much he can improve. He is already
very fast and was right behind
Valentino and Maverick Viñales in
some stages of the race in Argentina,
which is very impressive. I always
like to take a humble approach so
I don’t know for the future but right
now we are very happy. I’m sure he
has margin for improvement because
he is the newest guy and the one with
the fewest kilometres under his belt
in the MotoGP class so the margin
is there.
I like to live life step-by-step and
day-by-day so we will keep ‘in the
moment’ and we are pleased with the
first two races. Hafizh is flying directly
to Texas and will stay all week with
Colin Edwards and at his ranch to
train. For sure he will come to Austin
fit. It will be another tough weekend
because every circuit is new to him
on a MotoGP bike and there is the
learning process and many things
to do.
A word about Johann; he is
knocking on the door of bringing
the team’s first MotoGP win…
You know Johann was the surprise
of the 2017 season. He was not only
the rookie of the year but also the top
satellite rider and was just 0.3 from
winning the last race in Valencia. We
didn’t know what to expect for ’18:
we wanted to improve on 2017 but
we knew it would not be easy. Winter
testing was a dream and then Pole
Position in Qatar and leading 17 laps
from 22 and unfortunately only a tyre
problem robbed him of a potential
victory or podium. Argentina: front
row again and a good fight.
All credit to my old rider Cal
Crutchlow because when he was
behind Johann I could see that he
was strong and Honda have always
been fast in Argentina. Cal was
also on the podium last year. It was
a tough track to pass and there
were still some wet patches. He
wisely decided to settle for second,
which puts him third in the world
championship and the best Yamaha.
We can look optimistically at the
future.
People see Johann as a quiet and
polite guy. Now into your second
year working with him what is
his character like and how has
he handled the whole adaptation
process to a new level of profile?
What did you discover?
I’ve discovered that this guy is very
different to all the others I’ve been
working with because he is, as you
say, polite and almost shy in a way:
but not on the track. He comes from
a very normal background and he
had to work, together with his friend,
to climb all the steps from local
racing to MotoGP. He has been more
dedicated than anybody I’ve seen.
It was never easy for him and he is
the hardest worker I’ve had; second
behind him was Andrea Dovizioso.
Johann is so motivated and willing
to succeed. More than anything he
loves MotoGP racing, more than a lot
of riders; he lives MotoGP. He has an
attitude that you [as team manager]
dream for. They are all very fast and
very talented and all work very hard
but I think he has that confidence that
not many have. He is not surrounded
by bodyguards or beautiful girls; he is
just focussed on the job.
If you plan to have a ten-lap stint
then he will do the ten laps, even
if the setting is not ideal. 99% of
the riders will do three laps, come
in and say ‘it’s not working…’ but
Johann wants to go ‘into’ and look
at everything before he says ‘that’s
not what I want’. He will really push
to find out. Some top riders get
confused and won’t have the results
people are expecting and sometimes
I think that is because they don’t
have the method to work and also
the surroundings. I’m not a nationalist
and will never be but I think speaking
the same language – even though
Johann and the whole crew speak
good English – helps to really convey
some feelings. He seems really good
with the team, especially Guy Coulon
[Crew Chief] and Alex Merhand [Data
engineer] and this is really important.
Johann is one of the guys who has
spent the most hours in the [pit] box
to understand, to talk, to read and
to check, and at this level this is also
important. u