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Nicolas Goubert Talks About Rebuilding MotoE, Part 1

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Coming weekend, history will be made. For the first time, Grand Prix racing will welcome vehicles not powered by internal combustion engines, as the MotoE series makes its debut at the Sachsenring. It is the very first step on the long path toward a future where batteries replace burning hydrocarbons.

But the series got off to a rocky start, even before the first race. At the second test of the electric bike racing series, a fire started in the special tent containing all of the bikes, batteries, and chargers, destroying everything and wiping out the entire series in one fell swoop.

Since March, Nicolas Goubert, director of the MotoE series for Dorna; Energica, who build the spec electric bikes to be raced in the series; and Enel, who supply the charging technology to maintain the bikes, have worked at double speed to rebuild everything needed for the series, and get it ready for the inaugural race at the Sachsenring.

In Le Mans, I spoke at length to Goubert about the progress made in preparing the series, the challenges they had faced, and the lessons learned from the fire in Jerez.

The fire highlighted some of the difficulties of an electric bike series, but just staging the series raises logistical and technical issues which nobody had foreseen.

Here is part 1 of the interview. Part 2 will follow tomorrow:

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MotoGP

Aleix Espargaro Talks About Frustration at a Lack of Progress, & Fears of Foul Play

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Six races into the season gives everyone a chance to size up where the riders, and more importantly, the manufacturers all stand.

Teams have had a few races to analyze and optimize the setup of the 2019 bikes, plus a test at Jerez to find upgrades and solutions to problems which only emerge during race.

Mugello is the third European race, meaning the paddock is back at tracks that they know like the back of their hand. There may still be a long way to go until the title is settled, but the shape of the championship is starting to shake out.

That leads to frustration for the riders who feel their manufacturers are not making progress. At Mugello, the frustration felt by factory Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro boiled over into outright criticism of the Italian factory over the lack of progress being made.

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Lee Johnston Talks About His First Victory at the Isle of Man TT

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Lee Johnston claimed the first Isle of Man TT victory of his career in Monday’s Supersport TT Race 1. Having won the class at the North West 200, the Northern Irishman was expected to be a contender on his Yamaha YZF-R6, but after finally breaking his duck, it was clear just how special this was for The General.

“I’m so emotional,” said Johnston afterwards. “This place is so weird, and I feel like I haven’t done anything different, but it just clicked. In one way it’s frustrating, but in another it’s amazing. I’m absolutely over the moon.”

“I probably haven’t been the easiest person to live with because of all the stress, but this is what we do it for. It’s something I always wanted to do, and there’s one person [my dad] I wish was here to see that. He won’t be, but hopefully he’s looking down.”

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David Johnson Explains Riding Your Own Race at the Isle of Man TT

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David “Davo” Johnson is back at the TT, and the Australian keeps learning and keeps improving. The Honda rider has spent ten years keeping a lid on expectations, and he’s now keen to put his lessons to good use

The Isle of Man TT is sink or swim. Some riders take to it like a duck to water, and others realize that it is just not for them.

It is the most unique race on the motorcycle calendar. It is you against the track. It is you against the clock. It is you against yourself.

For David Johnson though, this year is different. He is a factory Honda rider for the first time, and the Australian is doing all he can to make sure that he keeps the pressure to a minimum.

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Racing

Peter Hickman Explains Finding the Limit at the Isle of Man TT

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There is nothing quite like the Isle of Man TT. It is the most spectacular race on the motorsport calendar. The Senior TT is the Superbowl and Indy 500 combined. It is a national holiday where the race track takes center stage.

It is also one of the most dangerous races in the world. For every rider that swings their leg over their bikes at the TT, they know the risks and they accept them.

But what is it that makes a rider willing to take those risks? The “buzz” is obviously high on the list but another factor for some is a simple basic fact of life; they need to work.

Last year he broke the lap record and claimed the Senior TT, and while Peter Hickman might start this year’s TT as the firm favorite for overall honors, the 32-year-old faces the end of his career unless he was willing to race on the roads.

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MotoGP

Rossi, Marquez, and Pedrosa from the Eyes of Alberto Puig

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On Saturday 15th December, Barcelona-based daily newspaper La Vanguardia published a lengthy interview with Alberto Puig.

That is in itself mildly surprising: despite being team manager of the Repsol Honda squad, Puig has little time for the media, and little interest in speaking to them.

What is even more surprising is that it is a truly insightful and fascinating interview, revealing a lot about how Puig views running a MotoGP team, and what makes Marc Márquez tick.

So it is a shame that the discussion the interview has generated has centered around two of the briefest subjects Puig mentioned: his views of Dani Pedrosa, whom Puig thought had not been fully committed in recent years, and his thoughts on Valentino Rossi, whom he believed had seen his moment pass.

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WSBK

Eugene Laverty and the Politics of Racing

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“When the music stops you need to grab a seat,” is a kids game, but in the grown-up business of the paddock, it is still just as relevant as if you were at a birthday party.

Unfortunately for Eugene Laverty, he’s been left as one of the last riders chasing a seat for 2019, and with Marco Melandri, Loris Baz, Jordi Torres, and Xavi Fores all also running in circles, the clock is ticking until the music stops for good.

Having thought that he’d be sticking with Shaun Muir Racing for next year, as the team switches to BMW machinery, the Irishman now finds himself on the outside looking in. From feeling secure that he would have a good ride for 2019, he suddenly finds himself staring at limited opportunities.

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Tom Sykes Reflects on Chapters, New and Old

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Over the course of 228 races, Tom Sykes made himself into a Kawasaki legend. It’s easy to look at the last four years and to only see the success that Jonathan Rea has achieved on the green machine, but before 2010 the Japanese firm was struggling. Chris Walker’s win in the wet at Assen was a bright spot that punctuated ten years of failure.

From the turn of the millennium, until Sykes joined, the team had three wins, a home double at Sugo in 2010 by wildcard rider Hitoyasu Izutsu and Walker’s famous result. These weren’t lean times for Kawasaki – this was a famine. With only 19 podiums in the ten years prior to his arrival, it’s remarkable what the Englishman has achieved with the team.

“It’s the end of a great era,” reflected Sykes. “It’s been a great time, and I feel that we’ve done a great job together. We’ve all grown up a lot together. We had the chance to be three-times world champions and I’m very, very fortunate to be able to say that I’m a world champion.”

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Jake Gagne Talks About Jumping in at the Deep End

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Jake Gagne is under no illusions about the remainder of the 2018 WorldSBK season; he’s racing for his future. The American has had a challenging rookie campaign, and it is almost certain that he won’t be retained by the Red Bull Honda squad for next year.

That being so, the San Diego native is excited to get back on track this weekend in Portimao, and use the final four rounds of the season as a springboard for his future.

“It’s been a hell of a ride,” said a smiling Gagne. “It’s no joke racing in WorldSBK. I don’t think that I’ve not shown what I can do yet. I’ve not reached my potential yet because there’s so much for me to learn.”

“Whether it’s bike, tires, or tracks ,you’re going up against riders and teams that have that experience. It takes time to learn and there’s a lot to learn. It’s a huge step from MotoAmerica, and it’s bigger than I thought beforehand.”

“I knew that I was jumping in at the deep end but the depth is so much better. The bikes and the variables with them are more complex. In MotoAmeica, I didn’t have to change much other than a click or two because I’d just go out there and ride my ass off. Here you have to think about so much more. In Moto America, I was thinking about 10 or 15 things, but here its 50 things!”

That level of complexity surprised Gagne. Coming from the Moto America Championship, the Honda rider feels that even the top teams and riders in the domestic series would struggle to make the adaptation. The resources available to riders and teams are so much greater at the world level.

For Gagne the switch was even more pronounced, with his American squad having been severely outgunned when compared to the likes of Graves Yamaha or Yoshimura Suzuki.

“I’ve been slammed into the ground a bunch of times this year, but I’ve enjoying it and I’ve learned a lot. The approach you need to takes for racing at this level and what you need to do to set the bike up have been the biggest lessons.”

“Obviously I’d prefer to have some better results, but I want to try and finish the season as strong as I can. I’ve made some mistakes but these guys are the best in the world.

“In terms of my riding, I was probably a bit too pumped up coming into the year. Riding harder isn’t always riding better or riding faster. That was always my style, and I know that sometimes it means that I go backwards or it develops some other issues for me, so it’s been important to relax, stay calm and understand the bike better.”

“I know that being at the limit all the time isn’t the best thing all the time. I’ve learned how I need to set the bike up with chassis or suspension changes and obviously the electronics. I’ve never had to deal with so many variables that can be changed.”

Gagne admits that the biggest variable that needed to be changed at times throughout the season was his mentality. Knowing what to expect and having the confidence to let the weekend come to him has taken time. It takes five years to get five years experience in any job, but Gagne has tried to shortcut some of his inexperience by riding to the absolute limit.

At times he has looked ragged, at times he has looked quick. His home round at Laguna Seca has been the high point because his experience at the Californian circuit meant he knew what to expect. Knowing how the bike should feel is necessary for any rider to go fast, but for a rookie that’s even more the case. At Laguna Gagne was able to claim two top ten finishes.

“Your mentality is so important, and how I approached the weekend and tried to over-ride the bike was an issue. I know that turning myself down to 90% can make a big difference to my performance and consistency, and being able to set the bike up. I need to think about the bike over the stint more than thinking about corner by corner.”

“Throughout the season I know that I’ve been able to give everything I possibly could on every day. I know that each day that I could have done things differently but I also have no had regrets at the end of any day.”

“My crew have always been very supportive and for the last four rounds the target is to get closer to the top ten. I know that I can do better but there’s so many pieces that you have to put together.”

“I know in the last few rounds that I was riding too hard, but two Top 10 finishes at Laguna at least was good. It was the best of the year and obviously knowing the track helped and having last year’s data to compare it to helped. It was an easier start to the weekend because rather than playing catch-up I knew what to expect. I’ve raced at Portimao, Magny-Cours, and Qatar so I know what to expect there.”

Gagne certainly didn’t know what to expect when he made the move to Europe and WorldSBK. Despite having raced in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, he had spent little time outside the US. When racing in the Rookies Cup, he travelled to and from America, but this year he made a point to travel, explore and live in Europe.

“I’ve definitely stepped out of comfort zone this year. In Rookies Cup, the maximum time I spent in Europe was about a month because I stayed in the US as much as possible. I was always with my family at that time, but this year I’ve been on my own and stayed in Europe for months at a time.”

“It’s been really cool because even though San Diego is the best city in the world, it’s been a lot of fun to live in Holland and see some other countries. It’s not just about the airport and the track now because I’ve seen cities this time and tried to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m here to race bikes, but I’m a person too and it’s important to see some cool shit too!”

“I’ve no real regrets about this year. It’s not part of my personality to be honest. The past is the past and you need to learn from it and move on. I’ve learned a lot this year! I’ve had a few too many big crashes from getting a bit too excited, but it’s no joke racing in WorldSBK. You’ve got to push to keep up with them,

“I know my ass is on the line for next year, and that I’ve got to keep learning and finish the year strong. I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to be able to look back and be proud. I want to stay in WorldSBK, but I don’t know what will happen for next year. I’ll try my best and make some headway to get some good results. If I can’t be back in WorldSBK, it’ll probably be back to America for me.”

Photos: © 2018 Jensen Beeler / Asphalt & Rubber – All Rights Reserved

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15 Minutes with Miguel Galluzzi

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Back in April, Kevin Dunworth of Loaded Gun Customs ran into Miguel Galluzzi at the Handbuilt Show in Austin and asked him to come to Los Angeles to serve as a judge for the inaugural Golden Bolt Motorcycle Show.

For those of you who don’t know who Miguel Galluzzi is, let me clue you in. He is the designer of the iconic Ducati Monster, the Moto Guzzi California 1400, and the Aprilia Dorsoduro, just to name a few.

Additionally, he is currently running Piaggio’s Advanced Design Center in Pasadena, California. Not only that, he is a lifelong motorcyclist and a heck of a nice guy.

I had a chance to sit down with Galluzzi for about 15 minutes during the Golden Bolt to talk about motorcycles and the industry in general. His insights were illuminating.

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MotoGP

Lin Jarvis Talks about the Sepang Yamaha Team, Dealing with Rumors, & Ending Yamaha’s Winless Streak

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Yamaha have been at the center of the MotoGP news for a good part of this season. For good reasons and for bad reasons: the new Petronas SIC satellite team has been at the center of speculation over who would run the team, who would manage the team, and more importantly, who would ride for the team, with some top riders linked to the seats.

But Yamaha have also now gone for 19 races without a win, their longest streak without a victory since 1998. At the same time, Valentino Rossi is second in the championship, and Movistar Yamaha teammate Maverick Viñales is third, and both riders have been podium regulars throughout the first part of 2018.

After the Sachsenring, Yamaha announced that Monster Energy would be taking over as title sponsor from the 2019 season, replacing the departing Movistar, who are expected to lose the MotoGP broadcasting contract for Spain and are stepping back from the series.

On Thursday at Brno, Yamaha held a press conference with Monster Energy, giving the media their first chance to question Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis and Monster Energy Vice President Mitch Covington about the deal.

Once the press conference was over, a small group of journalists got a chance to question Jarvis about the challenges the factory Yamaha team has faced over the course of this year.

He spoke about dealing with the pressure of going for such a long time without a win, of handling rumors about dissatisfaction within the team, and some of the more fanciful rumors of discord between Valentino Rossi and himself, and about needing to expand their testing strategy.

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