Italian version here.
An important name that the WorldSBK paddock welcomed from Moto2 is Jorge Navarro. The Spanish rider scored podiums and victories in Moto3 in 2015 and 2016 and then, from 2017, he was a frontrunner in the Moto2 class, where in 2019 he also scored eight podiums and ranked fourth in the championship standings. The 2022 season was instead much more complicated, and had a sad ending with the serious injury sustained at Phillip Island.
After the difficulties experienced last year, 2023 brought a big change into Navarro’s career, as he moved to the Supersport World Championship with a strong team like Ten Kate Racing Yamaha. The season so far has been quite difficult, with the Spaniard finishing twice in sixth position as best result, but there is plenty of confidence ahead of the final part of the season.
Palmen in Motorradsport had the opportunity to interview Jorge Navarro and discuss with him the 2023 season, the years he spent in Moto2 and also his future.
Jorge, after some seasons in the Moto2 World Championship you started a new chapter in your career by moving to the Supersport. How is it going?
It’s been a difficult season so far. The injury sustained last year at Phillip Island and other physical issues are slowing me down and also the adaptation to the new category is going slower than expected. Nonetheless we are working well and there are several positives, even if the results are not showing that. I am convinced that as soon as we make the necessary “click” and put all the pieces together, we will be able to fight for great results.
What are you missing right now to fight for the top positions?
A little bit of everything: the feeling with the bike, knowing some of the circuits and adapting quicker to the new tracks. During the summer break we will test on a circuit I know and I think this will help us making a big step forward.
What is your goal for the next races?
First of all, I want to have fun, hoping that soon everything will be in its place. I’m a very competitive person and my motivation tends to drop when I can’t be in the front group, even if I always try to train and prepare in the best way. As I mentioned, however, we are working well and the gap from the top is constantly getting smaller. As soon as we take the final step, everything will be easier.
About the seasons you spent in Moto2, what are your best memories from those years?
The best memories are certainly linked to the 2019 season, when I achieved many podiums and various pole positions and finished fourth after fighting for the title until the end. The second half of 2021 was also positive, given that with Boscoscuro we managed to turn our season around after a complicated start.
And what led you to the decision to leave Moto2 for World Supersport?
In Moto2 I hadn’t found a competitive team for the 2023 season. I only enjoy and feel good on the bike when I know I can fight for great results, and none of the teams available could offer what I need. I therefore decided to accept the offer from Ten Kate Racing and thus make a change in my career.
The 2022 season, your last one in Moto2 to date, was particularly difficult for you. Could you explain the reasons behind?
I suffered from the injuries sustained at the beginning of the year. During the first test I broke my ankle and this forced me to miss a lot of track time in the pre-season. As soon as I came back and started to do well, like when I finished seventh in Qatar and fifth in Austin, I experience an ACL injury and although it wasn’t known, it affected my season and prevented me from training like I wanted. In the end everyone goes very fast, you always have to give your best and obviously it’s even more difficult when you’re not 100% fit. It was hard to accept, and if you consider also that my feeling with the team wasn’t the best, I basically came to the circuit knowing that I would struggle and these things can block you mentally. In the end the results weren’t so bad, but I definitely expected more.
If you had the opportunity to return to Moto2 with a competitive team, would you take it?
Right now I’m not thinking about the future, but just doing the best I can where I am now. Also, I’m happy to race in Supersport with a competitive team and they are trying their best to help me. Before figuring out what’s best for the future, I want to see what I can do in Supersport, also because I feel we haven’t fully exploited our package yet.
And how do you like being in this paddock, which is different from MotoGP?
I like it, because it’s more calm and relaxed, even if I miss some things about MotoGP… Well, you can’t have everything in life! However, I really like how easily the fans can meet their favorite riders in WorldSBK and I also enjoy that you can easily talk to other people, while in MotoGP this would be impossible due to the many people going around there.
What do you miss about MotoGP?
When in Jerez and Valencia, for example, the grandstands are full and you hear all the spectators shouting and cheering you when the speaker says your name. I had goosebumps in that moment, and we can’t experience this here since there are fewer spectators. In any case, this championship is growing a lot and the action on the track is of the highest level here as well.
In conclusion, is there anything you would change about your years in Moto3 and Moto2?
Many things, but they are all top secret (laughs, ed).
Palmen in Motorradsport feels honored and grateful for the opportunity to interview Jorge Navarro, and wishes him all the best for the next races in the Supersport World Championship.