Loris Baz - Q&A

Crash.net:
How did you feel the weekend went?
Loris Baz:
Well, it didn't go that bad until the racing started. In General we weren't as strong as recent races and we were struggling a bit for grip. Also I didn't know the track and it's a hard one to learn. We thought that race would be relatively slow.

In race 2 honestly I was happy because I was strong in the first laps but was losing too much in the last 2 corners. Again that was due to grip. Then I fought hard to try and get back into the race but that meant that I destroyed a tyres too much and that held me back. I think for the circumstances I did as well as I could have done in race 2.

As for race 1...
Crash.net:
So what was your perspective on that move?
Loris Baz:
Honestly I don't see anything aggressive about that move. I went into turn 1, Alex came on the inside, I was looking at him, the corner was slow and sloping down, I went in really early to try and prevent someone getting in front and that was it. It wasn't necessary to overtake Tom there but when he went into the corner he was really slow, maybe so he didn't hit someone in front of him and I had to brake harder than I wanted to to try not to take him out.

I lost the front because I was trying not to take Tom out but in the end I crashed anyway. Honestly, I would have crashed alone but when you crash on the first lap usually you take someone out, it's just a shame it was Tom.

I'm afraid that that kind of thing just happens in racing, it's not like football where you fall down when someone hits you with a feather, it's racing and it's always difficult to control everything in the first lap.

There was nothing crazy in that move.
Crash.net:
So for you it was a reasonably normal racing incident?
Loris Baz:
Yes, yes, I'm always fast on the first lap and needed to keep my pace up. Unfortunately it turned out that I was going to crash into Tom whether I braked or not. It's like being stuck in busy traffic going at high speed if one person stops suddenly there can be an accident.

It's a shame because that's the first time that has happened in my career and I've been racing for a long time. But it is the way it is and I'm not thinking about that any more, it's on to the next race.
Crash.net:
So for you it'll be business as usual?
Loris Baz:
Sure, I really don't think I'm that aggressive on track and given that it's the first time something like this has happened I'm just going to go forward.
Crash.net:
How was the debrief with the team?
Loris Baz:
No, there wasn't any criticism from the team. They understand, they just ask us that when we fight together for first place that we take particular care. They didn't feel the move was crazy or anything and the attitude is pretty much 'That's racing'.

It's lucky that we didn't have a total disaster in that race because Tom wasn't badly injured, is still leading the championship and I'm still in 4th. We could have lost a lot more. As I said that is in the past for me now and I'm now thinking about the rest of the season.
Crash.net:
Have you talked with Tom since the race?
Loris Baz:
Honestly I haven't talked to him. I went into the box to apologise but he was really angry at the time and I'm not sure if he heard me. Hopefully we can have a chat at Misano but I think I can understand how he feels and maybe in his place I would feel the same but this kind of crash happens so often in racing.

I think if it hadn't been Tom that I'd taken out I don't think that people would be talking about this so much. I was just riding the same as I was for the rest of the season and I'm sure as the races go on this will be forgotten.
Crash.net:
Davide Giugliano has also been saying that he thought the move was too aggressive?
Loris Baz:
Yes, I heard that and honestly that made me laugh, as I said that is the first time I've taken someone out in a race since I started racing in 2003. I've been taken out once or twice like with Chaz at Philip Island last year but as I said before I take that as racing. I know that when I start a race I can crash.

I really don't know why Davide is getting involved here, I think he's an aggressive rider himself and we can all remember race 1 in Aragon so really I don't care what he said.

I think the best riders in the world are always the ones who go for the hard move, look at Rossi or Marquez they always go for it. Racing is a competition and if you want to guarantee that you won't be taken out it's best not to get on the circuit.

It's totally behind me now and I'll go to Misano with the same target as last time because the championship is looking good for us this year.
Crash.net:
Thanks for talking to us Loris.
Loris Baz:
No problem.