Exclusive interview: We grab Chaz Davies to talk WSB goals and staying in the fight to win
New GoEleven Ducati signing still has plenty to prove as he embarks on a tenth season in WSB
When Chaz Davies was kicked out of the factory Ducati World Superbike team at the end of last year, question marks were raised over where this left the Welshman. Having sought refuge in the GoEleven satellite squad which means he’ll continue to ride his bike from 2020, the 34-year-old also teams up with new crew chief and fellow Brit Pete Jennings. As Davies insists, retirement was never on the agenda for the championship’s most recent race winner.
Statistics never lie. Thirtytwo times a victor, three times championship runner-up and twice third overall, including last season when Davies scored more points than anybody across the final three rounds. He’s managed 98 podiums in WSB as well as taking the World Supersport title in 2011 and being the only Briton to have claimed victory in the Daytona 200. Now a new chapter begins.
Ducati dumped Andrea Dovizioso in MotoGP and Chaz Davies in WSB. Why?
That’s a question for Ducati. Everything comes to an end at some point. My time in the factory team has come to a close, at least for now. I would have liked for it to have happened in a slightly different way but it happened as it did.
Did you ask for too much cash? Honestly, no. I’ve been lucky to be part of a factory team for years. At this point, it’s not about money. I have a lot of great stuff going on with my wife and daughter, but there’s still a burning desire to be fulfilled in racing – laying everything out there and coming home with wins. That’s what makes me tick. A podium isn’t enough.
Were there no other factory seats available for 2021?
I was offered the factory Ducati seat in the middle of last year. For one reason or another, it didn’t happen, then the other factory seats were gone. I won the last race and scored more points than anybody across the final nine races. Continuing on the same bike, with the hard work that has been done the last two years, makes sense. I’m still on a Ducati – they got what they wanted!
Do you think it really was as simple as Rinaldi getting the seat because he’s Italian? Everybody looks after their own to a certain extent! It was definitely in Michael’s favour. It’s not the only thing he has going for him but definitely a strong point and something that’s important for a lot of people. It definitely played a part.
How was it being teammate to Scott Redding?
Scott and I were a strong pairing. We won the Teams’ Championship and missed the Manufacturers’ by one point. We get along very well; a good vibe means a lot. At World Championship level, for teammates to get on is rare. In most cases it might look rosy at times but, more often than not, there’s a bit of contention. Scott and I genuinely get on. I think there’s a lot to be said for that.
Do you understand by why your last two Ducati teammates Bautista and Redding beat you? I’m a slow burner. I take time to figure my way around a bike, as we saw in 2014 with the V-twin and 2019 with the V4. All other years with Ducati, I’ve finished no lower than third overall. Ducati has the best bike, I’ve maintained that all along, but it’s only as good as the effort put in. The problem was, while Alvaro kept winning, there was no understanding why. Then, when he kept crashing, there was still no understanding why. I was slower at the beginning but understanding more; by the end of 2019 I scored more points. If people listen, we can improve; it was only over the last six months of 2020 that we did and the V4 felt like my bike. Too little, too late. Now Ducati must improve. Kawasaki have a new bike – and the old one wasn’t bad!
How close were you to joining Aprilia in MotoGP?
I kept in touch with Aprilia and Carmelo Ezpeleta at Dorna to see if there was any real option. Aprilia want an Italian rider. For now they have to give a fair shout to the guys they have, giving them a full winter’s testing. May the best man win – it’s like that. It definitely would’ve been interesting, a factory MotoGP team. I could have helped, even just to ready the project for a younger rider in 2022. Aprilia have their ideas and the Italian thing is important.
Why have you chosen Pete Jennings as your crew chief? Now I’m in a smaller team,
I could push for an Englishspeaking crew chief. You need the guy to understand everything you mean. Since being in this paddock, I’ve never worked with an Englishspeaking crew chief. I’ve always had to rely on Italians knowing what I mean; sometimes communication can be a problem. Pete was a rider. He gets it. You need to be open-minded, listen and be honest. If GoEleven get podiums, they’re seen as bonuses. I want it to be a routine!
What’s the plan for testing? Qualifying laps and starts. Starts are more in Ducati’s hands to help me. Qualifying I need to help myself; it’s never been a strong point. I’ve always struggled to get the best from a super-sticky tyre. We need to iron-out the fourth-row starts, they’re a killer – especially the Superpole Race which decides the grid for Race 2.
No pipe and slippers for Chaz Davies then?
No! I’m not done! I was p***ed off with a lot of things last year and went out in the best possible fashion by winning, but overall, retiring like that would have been a sour note to finish on and I’d feel incomplete. It was very possible I could have taken a year out or retired, but I’m not ready for that. The spark is still there. I have scores to settle! I’ve got a few more years in me. If it gets to the point when I’m done, it’ll be obvious. My head is still in it. It’s not the time to walk away.
Can you win races from the start of 2021?
There’s no reason why not! We’ll have to see what the others are doing and what they bring to the championship. If we work well this winter and step up our game, then why not?
‘The spark is still there. I have scores to settle!’
CHAZ DAVIES