2015 PLAN UNFOLDS

AS the 2014 season has finished and as we finalise our 2015 plans I thought I would share my thoughts with you to give you all a true insight into how managing a team pans out.

After our poor year in 2013 we came into this year with high hopes. We had an improved rider line up in my eyes, but more than that from my side, I had managed to bring together the team and our nearest partner Bitubo. Doing this was the secret to our renewed success.

I can’t hand out enough praise to Devis Sgarbossa who is Bitubo’s main man; and I have to say the best suspension man I have ever worked with. His understanding of the suspension and the chassis geometry and how they link together is second to none. Not to go over old ground but last year as we changed form Ohlins to Bitubo there was a lot new to learn. Even I did not really grasp what was needed until I would say half way through 2013. I really wish I had sooner so I could have managed the situation between the crew chiefs and Devis in a better way. Some of my staff moved on at the end of 2013 but in one particular case (Carl Meakin) I wish he had been here this year to see the big step up we made as we understood how to improve as a team and work in the most efficient way.

We also had the benefit this year of CIA Insurance stepping up their involvement in the team to become title sponsor. This allowed us to field a stronger overall rider line up. We have had three podiums this year culminating with the superb ride from Ratthapark Wilairot in Qatar as he showed he has Championship winning pace, Raffaele De Rosa at Philip Island round One and one from Jack in Portimao.

This together with other strong showings from Raffaele and Jack together with the ever improving Ratthapark reaching his potential in Qatar (despite his ill judged foray into Moto 2, more on that later) was very positive.

Nacho also scored points in Phillip Island but crashes injury and a loss of confidence stopped him repeating this feat. I really hoped he could have had another points scoring finish before the season ended but his lack of ambition and fitness prevented this. He and his father Jose are good people but Jose wants to race more than Nacho. Before he races in 2015 Nacho really needs to consider if he is willing to put the effort in his father’s investment deserves.

To a degree I am going over old ground here with you all so lets move on. People ask me all the time are your plans sorted for 2015 as the year ends. Well, whilst I can’t reveal all right now I will say that we are almost there amidst some setbacks along the way, which I am sure most of you would find hard to believe.

Now I know quite a lot of you think that the riders are all hard done by and why should any rider ever have to bring backing with him to get into a team. Unfortunately I am forced to disagree with this view. In my opinion we are talking about riders and teams working together to find the most competitive way forward. Too many people think if a rider does well all he has to do is sit back and wait for the phone to ring. It’s never been that way, not in this sport or any other. The people who do best are those who go out there and make it happen. This may be by finding backing to take to the team you wish to ride for or by going out there and showing the true desire to succeed both on the track and off it.

With all this in mind let me now give you the full insight into how our plans are going. Lets start with Ratthapark Wilairot. Here is a rider I have a lot of time for. I truly believe he could challenge for the 2015 WSS title managed in the correct way. Unfortunately for him he is backed by a company called Core” Design.

They are a Thailand company with no experience in racing. All was going well and Film was getting better and better until the failing Caterham (Air Asia) backed Moto2 team first had an injury for their American rider Josh Herrin and then they decided they wanted to get rid of him.

Now I was OK with Film standing in as a one off when Herrin was injured but we straight away saw when he came back to WSS he had taken a step back and had to readjust to the very different bike.

When the Caterham team decided to drop Josh Herrin altogether they asked Film to finish the season for them. There were no clashes but it has meant him riding every week and switching from Moto 2 to WSS. I agreed with that on the understanding that to help Core’s association with Air Asia we would allow him to ride in Moto 2 – after we agreed a deal for 2015 and accepted that his remaining results in WSS may not be what he is capable of.

As we sit here today I have a signed contract with Ratthapark for 2015. Now Core” are trying to get out of it. Looking back I should have blocked his Moto 2 ride and not compromised. How this ends I am not sure but I sincerely hope Core” realise the error of their ways and allow Film to challenge for the 2015 WSS title. If we succeed he would be the first Thailand motorcycle World Champion. His second place finish to World Champion Michael Van Der Mark at Qatar proved that he is capable. I will keep you updated on this one.

Next Jack Kennedy. We all arrived in Phillip Island with high hopes and Jack was right on the pace. He then made a mistake that was to effect his whole season. His crash in which he broke his ankle really set him back. He had a technical fault in the race after Jack and I had done all we could to get him passed fit to race. It did cost him a few points at the most but at that point you had to admire his determination to get back on the bike.

After that he kind of lost his way. A lack lustre 11th in Aragon while still suffering from the ankle injury followed by a crash out of fifth place at Assen seemed to completely change his approach to racing. A string of errors by Jack put us in a position that his points tally and results did not show his true potential.

I had a long talk with him before the Portimao round after his view that in his words he busted his arse of to finish 12th in the previous Misano round. We discussed his late arrival at the track for races and agreed a better way forward in all ways to allow us all together to put Jack and our team where we all wanted to be.

After that he was never out of the top four and went on to finish second in Portimao on the same bike he finished a lowly 12th on in Misano. He followed that up with a strong fourth in Jerez although he never really tried to put a strong move on anyone.

Then in Magny Cours it was back to the mistakes when in a comfortable 4th place he crashed out again. Now you would think that after what can only be described as a disappointing season he would be happy that we as a team wanted to stick by him and get it right in 2015. We all wanted to share in the success. However one podium seems to make Jack and his supporters think he deserves more. I hope we can reach a deal as I do with Film. I am talking with Jack and his advisors so lets see what happens. Unlike Film he has not signed a contract with us but time is running out and as we speak we are very close to signing another rider who we believe will challenge right at the front. It really is over to Jack now and I hope he sees sense as a second year together would be good.

To finish off Raffaele was a late signing for us. A great guy and a rider with very good bike feel who helped Jack, Film and Nacho a lot. Quite simply it was always tight for Raffaele and us to finish the season together with the budget we had and in the end we could not do the last two rounds together. That said I have the utmost respect for Raffa and would not hesitate to work with him again if the situation could work out.

Nacho as I said started the season well in Phillip Island with a points finish but after that he got injured at Donington in qualifying and has never really got his confidence back since. I really hoped we could have got more points and finish on a high as he and his whole family are great people. Unfortunately that was not to be and even though he improved greatly in qualifying and morning warm up, a lack lustre ride in the final race makes it highly unlikely he will ride with us in 2015. He is sitting on a bike capable of challenging for the wins so last place is just not acceptable.

By this time you will have realised we are staying in WSS and not going to BSB. I did talk seriously with Stuart Higgs about this and would love to be part of his great show at some time in the future, or who knows maybe with some wild cards in 2015. I have signed a rider at the Milan show and we will announce that very soon along with the rest of our rider line up. There will be some surprises in there and we are looking forward to a great 2015.

I finish by taking my hat off to our whole team for producing such a good atmosphere and challenging at the front again on a fraction of the budget of our closest rivals.

Cheers

Simon