“It’s all about the control” – Manuel Gonzalez, Team Liqui-Moly IntactGP, Moto2 championship leader

“It’s all about the control, says 2025 Moto2 Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez of Team Liqui-Moly IntactGP. Speaking to paultan.org ahead of the 2025 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) on October 24 to 26, the young Spaniard shared his thoughts about racing, about the difference between strategy and technology, and about Superman.

Mano, as he is known to friends and fans, is now in his fourth Moto2 season and was candid about his current championship lead of just two points ahead of Italtrans Racing Team’s Diogo Moreira. “Yes, it is close, but the team will do our best to make the lead bigger. There are tracks that I like, and Sepang is one of those where I believe I can go fast,” said Gonzalez.

“We are at the most important moment of the championship we have a really good mindset for this race. The team is really concentrating on getting to our best level,” he said. Asked about his lead over Moreira, Mano was sanguine, “It is our job, we are usually stronger in certain tracks. Now, we just have a little bad luck in a few races.”

“In every moment we have a good plan, Think we need to have everything under control, (to) know what to do. It will not be a problem to fight on,” Gonzalez said. Speaking on the technical similarity between the Moto2 racing machines, Gonzalez said success is a matter of the rider and the team working together.

“The relationship between the rider and the mechanics is super important for the rider to go out on track and perform to the best level,” he said. “But you need to have all the details together, because if you lose one small detail, you lose a lot,” added.

As for the rider and the motorcycle, Gonzalez said it can change a lot from one weekend to another. “So, it is important to have your mind in a good place, to always look at positive things, to look at what you can improve,” Gonzalez said, “(maybe) even a bit more, but not get crazy, if something goes bad.”

There are no team orders in IntactGP, said Gonzalez, with his teammate Senna Aguis. “Sometimes we try to help each other, but I think we are riders who like to ride on their own and dottier own things. We love to have our own mindset… to do our own job and our own plans,” he said.

“It is good to have a strong team mate you can learn from, and you can push yourself. So, yeah, we have really positive things together,” Gonzalez said. “Moto2 is not like Moto3, where, if you are clever, you can stay behind and maybe fight for first. In Moto2, the fastest rider wins the race. Always.”

Saying that strategy does play a part, Gonzalez says it is in the practice and qualifying, and maybe in the race. Understanding the situation is crucial, and if the conditions are different than what is expected, “the situation needs to be under control in your mind, to know what to do in every moment is a really key thing,” said Gonzalez.

Concluding the interview, Gonzalez said every year is a quest for more improvement, and to get faster and faster, that understanding where to push more and when to stay calm is important. Asked he preferred Batman or Superman, Gonzalez laughed and said, “Superman, because he wears my sponsor’s colours.”