It was an exciting weekend of MXGP racing in Arnhem made even better by the addition of Antonio Cairoli and Ducati’s World Championship debut. Despite not racing MXGP in three years and being 38 years old, Cairoli still has serious speed but nothing about him should surprise us. He’s one of the best we’ve ever seen!
We caught up with Cairoli at the end of the weekend to discuss the Ducati’s project, their MXGP debut and much more. You can watch, listen or read below…
GateDrop: I think it’s been three years since you last raced the MXGP. First of all, what’s it like being back in the paddock as a rider? Did you enjoy it?
Cairoli: Yeah, I enjoyed it for sure, really much. Of course, it was quite a difficult impact at the first moment because when we went in for the first practice the track was already so rough and I said, okay, maybe it was not the best choice to choose this GP but then we get a bit in the racing mood a bit better and we try to test some different things on the bike… that helps a lot and yeah, in the end I was feeling good, like yesterday P7 was quite a good result for a completely new bike and also after so many years out I was feeling quite good.
Then for today we changed a couple of things because we needed to, we come here for the testing of course, so we swapped quite a lot of things on the bike and first of all it didn’t work so well, we had some trouble with the start already, I hit a bit the gate and then I was last so I came back to P15 which was of course not the best result but still, I mean, I was quite happy with it, with the riding. Then the second moto, again not such a great start, we changed something else on the bike compared to yesterday but yeah, it wasn’t really helping with the start so we try to push around the track a bit better… I was quite happy with the first six or seven laps, let’s say. I came to P7, P8 trying to fight with Jago that was a bit dropping, let’s say but I couldn’t really pass him until I had some other issues with the bike. I had to stop but we had really good, we collect some good information and let’s say we are happy to come out with, of course no crashes also because after so many years riding a track like this it’s not easy.
GateDrop: During timed practice it looked like the back end of the bike was moving around quite a lot but actually in the qualifying race I thought the bike looked pretty good, did you feel more comfortable and what did you change in between?
Cairoli: Yeah we are changing a lot of stuff on the bike, really much and I think it’s a part of the game that we are here. We are testing, we are here for testing, of course I wish I could keep the bike the same all the time but we are here for testing so it’s important to collect data and get some good information.
GateDrop: Obviously at the end of last year you signed with Ducati, just how exciting is it to finally see the awning and the bikes in the MXGP paddock, we’ve all been waiting for this moment…
Cairoli: Yeah I mean I’m so proud that I had the chance to bring the bike the debut on this series and yeah we are really happy. You know we show that the bike is already at the moment capable to stay in the top ten which is a super great result let’s say for such a young bike.
GateDrop: How are you finding the development role with Ducati, obviously you were KTM team manager last year but I don’t think you rode that much so have you enjoyed riding a lot more with the Ducati and testing… How are you finding the development right?
Cairoli: Yeah actually last year I didn’t ride at all so much, the only time I ride a bit more was one month in let’s say in August where I raced in Balen, I did a 250 race which I won so I was quite pumped about that but then after we didn’t ride any more at all. So, this year I had the chance to have this new project coming along and we put some laps on the bike testing a lot of different things, it is really interesting for me to have the chance to develop the bike.
GateDrop: Having Alessandro Lupino involved, a good friend of yours it’s almost like full circle because at the Carli Yamaha whenever it first started for both of you, you worked together and now the end of your career here you are both working together so that must be quite nice and he’s also very good at developing bikes…
Cairoli: Yeah, I mean we are very happy that we could make it happen like this. We are completely different riders in terms of riding styles and stuff so it’s also interesting to see that we can actually have the same ideas on the bike and work so I think the bike is really performing well. Also, in terms of a standard bike which can adapt to a lot of people.
GateDrop: We have all being dying to see the Ducati and yourself in the paddock again, why did it take so long and where you tempted to come before this GP?
Cairoli: No actually it comes quite quick, you know… To race because if you see other brands that comes to the circle they have been testing for years before they even do a race and we just made one year and the the bike is on track now. We are already racing in the GP for the top 10 places so it’s crazy I think the guys are doing a very great job with the bike.
GateDrop: Alessandro Lupino is leading the Italian championship so if he can get that over the line, the first year as a brand to win a title would be unbelievable…
Cairoli: Yeah, I mean we’re really really pumped about this also yes.
GateDrop: Will you plan to race any more Italian championships?
Cairoli: No, I don’t know… I don’t know if I’ll do any Italian championship races. The plan is also to start, you know developing the 250cc bike soon and so we have some projects going on that of course. We still need to prepare also this 450cc bike for the next year which is at the moment acompletely standard bike so what we are riding today is what we’re going to sell next year and now we have to start working actually on the factory bike that is going to be available for the riders who will take part of the championship next year.
GateDrop: Have you done much sand riding throughout the year so far on tracks like this at Arnhem, as rough as that?
Cairoli: No. Not at all… not at all. The first time the bike puts the wheels on the sand was let’s say the end of July this year so and okay we rode in Belgium a bit but never on a track so rough like this, so it was a quite like a lot of drama let’s say. Like I said before, yesterday on the first practice I was like the last time I see a track like this with racing, I think it was 2020 or 2021 so it was quite a long time ago.
GateDrop: There’s some chat that that you might do Spain, do you think you’ll maybe do the last round or not?
Cairoli: No, at the moment it’s not in the plan. We have to analyse the data of today, we have to analyse what we can improve and if we get parts on time and everything I guess maybe. Maybe but at the moment not.
GateDrop: And on the MX2 bike, when do you think you’ll start testing the 250cc, are you going to be heavily involved with that and will you still ride both bikes or will you just fully focus on the 250cc?
Cairoli: No I will ride both bikes also together with Alessandro. We swap a bit and I think the development will start at the end of October, let’s say… Now the engine is already running on the dynos and soon they will put it on a bike and then at the end of October I think we will start with some riding on it.
GateDrop: When it comes to the riders that are going to race next year, do you have any input in that at all, like maybe they ask you your opinion or do you just leave that to other people?
Cairoli: No, for sure they ask my opinion. We are searching a bit around, let’s say. Of course there is some that are more interesting than others. We are still evaluating but at the moment we can say that of course we would like to have some Italian on the team, a young one so we will see what we can do and then for a better rider let’s say, a top five guy there is not so much choice to be honest because everybody’s signed already but we will see in the next weeks. In the next weeks there will be for sure a press release and they will announce.
