The 1st GP of the season is coming closer, how did your pre-season preparations go?
My winter preparations went good! I had one fairly heavy crash during practice, right before the first race of the Italian International championship in Ponte a Egola. Fortunately without any consequences. Besides that the winter preperations went as I had hoped.
Did you ride in Argentina in the past?
I didn’t ride in Argentina yet. Normally I would have raced the GP last year. But unfortunately I couldn't make it then because of my finger injury. So yeah, a new track for me!
Do you have any goals for the first GP of the season?
I have no real expectations or goals for the first GP. Of course I hope to ride a good race and get a good idea of where we are at the moment. From there we will continue to build throughout the season. I try to stay calm about expectations & goals. It’s a long season and I like to take it race by race.
What do you think about the rule change for the qualifying race?
Currently I don't really know what to think about the new regulations for the qualifying race. The top 10 riders will score points on Saturday now. But it’s new to everyone, so it will be an adaptation for everyone. It's hard to judge the impact of the rule change right now.
How is the new Factory KTM bike?
I am not only starting with a new bike, but a whole new team for me (KTM Red Bull Factory Racing) this year! The bike is very good and suits me well. I felt good on it right away, so that wasn't a big adjustment for me.
New team, new manager!
Haha, yes. Having Tony (Antonio Cairoli) as a team manager is very nice. I spent a lot of time with him in Rome during the winter preparations. We also trained together on starts, for example. I feel good and ready to go racing next week!
