Kawasaki`s technical managerA Japanese national who grew up in Brazil, Naoya Kaneko has been an integral part of the Kawasaki Racing Team for three years.
Fulfilling initially the role of Technical Coordinator with the Kawasaki Racing Team, Naoya was promoted to Technical Manager for the 2006 MotoGP season.
How would you describe your job, and what are your main responsibilities within the team?
Naoya Kaneko : “In simple terms, my job is to ensure that the crews working in the pit box have the best possible technical package to work with. I guess the biggest part of the job is acting as the technical liaison between the team and outside technical partners, including the Kawasaki racing department back in Japan.”
How did you become involved in motorcycle racing?
NK : “My first involvement with motorcycles was working as a mechanic for the Yamaha importer in Brazil. I also raced in Brazil for four years with some success, but I did crash quite a lot as well. When I stopped racing myself I was keen to stay involved, and I was lucky because an opportunity to work in Grand Prix racing with Yamaha France came along. Initially I had a contract for three races, and a one-way ticket from Brazil to France. If things hadn`t worked out then I would have had to pay my own way back to Brazil. Not the most secure start to a career in motorcycle racing, but I`m still here 12 years later, so I guess it was a good decision. Since becoming involved in Grand Prix racing I`ve worked in almost every class; starting with a 125cc team and then moving up through the 250cc and 500cc classes, to finally arrive in MotoGP.”
What is more important in your job; qualifications or experience?
NK : “Qualifications are important, of course, but I think experience counts for so much more when you`re working at the racetrack. Obviously we work to a plan at the racetrack, but we really are at the cutting edge of everything in MotoGP and our main aim is to go as fast as possible, which means we sometimes have to deal with situations that it`s impossible to plan for. This is where experience counts; when we need to make decisions based on a detailed understanding about our aim, the people and the bikes, and not based on something learnt in a book. The more experience you have, the more chance there is that you`ll have seen a particular problem or situation before, and therefore have a better understanding of what needs to be done to find a solution.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
NK : “The best part of the job is when you see an improvement from the riders on the track. To be honest, this is really the only way to measure the performance of people like myself, whose job is to provide the riders and mechanics with the best possible technical package. When the riders do go faster as a result of technical improvements we`ve made then that gives me a lot of satisfaction.”
And what is the worst part of your job?
NK : “There isn`t really a worst part, but sometimes it`s difficult to communicate information in the way that I`d like, because there are so many nationalities involved in the Kawasaki MotoGP project. Sometimes this can be a little frustrating, but it`s difficult to think of anything that I particularly don`t like about my job.”
If you weren`t involved in motorcycle racing, what do you think you`d be doing instead?
NK : “My family owns and runs a company that imports and sells Japanese food in Brazil. So, if I hadn`t got involved in the technical side when I gave up racing myself, I guess now I`d be working for the family firm as a Japanese food salesman.”
What, in your opinion is the most important attribute a rider needs if he is to be a World Champion?
NK : “Without a doubt they have to be self-motivated. Even the
most talented rider in the world is going to suffer setbacks at some point, and it`s motivation that gets a rider through these low points. They also need to enjoy their racing, otherwise it becomes just a job and the motivation starts to disappear.”
Who do you think is the greatest Grand Prix rider of all time, and why?
NK : “For me it has to be Valentino Rossi. He may not have won as many titles as people like Giacomo Agostini or Mike Hailwood, but moving through the classes and winning world titles in each proves to me that he`s the best. I`ve worked in all the main classes since coming to Grand Prix, and I have seen first hand how difficult it is to move from a 125cc machine, to a 250cc machine and then onto a 500cc bike. It`s not easy; every class is ultra-competitive, but Rossi has managed to win titles in each with relative ease.”
Who is the man to beat in this year`s MotoGP World Championship?
NK : “It has to be Valentino, but I think he will have to work harder for the title this year than he has in previous seasons.”
You race all over the world, but can you name the capital city of Australia?
NK : “Sydney... No, Melbourne... No, Sydney. Can you not ask me the capital city of Japan instead? I definitely know that`s Tokyo!”
Tags:
tissot,
