Team Honda 114 Motorsports rider Hunter Lawrence walked away from Argentina with a solid podium finish, but the Aussie wasn’t really happy with his performance. After racing the preseason with a flu, he changed his diet which zapped him of energy and cost him a few points.
On board the all new 2018 Honda CRF250R, Lawrence got the holeshot in the first race and despite dropping to second halfway through, it still gave him a good platform for moto two. Unfortunately he didn’t get quite as good start in the second moto and instead the rider had to fight his way into sixth place—giving him the third step on the podium.
Outside of that, he is still running strong and proved he will be a major contender in 2018. We caught up with him and asked him about his weekend.
Hunter, how do you feel after the GP?
Yes, not too bad, a little sunburnt from kayaking. It wasn’t too bad, we struggled a bit this weekend. We had some things we changed. Probably a bit too close to the Grand Prix which was a bit silly on our behalf, you know. We will sort it out. We are working on it, or not working on it, but solved it. We will head back, recover, get it sorted and come out swinging in Valkenswaard. As far as a bad weekend is considered, moreso I find it a bad weekend.
I mean for a bad weekend it was pretty good?
Yes, I mean I am on the box and I am happy, but also disappointed because of the reason for the results. I think that is what is getting at me. But it won’t happen again, I can promise you that. I like to come out and put in two solid motos. We had some positives, like Saturday my timed qualifying was a lot better. Normally I am terrible at that. We have a lot of positives to take away from this weekend. I am satisfied.
How did you like the track?
I’m pretty happy with the weekend. We have a lot of positives to take out of this weekend. It would have been nice to get the win, but it’s not my favourite track so I can’t be too disappointed. I prefer more technical tracks than this one as it was high speed and a bit flat, but we know what we need to change and sort out and make sure I’m 100% for the rest of the rounds.
Second moto it seemed like you had arm-pump or a problem with the bike and then you got going again. What happened there?
Again, that was a bit of my problem we are solving. Its not my fitness, just something we need to solve. The bike is good, I can promise you that. It’s the thing I changed with myself the past week. We won’t continue with that, we saw how it worked today.
Can you mention what you changed?
Yes, we just had a virus through the preseason races, so we saw a doctor. They did some tests, and the first tests were correct in what I was feeling. Then they added something to cut out wheat and carbs—some other foods—and it wasn’t good for me. We tried it, because that was what we were told. We will just go back to how we did it last year. I can’t remember the last time I was passed by two guys in the last 10 minutes of a race. Normally I am super strong in the last part of a race so that is what is really pissing me off. Just the fact this has never really happened before, just being outright passed because of speed of fitness.
Can you mention anything about this motor this time?
I am really happy with the bike. We got the first holeshot of the year.
It was a nice holeshot at that.
Yes, I am super stoked with that. Engine wise, we have a bike we can stick it to the factory boys and that is good. I mean I would rather lose on my behalf than rather it being the bike. I will take that any day.
Really bad weather at the moment in Europe, snow and rain and all that. What is the plan to prepare for Valkenswaard?
Just do the sun-dance every day. It isn’t different for other guys, it’s the same for everyone and if its going to be rain and three degrees, then that is what its going to be. We will come out with our gloves on and come out fighting. It is what it is, the weather sucks in Holland and Belgium most of the year, sorry, but that’s the way it is. It would be stupid to expect it to be like in Argentina and I think I can ride in the mud, so no worries.
Ray Archer images
