Sport – Fabrice Auger: French multi-card pilot! –

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Fabrice Auger: French multi-card pilot !

Sport - Fabrice Auger: French multi-card pilot! -

Fifth in his first Dark Dog Moto Tour, Fabrice Auger toured this season in French Superbike and won the Bol d’Or in the Blockbuster category. He looks back for Site on his busy 2007 … and on his future !

If our French representatives sometimes find it difficult to "break through" on the front of the motorcycle scene, it is not for lack of resources: the proof with Fabrice Auger, young Remois rider in French Superbike, winner of the last Bol d’Or (Blockbuster category) and ranked 5th after his first participation in the 2007 Dark Dog Moto Tour !

You said motivated ?…

Site: Let’s start with your season in French Superbike: you finished in 22nd place far from the leaders and hopes born from your good results last year (5th in Open Stocksport and 8th in 1000 Promosport). What didn’t "stick" this year ?
Fabrice Auger: This year, I was lucky to have very good equipment at my disposal: my Yamaha R1s, provided by Sky Motos, were very well prepared and competitive to be ahead. Unfortunately from the first race, I fell and I finished 15th, gritting my teeth. Then at Nogaro, I fell in the race and forfeited the next event in Dijon. Finally in Albi, I relapsed: knowing that the championship has only 7 events, my season was over. But beyond these crashes and injuries, what caused me the most concern is certainly the tires..

MNC: This year, the controversies over tires seem to be predominant in the various championships: what was the problem in French SBK ?
F. A .: The problem is that I rode a Dunlop this year and unfortunately this manufacturer did not equip "official" riders and others in the same way. It’s obvious that Guillaume Dietrich and Olivier Four (1st and 2nd in the -NDLR- Championship respectively) are very good drivers, very fast and they deserve Dunlop to put more effort into them. However, for a driver like me who pays for his tires, it was impossible to have the same references as them! However, in terms of chrono, we were able to observe up to 1.5 sec per lap gap between 2 rear tires … The only solution to try to keep pace with the front was to put yourself in danger, to drive at " block ", while the leaders could sometimes keep a margin of safety and yet keep the lead of the race.

MNC: Basically, you lined up at the start of races, which you were sure you could not win ?
F. A .: Exactly, even if it is not all about the tires: the category was up this year and I think I only have the level to fight in the top five / ten. But last year, in Stocksport, the tire difference was less noticeable and I finished 5th overall, with a second place in Le Vigeant … ahead of Olivier Four !

MNC: For next year, you would like an evolution in the tires ?
F. A .: According to the information we are given, this will not change in terms of tires: we have heard of a single manufacturer, but that certainly will not be the case. So the problem remains: take David Muscat, for example, of course, he had to develop his new Ducati 1098, but he had big tire problems that did not allow him to defend his title..

MNC: In your opinion, a single manufacturer would be the right solution ?
F. A .: (silence) Honestly, I will be for it, yes. Look in Moto Gp: the tires conditioning 50% of the race. However, at our modest level in the French championship, the situation is developing in the same direction. After that, in the case of the single-brand, everyone must of course have access to the same tires, which was not easy this year: in this case it is better to give free rein to the competition, especially as Bridgestone intends to get involved in the championship next year.

MNC: One more manufacturer: what will be your choice for next year ?
F. A .: There is nothing official, but I think I will be riding in a French 600 Supersport on the new Yamaha R6, normally in Pirelli. Of course, I want to find an Endurance team for the world championship and maybe try the Moto-Tour again. But all this remains to be confirmed.

MNC: Why this return to 600 after two years in 1000? Aren’t you afraid to close doors, especially for Endurance? ?
F. A .: It’s true that for most people, when you go from 1000 to 600, you regress: but in fact you don’t go down a category again, you just change. What’s more, I think at my age (Fabrice has just celebrated his 26th birthday – NDLR-) Supersport can open more doors for me than Superbike. In the same spirit, I take part in a race in Valence in November in order to "gauge" myself. You have to be lucid: after 25 years, even if you are ahead in French Superbike, we will not offer you a WSBK handlebar! Of course, that will open good doors for you in Endurance, but here I think I have proven myself: we should normally win the Blockbuster title with Endurance Moto 38 and the fact of racing in Supersport in 2008 will not obscure it and / where to discourage team managers.

MNC: In the end, you take the opposite approach of a lot of riders: Supersport is normally a stepping stone to 1000, then to Endurance. What are your expectations ?
F. A .: It’s true, but I started the competition late (in 2003 –NDLR-), So I have fewer opportunities than a driver who started at 18 in national, then who can ride in 600 European Superstock until 21 years old, in 1000 until 25 years old and from there aim for a championship of the world. Me, at my age and level, I will surely find a good Endurance team to play in the world championship, maybe do some races in British Superbike or in Spain, but it will end there. If I’m going to Supersport next year, it’s to be champion of France, I’m going to win: if the equipment allows it and I have all the cards in my hands, then the goal will be the title. Then in 2009, I would like to try the World Supersport: I am aware that it will be difficult, that a good driver in France is an "average" driver in the World. This is also why not everyone gives it a go. In addition, a well classified driver in France will not pay anything to drive, or even earn a living properly. To access the WSSP, the driver will need to bring at least 150,000 Euros: the Phillip Island event alone costs 30,000 Euros! But I want to try to give it a try, to seize my chance quickly.

MNC: On the sidelines of your speed season, you have been riding in Endurance since 2005: you are leader of the championship, with Endurance Moto 38, another string to your bow ?
F. A .: Yes. I got into it in 2005 with a small team, then the year after I competed in the Bol d’Or and entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Bol. Endurance has improved considerably in recent years, it is true that you do not ride in lap times in speed races, but the level is now so high that each stint is equivalent to a Superbike race! It gives me a lot in terms of race management, effort, you learn to push your limits and that’s just more. This Bowl victory also gave me a boost in morale, at a time when I was a little doubtful. My Power 113 team had "fired" me between the 24 hours and the Bol because of my results in the French championship: on this I joined my current team, we won the event and we are at the top of the ranking with 17 points ahead. Magical !

MNC: Obviously, in these conditions you approached the Moto-Tour with great motivation! But why this choice of road rally, for a speed driver like you ?
F. A .: In truth, I was pushed by a friend of mine, used to the ordeal: this year he wanted me to do it for him, while he took care of everything for me. According to him, this could only be a good experience and I was like "why not?" In addition, it was important to me to try to win in Reims, my city, just like a driver that I admire a lot: Bruno Bonhuil. For me, he is a model, he was the one who made motorcycle sport known in Reims.

MNC: It wasn’t too hard to get back to driving on the roads ?!
F. A .: Yes ! Verry much ! On the reconnaissance in the South, I didn’t dare brake ahead because I could see myself leaving at every turn! But, we were a good team, with 4 drivers from the region and the management was top notch: it allows you to focus on the event and to be calm. There, I won the Remoise event, thanks to Carole’s track section and I am second in the FFM ranking.

MNC: At this precise moment your objectives are revised upwards ?
F. A .: Yes, as much as I won the third stage at Croix en Ternois, then at Magny-Cours and on Thursday evening I was 1st in the FFM ranking !

MNC: Three circuits, three victories: the rest will be harder for you, with only connections, tricky stages …
F. A .: Indeed, I knew that I had played my game and that on the stages I was going to suffer, facing opponents who were much faster and more experienced. My only strategy was to limit the damage and I finished 5th for my first participation !

MNC: Now that it’s over, do you think you’ll repeat the experience, train on the "road" part and why not participate in the IRC? ?
F. A .: It’s true that at one point I wished I was more experienced on the roads, because in that case the victory would have been plausible. However, when I was there, I cursed and was sometimes scared by the pace of the stages … and now that I’m home I want to prepare for "bouldering" for next year! Now, competing in all the events, I don’t think so: I already have my season of speed and endurance to manage well. See it next year, because I don’t like doing things by halves: if I did the IRC, it would be to win it !

On the sidelines of his career, Fabrice created Marne Moto Sport in 2004, an association which is recognized as an organization of general interest. The goal ? Make bikers aware of the dangers of the road and provide motorcycle driving courses to young people who, like him, have a vocation for racing and the will to win, but who do not know how to do it.

Because, if Fabrice wants to be "multi-card", it is to compensate for a late arrival in the world of competition: thanks to his internships and his State Certificate, this self-taught motorcyclist wishes to help the most talented young people, share with them his experiences, his mistakes and his thirst for victories !

Interview by Alexandre BARDIN – Photos DR

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