2017 MX2 FIM World Championship runner-up Jeremy Seewer has commented that he still needs more time to feel at home on the Wilvo Yamaha YZ450F after his transfer from Suzuki due to the shock dissolution of the factory team. The Swiss was one of the more unfortunate victims of Suzuki’s withdrawal from Grand Prix racing as he had a contract in place to make his debut in the MXGP class for 2018. Seewer found willing refuge in the new Wilvo Yamaha team through the satellite squad’s ambition to field a third rider alongside Shaun Simpson and Arnaud Tonus.

Seewer had to resolve issues around his contract before the announcement of his Yamaha deal could be announced and his appearance in ‘blue’ will represent the first time he has competed with another manufacturer in his Pro career.

“It’s what I expected; a lot of work!” he exclusively commented on his winter testing and adaption process to what is not only a new team and motorcycle but also new category with the 450. “I was on another bike for so long and over the years bits and parts were added for me, so this is like starting from zero. I’m far-off from feeling totally confident on it and making it mine as a race bike but I love the YZ450F. I’ve done perhaps 90% of my riding on tough, bumpy sand tracks so far and it has been going really well. I’m obviously confident on hard-pack tracks so I’m optimistic overall.”

Seewer was glowing about Louis Vosters outfit; the Dutch crew are facing just their second season in MXGP in 2018. “I’m really happy I chose this team because of the people and the big effort they make,” he enthused. “This is the place I want to be.”

“We’ve done a lot together and they help me in some ways and I also bring something to help them,” he said of the close work with Simpson and fellow countryman Tonus as the Wilvo camp aim to imitate squads but keeping a unified and strict testing and training regime. “I’m obviously the youngest and miss that experience on the bigger bike.”

Seewer, who was Pauls Jonass’ closest threat for the 2017 MX2 title and who won his first Grands Prix last term, should have partnered Arminas Jasikonis on the RM-Z450s before Stefan Everts’ operation was nullified by Suzuki Motor Corporation. “It’s a sh***y story and I wasn’t happy how it came about but I have to say that I was also quite relaxed about the whole situation,” he explains. “You could see it coming, and I was lucky to have good people around me. I was frustrated at how it worked out with Stefan Everts…but it was resolved in the end.”

Seewer is arguably the most high-profile rookie to enter MXGP in 2018, and newcomers to the division in the last three years have reached amazing heights with Romain Febvre triumphing in 2015, Tim Gajser a year later and Jeffrey Herlings finishing second to Tony Cairoli last year. Being an MXGP ‘novice’ now carries it’s own form of pressure.

“I’ve thought about this: I would love to make something like that happen but it’s an idea that I’ve passed through my brain in a few seconds!” he modestly admits. “My main focus this year is to make the bike work how I’d like and have fun with it. I think it is quite logical that I will need some time. I had pressure for the last two years for success where I was looked as the main guy for Suzuki and now that is perhaps on my teammates more than me at the moment. It means I can be a bit more relaxed and grow into the season.”

Photos by Ray Archer