Vroom

Well, it was a long time ago, when somebody could win races on regular basis in MotoGP as a privateer. We have to go back til Garry McCoy, the 2000 season was sensational for him with three wins on the Red Bull Yamaha.

Last year however the cool australian disappeared from the racing scene, who is well remembered by many for his unique riding style. We contacted him at home, and asked what's up now. Interview:

We haven’t heard from You lately. All we know You are about to build a MotorsPark in Australia. Where are You? What are You doing at the moment?

I am back at my birthplace here in Australia trying to start a new life away from racing, although I am still involved with the riders who are trying to improve there riding skills, therefor I am building a bike park where I can coach people on my very own tracks.

Please tell us about the beginning of Your career. Was it “love at first sight” with the bikes and racing? How difficult was for You to get out to the World Championship level?

I have always loved motorbikes since I was a little kid, I have raced in many different disciplines of motorcycle racing before I reached road racing, therefor it was not so difficult to make it into World Championship road racing, although there was a little help as well by someone called Barry Sheene.

Were there any difficulties when You switched from 125 to 500?

I was spending most of my time training on a 500cc dirt bike and I had also raced Speedway, therefor I did not find the change from 125cc to 500cc very difficult at all, things were just a little bit quicker.

Probably the career highlight was when You joined WCM and had a lot of success.  Can You tell about this period?

The Red Bull Yamaha Team was a great bunch of guys who really knew how to look after there riders and the bikes were always in good condition, the 4 cylinder 500cc Yamaha was a bike that really suited my riding style therefor we had great success and I had a great time. I would really like to thank again everybody that worked with me during that period.

You earned a lots of fans with Your unique riding slide, and they call You the “Slide King”. You must be proud! Is it true that Rossi was following You on track just to learn it from You?

Yes I am very proud to be named the slide king and I believe this style has stuck with me since my Speedway days, and yes I do believe that Valentino Rossi had spent a lot of time in my slip stream learning how it was done because I have a lot of photo's at home and he is always behind me. I would like to say special thank's again to all of my fans.

What do You think - being successful with a privateer team is possible today or those days gone? Probably in WSBK, like Althea and Checa (but they are heavily rumored being the “unofficial official” Ducati Team). But in MotoGP?

It will always be difficult to do a good job these days on a privateer bike because the factory teams are so far ahead everybody else with development and they have more budget with better riders.

After GP You had success at WSBK too, but something went wrong with the Foggy Petronas. What was wrong with this bike (and team)?

SUPERBIKE for me was a good class to be in although you still needed a good bike and team backing you. The Foggy Petronas team was trying to produce and develop a 3 cylinder engine that was always tuned to it's top performance therefor it left us with a lot of D.N.F's.

You switched later to WSS, and slowly getting success again with Triumph. Then suddenly Your contract was discontinued. It seemed it was a surprise for You as well. Can You tell about this, how You see it now? Were there any tension? Two years passed and Chaz Davies is now World Champion with BE1. How does it feel?

The success on the Triumph was a good challenge for me, it was a new bike that needed someone to bring it to the top. I still don't really know why I could not continue with this team in 2010, but I do know that my services was not more needed at a very late date of 2009 which left me no choices of rides for the 2010 season. I did mention to the team if we were to change to Yamaha we probably would have a good chance of winning the World title, anyway full credit to Chaz Davies.

You were involved with a couple of revolutionary projects in MotoGP (Ilmor, FB Corse). What do You think, how hard it is to build up a brand new team in MotoGP nowadays? The hardest part must be the financial things I guess, but if we leave it behind – what else were wrong with these teams?

The new teams trying to get into Moto GP will always find it tough because they are starting fresh against a field of teams that has years of experience, therefor you really need to find a team that already has some of this experience to help things move along faster, as well as a good rider that can give you quick and useful information and also good resources which needs a big budget.

What do You think about the new CRT regulations? Would You ride a bike like that? Do You think those will be competitive?

No comment on CRT!!!

The 800cc era in MotoGP is over. Next year the 1000cc’s are coming. Any thoughts on that?

I really wish they would hurry up and make up there mind, it is costing people a lot of money. We should never had lost 500cc 2 strokes.

What do You think about the current rider line-up in MotoGP? Stoner is that good really? What’s wrong with the Ducati and Valentino?

There is not enough riders in today's Moto GP. Stoner is very talented although so is his bike, Rossi just does not seem to be comfortable adapting to his bike.

Do You follow the World Championship? Who are Your favorites?

I am watching Moto GP as often as possible. I would have to say that my favourites for the future would be Lorenzo, Spies, and Crutchlow.

What is Your relation with fellow Australian riders? Are You keep in touch with someone?

There is a couple of Aussie riders that I keep in touch with and sometimes we go training or riding.

Is there any track You always wanted to ride on, but never had the chance?

I never got a chance to ride at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and every year I see it on T.V. I know that it would have been a track that suits my style.

WSBK is starting to be the series where GP riders can find a second chance. Is it true in Your eyes? What do You think, if riders like Biaggi, Checa and Melandri would get a good bike in GP, would they be competitive again?

I do not really know why good talented riders are being drafted from Moto GP to Superbike, but I do know that Checa, Biaggi and Melandri have gone to Superbike in there first year on factory equipment, for anyone to go back to Moto GP and do well they would have to do it in the same manner (factory team).

This summer You tried to offer Your services to the MotoGP teams who had difficulties because Their riders had injuries. But then it was turned down by Them. What do You think about this, and why is it better for Honda to start Their test riders, who are not very up to racing? Or it must be an age issue? Damien Cudlin gets the second wildcard in two races.

The Moto GP bike is not a bike you can just turn up and go for a ride on and expect to do well, you need a lot of practice and experience, therefor the test rider is probably the next best thing in the factory's mind because they already know the bike and they are already being paid by the factory.

Will we see Garry McCoy racing again soon on international level? MotoGP, Moto2, WSBK, WSS? Are there anything in sight?

I really think that the age factor is starting to be the issue in other people's minds but still not mine, it would be very tough now I believe to make a come back with a good team in World Championship racing but it is also hard to get off my mind.

Are You thinking about something like British Superbike? Your former teammate, John Hopkins had a successful career reboot this year.

BSB had crossed my mind once, but I still believe that some of the tracks have some safety issues.

Thank You so much for Your time and taking part in this interview. Wish You good luck with what You are about to do in the future!

(Thanks goes to Stephanie Steinbrecht-Aleix, who made this interview possible!)