On the classic Australian circuit of Phillip Island where the official Infront tests took place last weekend before the season opener, one of the newest additions to the World Supersport grid is Paola Cazzola, who rides the #33 Honda for Kuja Racing.
Dave Contini got a chance to talk to Paola and asked her a few questions about her newest racing adventure.
Q: You’re one of the fastest women riders on the planet, you’ve shown that you deserve to ride and compete at an international level.
How was the first impact with testing at Phillip Island?A: Firstly, I’d like to thank you for the compliments, I want to say that I know a lot of riders who deserve to ride at world level, but in our field as everyone knows, money talks and maybe being the first women to take part full season in the series has helped me.
My first impression was that for the first three laps at Phillip Island I seemed to be inside a video game, the track is very fast, with turns that you do in full fourth and fifth gear that make you hold your breath! The track is much tighter than I expected and at certain speeds if you miss your marks even by a little …it’s not pretty! Q: The Australian circuit certainly isn’t one of the simplest for a debut, a great track with several very technical points.
Which areas of the track are you already confident with and in which areas do you think are more difficult and you need to improve?A: Actually you’re right, a debut at P.
I.
is a debut with a capital D.
The track is wonderful and very fast, but personally I don’t think it’s that super technical.
Here you need a pair of big ones and a bike that’s perfectly balanced, because like I said the track is very, very fast and you have to have a very good feeling with the bike to keep your throttle open on these turns.
My confidence at the moment .
.
I don’t have any in any section, but I can say that I do like T1 and T2.
Turn 3 for me is a blood bath, and the turn that goes into the straight towards the finish line is like wow … it’really gives me some of the greatest feelings every lap.
Where do I have to improve? Everywhere!Q: At Phillip Island, in your opinion which is the point that you can get you best lap time?A: To me it’s at T3 and the turn that heads to the finish line.
Favourite tracks … I haven’t seen that many, so I’ll have to answer you at the end of the season.
The ones that I really know are the Italian ones, Portimao, Assen and Phillip Island and so far the one I liked the best is Portimao.
Q: How do you feel with your bike and team? Where does your racing #33 come from?A: I don’t really know know my bike yet, I have to start working on finding a good base set-up, and there’s a lot of possibile combinations and this complicates things.
I’m getting to know my new team.
I worked for three years with my old one and they knew how I rode and I could give them just a look and they knew what I wanted, so naturally in a new team we have to get to know each other and find a common language, but I’m convinced it won’t take long, and the feeling between is already very good.
Number 33 was the number that they officially gave me when I first started racing in motocross, and I’ve never been injured using this number and it’always brought me good luck.
Q: WSS has always been a spetacular championship with great racing duels and this season it looks like that Kawasaki is doing well, as is Honda.
You’ve had a chance to ride along side the other riders, who do you think is going to be the fastest this season?A: WSS is a hard fought series and this year there’s going to be great fight between Sofuoglu, Lascorz and Laverty and hopefully also for the Italian colours, because Pirro is riding for a top team this year.
Q: Tell us something about yourself, do you have any habits or rituals before riding? And for the technical aspects of your riding, do you have any peculiarities like using the rear brake?A: I don’t have any habits, but I do I have a ritual … let’s say that I often talk to my bike before starting a race!I don’t think my riding technique is different from the norm, maybe sometimes I’m too delicate on the throttle and this has its pros and cons, it’s good when it’s wet, but a little less when it’s dry.
Q: What are your expectations for the championship and how would you encourage another female rider who wants to follow in your footsteps?A: My expectations are to continue to get better and beat my limits.
I’d like to get three to five points by the end of the season.
I hope that a lot of women can reach out and live, what I’m sure will be a great adventure.
I’m living a dream and in order to do so .
.
you can never stop believing!Our staff would like to thank you for your availability and hope that you have a successful season.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you and I hope that I can really twist that throttle.
Above all, I’ll try to do my very best, I owe it to all those guys that deserve to be here .
.
but aren’t!