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“I was really surprised by the news. We’ve always had the shakedown in Sepang, for how many years, 20? I don’t remember. Initially they were private tests, which we teams organized, then with the constant decrease in tests they became IRTA tests for organizational reasons. We told them: at this point you organize them, it's easier and smoother. I learned in recent days of the ban on you journalists to stay in the pitlane. Honestly saying it fifteen days before I find unacceptable”.
This is what Francesco Guidotti, team manager of the official KTM team, says, adding: “KTM has no problems, we are open and have no prejudices about the presence of journalists, on the contrary. I think that while waiting to organize things better, this year we could have let it go and leave everything the way it was".
Guidotti does not tell us where the request to close the pitlane to the press came from, but we know it: it is a Japanese manufacturer, not the one that many can imagine. Years ago, one of its representatives in the garage checked a second pass that had been given to us directly by Aprilia. A somewhat rude gesture, but it is called playing the game.
“Yes, it's the usual manufacturer. They complained because during the tests they have to put the panels in front of the bikes when they go back to the pits, but we're talking about nothing", added Guidotti with the air of someone who is apologizing but has nothing to hide.
“Communication is convenient for everyone, let’s be clear” he says. And then, after a pause: “if they have something to hide, then hide it”.
There is no single intent, therefore, between the manufacturers. There are those who are used to a certain kind of work, such as Honda, who have no problems putting their panels up and taking them down - also because it is often the Japanese who send 'spies' around to check what their opponents are doing - and those who instead, we are thinking of the Yamaha test team, they behave as if they are working at Area 51.
“I wrote to Mike Trimby: can you help me figure out where this is coming from? I said to him - Francesco Guidotti adds - Communicating it 15 days before seems to me not very correct... he still hasn't answered me. I repeat: if a team has special needs, we try to meet them, but we, like KTM, I repeat, are open and without any prejudices".
We specify that last night Dorna sent another message to review the shakedown rules: journalists will be admitted to the circuit, they will be able to stay in the press room, in the paddock, on the service roads, but not in the pitlane.
