Monster Energy SDR Kawasaki rider Tommy Searle wrapped up the 2016 Maxxis British MX1 championship yesterday at the famous Foxhills circuit in England. The multiple GP winner and former world number two has been solid all year long, and his rivalry between Shaun Simpson at the Maxxis made for an exciting championship, Searle eventually winning by just two points over the defending champion.

Searle will now head to Maggiora for this year’s Monster Energy Motocross of Nations. We caught up with Searle and asked him about his season so far, and his Maxxis victory.

Tommy, how was your Sunday at Foxhills?

Its really nice. Two second places, Shaun obviously won both the motos. Shaun just did his thing, so good on him. But I had to push really hard, because Tanel was riding really fast, faster than he has all year. I don’t know why he was so fast all of a sudden, he pushed me all the way to the end. I am really, really happy.

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It hasn’t been the season you wanted in the GP’s. How can you change that for 2017?

I don’t know. At times I feel so good on the track, had the speed, I have been second a few times in qualifying, and normally never outside the top eight, but then I get bad starts. It’s so difficult at some of the tracks, like I can be fifth in practice and 20th out of the start. Then you work all race to get to eight and it’s good to pass so many people, but it’s not the end result I want.

 

So starts will be something you will work on in the winter?

I mean we need to work on starts, but everyone is working on starts, it’s not just get my bike good. There are so many good bikes, like 16 factory bikes and we are competing on a non-factory bike. It’s not like the bike isn’t good enough, because I am competing with those guys, the factory guys. I need to knuckle down and do what I can and make something happen, because it is so, so important nowadays. I just need to make it happen and keep working hard and do my best.

 

Obviously there are the factory teams, and then the privateer teams. Was that difficult, because you did have some issues earlier in the season, and the budget isn’t that of a factory team?

At the beginning it wasn’t too bad, because I felt strong coming in, but then we had a few problems, just problems that we maybe could have ironed out if we had more backing, but it is what it is and we need to get on with it. Steve is trying to make the best of what he has and he is good at that. I felt good coming in, but if you have a few bad races in a row it can get you down. It can soon turn around and you get a good start and you realize you are not far off and I just need to make it happen.

Tommy will head to Maggiora this weekend.
Tommy will head to Maggiora this weekend.
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Kawasaki presented its team for the SMX at Glen Helen. Are you looking forward to this event?

I think the SMX will be good. I am not sure what to expect. David Luongo mentioned it won’t be full supercross, which is nice, because I didn’t want to get there and find it to be supercross and think to myself, what am I doing here? He said it will be motocross inside and hopefully we will have fun. I think it’s a race we all want to enjoy, it’s not for the championship, so it would be nice to enjoy it. Obviously do well at the same time.

 

You always liked a party. Sounds like it will be a fun event for everyone involved?

David Luongo said it will be a motocross party, so I don’t know if we will be drinking and that? (Searle said as a joke). We will have to see, but they are trying to make it fun and good for us riders, so hopefully it will be a good event.

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.