Following his win of the race and the 125cc championship in Phillip Island just a few days ago, freshly crowned world champion Julian Simon sat down and answered some burning questions in this extensive interview.
“I HAD THE CHANCE TO JOIN THIS TEAM A FEW YEARS AGO AND REJECTED IT, BUT DESPITE ALL THAT JORGE CAME BACK FOR ME AND ALL I CAN DO IS THANK HIM FOR THAT”
It was just over one year ago, in Australia, Julián Simón decided to try and turn his career around by making a riskier move than anything he had tried on the track. Now, with the dust barely settled on his 125cc World Championship title celebrations, and with a rucksack full of good and bad memories, he can walk into the paddock with his head held high in the manner that only a true champion can. Here, Julián looks back on 365 incredible days that took him on a journey from uncertainty to glory.
1- In the end you proved that taking the step backwards was not a mistake.
Finally we did it together – the whole Aspar Team, my manager and myself have proved that the decision we took in Phillip Island a year ago was the right one. The effort we put into each and every race has allowed us to take the title at the ‘first attempt’, if you like, because I had already been in 125. I came back to fight for the title but winning it was always going to be difficult.
2- What was your initial reaction when the idea of dropping back to 125 was first mooted and what did you think you were capable of?
At first I thought that I was a rider going backwards and that it obviously meant I wasn’t good enough to be in the category I was in. I felt like I was running out of opportunities, that time was passing me by and that I had missed my chance to show how good I could be in 250. Then I started to think that I could go to 125 and get good results because all the riders who have been with Aspar in recent years have done that. It was tough because in the beginning I didn’t believe 100% that I could win the title first time out.
3- Who do you dedicate this title to?
Firstly to the people who believed I could make the step down and win: Jorge, Gino, Ricard (Jove, Julián’s manager) and all the sponsors who believed that Julián Simón could become part of the Bancaja Aspar team and fight for the championship.
4- Which was your best victory this year?
Without doubt the best was Phillip Island, which sealed the championship. The win at Donington was important too because that was when we opened up the 50-point gap, which we have maintained to the end. But without question Australia was incredible because I rode a great race and clinched the title with it.
5- The best moment of the season?
The races in Germany and England were where I performed strongest but we also had a good weekend in Misano, where we made gradual progress. There have been a lot of good moments because we have been able to keep our form up right throughout the season.
6- The hardest?
Jerez, the third race of the year, when I was second in the championship and closing on the leader. As soon as I crashed I thought: “you have to learn to calm down, you shouldn’t be so desperate to win.” That was the moment when Jorge, Gino and I really bonded because they helped me to learn from the mistake and improve as the races went by.
7- When did you start to believe that you could become champion?
Pretty much from Le Mans. It was my first win of the season and I had realised that I’d been up front in practice wherever we went and whatever the conditions were. That’s when it dawned on me that I had a serious chance of becoming champion.
8- Now what do you do? Kick back and relax or keep fighting in the races that remain?
I plan to keep fighting for the simple reason that I enjoy riding this bike, I love working with this team and obviously the motivation to win is always the same. My mentality right now is a winning mentality and I want to finish off the season with two more wins, to round off a perfect season. Apart from anything I’d love to win at Valencia and dedicate it to the fans.
9- What do you have to say to Aspar?
Thank you! He is the person I owe the most to after a season like this. I had the chance to join this team a few years ago and rejected it, but despite all that Jorge came back for me and all I can do is thank him for that.Our relationship now is really good and he transmits his calmness and experience to me at every race, throughout practice to the moment we’re sat on the grid waiting to race.
10- What went through your mind when you crossed the finish line at Phillip Island? At what point did you think: “I am the World Champion”?
It was an incredible release of energy. I felt huge satisfaction at achieving something so huge after so many years of dreaming about it. There was a huge screen to the left of the finish line and I could see all my team members hugging each other – I was overcome by happiness. In fact you are so overcome by it that you can’t think of anything in particular, you just let the emotion carry you away. It is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was so involved in the race that when I crossed the line and lifted my head up to see everybody celebrating, it sunk in that I had won the race and the championship and that all the hard work had paid off.
11- Tell us about the tiger!
That was fantastic. I knew they had prepared a special helmet for me but I didn’t know what it was exactly. It was really original and I have to thank my friends for coming up with such a great idea because they got it spot on. My friend and mechanic Víctor, who prepares my motocross and supermoto bikes, came up with the idea of making a helmet related to my mascot – the tiger – and that’s where it came from.
12- Do you want to give a mention to your mechanics?
Yes, they’ve been like a family to me at the races, we have been very close and I think that has been the fundamental base that has supported us in the difficult moments. There have been a few of those moments over the course of the season – Indianapolis for example, where we really struggled to get on the pace in practice – but they stuck by me. They also played their part in keeping me calm and not letting me get carried away with my eagerness to win, even though there were a couple of times when I ignored them (laughs)! It has been an unforgettable year for me.
14- What were the keys to the title?
Hard work and consistency has helped us to be competitive throughout the year. The job we did in preseason was also fundamental to the way the season panned out. We started out with a very clear plan and that helped me to get a good feeling for the Aprilia quickly, and it is thanks to that that we’ve been able to go fast at virtually every circuit from Friday afternoon. I think that without the experience of the group of mechanics I have had, it would have been impossible to get to grips with this bike so quickly.
15- Who have been your biggest rivals?
At first it was Iannone who was closest to me on the time sheets, although I should say that above all my biggest rival has always been myself. At the start of the season I was taking on a bike I didn’t know and moving into a different category. That is when I had to be mentally strongest. Obviously as the year progressed rivals emerged on the track, like Smith and Terol. Smith has taken a big step forward this year, he has learnt what it takes to win and he is a strong candidate to win the title in the near future.
16- Will you be defending the number 1 plate in 125 next year or do you plan on moving up to Moto2?
I like the number 1 but I wouldn’t have worn it anyway. I’d prefer to stick to my number, which is 60. So to avoid that dilemma I’ll be going up to Moto2 to make the most of the opportunity Aspar has given to me to make up for what I was unable to achieve on a 250. I’m really looking forward to learning to ride in a new category and especially to riding a four-stroke.
