They way you feel when you win is always the same! | Interview with Davide Forè

KZ Master World Champion after countless successes in the past in wholly other categories! Does a title like this still excite you, move you, as it once did?
«Yes, I have to tell you that it thrilled me! At the finish line, I felt it a lot; I would be lying to say otherwise. Even though I won a lot in my "amazing" career, the emotion was the same as many years ago!»
Tell us about how your weekend in Wackersdorf went!
«The weekend started well, although not very fast at the beginning because the track was really slippery and it was more difficult than expected. Then little by little we settled in. We knew we could compete for the World title together with other competitive people. I did a good qualifying, but I could have had pole position. On my My Chron I saw that I was doing it, but unfortunately I found a person much slower than me even though I put lot of space between me and him. In short, I wasn't able to fire the shot... I really looked forward to getting pole position, but anyway, we knew we were fast. In the heats, we managed everything well, knowing that we could still improve something to be at the top. After the heats I was first, so we did the best we could do and it wasn't a given at all.»
In the final, the challenge was between you and Manetti, as expected. He was faster, but with experience you managed to defend yourself really well, thanks to a good start! How was the battle on the track?
«I certainly knew he would be the opponent with whom I could have a "close" race in the second part of the race. Compared to him, I could have advantages and disadvantages and I had imagined in my head everything about how to end it. The unknown was whether the duel would be at the beginning or end of the race. Luckily for me I got the start I wanted without making any mistakes thanks also to first place. I then did the first laps with the track really slippery after the historic kart race and every corner I took very high risks, almost flying out, but it was time to give everything and gain the advantage. Manetti got stuck in traffic, but I knew he was behind. Around the fourteenth lap, he caught me. I saw that he was going fast and I wasn't 100% with the grip of the chassis because I was slipping.When he arrived, I modified the braking points, changing the line, but without closing excessively. I did everything I could to make it difficult for him to overtake and he wasn't able to find the angle he wanted. He waited two laps to study me, but I made him sweat. At the bottom of the big bend, he tried to attack me and I left the space, although there only the throttle is raised. I made my line in full sixth gear and I saw myself almost outside, with two tires on the curb. When braking at the next corner I even had problems downshifting as the rear was sliding so much, but in the end, I managed to get it onto the racing line. He arrived more evenly balanced into the corner near the curb, but he was still behind me and the next corner was in my favor. Manetti gave me a small blow to the rear (things that happen in races) and I, clearly, straightened the kart. He followed my movement widening (but he didn't go into the grass, like he said). Obviously, he ended up on dirt and he may have been annoyed by this situation, but if he had raised his foot, he would have avoided it. At least this is what I experienced on the track and not behind the television with a camera that crushes the lens.
The blow he received wasn't hard, but I couldn't know where he would find himself next. He had more than half the kart behind me, so I couldn't let him pass. Then he came back at me, with one last lap and one very tight last corner where I defended myself as much as possible, downshifting so as not to give him a chance to re-accelerate as he wanted. I protected myself throughout the curve, risking reaching the photo-finish, but the risk was calculated to win at the finish line, even by just 30 cm. I think I did everything right and cleanly. Then obviously there are the fans, but it's part of the game. I'm happy with the race I did, with the confirmation of all the people who wrote and called me after the race!
The battle with Manetti had some moments of "tension" but it can be classified among the correct, clean battles in a sport like ours. In light of what happened in Franciacorta in OK, what difference do you notice between the duel between you and Alessandro and the one between Gomez and Turney?
«You're talking about 50-year-old people versus 16/18 year old kids. The speed is practically the same, but they are two different ways of running, two different generations and above all two different experiences. I consider Alessandro a driver who, when I arrived in Tony Kart, was to be taken as an example for race management. Here lies the difference with Turney-Gomez. I really appreciate Turney, but he has a very lively and sanguine way of running, typical of the English. However, to win the races you have to finish if you want to become champion. They are young drivers who don't pull up their foot, but an action like that made sense on the last lap and certainly not halfway through the race! Even if there had been no contact and Turney had been first, the race was still long and there were still many opportunities (tire failure, engine failure, emotional management) to win the World Championship. That action made no sense at all. That is a very fast corner and whoever is on the inside cannot lift off the gas because the curve is on your side. It's the one on the outside who has to calculate the space to give so as not to end up wheel to wheel. You have to imagine certain situations, even though everything happens quickly. If you want to do this sport you can't leave certain things to chance. Let's be clear, they are two great drivers and I wish them the best for their careers. But I repeat, it was a last lap action, not a mid-race action, also because the third was quite far away.»
In addition to the World Championship, this year you participated in various important races: tell us a little about your 2023 as a driver.
«It was the year I ran the most since I stopped as a professional in 2017, with 10 races. I also arrived more mentally and physically prepared and this helped me at the World Championship. I had a good season, also winning the pre-world race “Road to Wackersdorf” and a race in Cremona at the Italian, plus a second place at the Winter Cup and a fifth at the Margutti fighting for the podium. I achieved podiums in the Italian and in Cremona I was flying in the dry. I then did two European races in KZ, but since the official manufacturers were involved and going on the track without having tested, I took it as training, although in Zuera I arrived 15/16th with only official drivers in front and first of the non-officials, as in Sarno. We are a private team and we don't have everything they have, also because KZ is the Formula 1 of karting. Our target was to train and compete with the best and young people, excellent training in view of the Masters World Championship.»
You never stopped racing, let's say...How much could your constant being on the kart track have helped you compared to your rivals?
«Very, very much! If you are not trained, in shape, you can only think, dream, about certain things, but not do them!»
You raced for official teams of renowned manufacturers. What differences do you find with racing for a team like Renda Motorsport today?
«It is very different. When you race for an official team, like me in Tony Kart, everything passes in front of you: chassis development, engines (crankcases, cylinders, mufflers, etc.). In a private team, these things don't happen. You take things already done and finished with maybe 1-2 steps back. A bit like in MotoGP racing for the official or unofficial Honda. You are aware that you cannot win. This is why having won the World Championship with a private team is really worth a lot to me.»
What difficulties are there in racing karts at your age? How do you prepare physically?
«Training just twice a week (when I can) with athletic preparation done by professionals. Then kart training is fundamental, especially the races, to be readied in battle, in contacts and to have a 360-degree vision of what is happening. Obviously at my age, when you stop, it's as if the body forgets it more quickly and maybe you no longer take certain risks, partly because you are more reasonable and evaluative, but partly because your head isn't as fast as before.»
What differences do you find in the karts you drive today compared to your golden years?
«The power isn't, but the grip is too different. Once upon a time, there was a lot of grip, but now instead it is non-existent. Too much sliding for my taste. The tires are very different. I used to run with special tires that put you on two wheels. You were used to holding the throttle down; now if you hold the throttle you fly off the track. Then, today, there is more power and weight.»
Would you change anything at a regulatory level in KZ?
«The only thing I would like to see happen is for there to be softer tires with more grip like there used to be. In terms of regulations, the engines are fine, the karts are beautiful and safe. Starting the trial days on Thursday is also fine for me. I would just change the tires.»