Mattia Casadei is the 2023 MotoE World Champion. A few days after winning the world title, Casadei told us about the various emotions he felt in reaching this very important milestone.
Mattia Casadei is the 2023 MotoE World Champion. The twenty-four-year-old rider of the HP Pons Los40 team becomes the new champion of MotoE, after Matteo Ferrari (2019), Jordi Torres (2020 and 2021) and Dominique Aegerter (2022).
A few days after winning the world title, Casadei told us about the various emotions he felt in reaching this very important goal.
“I'm very happy because the World Championship was my goal for this year, and I achieved it. I started the season with the aim of winning and this gave me great motivation and a lot of energy. We knew we were very strong, but in the first races we had some problems. Then, when, from Silverstone onwards, everything started going well, I got into the right rhythm and won races; everything was fantastic."
What has made the difference this season?
“In the first half of the season we weren't 100% but we knew our potential and we knew we could win and so we did. I trained a lot during the summer break but two weeks before Silverstone, while I was on the beach playing with my friends, I dislocated my shoulder and had two or three very bad days because I thought: “Oh no, when I jump back on the bike, I won't be at the top". I continued to train and focus on my goal. When I got back on the bike at Silverstone I felt good, and I was immediately very fast, then came the first victory and from then on, all the others."
When Paolo Simoncelli proposed that you take part in the MotoE 2019, what did you think?
“I told him yes, and then it was fine, but at that time I didn't even know what it was MotoE, it was the first year and no one knew it yet. It's a path that I'm very happy to have taken and I have to thank Paolo for suggesting it to me.
We met Paolo for the first time in 2013, thanks to Aldo Drudi, who is a dear friend of mine. With the Sic58 Squadra Corse, we did both the CIV and the CEV before arriving to the MotoE.
Over these years we have created a beautiful relationship, he is a great person. I love him; he always believed in me even when he scolded me; if I have achieved this great result, it is also thanks to him."
After three years with Sic58 you joined the Sito Pons team, how did it go?
“Pons had a team both in MotoE than in Moto2 and this could have helped me move into Moto2 more easily one day. Furthermore, Pons' team had won two MotoE titles with Jordi Torres; it was the champion team.
The results arrived immediately. I did very well in the first year, and then this year, I won the world title. In the Pons team, the first year, I met Torres, who proved to be a great teammate, he helped me, and I learned a lot from him. I'm sorry that Sito Pons is closing the team and that he will no longer participate in the MotoGP next year. But I gave him a nice present before leaving us!”
And about the transition from the MotoE of Energica to that of Ducati?
“From the first test, the thing that struck me most was the chassis and the handling of the new bike. The Ducati is more similar to the racing bikes I know; you can push more thanks also to the fact that it weighs less. With the Ducati I can also brake hard, which is one of my strong points. With the V21L I can make an even bigger difference, braking much harder. The new rear electronic brake also worked very well.
The advantages of the new bike were clearly seen in the lap times, but there is still room to do better. This year, the tires represented a bit of a limit, but the ones we tried in the Misano test and which will be the basis for those in 2024 were already a good step forward."
Let's go back to the Misano weekend: for the World Championship victory you wore a celebratory helmet; how did it come about?
“It's a surprise celebratory helmet that Aldo Drudi made me, I didn't know anything about it until they handed it to me while I was celebrating after the finish line; I saw it out front and put it on. Aldo did everything, both the graphics and the motto 'Bel Colpo', I hadn't even thought to ask. Is gorgeous".
Is there a symbol related to One Piece behind the helmet?
"Yes exactly. One Piece is a Japanese manga series that I watch and really like, and I liked the idea of tying it to me and taking it to the track. So I added the One Piece protagonist's straw hat to my little lion and put this image on the helmet."
The series tells of the search for the legendary treasure of the pirate Roger, the One Piece, which everyone wants to find; what is Mattia Casadei's One Piece?
“Eh, my One Piece is to become the best rider of all, and this year in MotoE I did it. Now let's see if we can repeat this result also in other categories."
Which ones, for example?
“My dream is to become a MotoGP rider and to do that I have to move to Moto2. I would really like to do the Moto2 World Championship next year, but I know it's difficult; everyone wants to get there. There is still some possibility at the moment, but nothing is certain; there is a large movement of riders knocking to enter. Let's say that I should be the favourite among those of the MotoE who would like to move to Moto2 (laughs – ed.). If Moto2 fades away, I will race as World Champion in MotoE".
And in the meantime, now that the MotoE it's over, what will you do?
“I'll keep celebrating until next year.”
Post interview note – Starting from the Japanese GP, Mattia Casadei will participate in the Moto2 World Championship with the Fantic Racing team until the end of the season.
MotoE World Championship
The standings of the 2023 championship
Photos: MotoGP
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