There seems little doubt, Max Anstie is probably in the form of his life. His qualification win last weekend in France, his constant battles inside the top five of the MXGP class, has his confidence growing with every week.
With the biggest race of the season just two weeks away (MXoN), it couldn’t have come at a better time for the always happy, and enthusiastic rider from England. He also came close to making a little history.
While Scotsmen (Shaun Simpson and Billy Mackenzie), and Irishmen (Gordon Crockard), have shown good speed in the premier class of motocross, it was all the way back in 1997 that an Englishman had won a GP in the premier class.
While Scotsmen (Shaun Simpson and Billy Mackenzie), and Irishmen (Gordon Crockard), have shown good speed in the premier class of motocross, it was all the way back in 1997 that an Englishman had won a GP in either the 250cc (MXGP) or 500cc class.
Kurt Nicoll won the 1997 500cc Grand Prix of Luxembourg with 1-2 results, but even then, it’s a question mark if the 500cc class was the premier class. A few years earlier, in 1994, a guy called Merv Anstie won a GP in the 500cc class, yes, the father of Max.
Sure, Tommy Searle, Max Anstie, James Dobb, and many others have scored GP wins in the MX2/125cc class, it’s been thin picking for English riders on the world scene in the premier classes.
And while Anstie didn’t get the GP win, he did finish on the podium and came so close to making history and joining the likes of Nicoll and Anstie Snr as a English GP winner.
Our guy in France, David Bulmer caught up with Max and asked him about the weekend, and also his MXoN memories and expectations.
Max, congratulation on the Saturday win. A win is a win, is it a good confidence builder?
It awesome, to win a race is great and I am over the moon about it. It was Saturday and a whole day of racing on Sunday, it could have been wet on Sunday. Racing with Romain was great, it reminded me of racing with Tonus in Switzerland. The fans in France were crazy for him, and I was getting nervous, because I knew he was behind me, I knew it was either Romain or Gautier and I knew when I couldn’t see my pits boards and I figured it had to be Febvre. He passed me and we had a good battle right until the last lap, and I managed to pass him and take the win. I know it was a Saturday, but I want to take this confidence into the off-season and next year.
Geoff [Meyer] mentioned to me that an Englishman hasn’t won a Grand Prix, in the premier class since Kurt Nicoll back in 1997, so that’s 20 years ago. Is that something that might motivate you?
Wow, really, that is cool. I don’t know, in MXGP, I know Shaun has won a few and he is Scottish. I don’t know, but it is what it is and I am here to do my job and I will take a win if I can.
How did the Sunday feel?
The weekend started really well for me. I had a good qualifying moto and managed to get the win. It might have just been a qualifying moto win but it was my first race victory in the 450cc class. On Sunday we had a lot of rain and that made things harder for everyone. I did the best I could in the opening moto. Conditions were tricky and it was vital to avoid mistakes. I was happy with fourth and thought I could do even better in moto two. My start was great in the second race and I managed to lead the for much of the race. I had a good battle with Herlings down to the finish line.
Two weeks’ time, Matterley Basin, Motocross of Nations. How much are you looking forward to that race?
It’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be mega. I mean, I don’t think it has sunk in yet to riding for Team GB and I think we have a really strong team, and a great chance. Hopefully we can all put it together and all put in our best rides. I am going there, like its GP number 20. Training doesn’t stop and we will ride down in France and we are pushing and pushing and I am going into that race hot and try and do the best I can.
How much are you looking forward to being the man with all the attention from the fans. You being the MX1 rider will be the focus of it I guess?
It’s going to an amazing feeling and all the work with the team, even in the last year, we have progress so much. I need to focus on myself and not get too caught up with it all. I know I have to do my bit, but I am there to race, ok Sunday night I might get a bit loose, but until then, I am there to work and do the best job I can and hopefully be in good positions.
The track itself, a lot of work has gone down there. Have you seen the photos, and if you have what do you think of the changes?
Yes, I have seen the changes. I know Steve (Dixon) has been wanting to for years and when I was there in 2015 and 2016 he was saying he was going to change it. Now it’s given him a good reason to change it. I think the track is always great and with some fresh changes it will be great. It’s always a good track, and it wouldn’t matter if they ran it the other way around, it’s still going to be a great event, it will be nice and we will see good racing and Steve works hard for that race.
And were you there in 2006 for the MXoN last time it was at Matterley Basin and if so, what are your memories of that race?
That is what I mean that it hasn’t sunk in yet. I stood on that turn (in 2006) where Everts passed Bubba, when he was standing up. I was only 12 or 13 then and it was one of the first big races I ever went to, because I was busy doing my own thing. I was like, this is mega, this is so cool. I remember parking down on the road and we had to walk like five miles and I was only little and my legs were working overtime. I was thinking this is great. It hasn’t sunk in yet that I will be doing it in a couple of weeks. I don’t know what to think, because I don’t want to get too caught up in it. Maybe afterwards I will take it all in, but I know mentally I just have to focus on my job, and on myself, because I want to do the best job I can and get good results. I don’t want to just go there for a jolly. Last year I was on a 250 and I thought it would be easier, because there were not that many top 250 guys there, but it was the hardest race of the year. It is the hardest race of the year and I am not underestimating it. We have had 19 GPs and for me it’s just GP number 20. Matterley is going to be a mega race, great for the fans and I am going to do my best for Team GB, that is all I can do.
