MotoGP Feature - The Capirossi Interview
20/10/2007
At 34, Loris Capirossi is not quite the oldest rider on the grid. But he is certainly the oldest race winner. And the most experienced. When he wheeled his Bridgestone-shod Ducati to victory at the Japanese GP of Motegi, he set another record, for the longest winning career. His first victory, in the 125 class, was 17 years ago.
The Italian, who became a father earlier this season, has no fear of the young bucks of the new generation, however.
“It is normal that young riders come. But I know I can still win, and I believe in myself. And when I have that feeling – for sure, a younger rider may be stronger, but he will have to fight hard to beat me.”
Capirossi has racked up a total of 29 wins, two 125cc and one 250cc World Championships in his career, and has been a strong challenger for the crown in the premier class – especially with Ducati, and for the last three seasons with the victorious Italian’s marque’s Bridgestone tyres. Last year, if he hadn’t been knocked down and injured at Catalunya, his title challenge would have been even stronger than his ultimate close third place, after three race wins.
Getting older hasn’t slowed him down. “I have really strong experience behind me, I know what I have to do, and still feel enjoyment on the bike,” he enthuses.
“I can remember really well when I start to race, without experience. I just believed in myself and gave full gas, without understanding anything. And always I ran well, maybe better than many, but I made a lot of mistakes. Now my power is nearly the same as in the beginning, but I make fewer mistakes.”
If he was not to come up against his young self on the track, who does he think would win? The cheerful racer laughs again. “I don’t know. Fifty-fifty. But it would be a good race.”
Capirossi’s perspective gives him a unique ability to judge the tyres that have brought him his greatest success in the premier class.
“I started to work with Bridgestone at the end of 2004, for the season of 2005. Then, Bridgestone had really good power in the front tyre, and the rear tyre was really strong at some tracks, and really bad at other tracks. We didn’t have a good level for all the season – some big ups and downs.
“For the second year, we lost that big up and down, but we continued to have some problems in some track.
“For 2007, when we started to test the 800 bike, we decided to do something with tyres. We decided not to use the big one, like we use with the 990. And for sure Bridgestone were a lot more clear about the tracks that had been bad for them. This year, we went there with completely different tyres, especially much harder tyres, and we lost the problem we had in the past.
“I think that every year Bridgestone worked very cleverly. But the best thing with Bridgestone is that they follow the rider 100 percent. That is really important, because the rider has the feeling from the bike. When you only check the data, the computer is always a bit different from the feeling of the rider,” he said.
In fact, Capirossi has only one complaint about tyres – aimed not at the company but at the new rules, which has hampered development of (for example) the new 16-inch tyre. “With a limit to the number of tyres for a race, we choose only the tyres that we know are working well. We don’t try so many development tyres, which makes it difficult to improve.”
In spite of his victory in Japan, this year’s switch from 990cc to 800cc has been difficult for the veteran, who has watched and wondered as new team-mate Casey Stoner took win after win on his way to securing his and Bridgestone’s first World Championship.
What has made the difference between the two? “I’ve been asking myself that all season. I think it is the character of the bike, and we have different riding styles. Last year the 990 felt like … my bike, and I could do what I wanted with it. This year, at every race, I am fighting with the bike.”
Next year may be different … Capirossi is making what will probably be his last move. Having ridden factory machines for Yamaha, Honda and Ducati, he has signed up to switch to Suzuki, another Bridgestone team.
“I am really, really 100-percent excited about my decision. They wanted me before, and we kept a good relation. Now I can go. I think they want me for my experience, to help develop the bike – but also because I am competitive. When I have the right feeling with the bike, I know I can fight with Valentino and Casey,” he said.
“I think I will have one, maybe two more years in racing. For the moment, I don’t want to stop. For sure I can still win, and I want to try and do that.”