Our French speaking cousins at Motosblog.
fr had the opportunity to talk to Hervé Poncharal, Yamaha Tech3 and Moto2 boss the other day, and since we don’t often hear from the other side of the Alps, we thought that a translation of the interview would be an interesting read.
Motosblog: Hervé, we saw at Sepang two very different Tech3 riders.
Edwards, the “old wolf” who was testing well, while Crutchlow was trying to understand his bike, what do you think?HP: Just to get started, I’ll tell you Vincent that we’ll see a great season, the last of the 800cc will be the most exciting and most beautiful ever.
Honda has made a big effort financially and in human resources by signing three riders to the official team and a fourth with Simoncelli, who has the same equipment …In Yamha, whatever happens it will be Lorenzo fighting to retain his title.
Spies will be really interesting to follow this year and will be doing his part.
And then, Rossi and Ducati, who will have to perform and that will be interesting.
So as you see there is a very high level, with 6 riders all capable of winning.
To return to Tech 3, the winter tests were very interesting.
The M1 is really better than last year’s end of the season bike, but the strongest on the grid by far is Honda.
The level of the riders has leveled up, with some leaving like Espargaro and Kallio.
Last year at Tech 3, we had a gift: Spies who had a top season.
The problem is that you don’t find a guy like Ben every year, and I like to point out that we have big hopes on Crutchlow, but we know it won’t be the same experience.
In MotoGP set-up is crucial, the chassis is more rigid, the carbon brakes, it’s all new for Cal, and not counting the Bridgestone tires which are great, but you have to understand and learn how to use them.
Cal Crutchlow is a great race fighter, but battling isn’t enough in order to run in the front, it’s not like in Superbikes.
Besides this, he did a great lap time at Sepang, he turned in 2′02, when Simoncelli on the first time out was in 2′04 bracket, so he’s already ahead.
It is no secret, MotoGP is a discipline where you have to learn.
I regularly tell him “ride, gain experience on the bike, try to understand it.
Don’t try change it yet, so far as it is, you’re not exploting all of it’s 100% potential.
You’re riding to become a MotoGP rider, and you’re not that yet!” Motosblog: And Colin Edwards, Herve? We saw him great shape …HP: Yes, it’s Colin strength, he’s very, very strong for a 37 year old.
His problem is the opposite of the younger guys, he’s less strong in the first two or three laps.
The result is, even if there’s a lot of skill, you lose too many places at the start … We can’t look at the podium with Colin.
His true level is between 5th and 10th.
This is where he should be there, but with the level this year, it won’t be easy.
Motosblog: Hervé, Tech3 is also Moto2, what happening there?HP : This is our second year actually, and we have a new team (Di Meglio and Smith) plus a second team to equip.
So we lost a little time on the chassis and testing, because it was necessary to produce more, but we’re super happy to run a French made bike.
Mike had a very tough season, but we expect a lot from him.
Bradley Smith is very good, just like Redding.
The riders have worked hard on the bike, the times we know, don’t reflect the true level, and then Mike had difficulties at Jerez.
Motosblog: This year there are fewer chassis makers, what do you think?HP : That all bikes are created equal and frankly they are all at the same level.
But a rider is like that, when X rider regularly finishes in front of him, he wants one too.
Suter has a champion bike, all the guys want to ride on Suter and that is going to be the favourite.
Motosblog: This year we see Moto2 team with big budgets, while Moto2 was supposed to limit it, what do you think?HP : Yes it’s true.
Take Marquez, he’s being royally supported by Repsol and this makes him necessarily a favorite.
Besides, if he has a great season and if Pedrosa doesn’t finally do what’s expected of him, you can count the hours before they switch to Marquez.
The big budget teams have private testing and it’s working, we’ve got to think that we’ve created Moto2 to avoid what happened with the 250cc, we may need to set limits.
What is certain is that this will be another fought out season.
The riders are young and highly motivated, with the risk that we may find some in the gravel trap.
Motosblog: Or sparks flying at the first corner?HP : Yes.
Motosblg: Thank you Herve.
HP : Thank you for following us.