After first tests at Jerez where Jules Cluzel placed his Yamaha R6 in the top 5, the team's rider
GMT94 then dominated the competition by being the fastest of the two days of testing in Portimao.
A time of 1'45.694 on the first day gave him an advantage of 17 thousandths over his compatriot
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), but
Jules cluzel accelerated the pace in 1'44.810 during the 2nd day and this is with a gap of more than half a second on the second, Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), as the Frenchman concluded his winter tests, before the first round which will take place in Australia on the weekend of February 24.
To illustrate this, the WorldSBK official website broadcast a very interesting interview with Jules cluzel which explains in detail the physical problems encountered by the Montluçonnais following his injury to his left leg which occurred during the final event in Losail, but above all, the means to overcome them. And, obviously, it works wonderfully!
Also, rather than making Jules repeat the same words when we have interviewed only a few days ago, we report here, in an exceptional way, his interesting testimony…
After several months of convalescence, first of all, how are you feeling?
Jules cluzel: “I still have pain in my ankle. But this is a fairly normal phenomenon. I had a major operation and it takes a little time for everything to consolidate properly. I don't have exactly the same feeling as before, but it will gradually come back. I spent almost three months in bed not being able to put my foot on the ground. My hip was also affected. Despite some difficulties at the beginning, I ultimately adapted very quickly. In Portimão I managed to feel better and little by little I was able to relax. »
Due to this serious injury, the GMT94 had to adjust your YZF-R6 to place the selector on the right side. How did your adaptation go?
" Pretty good ! I am a pilot who, as a general rule, adapts to everything. It happened naturally. Of course, I wasn't completely comfortable at first, because I had to change habits that I had had for many years. It has to enter the brain and become automatic. At first it was complicated, but little by little I enjoyed it a lot more. »
How do you use the rear brake?
“I have the rear thumb brake, but at the moment I don't use it at all. I have way too much to manage with the selector on the right. We still have to adapt a lot of elements. It's a Supersport with a stock master cylinder... so it's not that easy to adjust. »
Before the next Official Test in Australia, what assessment do you give?
“The Jerez tests went pretty well, but it was mainly a settling-in, re-education session. I took it step by step and all things considered, the times were pretty good. In Portugal, I immediately felt that I had a good pace, despite a small fall on the first day. Éric Mahé, my manager, was here and he helped us a lot. He knows me by heart, he helped the team to identify my needs and we made good progress between the first and second days in terms of fine-tuning. Honestly, on Monday, I wasn't setting out to set the pole position time, but I was surprised to see 1'44.8 displayed. That's a lap faster than my qualifying time last year, three tenths off the track record. Faced with both windy and cold conditions, it was rather positive. »
You play in a French team with a French teammate, is that an advantage?
" I think so ! It had been 13 years, since my debut in 250cc with the French team, that I had not raced in a French structure. I think I have more experience to handle all this. It's not simple, but it's interesting. These tests were an opportunity for us to get to know each other. I just knew Christophe from the outside. We worked well during the last day in Portimão and it is important to finish like this before we fly to Australia. Likewise, Corentin is very nice… There is a good atmosphere! »
What's new on the YZF-R6 compared to last season?
“It may sound strange, but I feel a clear difference. However, it is the same motorcycle with the same suspension elements, but the 2019 engine is different because of the regulations. I feel that the bike is more rigid, with firmer suspension settings. But that's a good thing, because last year I was having difficulty doing a fast lap. With this type of setup, we will have to work on long runs in Australia to optimize the package in terms of tire wear. But overall, it remains a good point, because I experienced a bike with which I lacked something for the qualifying round, but which allowed me to do good races. It's interesting and I'm happy to have had this feeling from the start. Beyond this difference in feeling, what cost us last year was going to Phillip Island without having taxied , this year we completed four days. »
During these first tests, did you already feel a difference in support from Yamaha?
“There is a difference compared to last year because NRT was not a Yamaha support team. Also, we have data from previous years, something I did not have last year. Still, we regularly see Yamaha managers in the box! »
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