

“We had some things to try this weekend. In fact, we worked really well with the team. It was super positive work and it really did everyone good. »

“It was the first time in a long time, including last year, that I had so much fun racing. I had the banana! When I pushed the brakes a little, I made progress. When I pushed the passing speed a little, I made progress. What I wanted to do paid off. I really had a lot of fun. »

The World Championship final will take place in Qatar on October 27. You are 22 points behind Randy Krummenacher and 14 behind Federico Caricasulo. The negative point is that this delay is significant, the positive point is that both fell at Magny-Cours. The title is still playable. How do you see things?

“To be honest, my goal is to be World Champion one day, sure, but my goal right now is to win races and try to reach the finish. My goal for Qatar is to win the race because my third place in the Championship is assured. »

“Better, I can do it, but in any case I have to win the race. I'm leaving to do my best, to have fun like in Argentina. I have no doubt that we will get there. I want to ride there with the banana, have fun and have no regrets at the finish of the race. That’s what I’ve done my entire career from the beginning. When I'm on the bike I go hard, and if there's a chance to win, I'll go and win. »

“Afterwards, what will happen with the other two is their lives. And right now they seem really bothered about it, so I let them do it. I do my race while remaining focused on the objective. »

“What’s cool is that I have Corentin who is very fast at the moment. Corentin helped me a lot in Argentina by not making life easy for them. He was in front of them, and that's what allows me to be at 22 points. I thank him enormously for that. I know he will also do the team work and he will be there in Qatar because it is a circuit where he was fast last year too. »

“At the moment we are fast. It's cool, there's a great atmosphere in the team. With Corentin we get along really well. What we both like is putting gas and having fun. That’s what we’re doing, and we’re going to be good for Qatar! »

Race results:

Provisional ranking of the World Championship:

The joke is that Jules Cluzel celebrated his 31st birthday! (true). Here on Saturday Corentin Perolari, pole position, and Jules third time in qualifying.

Illustrations © GMT94 Yamaha (Credit: Vaclav Duska Jr.) and Yamaha Racing