All of France on two wheels swore by Randy de Puniet in the second half of the 2000s, as the guy had shone in 250 cc against Dani Pedrosa, among others. Well into his forties, the Ile-de-France native has since turned his back on the Grands Prix to devote himself to long races. But the one who wore bib No. 14 in races for a long time still has fangs. Hidden behind his dark glasses, Randy carries the hopes of his new team, KM99, which plays at home in the Ardennes with the 8 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Signing the former MotoGP host was a great move for Mario Kupper’s men, who are only in their second season in the world endurance championship.
”I have been in discussions with KM99 for two years, but I first wanted to conclude my relationship with Kawasaki, Randy de Puniet told us in Francorchamps. We therefore reconnected in 2023 to work together from this year. I wanted to join a team that was competitive and hungry for victories. KM99 is truly a very ambitious Belgian team. Of course, it’s a young team, but I prefer that because it is very motivated, very competent and we can build something together. Ultimately, we want to be world champions. For this weekend, in light of the results of the tests, we can claim a top 5. I really got used to endurance. At first I didn’t like sharing the bike, but I find it nice now.”
gullFrancorchamps is not at all suitable for MotoGP because it would go way too fast!
With no less than eight seasons in MotoGP, de Puniet is particularly well placed to judge the place of Spa-Francorchamps in the world of two wheels. “As for cars, Spa-Francorchamps is one of the favorite circuits for bikershe admits. Because it is very difficult for men and machines. It’s not easy to do the perfect motorbike tour in Francorchamps. Very few succeed. You have to know how to put everything together and it’s very hard. On the other hand, it is not at all suitable for hosting MotoGP because it would go much too quickly! Additionally, there are not enough clearances. We would therefore have to make a lot of adjustments to have a Belgian motorcycle GP.”
On the handlebars and on the microphone
The voice of the Habs is no stranger to those who listen to Canal +. The ex-biker is fully involved on the encrypted channel by commenting on the MotoGP Grands Prix while taking a tour with an on-board camera to reveal the secrets of each track to viewers. “When I was asked to commentate on the races, I initially felt a pang in my heart because it meant that I was no longer racing in GPs. But, today, it’s something that I love and I think it’s great.”
In the meantime, Randy passed the torch to his friends Johann Zarco and, above all, Fabio Quartararo. “I’m happy with the career I’ve had, even if I haven’t won a Grand Prix, but you can’t compare eras. When I was racing, the differences between the bikes were more pronounced. Johann and Fabio have since pushed the French level to another level. They don’t have a good bike this year but they have to hang on.”
gullWe must not bury Marquez for the 2024 MotoGP title
The Frenchman’s expertise is naturally valuable in analyzing the recent earthquake in the premier category with the incredible game of musical chairs between Ducati and Aprilia. “This surprised everyonehe says. Two days before Jorge Martin’s announcement at Aprilia, the latter had reached an agreement with Ducati Corse. But Marc Marquez made a huge bluff to steal the position alongside Bagnaia. However, it’s a good thing he succeeded because he deserves a factory machine. And seeing Martin on the Aprilia will be very interesting.”
In the meantime, the 2024 MotoGP season could still bounce back. “You should not bet too quickly on a Martin or Bagnaia title. For me, we should not bury Marquez who is doing a good job at Gresini. I know we will experience some very exciting GPs over the coming months.”
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