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“As a dad you get a good workout, I feel immense joy. But I think I'll wait before having a second, because the first child already keeps you busy,” laughs Simone Corsi, who has been struggling with diapers and bottles since Michael was born. He seems to be doing well, at least as much as he does on a motorcycle and now his nineteenth season in the world championship awaits him. The Roman veteran's debut dates back to 2002, in 125, only a wild card, but from the following year he was permanently in the old eighth of a litre category, while since 2010 he has been racing in Moto2. This year he will wear the Forward team colours again on the MV Agusta.
So it isn't true that a child makes you lose a second a lap?
"On the contrary, last year I was going slowly then when he was born I went better, I lowered my times by half a second. Maybe I have to have another one. You have to give more gas because the costs at home increase! (Laughs) Joking apart, it's a joy to have a nice family ”.
You are in your second year with MV Agusta, what went wrong last season?
“We struggled a lot in the first part, then we got better. We didn't achieve great results, they were far below our expectations at the start of the season, especially in view of Stefano's fourth place in the last race of 2019. We started with high expectations, which vanished immediately after the first tests. "
Could more have been done?
“The team worked a lot and at Valencia on Saturday we were fast, Manzi had made pole position and I was tenth in qualifying but two-tenths behind him. On Sunday, however, the temperatures had changed and we weren't able to be as fast as the day before, unfortunately a minimum change in the conditions was enough to make us not constant. It is one point on which we have to work more”.
What is your goal this year?
“I will have a team-mate who I think is very strong, he has won a lot of races in recent years, so I will be able to share the data with him and it will be important for me too. Staying in the top 10 would be a good result for me, in the top 5 even better. The goal of the whole team is to take this bike to the podium and it is not impossible, because last year, in some races, we were close to the leaders. Given how hard they are working, I think it is not unreachable ”.
How do you feel after all these years of racing? In 2019 it seemed you wanted to retire…
"In that year I had started well, I had almost won the Le Mans race and I felt strong enough. Then, unfortunately, some things happened that I don't want to talk about, I'm just saying that some teams don't do the races as they should be done. I stayed at home, I had lost the desire because after so many years and so many sacrifices I saw that some people were thinking of something else instead of competing. To tell the truth, I had lost all desire, I had already told my family that I would stop ”.
Instead?
“They proposed me to do two wild-cards with NTS and as soon as I got back on the track, the desire returned. Then in Misano, in August, Giovanni (Cuzari, ed.) called me to ask me if I wanted to try the MV at Misano. I said yes, but without making any commitments and that day I went fast, there was also Alex Marquez, who went on to win the World Championship, and I lapped two-tenths behind him. I said to myself: so I can still open the gas (laughs) ”.
It was not the time to retire…
"The desire was back, and then I had the opportunity to work with Mauro Noccioli again, so I told Giovanni that, if there was a chance, I would give it my all. This is my nineteenth year ”.
You need to get to 20 ...
“Let's think about this one first. I thought about retiring because in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to race, because young riders arrive who are doing very well. But I always have the same desire, I trained a lot in the winter and I feel fitter than when I was 20. So why not? Valentino is 42, but I don't think I'll reach him (laughs) But the sensations that a racing bike gives me, nothing else gives me. I like having Lorenzo in the garage, he’s a strong teammate, and it stimulate sme. I'm ready to start ”.
