Opinion – WSBK: Why Leon Camier Might Just Be What HRC Need

It is fair to say that Leon Camier’s appointment as Team HRC manager in mid-January came as a surprise. However, what looks like a shock move from the outside might in fact turn out to be a masterstroke.

Granted, Camier steps into this major position without previous managerial experience. Nonetheless, it would be wise to think twice before claiming this leaves him unqualified for the job.

The 34-year-old brings expertise, experience and perspective. This could prove the final puzzle piece in Honda’s rise back to the top.

Regarding his election, Camier said:

“I’ve been a Honda rider for several seasons during my career and I’m now very happy and proud to be back with the company for what is a major change in my professional and personal life. I’m prepared to work hard to achieve our goals; I always did so as a rider and I will continue in the same way as team manager.

“I know the championship and its challenges very well, although the current period further exacerbates these issues. But in working alongside two very strong riders like Alvaro and Leon and such a professional group of people, I am confident we’ll be able to reach our full potential and fight for top results.”

Camier has been a full-time component of the WorldSBK paddock since 2010 and contested in a total of 223 races. Throughout his career, he was highly rated as a rider; appalling luck with inferior machinery and, crucially, injuries sadly proved an unfortunate hindrance to his success.

Translating Racing into Managing

After a decade of racing in the international series, he describes taking up the reigns as Team HRC manager as a “natural progression”. The Japanese marque is edged into Camier, who started his career aboard a Fireblade in British Supersport, and there can be no doubt about his commitment to a continued partnership with Honda.

Camier is in a place of apprehending the riders’s position due to the unique insight gained from having only recently competed in WorldSBK. He knows what a rider wants from his team and from his bike, and can adapt the set-up accordingly.

Moreover, Camier understands what a rider needs to gain confidence in the workings around him as well as in himself and how to motivate them to keep pushing. It doesn’t hurt that he holds a good relationship with Leon Haslam either, which promises to be a productive collaboration.

From a technical point of view, Camier has piloted no less than seven differently branded bikes during his WorldSBK spell. Having seen the good – and inevitably the bad – of them all provides vast expertise of what does and doesn’t work.

All of this experience as a rider should translate into helping the team move forward – it is a chance to complete what HRC have started last season.

Jaume Colom, who oversaw Honda’s return as a factory outfit, left a legacy of a machine that is almost there, but still needs its edges smoothed. The Fireblade’s straight line speed is undeniable and the bike has looked potent at times during the 2020 season – not least in Álvaro Bautista’s ride to the podium in Aragon.

Pushing the Project Forward

HRC’s task for 2021 will be to refine the details and turn the CBR1000RR-R into the full package, and this is where having Camier on board could prove pivotal.

The former BSB champion has a reputation for getting the best out of a bike and has an attention to detail that allows him to push a machine beyond its limits. It is no coincidence that he achieved multiple top five finishes on a frankly uncompetitive MV Agusta and consistently outperformed his teammates down the years.

This quality to show glimpses of brilliance, even on a poor bike, made him a wanted test-and-development rider – now this expertise will guide HRC in analysing data and rider feedback to turn it into mechanical and technical improvements.

Camier further said:

“To decide to stop racing is such a big thing. My whole life has been dedicated towards on thing: racing. Everything you do is focused on improving yourself and trying to perform as a racer and to stop that is a really big deal.”

It is somewhat bittersweet to see Camier call quits on his racing days and turn to management. He will be sorely missed on the grid, but ongoing injury struggles make it a wise move to turn to other ventures, and seeing him as a team official is a decidedly exciting prospect.

No doubt, Camier will have a steep learning curve ahead of him. Nevertheless, this new chapter in his career is a great opportunity for both himself and HRC.