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Fabio Alberti: having the chance to rule a team is something I could not help dreaming about...

Ducati Liberty Racing team manager, Fabio Alberti kindly agreed to answer some questions for Motonews.ru, told about preparation for new WSBK season, and also why he switched from MotoGP to WSBK...

Fabio Alberti: having the chance to rule a team is something I could not help dreaming about...
- What about preparations for a new WSBK season?
- The preparation for a new season is the hardest work in a team. Everything has to be set up. We are working hard in Prague in our race department, where we have to build up the new bike that is coming out just now, from Ducati factory, and then we are going to close with new sponsors, technical partners and so on. We also decided to check and follow up our riders with their training, nutrition and medical check, giving them good advices after consulting with highly professional experts.
WE are leaving for Australia on February 9 and until that day we will be working as crazy.


- How would you describe the relationship between you and your riders?))
- Personally I have a wonderful relationship with my riders, we call each other on the phone several times in a week and daily we exchange a short text or an email. They are starting to trust me and we are very close to each other.

How did you get into motorsport? How did it all start?
- This is an old story. I got into motorsport by chance, in 1995 a company working for Aprilia in the world Championship with Max Biaggi, asked to me to join the group and I agreed. Then some years later I met Mr Lucio Cecchinello, with whom I started to grow up and to gain a know how. I worked for 12 years side by side with Lucio, and I can tell you it has been an amazing experience.

- Why did you decide to switch from MotoGP to WSBK?
- I received a non refusable proposal to be a Team Manager for a Sbk team. I did not look for the job, I was happy with the one I had. But having the chance to rule a team is something I could not help dreaming about. I honestly spoke to Lucio and then after thinking long and hard, I decided to give myself a chance and become the Ducati Liberty Racing team Manager.

- What do you think of your riders chances for this season?
This is a very difficult question. In racing everyone races to win. But being the winner is very very complicated. I hope to improve the result of last season, Guintoli was 6th and the team was 4th in the general standings. We have Sylvain Guintoli that is mature and has a great confidence with the bike 1198, Then we Jakub Smrz, that has to go back to the time he was riding a Ducati fast, as last year he suffered from some pain in the back and in one arm. Then we have the new young talent, Maxime Berger, you will see what he is able to do with a Ducati.

- In your opinion, on which circuits chances to win are particularly high for your riders?
We have to check before how muche will the weight increase will affect on the performances. From the new rules we have to increase the weight by 6 kilos. It's not a ton, but weight is always an enemy when you race. Anyway we will start our attack in Philip Island, then in all other circuits where a bike as Ducati is the one to be beaten. My riders love Philip Island and other technical circuits. I expect a good beginning of the season!

- What about the factory support? Does it support your team?
The Ducati factory gives us support, providing an engineer, and providing some updates; the settings, the choices are up to the private team. We do not get any economical support except for a discount from the price list. Anyway Ducati is a very friendly company, helping the little private teams to reach their goals, giving technical advices. It's a really professional partner and we are very proud to use Ducati 's Bike.

- Do you ride a motorcycle yourself?
This is an untypical question. I used to ride a bike when I was younger, but I was so crazy that my wife, who was then my girlfriend, knows me very well and now that we have kids she forbids to me to go on a bike anywhere except for a racetrack where I can go and of course it's more safe. But I go really rarely in a circuit, I do not have time and I prefer to dedicate my time to my family.

- What do you think motorcycles will be like in 10 to 20 years?
- In 20 years really anything can happen. 20 years ago was the Schwantz, Rainey era. The bikes were mostly 2 strokes, the SBK was just born, Max Biaggi was beginning and Mick Doohan was fighting against a huge problem with his leg after several crashes. In these years we have improved the security of the riders, the leathers contain a lot of protections, helmets are safer, circuits are safer, the engine has lower emission and lower pollution, the show in every championship has been increased with the use of new technology, like on board cam. There ha been also a changing in the way of riding the bike from Kenny Robert and other not successful rider gave his help to this sport like Gary McCoy with his drifting way to ride.
In the next 10 years for sure there will be a huge development of high tech in the bikes in order to reduce the emission, decrease pollution, increase the power, and improve the tyres.
All the new challenges that will be won will have sense only if those conquer will be available for the bike market, so the wheel of research and development will keep spinning.
We need to work on security even if at this moment the standard is really very high both in SBK then in MotoGP. Something we have to do in the next years is to train young riders to become fast riders and then champions.. That is not the same thing. I would say all over the world we would improve the Racing Academy to show that this job is not just for fun, but it's a very professional and hard job.
I think these will be the move in the next 10-15 years, difficult to say what will happen further on.

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