Moto3 | Qatar GP: Paolo Simoncelli, “It was strange to watch the race from home”

Moto3 GP Qatar – Paolo Simoncelli had to watch the Moto3 class Qatar Grand Prix from home, something that had never happened to him.

The Team Owner of SIC58 Squadra Corse he was unable to go to Qatar due to restrictions on flights from countries with high coronavirus contagion, such as Italy.

He suffered from home, first with difficult qualifying, then cheering Tatsuki suzuki, his driver, with whom he spoke until a few minutes before the race.

There was also the withdrawal of Niccolò Antonelli, who stopped to have surgery on his left shoulder, replaced by Jose Garcia, a driver usually fielded by the team in the CEV.

Here's what Simoncelli had to say two days after the Grand Prix.

Paolo Simoncelli Statements Qatar GP Moto3 Coronavirus

“Moto3 in the time of coronavirus. Sounds good as a title! Without a doubt this is a year that will go down in history. This is a race that will go down in history regardless of the ending, who won, who lost, regardless of the ten drivers who battled in ten laps and fought with overtaking and braking. It is absolutely the first time in which only the "minor" categories Moto2 and Moto3 race and not the top class MotoGP. This is because at the borders of Qatar they prohibited access to Italians after 1/03 so I am the whole MotoGP, in short those of "last call for the Milan-Doha flight" had to watch the show directly from the sofa.

This too will pass, if you pay a little attention and stay at home. After all, if we manage to go to Mars, we will also be able to find a vaccine for this virus, right?! In Milan I heard that the lung ventilators are sold out so they will only be given them with a limit of less than 60 years of age, at sixty you are not that old, I don't think that in 2020 doctors should be forced to make a selection among patients. It means that perhaps the cuts after cuts that politicians have made to healthcare have been managed badly, perhaps... but there is already too much talk about this story on television.

For the first time I saw the race from home, it was strange but I had the same sensations with a closed stomach before the line-up and I was sorry not to be close to my drivers in delicate moments like the pre-race.

It was an almost perfect weekend but at the same time unexpectedly difficult for various reasons: First of all, Niccolò had to return home after the tests to have shoulder surgery, replaced by Josè Garcia, one of our CEV drivers who found himself having to compete on a track completely unknown to him and finally Tatsuki struggled to qualify in Q2, when in reality they should have been more easily within our reach.

But both Tatsuki and the team pretended to remain calm and starting from Q1 they achieved a great pole position which left all the opponents stunned who had already given us up for lost.

I spoke to him before leaving, he seemed calm, I just reminded him: "you are capable of driving, don't forget that, apart from when you don't make the stops in Riccione, don't be afraid of losing!"

And so he had a sensational race as a great driver, he only made two mistakes but they were decisive for the result: the first was starting the attack a lap before he should have, the second being found inside turn 3 at last lap. He finished in 5th position. Finally, anyone who uses the green zone on the last lap is penalized, although my battle continues because I think that this rule shows that anyone who cuts the track on the green takes advantage of it, so why penalize them only on the last lap? One also benefits the rest of the race. Garcia was good, on a new track, difficult because it is very wide, he showed his teeth and fought with determination at the back. But this is all experience. He will make us have fun in the CEV and who knows maybe even as a wild card!
I saw a competitive, combative Tatsuki, master of the bike and the situation, he will be able to give us satisfaction... if they make us race again.

We are confidently waiting for the heat to help us fight this virus and bring us back to normality. Let's take advantage of this moment in which life is less hectic than usual to stop and reflect on how frangible human beings are. Let's stop for a moment, is this the world we want? And when the scent of summer takes the place of that of Amuchina, perhaps we will also have learned something from this lesson.”