Hunter shocked the world at 2017 MXoN with MX2 win over Zach Osborne
While Australia might have names like Chad Reed, Dean Ferris, Andrew McFarlane and Jeff Leisk as GP winners, they still don’t have a world motocross champion. Both Reed and Leisk finished second in the world in 2001 (250cc) and 1989 (500cc), but that elusive world championship has eluded the wonders from down under until now.
Hunter Lawrence, the latest in the list of Aussies fighting for success in Europe goes into this years MX2 world championship with one year to change all that. Set for the AMA Supercross and Motocross championships in 2019, the rider from Beerwah isn’t scared to go that that world title in 2018 and going by his victory in the MX2 moto last weekend in Italy, he has every chance to make Australian motocross history in 2017.
Geoff Meyer caught up with him this morning and asked him about last weekend and his hopes for 2018.
First, obviously you had a good start to the weekend, and then the superfinal wasn’t great. How was your weekend from the start?
Coming in our ferry was like, we took the long route, like 20 hours on the boat and then to the track and we were racing the next day. I mean practice went ok, I was just getting used to the track, and I think we were sixth or something. First moto, not a bad start, maybe around 10th or something, then made some passes. We were testing and shock, so first 10 minutes I took it slow, and we ended up getting the win. I felt not too bad. So, we made improvement to the shock, or tried some different things. We tested those on the sighting lap of the superfinal, some different things and throughout the moto. I mean racing against the 450s is a big risk and we wanted to minimize the accidents and all that. I mean last year there was a big incident in the superfinal with the MX2 and MX1 guys. We just used the superfinal as testing really.
Tell me, you saw Jonass come through, and he has probably ridden that track more than you, but he came through quick, then he made that massive mistake that he saved, but he got close to you. Did you turn it up a notch or did he slow down? Because you got away from him again.
He was coming and had that big moment behind Vlaanderen, which was nearly a big one. I got into the lead and did a couple of fast laps, then I got a good gap, but then for two or three laps where I really lost my rhythm, and then I got caught behind a lapper and he really closed in, but then I got my rhythm back and was able to get away again. I made a mistake and tried to look at some lines, but it was alright.
I remember when you signed with GEICO, they would give you motors for this year. Do you already have those motos, or not yet?
We are luck they will support me, and we will be racing on Geico engines, but at the moment we haven’t received those yet, because they got the stuff late and it hasn’t come here yet, but that is also just normal. On the weekend we raced a stock bike, with a head, a cam and an exhaust pipe. We haven’t tested the full race engine yet, so I am excited for that really.
So, riding with a stock bike, that win must give you a lot of confidence. Sure, its only a pre-season race, but still it’s a win. And you have a better engine coming.
I am looking forward to the season. Pre-season doesn’t mean much, and a lot can change when we get to round one, but it gives us good direction and something to work on, and I am going to just keep my head screwed on for the rest of the series.
As far as the team, it’s a new team, run by Garibaldi, with Livia Lancelot as the team manager. They interviewed Livia on the weekend and she said she was stressed on the weekend because there is so much to do. How is the team until now?
For sure, its Livia’s first year, but she is doing really good, better than Stefan I think. She is taking in criticism and stuff like that. She is communication good and is a team leader. All the mechanics are happy, and she is really awesome. So far, she is doing a really good job. Giacomo (Garibaldi) helps Livia out if she needs help, or something is over her head, but she runs the show. Also, Victor our crew chief mechanic, he also helps a lot, he was mechanic for Paulin for a lot of years, so he knows about factory teams and he also help Livia.
You obviously have confidence, even when times were tough in 2017 you kept your confidence. That win at the MXoN, how did that change your confidence?
Any win changes your confidence, that is normal. I mean that is how it is. That was cool, and it was a weekend I will never forget, but I didn’t feel like I rode over my head or anything. I just think I pulled that ride from nowhere, but really, after Germany last year, or even Valkenswaard, things were going in the good way. Then I hurt my back in Russia and things went off a little, but we went to the end of the season and we got two more podiums.
As far as the Suzuki you rode in 2017, and the Honda. A lot of people thought your Suzuki wasn’t fast enough, and then you have this current Honda and eventually the Geico Honda. Can you compare to Suzuki to what you rode on the weekend?
Well its hard to compare engines, because I have only been riding stock and then what I raced on the weekend and it wasn’t far from stock. I have faith in what GEICO are developing and its safe to say that it will be faster. Last year the team did what they could, but it wasn’t a secret it wasn’t the fastest bike. As far as bikes stoke standard, they are both great bikes, but it depends what type of rider you are. I like the new Honda, it handles really nice and stuff. Out of the box it’s a nice bike.
The season we have a lot of sand tracks, and you proved yesterday you like it when it gets rough, and we will have wet races like Matterley Basin for sure. You must be pretty happy with the schedule?
I haven’t really looked to be honest. I don’t care if its sand, hard pack or whatever. I think my goal is to be every weekend top five or top three, whether its sand, muddy or hard pack, and if you want to be world champion you have to deal with all that and be top five or top three weekend in weekend out. I want to be world champion and we are looking at we want to be as smart as possible and not make any mistakes.
What do you have coming up now?
We ride tomorrow in Sardinia and our ferry is Wednesday then we have a week of and the French International a cool track and busy day. We have 15 minutes free practice, 20 minutes timed qualifying, then three 20 plus two, which is a long day.
Great for testing though?
Yes, its great. We have that many sessions on the track, so its good. Then we have a weekend off and then Argentina.
