DOHA: Qatar’s top rider Nasser Al Malki is eyeing a top-10 finish when he returns to the Spanish Championship next year.
Al Malki, who aims to compete in the Moto2 World Championship later in his career, is currently taking part in the SuperSport 600cc class in the sixth and final round of the Asian Road Racing Championship (ARRC) at Losail International Circuit.
“For next year, I would be a good contender for a top-10 finish (in overall standings) or even top-5,” Al Malki said yesterday.
“This year was spent learning a few important things in bike racing. I picked up many lessons. I have (QMMF Racing Team rider) Anthony West to help us. We are improving with the bike.”
Last June, Al Malki joined West and Nina Prinz to create history by winning the Superstock class in the second round of the 2012 FIM Endurance World Championship.
Australia’s West, Qatar’s Al Malki and Germany’s Prinz became the first mixed gender line-up to win a round in endurance racing.
“For next year, I hope he (West) will be with us again (at the Spanish Championship) because I learn so much from him. It is a vital experience of me being with him. He’s a great guy. I like learning from him,” Al Malki said.
Excerpts from a chat with Al Malki at Losail Circuit.
Question: How was the experience of competing at the 2012 Spanish Championship?
Nasser Al Malki: It was good for me. I would say it was a tough time also. I raced with riders who have a lot of experience, a lot many hours of racing under their belts. For me, it was a good time in the sense that I gained a lot of experience competing against good riders. For next year, I would be a good contender for a top-10 finish (in overall standings) or even top-5. This year was spent learning a few important things in bike racing. I have Anthony West to help us. We are improving with the bike. I say that because we need time to settle down on the new adjustments we have made. It is the same bike that we used in 2010 - Moriwaki. But yes, I need to learn more for Moto2 riding (in future). The chassis and feelings on a bike in Moto2 are different. In the end, I improved a lot. I feel it’s not enough (the learning) but I need to improve further. (For) next year, I have a plan. I want to start with fitness training to have a better chance of positive results in next year’s championship. I want to change the way I look at things in racing.
Question: Do you feel you have improved in the last year or so?
Nasser Al Malki: From the start to the end of the Spanish Championship, yes. Initially, I was always finishing in the 22th or 22nd positions. But now I am touching 11th, almost 10th. We will make changes to the settings on my Moriwaki bike. I talked to my engineer and he said we have plans to change settings. I feel different settings on the bike will make us better with time. God Willing, we will do better.
Question: So you feel a top-10 finish is a possibility next year in the Spanish Championship?
Nasser Al Malki: Yes, definitely. But I have to work now. Starting from now to the start of the next season, I have to build myself. I have to work on my fitness. I have to be ready when the season starts in March. I need to be fighting all the way. For me, the next four months is the build-up period. I want to try moto-cross also. I would be seen in the Qatar Road Racing Championship rounds also. I want to give myself the chance to be in absolute readiness for the 2013 Spanish Championship. This is a very important period for me. I also have plan to do my training in motor-cross events. I want to try moto-cross because different kind of bike racing helps in understanding the sport better.
Question: You have improved your fitness. You look great - in perfect shape for bike racing.
Nasser Al Malki: I need to improve my physical conditioning. I need to be 100 percent when I reach the start of the Spanish Championship. I have to prove that I belong here. I just don’t want to be a participant in the Spanish Championship. Not at all. I need to be among the top riders there.
Question: Is this part of a plan to reach Moto2 racing?
Nasser Al Malki: For me, I want to go higher than this. I want to compete in the Moto2 World Championship. For me to get there, I need more experience. If I see that I have a chance to reach the MotoGP class, I won’t hesitate to push myself even further in training and in racing. For me now, I am looking at next year’s Spanish Championship. Once I start training and taking part in races, I will have to look if my plans are working or not. Then I will have to look at things that I need to improve. For me, I think it is important to have a good body and a positive mindset. So I am going to push myself in the next four months.
Question: How’s your relationship with Anthony West?
Nasser Al Malki: He has taught me a lot of things. He is a former MotoGP rider. He knows a lot about bikes. He teaches everything - how to take a turn, how to brake and how to do it right. He has always been pushing me. He keeps telling me that ‘Nasser, you can go faster, try harder’. I have started taking more risks. It’s not enough but I will get there. So it helps that Anthony is there with us (at the Spanish Championship rounds).
Question: When did you start racing?
Nasser Al Malki: I started racing on my own. I started in 2007. When I started in 1000cc, some people told me how to brake, how to push on the gas (accelerator) and how to take turns. I did not know anything about riding. I knew nothing. In 2008, I started to learn more about bike racing. I came to know about tyre pressure. In 2010, I started taking part in endurance racing. Then I picked up lessons in data and how to use it in actual races. From 2010, I have come a long way. In the last three years I have only spent time learning. But this year with Anthony, I learned many things. My time with him is important. He helped me a lot. He has been telling me to push more, how to go for more angle on the turns. He took videos of me riding and showed me what things I needed to look at. Then I saw that things were improving. For next year, I hope he will be with us again because I learn so much from him. It is a vital experience of me being with him. He’s a great guy. I like learning from him. I have asked him to come to Qatar to ride with me (during the MotoGP off-season). I said that before the end of the Spanish Championship and he liked the idea. I think he is likely to come.
Question: How’s the support from the QMMF over the years?
Nasser Al Malki: Yes, for sure they have been my biggest supporters. I am happy with their backing. I hope I can return the compliment by improving my times, improving my results. So that both parties can be happy with each other. Right now, the only thing in my mind is ‘how to improve’. We will see what happens in the next season.
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