Jonathan Rea strides over after performing some interviews for the Dorna TV crew. No.1 plate duly earned the 29 year old father of two now has to learn about ‘defence’ and knows that the orientation of 2016 is another level from his ‘understudy’ role at the beginning of 2015. Away from the slicks momentarily and JR’s fondness for motocross is widely known. In the days leading up to the Barcelona function ‘65’ had been riding with British Championship stars Elliot Banks Browne and Lewis Tombs in Catalunya while a certain ‘93’ from MotoGP was also on the dirt. Having already chatted about his day job we thought to quiz the Irishman on his hobby…
Last year you were one of the very few who speculated over Ryan Villopoto’s reasons for coming to MXGP and you seemed to be on the money as he retired before the season was out. So…what’s your prediction this year?
You want me to Mystic Meg [tabloid fortune teller] this year?!
Give it your best shot…
I’m really not sure. It is clear that when [Tony] Cairoli is healthy then he is one of the fastest guys in the world. I’m intrigued to see how Clement [Desalle – the interview was made prior to the Belgian’s radius break] gets on with the Kawasaki. Having been in the Kawasaki family a bit longer I understand the effort they also put into motocross. Almost three weeks ago I was in KHI [in Japan] and saw the [KX] bikes and what goes into them. I’d like to see him do a good job but I think Febvre blindsided everyone last year didn’t he? To come in as a rookie and do so well…I wouldn’t want to call it: there are so many! Gautier Paulin is another. They just have to stay healthy and Febvre proved that last year. Nobody was talking about him after two rounds but he was the smartest guy out there and made the right decisions. He deserved that championship. Like in most forms of racing the smartest guys usually tends to win.
Cairoli just signed a new three year deal with KTM at 30 years of age…
If he still has the speed then why not? It is clear he is a hard worker and he has been lucky in his career that he hasn’t had too many really hard setbacks and injuries. It is not effortless but he has quite an economical style as well. KTM are clever to have him and after these three years he has a career link with them. It is kinda like a Rossi situation. Nobody is asking “is 36-37 too old?” If Antonio is still strong and still fast then he’ll ‘turn up’.
There was a rumour about you in 2015 possibly entering the last round of the British Motocross Championship. Was that true?
Not the last one but the penultimate race. I had an agreement with Kawasaki Motor Europe Racing Manager Steve Guttridge that if I won in Sepang then I’d race Preston Docks…but Chaz [Davies] beat me to it and it meant I didn’t have to rush home to prep bikes! I did a lot of training in December with Graeme Irwin and just last week with Elliott Banks Browne and Lewy [Tombs]. Marquez was also riding. It was how I prepared last year. I’ve just recovered from a virus where I was drained and with zero motivation but now I’m happy because I’ve been riding my bike again.
To read the rest of the story and what JR thinks about Marc Marquez’s MX skills and adjusting to life as a world champ click HERE
