Italian version here.
For many years, the Supersport World Championship has been the ideal destination for riders who experienced difficult moments in the Moto2 World Championship, as they switch to this paddock to seek for redemption and for a fresh start. During the Acerbis Czech Round that just took place in Most, the WorldSSP field welcomed one more former Moto2 participant: Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
The Tuscan rider, who became Moto3 World Champion in 2019 with Leopard Racing, experienced troubled years in Moto2 due to physical issues and misfortune, but once he got out of the MotoGP world he found the trust of Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team. Fabio Evangelista (owner of the Italian squad) strongly believes in his potential and chose Dalla Porta to replace Andrea Mantovani. The start was not easy, since racing on Czech soil did not bring any points, but the team and the rider are looking at the next races with a good dose of optimism.
Palmen in Motorradsport was honoured to interview Lorenzo Dalla Porta in Most, where we could talk about his new adventure in WorldSSP and his hopes for the future.
Lorenzo, what do you think about your first weekend in WorldSSP?
It definitely wasn’t the weekend we wanted. There was little time to prepare, but we had done a great job in testing and we thought we could do better. It definitely didn’t help to race on a track that was new to me and I still have to get to know my bike and the tyres (supplied by Pirelli, while Dunlop tyres are used in Moto2, ed). In particular, it was a pity what happened in Race 2: we had improved our laptimes significantly compared to Race 1, but due to the rain I went into the pits to change tyres and this turned out to be a mistake, since the rain stopped shortly after and the track started to get dry. In hindsight it’s easy to say, but if I had known, I would have stayed out…
It wasn’t an easy decision, the weather can be unpredictable.
In fact I looked at the sky and saw a huge cloud that didn’t seem to go away. In addition, during the lap I entered the pits it was raining all over the circuit, so I thought it would be better to change the tyres… Well, that’s how it went!
Looking ahead, what goal have you set yourself for the next races?
We will do some very important tests in August and thus try to achieve our objective for the Magny-Cours round (scheduled for 8-10th September, ed), which is to be competitive and stay in the top five. We will try to succeed by exploiting the tests and also the experience accumulated at Most, which has allowed me to understand many important things.
How was the impact with the WorldSBK paddock, very different from that of the World Championship?
I honestly liked it a lot, because I found a much more familiar and peaceful environment where everyone knows and talks to each other. I also really like the format with two races, in my opinion more interesting than the single race I had in Moto2. Sounds like a really good championship to me!
Is there anything you already miss about the World Championship?
Right now, I’m very happy with the choice I made to switch to World Supersport. For sure, being able to do well here would be a positive and important step for my career, so I look forward to the next races to see what I can achieve.
Looking back to 2019, when you became Moto3 World Champion, what do you remember of when you secured the championship title at Phillip Island?
It was a unique emotion and the best reward for all the work done during the year. A few years have passed since that moment and I would definitely like to experience those emotions again. Now that I’m here in Supersport, I hope to stay there again next year and if that’s the case, I’ll aim to try become World Champion again.
Do you feel that you want to start a new journey in the WorldSBK paddock, or would you return to Moto2 if there was the possibility?
It depends on the opportunities that may come, but I would prefer to stay in Supersport and win here.
In conclusion, who would you like to thank for believing in you in a difficult moment after what happened in Moto2?
There are actually many people I want to thank, starting with those who made it possible for me to join the Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team. I am also grateful to all the people who are with me in my everyday life and of course to the team. The guys strongly believe in me and I want to get the best possible results with them.
Palmen in Motorradsport thanks Lorenzo Dalla Porta for agreeing to be interviewed and wishes him the best for the next rounds of 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship.