It’s his first WDW, and he wants to enjoy it to the fullest. We’re talking about Lorenzo Baldassarri, who’s been called to fly the Go Eleven flag high for the occasion. The rider from the Marche region met many fans on this first day, and he’ll be on the track tomorrow for the practice sessions in the Race of Champions, scheduled for Sunday.
He’s certainly curious and eager to see what lies ahead and shared all of this with us in an interview.
“It’s really exciting to be here,” he began. “I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience, because you can already see how many people are here this morning. Getting to the track wasn’t exactly easy, but that’s exactly what makes events like this so great. Tomorrow, I’ll probably leave my car at the hotel and come straight here on my motorcycle.”
Let’s talk about the season. How are you experiencing this adventure with Go Eleven?
“I’m very happy. We started the season really well, perhaps even better than expected. Then we’ve demonstrated that we’re consistently competitive. That was the main goal I set for myself... to always be in the positions that matter. In the last few races, we’ve been a bit unlucky and made a few too many mistakes, but I think that, in terms of speed, we’ve taken another step forward. Now we just need to turn what we’re showing on the track into more concrete results.”
On a personal level, what differences have you noticed between the MotoGP and Superbike paddocks?
"The atmosphere in the production-based series is definitely more relaxed and laid-back. When I arrived in the Supersport in 2022, I immediately sensed a more family-like atmosphere, both inside the pit and in the paddock. It’s a feeling I’ve experienced again this year with Go Eleven. They’re two very different worlds. If you’re coming from prototype racing, you have to adapt a bit, but, in my opinion, it’s easier to make the transition to production-based racing than the other way around. That said, both have their own unique appeal and are experiences worth having.”
One of the most anticipated events of the weekend is the Race of Champions, featuring riders from the MotoGP, Superbike, and Supersport. How are you approaching it?
“I’m very curious. I’ll be reunited with some riders I raced against in the Moto, who went on to build successful careers in the MotoGP. We’ve lost touch a bit in recent years, because I went through a tough period, but now I feel at ease again, and I’m eager to compete against them once more. It’s going to be a race designed to entertain the fans and for us to have fun ourselves, especially since we’re all busy with our respective championships, and no one wants to take unnecessary risks. But riders are still riders. We’re all competitive, and, when we drop our visors, everyone wants to make a good impression.”
Marc Marquez is among the favorites to win.
“Yes, and that really intrigues me. I’ve raced and battled with Alex Marquez several times in the Moto2, but I’ve never done so with Marc. It’ll be great to be able to say I shared the track with one of the greatest riders in the history of this sport.”
Can you learn anything from an experience like that?
“I’m convinced there’s always something to be gained. It’s already happened to me when I was training with Valentino Rossi at the Academy, both at the Ranch and during the various occasions we raced together, like the '100 Km dei Campioni'. Even when we were training at Misano or Mugello—with him on the R1 and us on the R6—there was always something to observe and understand. Valentino was curious. He asked questions and constantly sought feedback. Who knows, maybe this time too, by closely observing riders like Marc Marquez, some interesting insights will emerge that I can take home with me.”