Dominique Aegerter is the vice champion of the MotoE World Cup 2021. In his two participations in the MotoGP electric class, the Swiss rider has reached the podium eight times, including two on the top step, also conquering a pole position and two fastest laps in the race. However, Aegerter has something pending with the MotoE, and aims to close it next year by winning the category title on the third attempt.
1 - Let’s start from the end, the last round in Misano. What was the topic moment of the title battle: the clash with Torres and the sanction or the overtake by Granado?
“For sure Torres moment and the penalty was a big moment on Sunday, but for sure when this topic moment with Granado on Saturday would not happen, I would win Saturday’s race, then the situation would have been completely different on Sunday. Both situations were quite unlucky for me. We gave our best; it’s two years that I rode in MotoE, and I was not the luckiest one, but on the other side, I won the World Supersport Championship (WSSP).”
2 - The last weekend in Misano, there was the same move in the same corner between Gardner and another rider; Gardner was penalized by a single long lap, you by a right through. How do you feel about it?
“Yes, I saw the Moto2 race at Misano, and it was the same situation as me. It was not exactly the same because I was in the last race and also the last lap, and I was fighting for the championship. I got the ride-through penalty because they did not want me to win the championship by crashing another rider, but I did not crash out. I think Torres made a mistake by battling with me because he knew that I would attack and that he would win the championship, even arriving second. Nevertheless, he was trying to win the race, he was not opening enough, and we touched each other, and he crashed. The situation with Gardner in Moto2 was in the middle of the race going in the same corner. The other rider did not open so much; Gardner also made an aggressive move and got only a long lap penalty. He did not even lose a position; I can’t understand this difference in the two penalties.”
MotoE World Cup
Dominique Aegerter's results in MotoE
3 - You haven't had any luck in the last two seasons, you have something pending with the MotoE?
“I was not so lucky in the last two years. Last year I got crashed out two times when I was fighting for the championship. I had a lot of points leading. This year there was also a big mistake from my side in Assen, where I crashed out by myself. It was my only crash this season, both in Supersport and MotoE. In Supersport, I crashed out one time, but another rider hit me. In addition to that, I got the penalty in Misano and the grid penalty in Le Mans when I did the fastest lap, but I had to start sixth because of yellow flags during rain. I think I still have something open, and when everything goes well with the IntactGP team, I would like to fight again for the championship.
For next year it is already confirmed that I will do the WSSP again with Ten Kate Racing and the Yamaha R6. With the IntactGP team we are waiting for the official calendar of WSSP and MotoE because if there is a clash again like this year in Misano between the two championships, I can’t do MotoE again. My wish is to continue also with the IntactGP team in MotoE, it’s a perfect team, and I would like to take this title as well! I hope Dorna will be clever enough not to create clashes between the two championships.”
4 - Your performance this year in WSSP set an important baseline for evaluating the performance level of MotoE class. Do you think more riders of the Supersport championship would like to compete in both categories?
"Competing in both championships requires a lot of work and it’s not easy to change from one class to the other one, especially because the bikes are so different. The weight, the power, the position, the handling of the throttle, the tires and also the team. Also, some teams want the rider to concentrate on one competition only, to be as fast as possible on that championship. I got the opportunity from both my teams to participate in the two championships. If there is really the right situation, I will ride again in both two championships."
5 - What do you think about the MotoE news: calendar with fourteen races in 2022 and Ducati’s arrival in 2023? What would you tell them if you could ask one thing to Ducati to do on their bike?
“Seven rounds with fourteen races are much, much better; I hope this will be confirmed because, with seven races, MotoE is not really a championship. The battle is quite intense, and when you make a mistake in one race, your championship is nearly over. Fourteen races are much, much better. Also, the qualifying will change; the Epole is something very special but when you have the opportunity to show your performance in the normal qualifying session is more accurate. It’s also disappointing that we have ridden with the same bike for three years and it looks that also the next year there will not be news. The weight is still very, very high, the power, suspensions and tires improved, but the chassis, the motor and the battery remained the same. What I would like to have from Ducati in 2023 is a light bike that can do more laps and have more power.”
MotoE World Cup 2023
Ducati is the new sole supplier for MotoE
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