“People said I was too tall to succeed in MotoGP” – Loris Baz

Loris Baz has reflected on his time in MotoGP as a ‘challenge’ but feels he did a ‘really good job’ despite finding himself without a ride at the conclusion of the 2017 season.

The Frenchman made the switch from WorldSBK - after a pair of successful seasons with the factory Kawasaki team – to MotoGP, initially with the CRT class Forward Racing team before completing two year with the privateer Avintia Racing outfit.

In that time he notched up several points’ finishes, including two best results of fourth position, while he went on to finish ahead of experienced team-mate Hector Barbera in 2017 despite riding a two-year old Ducati GP15.

However, his three-year tenure wasn’t enough to earn him a stay of execution, Baz returning to WorldSBK with the uncompetitive Althea BMW team in 2018 before getting back to his best with the Ten Kate Yamaha squad in 2019.

Looking back on his time in MotoGP, Baz recalls how he was told he was ‘crazy’ to leave Kawasaki in WorldSBK (he was replaced by Jonathan Rea who went on to win five consecutive titles) and ‘too tall’ to ever get the most from the MotoGP package.

Despite this, Baz feels he gave a strong account of himself in MotoGP with the machinery at his disposal.

“I think there have been three challenging years. 2012, coming into World Superbike halfway through the season, with no testing and a lot of pressure with the best team.

“Then moving to MotoGP™ was really, really challenging also. It was my dream since I was eight, I just wanted to race in MotoGP™ but a lot of people told me I was crazy to go away from Kawasaki and I was too tall for success in MotoGP™, I was too heavy and didn’t have the right bike.

“It was really challenging. I think I did a really good job, somethings I could’ve done better, and I was unlucky in the first year. The last year with Ducati I enjoyed. A lot of Q2s, top 10s with the Ducati, a two-year-old bike.”