A “Doctor” whom we had the opportunity to meet under the WRT awning, the Belgian team for which he has been driving for more than two years now.
Vale, you are of course accustomed over the years to this enormous attention around you. Does that put more pressure on you or do you need it to go fast?
“Honestly, as you say, I'm pretty used to it. The hardest thing for me, here in Imola, is managing my travels from hospitality to my stand. For the rest, it's fine. Two years ago, When I started with Audi, I was a little more stressed because I was afraid of not delivering, of not meeting the fans' expectations. But today, I am much more confident about my chances of getting on the team. podium on Sunday with my BMW.”
“Above all, no BOP on a motorbike please”
What do you think of the BOP which changes from one championship and one race to another?
“It's the strangest and most difficult thing to understand when you arrive in a car. Balancing the forces present? But why? The goal for me in a competition, when you arrive at a circuit, is to try to go as quickly as possible, to make the best car or motorcycle possible, the fastest. It was explained to me that it was to avoid one brand dominating and discouraging all the others. That it was at this price. We have great championships with 9 different brands in the same second. Before, a week before a GP, I knew if I was going to be competitive or not on this or that circuit. Today, it's at each. once a surprise. We have to wait for the qualification to know where we are.”
Should this balance system be introduced on motorcycles?
“Ah no, definitely not! Motorcycling is the complete opposite of BOP. We don't need such a system to have great races and close gaps.”
