"At the Sachsenring, the driver makes the difference"

In his traditional pre-Grand Prix review, Àlex Crivillé, ambassador Woonkly and the only Spanish 500cc world champion, reports on the current situation of the German Grand Prix, the tenth round of the campaign, the transfer market and even the catastrophe he suffered. while training his second passion, horses.

These days you’ve had an accident practicing one of your “hobbies”. What happened to you?

I was hit because the horse kicked me. They are not gaches of trade, but they are in my hobby. I had to rest for a few days. They gave me stitches, they had to take liquid and put ice on me and lots of “Indiba” sessions. Disasters always happen when you least expect it.

Fabio Quartararo’s victory on the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit allowed him to gain distance in the overall classification, with 22 points to Aleix Espargaró and 53 to Enea Bastianini. Do you expect more from French rivals?

The truth is that Enea Bastianini is a rider that everyone puts as a reference because she has already won three races. At a particular moment, if you are ready to bike, you are comfortable and you have rhythm, you can win the race. Not so on the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit, but he still has options in the fight for the title. Aleix Espargaró is closer to Fabio Quartararo, but the Frenchman is at a very sweet moment in his sporting career and things are very good for him.

In the absence of Marc Márquez, winner of the Sachsenring eight in a row, who do you think will replace him this weekend?

The Sachsenring is a very special circuit. It has a part that is like karting, very toned. That’s where the driver makes a difference. It has a lot of left corners and only three right corners, so it’s also not very demanding. The last sector is really fast, with significant braking rush. Any of the applicants can choose to win. Fabio Quartararo and his Yamaha may be ready to compete. I also think the Aprilia and the Ducati. We’ll see if Hondas can find the right path and so can Suzuki. The Sachsenring is a very pilot circuit.

The market shift began to shift after Fabio Quartararo’s renewal with Yamaha and the signing of KTM’s Jack Miller. As it stands now, do you think there will be room for all drivers?

I don’t know if there will be room for everyone because it doesn’t seem to suit everyone to continue in MotoGP. In the Ducati factory team they are between Jorge Martín and Enea Bastianini, but it seems like more points for the Italian although I want them to decide on Jorge Martín because he is a good driver. From there, we can see how the structures were left behind. At Tech3, it seems pretty clear, with Miguel Oliveira. To Suzuki riders, it looks like Joan Mir is going on the Honda and Álex Rins is still a bit elevated. We’ll see, because these two races coming up before the summer holidays are important. From now on, riders will try to give everything to find a place for next season.

Faced with a volatile market like today, does this equate to more anxiety, competition, grit and performances?

I think we are at an important moment before the end of the first part of this season. The teams and the factories decide. Once they have decided, there is no going back. Even if you do well in the second half of the season, drivers will already be placed on teams for next season. I believe the pre-contracts have not been signed and there is uncertainty. Riders know this and now it’s important to prove your worth and start doing your best to find a spot for next season.

Will Honda riders get better at the new chassis released in Barcelona?

The fact is that Honda is an unknown quantity. I spoke with Takaaki Nakagami, who is the pilot of the little reference, although obviously Álex Márquez and Pol Espargaró were also there. The truth is it is not easy. They’ve tested a lot of chassis and there’s a problem they still haven’t resolved, which is the set-up. The bike isn’t stable and has power, but they don’t end up pushing it or taking advantage of it. Let’s see what happens. Hopefully they find the right path and get their full potential to compete with top brands.

What is your prediction for the MotoGP podium at the German Grand Prix?

I still think Fabio Quartararo will try to make a change. The Pecco Bagnaia is resisting and from then on we’ll see if a Suzuki comes out on top because it’s their turn. On the other hand, we should be attentive to Aleix Espargaró’s Aprilia, who is just 22 points behind Fabio Quartararo and should, at the very least, hold that difference so that it doesn’t rise and cut points from the Frenchman if he wants to aim. in the title.

Celestino Vietti is back on winning ways after some tough races. Who do you think is best positioned to hunt an Italian?

I think Ai Ogura is emerging as a clear pursuer. The Japanese were very consistent and did not fail. He knew he had a future, even in MotoGP. Ai Ogura is one of the riders who will try to make things difficult for Celestino Vietti. Hopefully our riders are there: Pedro Acosta, Augusto Fernández, Arón Canet … I think the show is guaranteed.

Do you think the Sachsenring will show up in Moto3?

The Sachsenring is a circuit that if you connect the first corners well, it allows you to open the gap and leave because the slipstream is less important. There is a lot of equality in the category, so the solo race will be difficult. Izan Guevara is strong and it is clear he will go for Sergio García Dols, his teammate