Guidotti (Red Bull KTM): “A psychologist is not necessary” / MotoGP

The KTM rider was allowed to attend the awards ceremony in all three MotoGP events of the current season. For Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti, the world of MotoGP is basically the same. As a designer, KTM is the first follower of the Bologna factory and apart from the numerical superiority of the Desmosedici riders, there is no reason to fear Ducati.

However, there are changes in performance within the composition of his team that concern Italian Guidotti. After a strong start to the season, a below average race weekend in the USA was enough to push RC16 ace Binder down four places in the World Championship standings. Jack Miller is still not at his best regularly. Despite the strong sequence, the “Thriller Miller” is in 10th place in the World Championship after six races (racing and GP races) between the two VR46 Racing drivers Bezzecchi and Di Giannantonio.

A few days before the fourth stop in the MotoGP calendar, which was very successful in 2023 with a double podium with Dani Pedrosa (seventh), Francesco Guidotti was available to talk to us. The seasoned race manager is only briefly looking in the rearview mirror at Texas – instead he’s looking hard at the big job next weekend.

Francesco, first an important question: Is Brad Binder in top shape?
Francesco Guidotti: “It is true that Brad was traveling in America with an injury. It was a very small injury on the right leg. It would have been harmless, but in practice it had upset him a little in Austin; it was a minor cause of discomfort, especially when using rear brakes. However, no further treatment was required after the race. Brad has recovered and we expect him to be fully functional in Jerez.

Minor injury the reason for Brad’s poor performance in Texas GP?
“Oh, no, I wouldn’t say that. And Brad didn’t give that as an excuse either. There was another reason.”

How can it be explained that Brad was only in midfield in Austin?

“It is true that Brad had a weak performance in the last race. And even if there was a reason for that, we are not looking at it now. To be honest, there is no point in thinking about it too much now. The truth is, we have improved our performance according to lap times everywhere we’ve run in the last 12 months. In Qatar we were over a second faster than in autumn 2023. In Austin the real problem was that Brad and Jack didn’t move straight into Q2. Brad didn’t make it further in Q1. The focus is on the next event. There’s no point in going back too far and all we can do is take advantage more with each event.”

The same for Jack Miller?

“Of course it is. Jack has improved. He has shown us several times this year that he has speed. We will try again in Jerez.”

And then there’s Pedro Acosta in the box next door…

“Pedro is just great for all of us. He’s amazing and it’s really interesting to see what he does.”

Then Brad Binder and Jack Miller don’t need psychological help from you?

“No, that is not necessary at all. The biggest enemy is not Pedro. On the contrary. It is a positive effect. The same thing was seen with the arrival of Jorge Martin. Jorge was also in front very quickly and it inspired other Ducati riders. This is natural. Even if you’ll have to see, someone like Pedro doesn’t come along every day, he’s unique.”

GASGAS pilot Augusto said he will now fully accept Pedro Acosta’s arrangement. Does that make sense to you?

“I think Augusto definitely has the right attitude. It’s normal for him to look for solutions. He proved several times last year that he has what it takes and this season the right tactics are also being adopted. Even if his times are not at the same level as the other three drivers, Augusto is not lost.

Dani Pedrosa is another star. What is his wildcard job at Jerez?

“Everyone is looking forward to Dani in race conditions. He tried creativity in his last test in Jerez and he felt very good. His job is to drive as many improvements as possible under race conditions. You should not underestimate how different the conditions are compared to the test that you have next In two sessions, which average 45 minutes and are full of dynamics and competition, things are different.

Can you reveal what new pieces Dani Pedrosa will be using this weekend?

“Let’s put it this way, creativity will show.”

Last year you had a very successful Jerez weekend. What can you take from 2023 to next weekend?

“Jerez is something special. You can say the real MotoGP World Championship is starting now. The first three events were all held on tracks that have a special character. In Qatar it’s a change of grip, in Portimao it’s a set-up and in the USA it’s a big effort Not that everything is easy in Jerez, but everything is more familiar and predictable.
It would be great if we could copy everything from 2023 to this year. Sure, no one can take away your last season’s experience, but everyone starts with a new bike and new data. What helps are the final tests, but unfortunately only good memories remain from the 2023 race.

Thanks so much for the conversation!