WSBK – World Supersport: interview with Jules Cluzel –

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World Supersport: interview with Jules Cluzel

WSBK - World Supersport: interview with Jules Cluzel -

The next World Supersport event is scheduled in Jerez … in three weeks! Site took advantage of this new break to interview our brilliant representative in this category: Jules Cluzel, who is fighting for the title ! Interview.

Site: First question, obvious but crucial: how are you ?
Jules Cluzel: Well, it’s going well! We are in a strange period, a month of break before Sepang, then a month and a half before Jerez … It’s really waiting anyway! But I keep busy doing a lot of sport. I also gave myself a little rest after the. And then there are the different promotional operations to be carried out between races, in France, Italy, Germany … everywhere !

MNC: This is your third season in World Supersport. What is your opinion on this championship, its regulations, its races, its drivers ?
J. C.: I immediately liked this championship! I arrived from the Grand Prix and I enjoyed the slightly more family atmosphere. Today things have changed a bit because the Dorna has taken the lead, but the pressure is less strong than in GP. We are more "relaxed" when the tests are over. I also found the pilots between them to be a bit cooler. I really like the 600 class. It’s not that I don’t like the 1000, but today I feel really good on a 600. And then it’s great to ride on motorcycles that you see on the road, prepared … and from different brands !

MNC: Unlike Moto2 where all motorcycles are powered by Honda, the Supersport includes several brands … It’s important for a rider ?
J. C.: It’s super important. It values ​​his work, his team’s project. MV Agusta, for example, is investing a lot at the moment in Supersport and Superbike, and I am all the more happy to win for them. Personally, I like formulas where there are several brands that can fight for victory. This is what creates the cool side of our categories.

MNC: What do you think of Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki’s dominance in Superbike this year? ?
J. C.: I think Kawasaki has gained a lot of experience in a few years. They have put in the means and above all I have the impression that they have crazy electronics. The bike looks very healthy, whether in chassis, engine or electronics. Its strength today is its homogeneity thanks to a lot of high-performance electronics. By comparison, the Ducati must be a very good bike, but arguably more difficult to tame. The Honda is starting to have quite a few years but remains good. Aprilia works very hard on some circuits but the Kawa is always in the game.

MNC: And the fact that Jonathan manages to beat Tom, that surprised you ?
J. C.: It is true that Jonathan did not know this motorcycle. He was descended from the Honda which I think was more complicated. He had spent a lot of years on the Fireblade and I think getting on the Ninja today did him some good morale. It has improved some of its weak points and consolidated its strong points. He no longer had to compensate for a certain lack of performance. Riding a top motorcycle made the difference.

MNC: Let’s talk about your bike, the MV Agusta F3. You were the victim of two breakdowns at the start of the year … ?
J. C.: Not especially. I don’t know all the origins of these issues, but the main thing for me is that everything has been resolved. I was disappointed, but they were just as disappointed as I was. Today we are second in the championship because of these two concerns. Fortunately, the delay is not that great and we still have the means to win the title. It is the most important.

MNC: Do you only have the assurance of finishing the season at the top from a mechanical point of view? Do you have enough engines left ?
J. C.: We have no guarantees. We hope that it will hold until the end, it is possible and it will even be necessary if we want to play the title! We may need a little luck because the last engine is already on its way…

MNC: Does that mean you’re going to run economy during testing? Reduce the number of kilometers, as you have done in recent weekends ?
J. C.: Yes, we had to find solutions. We managed to limit the mileage in a few races. Hope this doesn’t spoil the work done so far. But MV has found solutions and everything is now working very, very well.

MNC: You are currently second in the championship, with 155 points and three wins. What is your personal assessment as the end of the season approaches ?
J. C.: I’m not the type to value myself, but rather proud of my work and my results. I’m happy and hope it will last until the last race. I want to continue like this to complete what is by far my best season. I could have done better at or at. In the Netherlands in particular, I was beaten by a rather aggressive Kenan. But it helped me, I learned lessons from it and I didn’t let it go. In Malaysia, the victory came in the last corner. I blame myself a bit because I should have packed Jacobsen a little more so that he did not pass me back on acceleration…

MNC: There are only three events left. You’re bound to be impatiently awaiting Magny-Cours, but what do you think of Jerez and Losail? ?
J. C.: Kenan may be very strong at Jerez, he has always ridden well in the past. despite a lot of hiccups in the downshift. Unfortunately, I fell on the penultimate lap. I still had a good feeling and I was dominating, so I’m aiming for the win this year. To be honest, my goal is to win the last three races! In, I won my two races in Supersport. Now the weather can be tricky. It can be sunny at the start of the weekend and rain on Sunday. So far it has rather smiled on me, so as long as it lasts. At the same time, riding in the wet or in mixed conditions at Magny-Cours is rather "special" … We must not make a mistake otherwise we will lose the possibility of winning the championship in Qatar. The end of the season promises to be delicate: we will have to let go while remaining solid.

MNC: Already twice SSP vice-champion, your goal is to win the 2015 championship. What consequences could obtaining the title have on the rest of your career? ?
J. C.: In fact today I don’t really ask myself the question. If I become champion, I will have a nice cut at home. That’s all it will really change. Getting the title will not change my choices. My choice will already be made elsewhere. As you say, I have already been second twice. Being it a third time wouldn’t be dramatic, I’m not going to complain, but my current goal is the world champion title and I will do everything to become it.

MNC: Exactly, don’t you consider that you don’t have much to lose in the end? Unlike the leader Kenan, you have to adopt a clearly offensive attitude. PJ Jacobsen isn’t far in third place, yes, but that doesn’t matter…
J. C.: Jacobsen is 15 points away and I’m not immune to making a mistake. But it is obvious that I will attack as much as possible, avoiding going over the limit. This will be my state of mind for the last three dates.

MNC: Your teammate Lorenzo Zanetti has been inserted between you and Kenan lately. Can he help you in your quest ?
J. C.: To be clear, he did me a favor twice but it wasn’t to help me. His goal was above all to get on the podium. He is an Italian rider and he is frustrated that he did not win with the MV Agusta. This will be his goal for the end of the season, he said it in an interview … But it’s positive for me because I hope that I will be faster than him and that he will insert himself again between Kenan and me, or Jacobsen. But I don’t think there will be in his head the intention to finish second behind me.

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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