MotoGP, Valencia Test: Exclusive interview with Fausto Gresini

In Valencia, during a break during the first MotoGP tests for 2015, we interviewed Fausto Gresini, who left Honda at the end of the season to "support" Aprilia's return to the MotoGP class, which will field Alvaro Bautista and Marco Melandri. We spoke with him not only about the Top Class, but also about Moto3, a class in which next year the confirmed Enea Bastianini and the new entry Andrea Locatelli will field. Also in this class he changed bikes, moving from KTM to Honda. Here's what he told us.

Fausto, a new adventure has begun, what are your first impressions?

“I'm happy, it's nice to work closely with a great house, an Italian house, I'm excited. This is a first contact. I still have to get to know the Aprilia world well and therefore I need to be more present in the garage and understand how they work."

Alvaro Bautista who you have worked with in recent years has remained with you and now there is also Marco Melandri, an Italian on an Italian motorbike.

“It's a bit characteristic of being Italian. Italian bike and Italian rider and I'm happy to also have Alvaro, who has had great experience with us with the Honda Factory and who will also be important for the development of the bike."

This test ends today, will you do others before the Sepang ones?

“Yes, we will do another test in Jerez before the end of the month. Obviously this is a first contact, with many new features. It's just the beginning, we're very busy, but it's very nice.”

So is it too early to talk about goals?

“For now the main objective is to integrate well together with the team and the Aprilia men, to make the necessary contribution to speed up the development of the bike.”

At the end of 2015 the regulations will change, single control unit and Michelin tyres, are you working with that in mind too or are you focused on current events?

“Right now we are focused on 2015, we are working to acquire data, have parameters that allow us to develop the bike. Clearly we want to be as competitive as possible in the shortest time possible. It's a race against time, both on and off the track.”

In recent years, Bautista had always worked without having a reference inside the garage, given that he was the only rider who used the Honda Factory with Nissin brakes and Showa suspension. Could having Melandri in the team be a help from a performance point of view?

“It will be an advantage for both him and Melandri. Having two drivers, two references makes the rivalry grow, there will also be an internal challenge and challenges are always good."

Let's talk about Moto3 now. You moved from KTM to Honda, you confirmed Enea Bastianini and you took Andrea Locatelli. Here the objectives are more ambitious.

“This is a young project, we are working for the future, we would like to be able to excel, be protagonists. I believe that we lack nothing to be able to be so. The objectives are ambitious, let's see if we can achieve them.”

Photos: Alex Farinelli