The 2025 Moto3 World Championship has seen a raft of recent rookies making their means into the MotoGP paddock, together with 2022 European Expertise Cup Champion Guido Pini.
A part of a small group of Italians making their means up the ranks of the Street to MotoGP after the VR46 Rider Academy’s demise as a talent-building organisation – together with the likes of Luca Lunetta, who debuted within the World Championship in 2024, and Giulio Pugliese, who this 12 months has debuted in JuniorGP and claimed his first Crimson Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup podium after successful races final 12 months within the European Expertise Cup – Pini has made his means into the Moto3 World Championship this 12 months after a placing run to second in final 12 months’s JuniorGP standings regardless of lacking the primary 5 races via harm.
Shifting up with the IntactGP crew, 17-year-old Pini initially stood out for his measurement, however improved steadily over the opening races of the season earlier than combating for the rostrum for the primary time in Le Mans.
Crash.internet spoke to Pini a few weeks on from that eye-catching French Grand Prix efficiency – which in the end resulted in seventeenth following a crash – on the Thursday of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a circuit new to the Italian however the place he was capable of take his equal-best end of the season in seventh.
Alex Whitworth: How would you say the season has gone to now? On-paper it seems to be such as you’ve improved at each race, so how would you consider it?
Guido Pini: From the start to now, I feel we improved race-by-race and that is the essential factor. In Thailand it was actually tough, the primary race after being injured for the entire winter, however from Thailand to Argentina we improved; after, from Argentina to Texas we improved extra; and now in Le Mans we did a superb qualifying – P2 is a extremely good end result – and after, within the race, I used to be within the first group and I used to be blissful for this: 14 laps within the entrance group, and after the crash. However, anyway, I’m right here. I’m blissful for the progress we do and let’s proceed on this means.
AW: It’s your first time right here at Silverstone. How do you put together for studying a brand new monitor?
GP: In Qatar, it was my first time, I did P4 within the first session. I’m a rider who takes the monitor actually quick; if it’s a brand new monitor I’m actually quick from the primary second. So, let’s see. This can be a actually large monitor, actually lengthy, the most important of the calendar. However I really feel assured, additionally for our progress and the Le Mans race week. I wish to do this monitor and tomorrow I’ll attempt to give my finest.
AW: Silverstone was a monitor with quite a lot of quick corners, is that one thing that you simply assume fits your fashion?
GP: It’s so much like my fashion. I’m a quick rider within the corners, I don’t prefer to cease the bike an excessive amount of. Sure, Le Mans, I don’t know why, however you must cease the bike and I used to be quick. However, I feel often the quick corners like Mugello or Jerez I’m good.
AW: Are there another sorts of coaching that you simply love to do apart from with the monitor bike?
GP: Properly, within the winter I attempted motocross for the primary time and I broke my legs.
I often trip, from the start of my profession, I often trip additionally within the winter on the monitor. I don’t do off-road, however now flat monitor additionally within the winter is de facto essential; additionally for Moto2 or MotoGP the sliding is de facto essential – for the Moto3 not an excessive amount of, however you must begin to have this [throttle control].
My finest coaching is the asphalt, the monitor, and I like to try this. Additionally now with the 600 [Pini rides a Honda CBR600RR for training] in Mugello I get pleasure from it so much so I proceed coaching like this.
Guido Pini
AW: Prior to now quite a lot of Italian riders got here up with the VR46 Riders Academy, however now issues have modified a bit. Do you assume that has modified how Italian riders can come to the World Championship?
GP: In all probability additionally Valentino [Rossi] helped slightly bit from Bagnaia to Bezzecchi – with the Academy it was slightly bit simpler to enter the World Championship.
Now the Spanish riders are doing actually good, additionally there’s quite a lot of faculties in Spain [but] in Italy not an excessive amount of. Additionally, I moved to Spain in 2021 to coach and enhance myself, as a result of in Italy additionally the climate is simply too chilly within the winter however in Spain it’s higher for coaching additionally within the winter.
I feel, about me, I’m Italian, I feel I’m quick, I’m right here, and I attempt to do my finest. I needed to transfer to Spain to coach. I hope sooner or later it is going to be the inverse: the Italians will likely be higher than Spain; however for now it’s like this.
AW: Such as you stated, you went to Spain in 2021, and had been champion in 2022. It should have been satisfying so that you can go to Spain and win within the second 12 months?
GP: 2021 and 2022 had been actually totally different years. 2021 was my first 12 months in ETC [European Talent Cup] and I did I feel the worst season of my profession: P18 within the standings. Within the closing races I did some P10s. [After the 2021 season], I skilled within the winter in Malaga, I attempted to offer my finest, and after in 2022 I noticed the outcomes.
I began the season with a podium, and after I attempted to be essentially the most constant race-by-race, as a result of I used to be not the quickest, however I used to be actually good to [take what I could]. If I’ve to do P10 I do P10, if I can do P5 I do P5, additionally if I can win, I win. However, for instance, my rivals crashed quite a lot of occasions, so I beat [them] for that purpose. However 2022 has been a extremely good 12 months for me, additionally as a result of 2021 was the worst.
AW: Then in 2024 you went to JuniorGP. It didn’t begin nicely since you bought injured earlier than the season [Pini broke his elbow in a Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup preseason test], which delayed you numerous, however then you definitely got here again and received quite a lot of races.
GP: 2024 for me was a magic 12 months. I broke quite a lot of bones, however after I did wonderful races. I used to be actually centered as a result of I do know if you happen to crash you possibly can’t enter within the World Championship. So, with quite a lot of strain, additionally the final races in Estoril, however I attempted to offer my finest. It was a brand new crew additionally, however I used to be feeling from the primary second wonderful. So, I’ve tried to do my finest with the crew and we did a magic season.
AW: You signed late to return right here, the announcement was in December, then quickly after you broke each legs. So, then, going to Thailand, how was the journey to get there from the place you had been in December?
GP: I stayed one-and-a-half months with out strolling, as a result of with two toes damaged it was not possible. It was actually tough additionally to coach, as a result of if you happen to can’t run, if you happen to can’t transfer – you possibly can transfer solely the higher physique. So, in Thailand it was actually scorching, I used to be not coaching from December, kind of – I attempted to coach, however not an excessive amount of.
So, it was a extremely tough weekend for me, additionally the primary weekend within the World Championship [so it] was not simple. However I attempted to be at all times blissful as a result of I’m right here, I’m a World Championship rider, it’s not really easy to reach right here. So, I say ‘Now I’ve to work extra, to be sooner and attempt to be extra in entrance race-by-race,’ and now we are able to see lastly the end result.
We did simply six races, however I need extra, I wish to be extra in entrance, and in Le Mans we noticed – sadly I crashed, however I used to be P4 in a entrance group with simply 4 riders. All these riders made a podium, I used to be the one one with out, so I used to be actually blissful within the helmet, and after I crashed however I used to be blissful for these 14 laps.
AW: Do you have a look at the opposite rookies this 12 months in another way to the opposite riders who’ve been within the World Championship longer?
GP: The distinction from the 2 riders to the World Championship riders is: from the start, the World Championship riders are actually quick and in JuniorGP you don’t have this downside as a result of you could have 4 days to coach, you could have the check.
So, you arrive within the monitor on race day and you’ve got quite a lot of expertise. Right here is the other: you must be actually quick from the primary second, and that is the most important distinction. However I feel me, Maximo [Quiles], Carpe need extra, however we’re the quickest of JuniorGP and I hope to be the way forward for this class and enhance and be higher and higher.
AW: You’re already fairly tall, after I have a look at you on-track, I feel with the Dainese and the AGV and the black bike and swimsuit, you look a bit like Nicolo Bulega in his first years. Do you assume already about Moto2 for 2026, or would you be blissful to remain one other 12 months in Moto3?
GP: No, I want to keep in Moto3 and attempt to win the World Championship. My dream from after I was youthful was to undergo Moto3, Moto2, and arrive in MotoGP having already received some World Championships. I
’m taller, sure, however within the [IntactGP] crew final 12 months there was Collin Veijer who was additionally actually tall and he was actually quick. So, it’s not a giant downside for this class. To leap to Moto2 I feel you must [have] quite a lot of expertise, as a result of it’s not a straightforward class – I feel it’s the [most] tough class of the World Championship, so you must be able to make this leap. Let’s see. We made simply six races, so we’ve time to resolve.
AW: How did you get began in bikes? For most individuals, it’s that their dad brings them to it, was it like that for you?
GP: Sure, my dad was driving a minibike after I was youthful, and I used to be asking to him at all times to observe race-by-race. After, he stated ‘Okay, you possibly can attempt it,’ and, lastly, I attempted his minibike and it was a love from the primary second.
AW: Do you observe another motorsports or sports activities typically? Like, Components One or motocross…
GP: I feel one thing with bikes, with an engine – no more. Like soccer, I don’t like an excessive amount of. If I’ve to see the ultimate of the World Cup I see it, however I don’t observe any championship – simply motorbikes and Components One typically.
AW: What do you do away from the monitor to chill out? Movies? Music?
GP: I don’t like quite a lot of issues, simply motorbikes. When I’ve free time I prepare.
Additionally, the relationships with the folks of my age from my village – I don’t have quite a lot of relationships, additionally as a result of in 2021 I used to be in Malaga coaching. I ended additionally with the varsity and I don’t have quite a lot of relationships.
Luckily, I’ve [someone] with my age so I [go out] with him however not an excessive amount of. So, when I’ve free time I desire to remain at house, play PlayStation or one thing like this to be prepared for the race.
AW: To come back again to this season, what targets do you could have going forwards? Podiums? Wins?
GP: That is the goal: to make some podiums and, if I can, I attempt to win as nicely. In Le Mans I used to be actually shut, so I feel that is the goal to make as quickly as attainable, additionally for the ‘rookies championship’. It’s not the essential factor, however enhance race-by-race like we did from Thailand to Le Mans, and after if I can do some podiums or some wins I’ll take it.
AW: It’s typically talked about that you simply’re from Borgo San Lorenzo, so with Mugello arising is it nearly much more of a house race for you than for the opposite Italians?
GP: I’m super-excited, I’m actually trying ahead to this race. I’ll have in fact the assist of all of the followers, and it is going to be a magic weekend. So, trying ahead to staying prepared and to make my finest.
