Paolo’s Blog

AMERICA GP 10/4/22

We went from the wet heat of Indonesia to the fiery Argentina and then we approached the variable and crazy weather of Texas. Three hard and tiring trips, three races completely different in terms of weather and temperature, maybe also for this reason the performances have been a bit unstable, just like the weather.
These trips represented a real challenge for us, we asked ourselves a lot of questions and we had to face difficult moments, that led us almost to a breakdown on Saturday…

I forgot how it could be hard to work with very young riders, who are just getting involved in a World Championship, like Fellon who does not have a history yet or Rossi who is trying to write a new one. I forgot about it after so many years with Tatsuki and Antonelli, already Moto3 experts. It is difficult to line up the cards when riders are so different from each other. When you work with your son you know him, he grows with you.  You learn how to work and manage the race weekend together, automatically entering into symbiosis. Here, instead, every year you have to deal with a rider that you don’t know, with his own habits and routine, and you are a stranger for him too.

With Riccardo Rossi we passed weeks of ups and downs, a bad race in Indonesia made him think and in Argentina he made un unbelievable race. He confessed me to finally have thought: “Here I can make the podium!”, a thought that had never crossed his mind until that moment. Unfortunately, in Texas a slip during Friday took him off course and to two difficult days.

Fellon is growing, we are trying to fix some of his riding issues, but on Saturday he made me furious when he was not able to conclude a timed lap in 15 minutes. For a rider competing in a World Championship not to qualify is not  acceptable. Waiting for someone to follow his wake, hesitating in the box and losing the possibility to make a good lap… I think it is madness.
Saturday I was thinking to close the Team and take the first flight to come back home, but after a briefing where I only needed few words to get my point across, I postponed every reasonable decision to Sunday…where for the first time ever, I saw a peaceful Fellon on the grid, who was going to do something that he loves: racing.

He finished in 15th position, getting his first championship points, I’m satisfied of the race he was able to complete.
I’m also satisfied of Rossi’s race, who started from the 17th position and made a good race, finishing 9th and almost getting the fastest lap. It also increased my anger as he could and should be always among the top 5 riders.

And now, a break from the Extra-European races, we’ll stay closer to home, we’ll go to Portimao.

We had some intense weeks, we bottomed out and this must be the GP to restart in the best possible way, for the two riders and for all of us.

 

-PaoloSic58-