Wilvo Virus Performance KTM rider Shaun Simpson showed again that he is the man to beat in the Maxxis British Motocross Championship. The Scottish rider produced another 1-1 performance, and now leads the series by a handy 10 points.

We caught up with Shaun last week, and asked him some questions about the MXGP series, and here are also his comments from last weekend’s Maxxis round at Hawkstone Park.

Can you talk about your victory last weekend?

It was nice to come here knowing I rode good at the international. There was a lot of rain yesterday, but wow did it dry up today. It was really technical, nice and bumpy with a lot of lines. It was just my type of going really. I did what I needed to do with two first places and extended the championship lead out to ten points as well. Keeping the red plate was the goal and that was what we managed to execute.

 

How did you feel going into Hawkstone, because you and Tommy have been pretty close so far this year?

Obviously I was looking forward to Hawkstone. I went in there leading the championship and everyone wants to get a championship, it would be four in total (if he won the Maxxis this year). Its high on my list this year. This time of year Hawkstone can be hard and fast. I was looking forward to it being rough and technical, and Tommy has been quick in both the GPs and Maxxis, he has had speed for top three, but he doesn’t seem to get a result on the world stage, but in the British championship he has been riding solid. We had been on a par, he has been slightly better in some races, but made mistakes, as he has done in the world stage. I know Tommy took a crash in the second moto in Italy. I worked hard during the week and wanted to keep the ball rolling. A race win or two and standing on the podium at the Maxxis is a confidence booster.

 

We have Spain, France and England, then a bunch of races that will be good for Antonio and also yourself. How do you look forward to getting these next three races out of the way?

Simpson: Looking at the championship as a whole, you can’t just concentrate on the tracks that will suit you, you can’t brush these other tracks aside and hope it comes good when your time is right. Kegums, Germany, Arco I am not that keen on these tracks, but I have had good results at these tracks and that is what I concentrate on when I got to these places. Talavera, St Jean, Matterley, these are tracks with big potential for me as well, you need to take each week as it comes. We have been working really hard to get tracks between the week that are similar to how it is going to be on the weekend. Some of the tracks I look forward to are obviously, Lommel, Assen or Mantova. But since last year I really want to prove that I can get on the podium, or win races at a track nobody expects it. I want to come out somewhere like Loket and get as close to the podium as I can.

 

Justin Barcia is talking about racing a round of the MXGP series. How do you think he would do and what does it do for our championship?

I think he was talking about Lommel. I wouldn’t know, it would be great, also talk of Chad Reed coming to do a race or two, I think it would spice the weekend up, maybe not as much as when [Ryan] Villopoto was over here, but I think it can only be good. I know from personal experience from me going over there last year, it’s nice for a rider to experience something different, how an AMA national feels or for them a GP feels. I am sure it would be a no stress race and if he prepared well, and I am sure he can find some tracks in America he could prefer on, then I think he could come and be in the top five or top six. I think the podium or a win would be hard, because of the nature of the track and how well us euro boys ride there.

 

You looking at doing any rounds of the AMA Nationals this year?

I had looked at doing a Nationals, looked at the calendar, but last year we had a three week break in the calendar and I had a week off after racing in America, but this year Mantova, and a three-week gap, but there are two British championship races in that period, so for me it isn’t on my to do list this year.

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