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Moto3, Fenati: in 2017 the first race will be against myself

Moto3: Fenati: in 2017 the first race will be against myself

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For Romano Fenati the racing fast has come to an end, and in November he climbed onto the Honda Moto3 of team CBC Corse for the first time (the team will wear the colours of sponsors Rivacold and Marinelli Cucine) for testing in Spain. He's now counting the hours until the first tests of 2017.

The storm he was caught up in during the summer has been put behind him and now Romano is only focusing on his future. “I went through a bad time, a crisis - he admits with a smile - But I was able to transform the experience into a positive, I turned it around in my favour. Sometimes things just happen, and sometimes it's destiny, but when one door closes sometimes a bigger door opens”.

Have you grown?
I've always believed that the most important thing is respect, also towards those defined as enemies. It was a painful situation, but enough now: we're not thinking about that anymore”.

Many consider you one of the favourites for next year, due to your desire to bounce back…
I definitely have that desire, but there are certain comments made about me that I can't understand. Some write: let them see who you are. I don't have to prove anything to the other, only to myself. My first race will be against myself, in 2017 I want to arrive in Australia with more points than I had this year, that would be a positive result”.

You didn't race for half the season but finished 10th regardless, does that bring you some satisfaction?
Yes, though it would have been better to have continued and perhaps finish 2nd (he laughs). That championship finished for me on that day, I haven't thought any more about it. The only thing that counts is continuing to ride”.

Did you miss it?
I continued to ride, but road riding is very different to what we do on the track”.

What were you thinking when you got on the Honda Moto3?
How small it is! Perhaps I'm wrong and I should have moved to Moto2… (he laughs). Then I rediscovered the 'toy', beautiful to ride”.

Why didn't you go for Moto2?
My plan was to do that already in 2016, but things didn't work out. The problem is that, when the situation we had this year came about, it was difficult to find a place in a good team. I'd had an offer from Boscoscuro, the Speed Up is a bike I really like, but I didn't want to rush things”.

In what way?
I looked at my situation objectively. I had already started training with the Kalex and moving to another bike would have meant starting over from scratch. I don't underestimate the Moto2, it's a tough class, I was coming out of a bad period and didn't want to make a bad impression”.

Is the Honda Moto3 right for you?
It's totally different to the KTM, I think that in the end they are equal but have different strengths. The Honda needs to be ridden more like a 125, making the most of the speed through the turns, while with the KTM you're more careful round the bends”.

Have there been any surprises?
“The Honda is really comfortable, you can compare it to a touring bicycle while the KTM is a race bike. I asked myself, but will it be quick? And after the first few laps I realised that yes, it is. I was impressed by the braking, it's incredible and you can be aggressive right away, while with the KTM you needed to be more delicate”.

How are things with the team?
The first impressions have been positive. I went into the garage with my new helmet and they immediately starting talking about it, then about road bikes and so on... that had never happened to me before. And then there's Giancarlo…”.

Cecchini, one of the most experienced world championship crew chiefs.
The experience he has is incredible, I knew a lot of stories but he's really lived those moments and tells me how it really is ”.

Will you enjoy some holiday time now?
No, I'll continue to train, I've put together a personal plan in these months. I've even started mountain climbing. I'll soon be back on the bike”.

Translated by Heather Watson
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