Canepa Rises to the Challenge of Cross-Championship Competition

2016-06-09 17:38
Niccoló Canepa has had a busy start to 2016. Originally signing for the GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team, a role he continues to develop, the Italian has also made stand-in, and stand-out, appearances across three additional series in as many months. Late April saw Canepa return to a championship he knows well, having won the title in his first season back in 2007, the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. As a replacement rider for the injured Riccardo Russo, the 28-year-old joined the Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team for an initial three races on the world-stage - Imola, Donington and Misano - with the call-up also seeing Canepa covering racing duties in his national championship, the CIV - Campionato Italiano Velocità. His impressive performance in the international paddock - securing a STK1000 podium finish on only his second outing with the YZF-R1M at Donington Park in the UK - added to links with the co-titled Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team provided further opportunity just a few days later, as he participated in testing duties aboard the WorldSBK-spec YZF-R1 at Misano earlier this month.

Between March and June, Canepa will have ridden at seven tracks - some multiple times - completing testing and race weekends on four different specification Yamaha machines, using two different tyre manufacturers and working with three different team structures. We caught up with him ahead of his second foray into Endurance racing - at Portugal's Portimão 12 Hours this weekend - to find out what it takes to stay so focused despite the many variables he has faced in 2016 so far?

Niccoló, you began the year as a Yamaha World Endurance rider. What where your thoughts going in to the new challenge and how did you find your first 24 hour experience?

"At the beginning of the year everything was new for me. I had a lot of things to learn as the Yamaha was a completely new bike me, but the GMT94 team and David Checa helped me a lot to be competitive in Endurance! I have raced in MotoGP and in World Superbike, but the 24h is something unique. The crowd, the spirit of the race and the mental approach are completely different from speed racing, but after the winter test I was 100% ready! Unfortunately the race didn't go well, but now I'm even more motivated to win in the next Endurance races."

The end of April brought the call-up to the STK1000 team, what was it like going back into a championship you have so much history with?

"First of all I felt sorry for both Marino and Russo after their crashes, but I was fit and ready to come back into STK1000 so, why not?! I know the championship very well because I won it in 2007 on my debut. After experiencing both MotoGP and Moto2 I also came back and finished second in 2013. I'm really proud that Yamaha choose me for the Official STK1000 team and I was sure I could be competitive."

How have you managed to adapt between the different specifications of YZF-R1 used between the classes and competitions?

"This is a good question! From January I've ridden four different YZF-R1 specs. After a long winter spent testing the Endurance YZF-R1, I came to Imola and straight into the Qualifying practice on the STK1000 YZF-R1M. I was a little bit lost because there are a lot of differences between the championships - especially the tyres - but the base of the machine is very easy and intuitive, and this helped me a lot to adapt myself between the models."

How much difference does the change in tyres make to the overall feel and setup of the bikes?

"If you change the tyres, you have to change a lot of the setup of the bike too, but the biggest problem is finding the new limit. The feeling is completely different, so I had to push harder lap-by-lap trying to arrive at the limit. This was not easy because I had to take some risks, but now, after a few weeks of constantly working with the different tyres, I can switch between the manufactures without losing too much time, which helps me to easily switch from Endurance to Stock and to the Superbike."

Do you need a different set of skills to compete in the STK1000 class than over a 24hr endurance race?

"Sure! STK1000 races are very short. There is no time for strategy and to think. You have to push as hard as you can from the green light to the chequered flag, and you are alone. You can also work a lot on the bike setup, because a 0.1 second better lap-time can make all the difference to your race. Endurance is completely different. It's a team job. I share the bike with two more riders, so this means that the bike is not perfect for you, you are the one who has to adapt to the bike. I also had to change my riding style a little bit so I didn't get too tired throughout the 24 hours! It's not only physically hard, but also mentally. At 5am, when you are tired and you are freezing, it's the hardest moment of the race, but when you see the sun rising it is very emotional."

Your participation with the Pata Yamaha STK1000 team has also seen your return to the national championship, what is it like to race on both levels week-in, week-out?

"The Italian championship level is really, really, high! There are a lot of STK1000 riders, a MotoGP rider and some older but very fast riders! It's good for me to ride in the Italian championship, as I can get more time on the bike. It's good also because we race on slick tyres (the same as in World Superbike) so I don't lose the confidence with them!"

You recently got the opportunity to test the WorldSBK-spec YZF-R1, how did you find the experience and how does the bike differ from the stock form?

"It has been a great experience for me. Riding a Factory Superbike is always something special for a rider. The bike is still the YZF-R1 so the bike character remains the same and this helped me a lot in the last test, but for sure the electronics and the power are the biggest differences. I had to test a lot of interesting things, and I hope my experience as test rider helped the development of the Pata Yamaha Superbike."

You have had a busy few months with testing and racing across both the national and world championships, how do you stay focused with such a tight schedule?

"Honestly this is amazing for me. I love riding bikes, and now I have the opportunity to ride every week and to compete for different titles. This is the best present you can give to a rider! Sometimes it can be difficult to change the bike, the team and the tyres, but I wouldn't change my job for anything else. Staying focused is easy when you enjoy riding!"

What do you do away from the track to keep yourself in peak form and allow you to perform at your best with such a heavy workload?

"I keep training every day when I come back home, but I also try to relax in the few days off with my girlfriend and friends. It's the best way to recharge the batteries before the next race!"

What are your aims and ambitions for the rest of the season?

"After the disappointment of the 24h in Le Mans we must now win the next Endurance races, and my team can do it for sure! I've two incredibly fast team mates and a super team! In the STK1000, I'm ready to fight for the podium every weekend - even if I missed the first couple of races and I can't challenge for the title - I know I can count on a very fast bike and on a top team too. I have to think race by race and see what happens but I will always aim to do the best possible! I also hope to have the opportunity to test the Factory Superbike again. I really enjoyed the experience, but now I want more!"

Source: Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.

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