MotoGP: Santi Hernandez “The winter tests with Marquez went very well, but the races are another story”

Santi Hernandez is the technician who has been following Marc Marquez since his debut in the Moto2 class. This year the Spanish crew chief followed the new Repsol Honda Team rider in his transition to the premier class. The XNUMX-year-old has spent almost half his life in the world of racing, first as a suspension technician with riders of the caliber of Alex Criville and Valentino Rossi in the Repsol Honda Team. The word is up to him.

How did your three days in Austin go?

“I would say in a rather positive way. It was the first time on that circuit, a new track where no one had ridden before. After seeing how these three days went and how Marc adapted, I think we can say that it went quite well. The important thing is that we didn't have any other data from previous years, so I think both the team and Marc worked very well when it came to adapting the bike to the rider on a new circuit, which is quite complicated.”

What can you tell us about this circuit on a technical level? The grip of the asphalt, the type of corners, is it fast, slow?

“We expected that the whole first part would be a little more difficult, as there are a series of interconnected corners and where there are many changes in direction in rapid succession. This is a part of the circuit where the driver has to work hard. Furthermore there are ups and downs with different trajectories available. It's an unusual circuit, where the driver has to change the lines a bit. This is what we worked on the most, especially in the first sector, changes in direction and braking, to make the bike stable."
After seeing Marc's adaptation to Moto2, did Austin's performance still surprise you?

“Looking at how the test went, you can say that he adapted very well, but that doesn't mean anything. I believe that the other riders such as Dani (Pedrosa), Lorenzo, Valentino (Rossi) and Bradl lapped taking into account the configurations to be used during the GP. I don't know how they worked, or what we worked on, but I expect that when we get back here things will be different. The three-day Austin results mean nothing. All we can say is that we worked very well. The results are positive.”

Do you think the fact of not having previous references helped Marc to learn the track better and faster?

“Yes, above all the important thing for Marc was to understand the electronics, because there was no data to use. We had to try new things, he understood the use of electronics more at every corner: .. More engine braking, less traction, don't lift the front wheel too much etc. All these things we have been working on, because it is a new circuit for which we have not had data. It was a positive experience in terms of understanding, especially about electronics.”

In the end, you didn't do a race simulation
“It was in the three-day work plan, but in the end the team decided not to do it, because we had two days of testing in which we worked hard and made a lot of changes. There were very important things to test in view of the Grand Prix, to better understand the development of the bike. Then there's the Jerez test again. We worked in preparation for the Grand Prix, looking more at developing the bike than doing a race simulation."

What is your assessment of Marc's learning at MotoGP?

“The overall analysis is very positive and it is an effective fit. We had three tests in Malaysia, where we were able to work and test many things, look at the telemetry and evaluate the changes to be made. This allowed us to have a lot of data and be more certain about the corrections to be made. For now, we can say that in the testing phase it is adapting very well, but we also have to see what will happen when we get to the races, on new circuits where we have never competed in MotoGP. There will be little time for testing and we will have to test the tyres, gearbox, suspension and many other things in a short space of time. You always have to go fast to qualify with the new regulations. You really have to demonstrate that you have adapted to the category. As he demonstrated in Moto2, Marc is a hard worker, who always knows what he needs to do to go faster. In turn, he also gives the technicians very clear information. This helps make the whole process a little faster. As I always say, however, we have to wait for the races, they will be a completely different scenario. "

How did you adapt to the new team?

“The truth is that this is totally different from what we were used to in Moto2, because it was a private team, the team approach is completely different. We have taken a turn for the better. We know we are in the MotoGP class with the best Honda team and for us this is a big step. What we have seen so far is that there are many more people, engineers, but at the same time you can understand why in MotoGP it is necessary. There are many things, many parameters. The team we inherited is Casey Stoner and they worked together for a long time. They know each other well, they are good technicians and mechanics and I think, little by little, we are learning more about each other. We are getting closer to the top and I must say that I feel happy to work with them and, above all, with HRC.”

Did you find many changes among the Repsol Honda Team from when you worked with Criville?

“Back then we worked with 500cc, two-stroke bikes and things were different. There were no electronics, plus my position was different. I worked as a Showa suspension technician and was not part of HRC. It's true that I've noticed a big change, because there are many more engineers, a new bike. They say it has changed considerably and from my point of view, for the better.”

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