Photos and quotes from the Thursday Press Conference as the second round at Mugello gets underway.
Here we go! We’re back in action for Round 2 of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship, and what a backdrop we have as the spectacular Mugello plays host. Ahead of track action beginning on Friday morning, some of the key protagonists so far sat down to give their thoughts on Round 1 and the adventure ahead: Championship leader Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team), Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™), home hero Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) and the returning Eric Granado (LCR E-Team).
JORDI TORRES: “Arriving here on the top is a great feeling because you arrive here with very positive energy. But we need to understand this weekend to be as competitive as possible to understand at which points we need to brake and the speed in the corners. For sure learn the braking points and this kind of thing because nine years without riding in Mugello is a long time!
“I did everything in my house to understand the most, the fastest way possible. How it’s possible to run faster with fewer laps in free practice. I practiced on the MotoGP videogame and many different kinds of video games, also with cars and with the steering wheel. I tried everything to arrive here with the maximum possibility to adapt my faster lane or or this kind of thing. For sure the most important thing is that tomorrow at 8:30 in our FP1.will maybe be to follow some guys, maybe somebody here will give me one lap to understand the track more!”
What did you make of Ferrari in Race 2?
“Matteo showed us how is the potential of the bike if you try to believe in the tyres, in the suspension, in the frame. And for sure here everybody starts at this level, try to do 100% at the beginning to work in this area, and after at this kind of track that like Mugello with long corners, many changes of direction and many up hills and downhills. We’ll see what happens, but we don’t know the behaviour of the bike. We don’t know the behaviour when we brake many times in these kinds of braking points, but we don’t have many laps to understand, and for sure our feelings are more important than the setup of the bike.”
HECTOR GARZO: “I’m happy to be here in Mugello again. Le Mans was a really good start, the feeling was good since the beginning. The team and I worked hard in Barcelona and Jerez, many laps in the wet and dry, but we’ll see what happens here. As Jordi said we need to understand how the bike works more, where is the limit and where we can force it a bit more, but I have good expectations after Le Mans, it’s important to keep working and believing in the project but we need to start pushing again.”
Key points at Mugello for Ducati:
“For sure fast corners like Arrabbiata 1 or 2, should be a fast point to win time, braking points are important too. Also many chicanes and changes of direction where we need to be fast, try to understand how the bike is working better, which is the way. Let’s see how it’s working, we don’t have much time but for sure that’s nothing new.”
MATTEO FERRARI: “It was a really strange weekend for me because I was very fast during FP and Qualifying. In Race 1, I started well but at the beginning it was difficult to take some gaps with Garzo and Jordi so I made a little mistake and also during a yellow flag, so sorry about that. For this reason I had a Long Lap during Race 2. Yeah I think we made some steps on the bike but not too much. The feeling on the bike now is incredible and I want to continue like this. The most important thing is to ride the bike this way at every track. Now Mugello is completely different so we will see.”
Will winning experience be important on a new bike?
“Difficult to say because this bike is completely different. We will see our data and videos from last which for sure is important so we will have some good information. In my opinion, some corners will change with this bike and also the braking points but I studied a lot and I think we have a good base to start in Mugello.”
ERIC GRANADO: “I’m fine. I’m very happy to be here, to be honest. I’ve had a very difficult month after my crash in World Superbike, and it was so difficult for me to stay at home watching you guys racing in Le Mans. And yes, luckily I’m OK. It was very hard for because when you know when you have a concussion you need time, you don’t know if it’s one week, one month, or more. So luckily I’m ready to race. I’m feeling good at 100% now. So for me, the best thing is to be here with them and the best thing for me is to go on the track and ride again and enjoy it as much as I can.”
What did you think watching Le Mans?
“Well, one thing is sure, I followed every second of them in Le Mans, the press conference I was already watching. I watched everything everyday, you know. So I saw you talking in the press conference, every answer, everything. So I could maybe take something for me for this race! Also, I watched all the sessions on the live timing and also the races. It was very nice to see the level of the category and how the category is working. The new bike and everything. Unfortunately, I was there but now I’m here.
“I saw that these guys have a very high level on the Le Mans race compared to the others, but now here I believe not just these guys, but all the other riders, especially Italians are going to be very fast here so we need to see how it goes. But for me, the main thing is to be on the bike, to enjoy it, and to do the best I can do. You know when you stay at home doing nothing, like every little thing that you do, you put more value on it. So to be here with you and to go on the track, for me is the best thing I can do this weekend. Last week I went to ride my bicycle and I was very happy. You know, sometimes I say, uff I need to go cycling and it’s difficult, but now even that… everything is very nice! So I’m happy and ready to go.”
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