Refreshingly sincere, participating, educated and charismatic, our interview with MXGP hotshot Mattia Guadagnini is packed filled with perception.
Phrases: Edward Stratmann | Lead Picture: GasGas
Half considered one of our dialogue with the Crimson Bull GasGas star shines the highlight on subjects equivalent to how life goes since swapping MX2 for MXGP, his preseason coaching, what the important thing variations are between the courses and his ideas on final season as an entire.
Edward Stratmann: How is the preseason going to this point and the way are you feeling forward of what looms as an thrilling 2023?
Mattia Guadagnini: We had nearly one month off after the season, we completely stopped actually. We solely had a couple of assessments after the season. We got here again from the States and we did some testing. We needed to check the brand new bike as a result of we had some adjustments from final yr. Some new issues for me, Jorge Prado and Simon Langenfelder. We did the assessments to grasp the bike a bit extra and to repair some issues so we’re prepared for this season.
Then for the break I went house for a bit of bit and I wanted that because the season was so lengthy. It was good to cease after which we are able to begin from zero once more. We got here again right here to Rome within the first days of December to begin once more the preparation for the brand new season.
The whole lot goes rather well in the mean time. I’m feeling good and I had extra time on the 450 due to course final yr I jumped on the brand new bike throughout the season so I didn’t have an excessive amount of time to check and to coach with the 450. Additionally, coming from the winter earlier than 2022, I used to be using the 250 and bodily coaching for the 250 so it was good, however clearly not excellent for the 450.
After all, the bike is stronger, the extent of racing in MXGP is admittedly excessive so we’re placing all the pieces collectively and doing our greatest to be prepared for a full 450 season. I’m actually pleased about how issues are going. I’m feeling actually good on the bike and I actually just like the adjustments we’ve made out of final yr.
We’ve completed round one-and-a-half months of coaching so I’m clearly nonetheless not one hundred pc prepared, however now we’re going to Sardegna for some sand coaching and some extra assessments. Then we have now the preseason and we’ll do two Italian Championship races in February. We clearly do these races simply to assist us prepare for the beginning of MXGP. It’s nice to work on the begins and be within the race conditions.
In the mean time I’m already feeling actually motivated and looking out ahead to the brand new season.
Ray Archer
ES: What are your ideas on the final two seasons, which has seen you racing each MX2 and MXGP? You clearly determined to maneuver as much as the 450 after a troublesome begin in MX2 throughout final yr. This will need to have been an important studying expertise getting these 10 rounds in and maintain you in good stead to have a full assault on MXGP in 2023?
MG: On the 450 races, I’m pleased. I couldn’t ask for extra. It was clearly solely a half season and, like I mentioned, I didn’t have the time on the bike to be correctly prepared. I solely jumped on the bike between Maggiora, my final race on the 250, and Sardegna. I went coaching on Wednesday and Thursday on the 450 and went to Sardegna to race MXGP so I solely had two days on the bike and went racing.
It was a bit of bit shocking for me (how effectively I did). I felt actually good on the bike from the primary coaching I did and within the first few races. I didn’t have too many issues adapting to the bike. The second half of the season was particularly good.
After all, I used to be coming from 2021, the place I had season – two race wins, many instances on the rostrum and I used to be combating for the highest three within the championship. I ended up fourth, but it surely was nonetheless good. It was a lot better than what I anticipated coming from the European Championship. I had a extremely good season in 2021.
The aim for 2022 was to combat for the title and it didn’t work out like that. The primary few races didn’t go the very best. Mentally it was additionally robust as a result of I used to be one hundred pc positive I used to be in a position to combat for the championship. I used to be effectively ready and I used to be extra skilled with it being my second season. I used to be feeling good in coaching, however I couldn’t discover the identical velocity within the races, which was irritating, as I by no means had this drawback earlier than. I used to be all the time stronger within the races than in coaching and for the primary time it was the alternative. I used to be struggling to place all of it collectively within the races. I used to be quick, I used to be match after which I didn’t get the outcomes I hoped for.
It was robust for me however I didn’t wish to lose the possibility to combat for the title. On the third race in Argentina, I nearly received on the rostrum so I used to be coming again and degree on factors with third. I used to be feeling higher, I used to be feeling good and like I had the motivation to be there out entrance. Then from this good step, it went backwards. In Portugal, I had an enormous crash at the beginning. Additionally there I used to be feeling good, I assumed I may combat for the win, however I had a extremely unhealthy race.
I needed to then begin from zero once more and I did higher and received fifth in Italy. Then I had an enormous crash in Latvia so I used to be all the time taking a ahead step then bang, down once more.
It was so irritating after a couple of GPs. I couldn’t discover a good rhythm to be all the time on the high. I couldn’t perceive what was happening and what the issue was. I used to be additionally struggling on the begins with the 250 as I’m 80 kg and another riders are 60 kg so you are feeling the distinction. That was not on my aspect, but it surely wasn’t the largest drawback.
Mentally, for me to maintain making an attempt and never doing good was robust. So after Maggiora the title was nearly gone, as I used to be like seventh or eighth within the standings.
We talked as a group and thought the championship is gone and, we had been already excited about transferring as much as the 450 in 2023, so that they mentioned “in order for you KTM, GasGas, De Carli and the group can provide the probability to determine if you wish to go up” so I may get pleasure from racing once more and never should concentrate on the championship. They mentioned I may do what I need, however they had been pleased for me to begin getting expertise on the 450 so I may have time on the bike for subsequent season and get 10 rounds completed.
This gave me the possibility so I may construct forward of the 2023 season and presumably get higher outcomes, which is best than ranging from scratch on the 450 in October. We determined to go 450 and we made the change the subsequent day. From the primary check, I used to be feeling actually good.
I had no expectations for the second a part of the season, as I didn’t know the way I might be on the bike within the races within the MXGP class. I clearly wasn’t accustomed to racing towards these guys and their degree and rhythm within the races. It was actually good to do half of the season and now I’m feeling prepared and I’ve the expertise so I don’t have to begin the season from zero.
I did some good races, and I didn’t count on this, because the MXGP is such a excessive degree and I used to be racing towards a few of my heroes. It was a bit of bit unusual now racing these guys, however I didn’t suppose I’d do in addition to I did so early. In my second race in Spain I used to be sixth, which was a shock. Then I had some ups and downs, which trusted the tracks we had been at.
It was not all the time simple to be up the highest after which I had two large crashes – one in coaching and one in France. In the long run, I used to be pleased to finish up in Turkiye with fifth general.
Then the Nations was actually good so I believe I understood extra the right way to journey the bike in MXGP. To complete the season with some good outcomes gave me further motivation for the winter coaching and to be prepared for subsequent season, as I do know I will be close to the highest locations.
ES: What had been among the key challenges you confronted transferring from MX2 to MXGP? Was it the depth, the velocity or something that stood out particularly that you just observed?
MG: I believe all the highest 10, high 15 are tremendous quick. It’s not like MX2, the place the primary few are quick and the remainder are a step decrease. In MX2, even in the event you begin not so effectively, you’ll be able to come again and nonetheless get outcome. However in MXGP, the extent is so excessive and all the blokes are using nearly the identical velocity, you’ll be able to’t make many passes. In the event you begin say 10, you’ll be able to possibly get to eighth, not rather more, as everyone seems to be so good. The beginning is much more vital.
The rhythm of the entire race is all the time so excessive too so that you must begin effectively to be in it. In the event you make only one mistake on a lap, you’ll be able to simply lose two or three locations. These are among the largest variations, it’s simply so intense for all the race.
Keep tuned for Half 2, which might be launched quickly.
Assist MX Vice on Ko-fiGet to know Mattia Guadagnini additional with these articles:
The Crimson Bull deal – https://mxvice.com/new-deal-mattia-guadagnini/
Chatterbox – September 2021 Interview – https://mxvice.com/chatter-box-mattia-guadagnini/
