Sometimes they come back, you could say that. In Portimao there is one more Italian at the start of the SuperSport. It is Lorenzo Dalla Porta, called by VFT to replace the injured Ruiz aboard the R6 of the team led by Fabio Menghi.
We intercepted the Tuscan rider in the paddock exchanging a few words about this last minute opportunity without forgetting his past. The 2019 Moto3 title remains the last one won by an Italian in the smallest displacement.
“I have been looking for an opportunity in the SSP World Championship for a long time and I think that VFT could be a great opportunity for me – he began – I am in fact very happy with this call and I can’t wait to start. I arrive at this round after last week’s stage at the CIV, where we were at a high level from a riding point of view. Unfortunately, on the technical side, we were in difficulty, given that the Ducatis have grown a lot. But now we are here in Portimao and I want to show that I am a World Championship rider with the intention of returning in 2025”.
Lorenzo, you were the last Moto3 world champion. I think that image is still alive in your mind today?
“The racing world is like this: if you win you are the King of the World and then you suck, you are an idiot. When I got injured it was difficult to make people understand, especially then recover. The only thing you can do is get back on track.”
How much did Moto2 test you?
“After Moto3 I moved to Moto2 and I had problems with my left shoulder. I only used my right shoulder on the bike and I was suffering. Then when my shoulder came out I exploded because it’s tough to go from being world champion to eating shit for three years. But now I’m in a new situation and I’m looking for the place where I deserve to be, which I think is this. In fact, I’m working to be in the World Championship next year and I think I deserve it a little more than the others”.
Could SSP be the new challenge for 2025?
“I put a lot of sacrifice and commitment into this job, maybe you can’t see it from the outside. As I said, I’m trying to come back to get something beautiful.”
Are you still Tuscan or have you become Romagnolo?
“I’m still Tuscan (smiles). At the same time, I like living in Romagna, where I train with Mantovani and Caricasulo”.
If you were given a magic wand, what would you change about your past?
“Maybe I would have handled some situations differently, such as the physical problem, intervening earlier without waiting. Despite the difficulties, if I think for example of the adventure in Italtrans, we were still competitive at times. The only problem is that in the race my physique conditioned me. Then came last year, where I was a bit disintegrated after the transition from the Moto2 World Championship to the SSP”
But now you’re here again!
“I have to thank Fabio Menghi because I had already told him to run in Most. In the end we are there and we will do our best aiming to get a good result”.
You haven’t tried MotoGP, but many say that the leap from Moto3 to Moto2 is more difficult than from Moto2 to the top class.
“It’s true! I was talking about this with Bastianini and he was of the same opinion.”
