Barry Baltus takes stock of his season in Moto2 and confides before Barcelona: “After four years in the same team, I needed a change of scenery”

Barry, what is your assessment of your 2024 season?

“It was a year of ups and downs. The start of the season was incredible with my podium in Qatar. Nobody expected me to finish second, not even me. But after that, there was a long slump for a good part of the season we tried to understand what was wrong and it got better from the Asian tour onwards. We had some good performances, especially in Australia. hurts in the heat.”

Why did it go wrong after Qatar?

“For several reasons. There was the death of my mother which was obviously a blow to me. In these circumstances, I had difficulty finding motivation for a while. But that's life and it We have to move forward.”

Didn't you have the impression that you had covered the issue with RW Racing?

“It is clear that I had been working with the same people for four years. A certain monotony had set in within the team and I felt that they no longer had the enthusiasm to achieve great results. I needed for a change of scenery.”

In 2025, you will ride for a cutting-edge team, Fantic Racing. A gift from heaven?

“We had been in discussions for several months, but we had to remain discreet during all this time. For me, this is a fabulous opportunity. Previously, Aron Canet, their star driver, was doing yo-yo seasons. He has a lot won in consistency and plays at the front in all the races this year I hope to be as consistent as him and that the team will help me to mature. There is a big cultural difference with RW Racing which is a Dutch team. Fantic is a Italian team and my engineers are Spanish, which pushes me to work on my knowledge of the language!”

Aren't you afraid of being Aron Canet's water carrier?

“The Italian bosses made me understand that there will be no hierarchy between us. And even if Aron is the leader of the team, I will in any case achieve better results than if I had stayed at RW Racing. I'm not putting pressure on myself and can't wait to start working with them the day after the 2024 season.

What is your goal for 2025?

“I'm not really setting myself any goals. Above all, I just want to have fun, show what I'm capable of and approach the season race by race. I'm sure I can get to the front.”

This year, you competed in the Suzuka 8H. Will you be back next year?

“We can't announce anything yet but a priori, I won't be able to return to Suzuka because Fantic Racing ordered me to only race in Moto2 and nowhere else in 2025. It's their choice, and I have to listen to them .”

What struck you the most during this endurance freelance?

“It was an incredible experience. In addition, I had the chance to come across an absolutely brilliant Japanese team. If my teammate had not crashed, we could have finished in 7th place overall. The Japanese are preparing for this race with more importance than a season in MotoGP But the atmosphere is very different from that of MotoGP, much more franquette and I loved it. The local crowd is great and I had a blast in super. pole where you do a lap against the clock in qualifying and everyone is looking at you Unforgettable!”

What state of mind are you in before this last race of the season?

“I feel really good. I have no pressure. I just want to have fun and finish the season the way it started. I don't rule out making a big splash. Barcelona is not a track which suits us, but I will do everything to end my collaboration with RW Racing on good terms.”

Who do you think will be MotoGP 2024 champion?

“I would be happy if Jorge Martin becomes world champion but for me, it will be Pecco Bagnaia. He is smarter than Jorge, he has already won two world titles and even if he is not the favorite given his delay, I bet a piece on him. I feel like something is going to happen this weekend.”

MotoGP: Barcelona will host the last Grand Prix of the season from November 15 to 17