Hear from Kawasaki Racing Team heavy hitters Jeremy Seewer, Romain Febvre & Antti Pyrhonen ahead of the new season in these Kawasaki interviews.
Words: Press Release | Lead Image: Kawasaki
Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer begins a new chapter in his Motocross GP career this year; after six FIM medals in ten seasons of GP racing the twenty-nine year old Swiss joins the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP in search of the elusive Gold.
Jeremy, a new bike, a new team, a new adventure for you?
Yes of course; you can’t start from zero on so many occasions in your career with a new bike that you need to get used to, with new people around you, with everything new but it’s been a good journey so far. There have been some ups-and-downs, which is normal, but I’m enjoying it and I’m happy!
You’ve been racing nine years in yellow and six in blue, now in Green with a new motivation?
I don’t really function that way; I’m not a guy who has to see new motivation in everything new, but of course it’s nice to discover new directions. Some of them are way better and sometimes you wonder why you never did them before; why nobody previously pointed you in that direction as it seems so natural. There can also be some other things which might feel more negative and I need to work on that, but for sure I’m really motivated to make everything work. Of course it’s easier to stay in your comfort zone because you know the package, you know you can win races, and you know what to improve to advance. But when you change like now, you have a new motivation but you start everything from zero. It’s more of a risk to move to somewhere new – it would be easier to stay where you are – but I’m happy and proud with what I have done and I think it’s the right direction for my career. Many people tell me that Green suits me, and when I see myself on some clips I say ‘wow, that looks nice’.
You stayed so long with previous brands that, as you say, you have to start from zero?
It’s not easy. Let’s say to 90% it’s straightforward because we top riders can ride fast on any bike, even a stock bike from any brand; I can ride fast and enjoy it but then to carry the speed to GP level is another story. To find the last 10% and then the last 5%, the final 3%, that’s where it gets more complicated and then you really need time to test and set up the bike, suspension, engine, chassis, brakes, everything; you have so many options in a factory team to make it right for you. In a few weeks I will know where I am; honestly the feeling is already good but racing up-front at the very top level will be the final confirmation.
You can learn from new people around you, but you also bring to the team all your experience?
Yes of course, it works both way. They show me new things and it can take some time to work together, but then I bring a lot of experience, especially on the riding side; we each bring our strengths and we can put the pieces of the puzzle together.
The season will be long; do you have a plan?
I’m not planning too far ahead; at the moment I’m just focused on setting my bike up and doing some pre-season races without any pressure. I’m just trying to enjoy it, to go through this normal process, fixing the evolution on the bike and then looking forward to the first races.
Physically you feel ready ? Did you have a good winter ?
Yes! Physically I had a really good winter; I kept working on that and tried to improve; trying to work harder but also to regroup better and I don’t think I have ever previously been in such good shape. That’s super positive.
Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre and the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP enter their fifth season together confident that they can secure the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship title they so narrowly missed in 2021 and 2023.
Romain, you must feel completely at home in Green as you enter your fifth season with the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP?
Yes, for sure … and everything is going perfectly. This winter we only had to concentrate on some small adjustments to the bike so it was much easier than last year when we had to understand a completely new bike. And of course it makes everything much easier when you have already been working with the same people for a couple of years.
Last year you spent a lot of time testing; could you focus more on your training and physical preparation this winter?
I had a very good winter preparation and, even though I haven’t peaked yet because the season will be long, I’m very happy with my physical condition. We didn’t need to spend too long with testing as we already knew the bike, but every year there’s some new parts to test; we always need to keep on top of development as the level is very high in MXGP but I would say that the main novelty this year was the chassis as we now use the production one. We started testing straight away at the end of last season, and we soon found the best settings.
Last year you spent a lot of time developing the bike, doing the fine tuning; did you enjoy this aspect of the job?
It’s always nice to be involved in the development of a new bike as you can request what you want; for sure it can sometimes take time for the new parts to arrive, so you also have to adapt your style to the bike at times, but the final result was very satisfying. Sometimes last year I was looking for solutions; it was a good experience and it’s great to see that the new chassis is really good for me, especially in the sand. I’m very happy with the bike.
Last year you had one of your best season, so you must be confident for 2024?
As always it is most important not to get injured during the season; last year I had the concussion in Spain and missed that GP, but apart from that I had no other injuries. It’s important because you can continue to progress from race-to-race and stay consistent. You keep your rhythm, you can train physically, and from race-to-race you improve your results. That’s what I did last year; I had the speed and it was a really good season so everything is in place for another great campaign.
Antti Pyrhonen
Antti Pyrhonen justifiably has high expectations of success as he enters his third season as team manager of the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP in the FIM World Motocross Championship, which begins on the weekend of March 9-10 in Argentina.
Antti, 2024 will be your third year heading the Kawasaki effort in the MXGP World Championship; how do you feel?
I feel confident – the entire team feels good – and I’m really proud of our cooperation with Kawasaki. It’s amazing how quickly the years have passed and this will already be our third season with Kawasaki! I’m really proud of what we have already accomplished with Kawasaki, especially last year, with the highlights being Romain’s succession of GP victories and FIM silver medal in the MXGP and our role in helping to develop the new KX450. We are really looking forward to the new season; it’s going to be another long year with very strong competition. It will be exciting but also a very demanding year!
Last year you raced with the new KX450 and worked all season to refine it even further; how was it to work with the factory to help to develop a perfect bike for the customers?
Of course Kawasaki R&D and the factory created the new model, and the platform of the bike was very strong from the word go. Our factory bike was developed on the basis of this standard bike so all the credit goes to the Kawasaki engineers. They gave us a great base and, together with them, we worked to make an MXGP-winning bike, and now to offer such a good bike to Kawasaki customers. It’s been an exciting adventure and has also been a real education as we have learnt so much from them technically.
The 2024 factory bike has not changed a lot since last year; did that make the winter testing less strenuous?
For Romain it has been quite a simple approach; he already had a really strong base and could concentrate on detailed refinements to feel even more comfortable so the time went quickly for him, but of course it was a different scenario for Jeremy as this will be his first year with Kawasaki. We needed to do a lot of testing to find a base for him and enable him to feel comfortable; it was a long technical process, starting from things like handlebars, seat, levers, foot-pegs. It has been a very satisfying time and we accomplished it well; it was interesting to learn from another highly-professional rider like Jeremy, so it has been important for the team too.
For the first time you will line up two MXGP winners in the team; it’s must be a dream-come-true for a team manager?
Yes, definitely. To have two absolute top riders in a team and to work with two such professional riders is something that we have really aimed for and we are now able to accomplish that so it was a great achievement for us. They both trust in Kawasaki and our team and we will do everything we can not to disappoint them.
Another long season is coming; what are your expectations?
Our expectations are always high of course, so the goal is to win and fight for podiums all season. But on the other hand we know how unpredictable a sport like motocross can be so we will be keeping our feet on the ground throughout the season, working day-by-day, training-by-training, race-by-race, and see what arrives. It’s so important to stay healthy through the warm-up races and early-season GPs until the Indonesian rounds in July; the most significant part of the championship really starts from there. It’s our target to stay calm, keep working hard and to be there for the long-run.
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 2024 Launch
2024 marks the third season that the Scandinavian duo of Manager, Antti Pyrhönen, and team principle, Kimi Raikkonen, field the Kawasaki Racing Team in MXGP on behalf of the Kawasaki factory and the optimism of all concerned is tangible.
Team Principle and 2007 Formula1 World Champion is characteristically forthright in the approach he and the team will adopt in the coming season.
“Let the results and bike performance do the talking. It’s going to be an interesting and demanding season ahead. The competition seems to get stronger and stronger each year which makes it exciting. KRT MXGP is a hard-working and professional team, our target is to grow together with Kawasaki and win – simple as that”
Fully supported by the formidable Japanese manufacturer in terms of race machines plus technical and engineering personnel, it is the honour of the team to field a widely updated KX machine in 2024; the very latest KX450-SR which has a direct connection to the retail machines are based and sold in Kawasaki dealerships.
Long time Kawasaki rider, Romain Febvre, has played a core role in the development of the 2024 machine which saw its debut in prototype form in 2023 and has been gradually updated and refined since.
With both the factory bikes of Romain Febvre and new signing, Jeremy Seewer, featuring state of the art electronics, it is only right that the machine in Kawasaki dealerships for 2024 also has engine map selections, launch control and a machine interrogation facility allowing riders to fine tune their machine and make records of their rides and settings.
“Romain really understands the KX philosophy now”, comments Team Manager, Antti Pyrhönen. “He tested and made suggestions to the Japanese engineers to aid the constant development of our new KX-SR race machine and was instrumental in the testing and cross-over of rider and technical features to the customer machine.
Our optimism about the 2024 bike is based on how well Romain went during last season. I think both he and the bike are at the next level for 2024 and we are quietly confident going into the season”.
That confidence can only be bolstered by the introduction of new Swiss rider, Jeremy Seewer, who joins with an illustrious career already established. Consistent and fast, Seewer has an incredible string of race attendances to his name.
“It’s quite a rider line up and I think other teams in the paddock see the combination of Romain and Jeremy as a real threat in 2024”, commented Antti. “Jeremy is super-fast and super consistent. He has a clinical approach, thinks about every aspect of the machine set up and is very precise. Allied to this, Romain knows the KX programme inside out and is a proven winner on our factory bikes.
Certainly it’s a nice position for the team to be embedded for three years within the Kawasaki culture and to have two such talented riders for 2024 lining up at the gate hungry for success”.
Commenting on behalf of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. General Manager of the Marketing and Sales Division, Shigemi Tanaka, concluded:
“Motocross, like our KX models, is in a constant state of evolution, always seeking ultimate riding performance and track success. We enter the 2024 season with a refreshed team, a formidable rider line up of Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer plus the stunning KX450-SR.
As the factory racing version of the recently launched KX450, we are confident that the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP will harness the formidable race potential of their racing machines and build on their remarkable record of achievement pushing at every race for ultimate MXGP championship honours.
The young competitors of today focus on MXGP and Supercross as pinnacles of two-wheel off road sport. Kawasaki is proud to fuel the dreams of these Team Green riders globally, each aspiring to achieve the success of their KX riding heroes.”
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