Repsol Universe: Raúl Jara, Sporting Director of
the Team Repsol KTM
 “DANI
PEDROSA TELLS ME ABOUT DETAILS HE HAS SEEN ON THE TV AND WHERE
HE THINKS OUR RIDERS CAN IMPROVE”
Raúl Jara started out in the world of motorcycling
in 2001. He had been runner up in the Spanish Championship
racing with the team that Alberto Puig formed together with
Dani Pedrosa and Joan Olivé for the Copa Movistar Activa,
arriving in the World Champioship as a young up and coming
Spanish rider. However, things did not go as planned in the
pre-season; he broke two vertebrae when falling badly in Jerez
which was a bad start for anybody.
The following year he moved up to 250cc, and the following
two seasons he had better luck in the Spanish Championship,
where he was proclaimed runner-up in the Supersport category.
In 2005, aged 24 about to turn 25, his career took a turn
for the better and he accepted an offer from Alberto Puig
to take the reigns of the MotoGP Academy. He did not stop
training and riding motorbikes, his passion, and at the same
time took future riders under his wing and tried to make their
dreams come true; the case of the young Bradley Smith, who
he moved up to the World Championship with. Since then Raúl
Jara has combined his work in the MotoGP Academy with his
current post as Sports Director within the Repsol KTM team.
Is it difficult at the age of twenty something think
about ending your career as rider to take on a project like
the MotoGP Academy?
“Yes, although I had things quite clear, I did not want
to be racing in the Campeonato de España at the age
of 30 or 35, and even though there are people who do it and
very well, I did not have a clear idea of what to do after
that. So in 2003 when Alberto first offered me the opportunity
to take control of the Copa Movistar 600 they had set up,
it was difficult to say no. I already had a contract signed
and he did not want to pressure me into taking on his offer,
but I knew it was a good opportunity for me. So when the contract
finished a year later I went to speak to him. I have not stopped
riding bikes, because this work has not brought any radical
changes, and now I train with Dani [Pedrosa] or with “Tito”
[Esteve Rabat]. Moreover, I have been able to race in some
events like the Montmeló 24 Hours in the last two years,
and a couple of motocross races on small 100cc motorbikes,
prepared by Lucas Oliver in the Bultaco Camp, which are always
fun. In addition a couple of races on bicycle, riding near
my house...”
You entered the World Championship thanks to Alberto
Puig, and now you are involved in the project that started
with you back then, with Dani Pedrosa and other riders that
continue to race. What was it like to make this change and
how has Alberto Puig influenced your career?
“In ’99 I met Alberto in the Copa. We began to
have a normal relationship, like I had with the other riders,
and when the following year he organised a team with just
three riders in the Campeonato de España, we had a
more personal relationship. He has always taken care of me,
first getting me the motorbike with Cechinello, after that
the 250cc bike, and he has never left me without a ride. It
is not that he is my manager, but he has always helped me
out unselfishly just like he has helped other people, like
Stoner, Elías and Julián Simón. Moreover,
sharing a room with Dani meant that we became friends and
we get together whenever we are in the same vicinity, we usually
meet up in Barcelona. I train with them, do the pre-season
together or whatever crops up. Maintaining this contact was
when he said that he needed somebody that knew how to ride
a motorbike, somebody who knows what the young riders have
to do and somebody interested in helping them out. This is
what I have been doing from back then right up to the present
day.”
What are your functions and responsibilities as Sports
Director of the Team Repsol KTM?
“The role has been changing. In the beginning I spent
my time more on work with the youngsters in the MotoGP Academy,
showing them how they had to ride, sometimes going out on
the track with them so that they would understand the lines
to take more quickly. I was concentrating on making them better
riders. Now, even though I continue going to the track to
see “Tito” and Marc [Márquez], my work
is more to organise the training with the mechanics a little,
see what there is is to be done and what is not to be done,
if it is raining or not. All this in both 125cc and in 250cc.
I try to have the things that we have to test clear, I speak
to the rider concerned and try to be a bridge between the
rider and the mechanics, because sometimes they do not give
the best explanations, or you see things on the track that
may help them later. I do this more than correct their lines
or braking, etc. It is a job that is more organisational,
in the pits and planning training.”
Is it easy to work with young riders?
“Yes. The younger they are – but not too young
becasue if they are very young they forget things –
the more attention they pay you. It is obvious that this world
excites them, so when you speak to them and they know that
you know what you are talking about, they really do listen
to you and you are surprised at how fast they can apply what
you have just told them. Sometimes it is difficult for them
to do what you ask, but on the next corner they try it out.”
You were racing in the World Championship not so
long ago. Does the fact that you were a top class rider a
short time ago help you in your work?
“Yes. In fact these last two years I have ridden in
the Montmeló 24 Hours and I had the sensations you
get from riding again and this has allowed me to understand
many things that happen to the youngsters, and I could see
many other things where I can ask for more from them. It has
been a good idea to stay active in racing, because this is
how I can see things that are not so difficult to do as I
am doing them; or on the contrary, things that seem relatively
easy but which are not really. The truth is that staying in
contact with motorbikes helps me a lot. Moreover, I feel obliged
to take this type of races seriously so that the youngsters
do not think that I have lost touch, otherwise the advice
I give them might not be really valid. Sometimes I get a good
result, other times I don`t, but the times are there to be
seen and at times they surprise you. When I get on the 125cc
bike to show them the right line to take it is difficult at
first for them to follow me and that keeps them on the ball.
In the World Championship I do not train with them, but from
the outside you can see many things, or sometimes they race
where I have in the past.”
Quite often we see you leaving the pits to follow
the progress of the riders on foot. What are you looking for
that cannot be seen on the TV or on the time screens?
“Depends. The latest case was in Brno, given that we
had been training together you concentrate on other things.
Both “Tito” and Marc knew about the circuit, so
you can spend your time on trying to find ways for them to
improve, whether in training, taking corners or coming out
of them. On the other hand there are some new tracks for Marc
and he has to look out for reference points and tips so that
he learns faster. Many times he comes up to me and he says
that on such and such a corner he remembered to put his knee
on such a mark on the piano, or to brake from a certain mark
on the asphalt. We try and find a way to accelerate his learning
process so that he can concentrate on taking advantage of
the practice sesions and not spend time on memorising a track.”
What are the biggest challenges or difficulties you
come across in your work?
“When a rider has no confidence. For whatever reason:
in himself, because the bike does not work well, for both
reasons, anything really. This is something that sometimes
happens, and when a rider does not have any confidence it
is very difficult to ride a bike because whatever you say
it is hard for them to improve. In the beginning a rider takes
notice of what you say, they try out what you suggest, but
if they realise that they do not improve that is when it is
most difficult. And of course it goes without saying after
an injury. When a rider falls and has to go to the other end
of the circuit when they are hurt, they have a bad time. At
these moments you think how unpleaant this work is, because
we are helping the young lad to race and to go faster, and
then they are thrown off the bike through the air. It is not
really your fault, but that does not mean you do not feel
responsible for what happens out on the track.”
How can you get out of one of these losses of confidence?
“You have to be a bit of a psychologist. When you go
out onto the track to see how they are going, you see that
they lack the confidence to lean the bike over when taking
corners, or their movements are too slow, or they change direction
incorrectly, or they brake too late. You can see how confident
they are from the outside, for whatever reason, it is not
the level they have to have. Then, so as not to beat about
the bush, you tell them to their face. This, speaking about
the problem, relieves the rider a little since it is not easy
to say these type of things. From that moment on you have
to be a little bit of a psychologist and know that saying
this type of things can be useful, they need to listen. It
happened to me. Unfortunately my career in the World Championship
was not so good and I have suffered from the same problems.
I know that however much they tell you, and even though they
are all trying to help you, in the end it is you yourself
that has to make the situation better...”
What is a day of training and a race day like for
Raúl Jara?
“They are different. Practice days have a lot of work,
since things have to be tried out on the bike and there are
new things for the rider too. In 250cc it is a little different
because Julián has more experience and knows all the
circuits. He has to improve some things, like everybody else,
but above all he spends his time testing different set ups
on the bike, and it is more complicated than on a 125cc. On
the other hand in free practice, with “Tito” and
Marc we try things to improve lap by lap. Many times if you
are riding in a group in this category it is easy to follow
the pace but when you are alone that is when things get difficult.
So on the Friday and Saturday we work on the race preparation,
trying to get a good pace more than getting a good position
on the starting grid. The Sunday is completely different as
everything depends on them completely. My work is basically
to get them to do a good warm-up and to get them in the right
frame of mind. Perhaps you tell them what you think they need
to hear when they are on the grid, but the bottom line is
that it is all down to them.”
Away from the circuits what work do you do with your
riders?
“With Tito, who lives close by, we train quite a bit
together. We ride bicycles, or motorbikes, whatever. I keep
in touch with Marc, but as he lives in Cervera it is more
difficult, although at times we can in fact meet to train
together. Not really much else. In Barcelona I work more with
the team, preparing the next race, organising the tests if
there is anything to test, analysing the previous race, what
can be improved, what went well, etc, so that we go to the
next race with everything ready.”
Is there any knowledge that you can glean from Dani
Pedrosa and then apply to these three young riders?
“Yes, because with Dani you always learn. Both when
he rides well and when he has a bad day. Moreover, he himself
tells me about things he has seen on the TV and where he thinks
our riders can improve, details. At the bad moments you learn
how to get over complicated situations, and it serves as an
example. He can have a bad Friday and Saturday but then pull
something special out on the Sunday. Many times I offer him
as an example because in the end he is just another lad that
began with us and who is now at the top of his profession.
It is a good way to motivate ourselves.”
Thanks to the 125 & 250cc teams, Repsol has become
the only sponsor in the three categories. Do you think that
the Repsol KTM Team is a good school one that has become the
objective of every young rider so that they can ride in MotoGP?
“For sure. Having the backing of a great sponsor from
when you start out in 125cc and then continues to support
you until you get to the top category is the dream of any
rider. Having the chance to progress without moving from one
team to another is much better for the rider, they get much
more confidence if they have a big sponsor like Repsol and
with a structure that helps you out. I think that this is
something that other big sponsors could do, since it would
help many teams and riders.”
This year the team has changed manufacturer. How
has the move to KTM gone?
“Last year we thought it was better to change, and the
move to KTM has been really positive in many aspects, but
as always you have to carry on improving. Aprilia has made
good progress, in both 125cc and 250cc, and KTM as it is a
smaller factory and is working with quite a few more teams
than last year is moving forward, although not at the same
pace. They are trying out new chassis and improvements on
the engines; I am sure that they are going to improve even
more.”
Let`s look at the three riders in the team. How do
you see Julito Simón`s season?
“A little inconsistent. We had some objectives at the
start of the season that were higher. Both he and the rest
of the team thought that with this bike and his experience
from last year he could be among the top three or four riders
in every race. But because of different circumstances, in
some cases falls, breaks and other things, up to now he has
not had a perfect race. When he has gone fast things went
badly or vice-versa. At the Sachsenring it looked like he
had found the right way, he had some very good practice sessions,
and then in the wet race he was with the leaders to the end.
We hope that from now on he carries on along the same lines.”
And Esteve Rabat`s?
“He has taken more time to get used to the bike. He
had good sensations on the Honda and although the KTM is faster
we had quite a few chassis problems at the beginning of the
year. Not only us but all the KTM teams. Since we were given
the new chassis in France he got his confidence in the bike
back and has done some good things. Moreover, he is affected
by his size, not only by his weight but also by his volume.
If we add the fact that the bike is not the fastest on the
grid in the end it all adds up. He works a lot, this is undoubtedly
his best attribute, although at times he even thinks about
things too much and he should try and relax a bit more. He
is always thinking about bikes, on and off the track. When
he eats, when he is on holiday, always. He is so obsessive,
which is good and at the same time a weak point, as he cannot
achieve perfection and control everything.”
And Marc Márquez`s?
“Up to now he has been excellent. His results have surpised
everybody to a certain extent, although deep down we expected
them because when we saw him in the Campeonato de España,
with Alberto (Puig) we mentioned how well he rode. We are
convinced that he will go very far, even with his small size
– he still is, but two years ago it was even more so
- he was riding very well, in the right places. At the beginning
of the season he was unlucky, falling in Jerez and this ruined
the whole of the start to the season. But after that each
race has been a new step forward. Whenever we go to a new
circuit you think that there must be a race where he does
things badly but so far, in both the rain which he has always
hated, as well as in the dry he is taking care of himself
and he is getting better with each race. You cannot ask anything
else of him. He knows that we are not demanding good results
and that what we want is for him to improve gradually. If
a day does not go perfectly he knows that he will get a chance
to improve in the next race.”
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