He didn’t have a motorbike, he was at home when Luca called him to replace Fenati. “I knew I could be fast, but I didn’t expect to do so well. At the end of 2022, I had the opportunity to move to MotoGP, but I want to try to fight for the Moto2 title
January 23, 2023
It was the big surprise of 2022: Alonso Lopezborn in 2001, from Madrid, but who moved to Valencia for some time, was called by Luca Boscoscuro to replace Romano Fenati. And the results were immediately incredible, the speed showcased unimaginable. At Silverstone, here is the first podium, in Misano the first success, then repeated at Phillip Island despite a penalty, even the possibility of winning the title of “Rookie of the year”. All in all, a great driver.
“At the beginning of 2022 I had no contractI didn’t have a motorbike: I didn’t want to pay to run. Now it’s difficult, because even in the world championship there are many riders who pay. But I thought it wasn’t fair that I had to pay, I believed that my level was another. After six GPs, Luca (Boscoscuro, NDA) gave me an opportunity: I immediately managed to gain good confidence and after the summer break I was the rider who conquered more pointswith five podiums and two victories”.
Where were you when you received Boscoscuro’s phone call and what did he tell you?
“I was at home, but at the time I was training as if I were racing… I was hoping to have a chance, maybe even just to replace an injured rider. After the first four races, Romano (Fenati, NDA) was not very fast and Luca told me: “If it continues like this, I can give you an opportunity”. After Jerez, Boscoscuro called me again and said: “if you want you can replace Romano, who doesn’t learn, he can’t be faster”. I had no doubts: it was an opportunity to be exploited 100%”
Lopez looks back on an almost incredible season for what he did.
“2022 was beautiful, no one expected me to achieve certain results, but in Assen, where I led for the first laps, I learned a lot and every GP I became stronger and stronger, so much so that the other riders began to follow me. . It was nice… In the end, I was always able to fight for the victory in all the GPs, except in Japan”
In Valencia, however, you went over the edge.
“I lacked a bit of experience: I wasn’t nervous, but very aggressive. I didn’t manage the race like I should have, but I knew that if Acosta passed me, he could be faster than me, even if I had taken pole and I usually do more on Sundays. To win the rookie of the year title, I had to beat Acosta, who was my direct opponent.”
Natural to make a comparison with Acosta.
“He is the strongest rider for 2023, but besides him there are many others: Ogura, Canet, Arena, Dixon, Arbolino, Aldeguer, Lowes (he does not name Celestino Vietti… NDA). In short, there are many fast riders”
Is there a great rivalry with him?
“Pedro is smaller than me, we have never been rivals in the same category. Now, however, he is theoretically the strongest opponent for 2023, but you never know a priori. But above all you have to think about yourself, about going faster. He counts that, not the opponents ”
In 2023, however, I would have all eyes on you, it will be a new situation to manage.
“I want to do as in 2022, think race by race, trying to be as consistent as possible, don’t make mistakes and always be fast”
What environment did you find in the Boscoscuro team?
“I like it so much. Luca is someone who tells you what he thinks to your face, he’s very direct and I like that a lot. It’s like a family, the group of people has more or less always remained the same, it’s something you feel. Luca and I see the GPs in the same way, we conceive racing in a similar way”
What are the strong and weak points of your bike?
“We are very competitive on circuits where there are no violent braking points. So we have to improve on braking, especially when you come to a corner after a descent, like in Japan or Austria for example. We struggle to stop the bike and insert it in the right place”
Do you like running in groups?
“Yes, I think I’m strong, in the first laps I manage to pass many riders. But I always want to stay in front, it’s no coincidence that I’m the one who led the most laps in 2022, despite not having competed in six GPs”
Who do you train with?
“Every day I go to the Valencia kart track; we are many: Masia, Garcia, Fernandez, and many other young people. We ride with the 600, we do some competitions, agility exercises. It’s beautiful, so you train better and you can learn from the younger ones”
What’s your favorite circuit?
“In Spain, Aragon: a pity that there won’t be a race there in 2023. Outside Europe, Phillip Island”
Lopez reveals how he tries to improve himself.
“I always ride alone, but when I’m in trouble at a certain point on the track, I look at the data who is the most effective in that specific sector, I get behind him and study him. I see how it’s done, then I make it go away and try to do it myself”
Who are the pilots you followed the most?
“Augusto Fernandez: he has a very sweet way of driving. Instead, it’s very difficult for me to follow Acosta, he brakes very late until inside the corner, I can’t do it”
Did you have a first contact with the MotoGP team?
“Yes, at the end of the season many were interested and I was close to something happening, but I wanted to do another year in Moto2, I think it’s necessary to have the experience of fighting for the title, you have to try”
But would you accept moving to MotoGP even without the Moto2 title?
“Depends. There have been many riders who have moved to MotoGP without being champions. For example, Raul Fernandez, in my opinion, was stronger than Gardner in 2021, but he didn’t take the title”
A nice character, a very strong driver.
