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1992. That was the last time Miguel Duhamel was on a Grand Prix motorcycle. A lot has changed since then, but Miguel is still tearing it up on race days, just now it is on a 200 horsepower Superbike instead of a scary two stroke GP bike. When Toni Elias broke himself in Assen, Gresini Honda started looking for a replacement rider for the Laguna Seca round of the World Championship. Duhamel was a likely candidate and stepped up to the challenge. Aside from his American Honda duties, the Canadian Wonder will also be turning the wheels of a RC212v. He was kind enough to take time from his schedule to talk with us about his upcoming USGP. Racer Digest: How did this whole Gresini ride at Laguna happen?
Miguel Duhamel: Unfortunately it started with Toni Elias getting injured in Assen at the Dutch TT. He obviously got injured, broke a leg and they [Gresini] asked Honda US what they thought of having one of their riders ride the MotoGP bike and I had been after Honda for the GP thing, trying to get a wildcard ride in there, so finally they agreed to that and it worked out really well. Gresini knew who I was, most of their sponsors know who I am, so it was a good fit.  Miguel. Laguna 2006
RD: Have you ever had the chance to try out a MotoGP bike?
MD: No. Never. The first time I sit on it will be my first try. I am a little envious of Roger [Hayden] he was able to go to Japan and get one or two days of testing in. I am going to have to get over that hurdle really quick because time is limited at the Grand Prix.
RD: So you won’t get any testing time before the GP?
MD: No. Zero.
RD: Did they mention if this was something that was a one-time thing or will there be more chances if the results are good?
MD: No, for right now it’s just Laguna. It’s a great opportunity for me and the fans, I think a lot of people wanted to see that. It’s just going to be a really fun weekend, I mean, a little pressure but mostly fun. Gresini team is a very good team, so I’m looking forward to being able to go out there and do well. That’s the goal of course. I don’t want to take anything off the table but realistically I’d like to score some points and do as well as I can.
RD: What are you doing to get ready for this?
MD: Not much, [laughs] I mean no more than I do usually. I’ve been training just trying to get myself ready, it’s going to be a big double header. This will be my biggest double header. I’ve done Formula Extreme and Superbike, Supersport and Superbike, 750 Supersport and Superbike. I’ve done them all but this is MotoGP and Superbike, so it’s going to be a big double header for me, so hopefully everything will go really well. It’s definitely going to be exciting.
RD: So you will be riding in the Superbike race?
MD: [Laughs] Yeah, that’s kind of what I am paid to do. [More laughter] I do want to take this opportunity first of all to wish Toni a quick and full recovery. I think he will be back before the end of the season. I want to also thank the people at Honda for letting me do this. They could have been on the fence or said no, but they are all for it and I think that they believe like I do that it’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone involved including all the fans here in America. Of course it should be a lot of fun for me if everything goes well. Mr. Ray Blank and Mr. Chuck Miller, Mr. Ron Heben. Those are the guys who could have easily said, “We don’t want you to do this.” Honda USA, they did decide to say that this was a good idea, so I’m very fortunate that everything fell into place.
RD: Will any of the guys on your crew be going over with you?
 Miguel and Al check up on Racer Digest
RD: Are you worried at all about the difference between the Dunlops and Bridgestones?
MD: You know, it depends. For sure I’m a very big “feel” guy. Hopefully I’ll be able to readjust to the two tires. I mean the bikes are totally different, the electronics are different, the weight of the bikes, the brakes of the motorcycle. All these things are part of the feel, and the suspension also. They’re Showa and we’re Ohlins here in America. Going from the RC212v to the CBR1000RR is going to be a lot, nevermind that the tires will be different, so I’m going to have to stay calm, cool and collected throughout the whole thing but it’s going to be a definite challenge.
RD: Have you had the chance to talk to Toni about the bike or ask any questions about your ride?
MD: That opportunity has not presented itself and I think that if it would, I would jump on it. I’ve talked to Kurtis Roberts because he’s been over there now for a little while. Maybe if I run into Nicky at the Laguna Seca race I will have a few questions. But, you know you gotta do it yourself. You’ve got to get out there and do the best you can. Any advice or any tips those guys can bring to me I will listen attentively so I can, like I said, maximize my time.
RD: Describe the last time you rode for a GP team.
MD: Well the last time I rode for a GP team was 1992. It was a support team from Yamaha not an official factory team. My arrangement at the beginning was supposed to be a two year deal; one year of running the race tracks - which I did not know any track but Suzuka - and the next year going for points and going for podiums. Unfortunately they ran into a budget problem and we were not able to come to terms for ’93. And that year happened to be the year that everybody was racing GPs, the 500 bikes and also the season that the big bang engine. For people that know a bit about grand prix that was the engine that was a little bit easier to ride. It just came out so guys like Nick Doohan and Wayne Gardner, Doug Chandler, Kevin Schwanz had them and even my team mate Neil McKenzie, towards the end of the season got it. I was not made privy to that because that was not my agenda to be competitive that season. With that being said I scored a lot of GP points with the guys that I mentioned and Randy Mamola, John Kosinski. You name them, it was hay day of American riders in GP and World Champion riders. It was definitely a tough nut to crack to the top 10. It was a good experience I just wish I would have kept going, had the team had a little bit more time and patience. Like some of the guys, most of the guys that actually go to GP, they are there a couple of years, at least three years before they show some promise. That didn’t happen for me, but it was still a good experience and I got almost to the podium a few times. So hopefully we can do well here in Laguna.
RD: Are you going to use your track knowledge to an advantage in Laguna?
MD: Well I think it would have been a big advantage the first year they came over before they changed the corkscrew. If that first season I could have had a bike then I think I would have really capitalized on that because Laguna is a difficult track. You know these guys don’t reset their memory banks [lauguhs]; they have been here a few times already now. You can see guys like Rossi was riding really strong last year and Nicky of course has been winning MotoGP since it has been here and Colin has been showing a lot of speed and those guys are coming over here now. Trust me they didn’t forget the racetrack so that advantage it not as big as it was but we’ll do the best that we can with it.
Check out Miguel’s success from Laguna Seca on the weekend of July 20-22. You know he will do well, and all the support from the American fans will only make him work harder. Congratulations Miguel and good luck. |
