Photos by: JP Acevedo

Team Great Britain rider Max Anstie is really finding his mojo. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider put on a masterclass over the weekend at the 2017 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations—going 1-1 and helping his country get onto the podium for the first time in 20 years. But there is more to this version of Max Anstie than we have ever seen.

Having raced side by side with Jeffrey Herlings and Ken Roczen as a young boy, everyone has been waiting for this Max Anstie to show up. It seems with a lot of hard work from himself and his team, he has found that extra little bit of himself to become more than just a good GP rider. What 2018 brings is something we all look forward to with the always friendly and excited 24 year-old.

No British rider has won a GP in the premier class since Kurt Nicoll in 1997—also 20 years ago—and going by the form of Anstie in the last month, he might be able to tick that one off the list in 2018. Lets hope so.

We caught up with him after his MXoN brilliance, and not surprisingly he was a little excited and ready to party.

Team GBR (Dean Wilson, Tommy Searle and Max Anstie) celebrate their first Team podium in two decades.

Max, it seems like you have found another level. Not just here at the MXoN, but in the last month. Maybe you are a lot closer to getting back to the level of Herlings and Roczen?

To be honest, the team, it’s just work. At the start of the season we had had a good offseason, but I still wasn’t sure where I was meant to be. I just stuck to the plan from the team, every single day. What Antti and Tommy and the guys there have given me. Every single day, just sticking to the plan. Training becomes racing and racing becomes training. We have just been able to click off laps and motos. And hard work, and I am not scared to work. That is what has made it easy. It didn’t feel difficult when I was riding. I don’t want to sound cocky, but when I was riding it came so easy. It wasn’t like I was riding amazing. I was just hitting my lines and doing my thing. I didn’t care who was behind me—just clicking my laps off.

 

Well done, mate. Really good to see you do this.

It’s been unbelievable. I felt this last part of the season, I have been, with my team—the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team—I knew these last few GPs. I got on the box, and I knew I would be good for Matterley. The crowd was so loud. I had just too much time to think. I better keep going, not DNF. I had a good race going. I looked at this like it was GP number 20, and it hasn’t sunk in yet. I mean the crowd was amazing and the family is here. I feel like I am in this zone like I am down the road at my track. I felt like that all day. I just tried to focus with the emotion and I don’t know yet. Seeing all those fans out there, it’s a once in a life-time thing. I don’t think we will do the Nations again in England.

 

And the fans, they must have given you so much energy?

The fans made it a little more nerve racking and the announcer. I could hear him all the time. There were a few turns where I could hear him really easy. He said at one point, “all eyes on Anstie, if Team GB get the podium.” I was like oh my god, I need to win. It must be by one point or something. I felt I needed to win for us to get on the podium. Special event and a special feeling.

Other than a crash and comeback in moto 3, Max led every lap of his MXoN.

How much did the crowd help, though? It must have been important?

It was amazing, but the main thing that helped [with the crowd] was the lappers. The crowd was so loud. I think the lappers just got out of the way because they thought somebody was coming. Everyone was just moving out of my way, which was great. The blue flags were good, but in some cases people were not paying attention. Some of the guys are not normal GP guys. So, the crowd was so unreal that they just moved out of the way. If it did anything, it made me nervous at the end of the first one. I was thinking too much. Like, oh my god, I am about to win the Nations now. The second moto, I had Romain [Febvre] there and then Jeffrey there, and I didn’t have time to think. I literally looked up and it was two laps to go. So, the second moto was pretty easy.

 

Jeffrey caught you quickly in that second one. Like you said, you looked really calm. We all know what Jeffrey can do, so you must have expected an attack?

When I crashed, I was a little in front of Romain. Then, I crashed again and had to catch him. I knew Jeffrey was only three or seconds behind. I was trying to pass Romain, then Jeffrey caught up and then some of the lappers messed me up. I knew those last couple of laps Jeffrey would be strong. Just the way the lappers were in the way and if Jeffrey got a good line, he would take another second out of me. So, I wasn’t too worried, I was hitting my lines and knew where I was going, I actually felt ok.

 

What do you do tonight, the beer tent at the track, or the afterparty?

I have no idea. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, and I have been training and working hard for a long time so I think I am going to get on it tonight.

Will this propel the Brit to a new level in 2018?

Last question. How much will this help for 2018?

It’s great. I mean the team is great, and I know we will continue working and progressing. I know the Nations is one race and people have won, and it doesn’t mean anything for next year. I will have a week off and start testing for next year. I wouldn’t mind another of these gold plates [his MXGP overall plate]. I am hoping I can get one as a world champion. In the next few years, I want to get a world championship gold plate

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