Interview Steven Vandeweyer
In his second year as team manager of the Vamo Racing team, he took Steven Vandeweyer the European MX2 title with Steven Lenoir. So time for an interview with the youngest team boss in Belgium.
MXMag:Steven, how did you get into motocross?
Steven Vandeweyer: Through my father. My father used to be the mechanic for Albert Bervoets, a BMB Inter. That's how I got the motocross bug. I started riding competitively from the age of six. At 20, I'm a motocross shop owner, V-mac, started in Heusden-Zolder. Ultimately, I quit motocross two years later.
MXMAG: How did the Vamo Racing team come about?
Steven Vandeweyer: After a number of years, Suzuki gave me the opportunity to do sponsorship through the company. At that moment you have a choice: Either you sponsor a good Inter in an enthusiasts' association, like many other motorcycle shops, or you do something for the upcoming youth. The latter appealed more, even though I knew I would have to work harder for it. We started last year Mike Vanderstraeten, who had won the MX Rookie Cup in 2008 and Victor Picoto. The original plan was to mainly combine BC competitions with international competitions in Belgium and neighboring countries. But actually our ambitions have grown very quickly. At the end of last season we had a conversation with the DMX Team Paul Cremers, Maarten's father. The two teams then merged and we set our sights on the European Championship.
MXMAG: You now won the European title with Lenoir, what are the plans for next year?
Steven Vandeweyer: “The European Championship MX2 is a certainty in 2011, but there is interest from some sponsors to start a World Cup campaign. We are now trying to figure out what is possible. But for me the GPs are certainly not a must. What we are experiencing this year is more than we expected. It actually goes quickly. I didn't have that in mind when I started the team. If, after five years, I were still competing in the Belgian Championships with a few youngsters and could participate in a few European Championship races a year, that in itself would have been good for me. On the other hand, you may now have to switch to that higher level.
: Can you say something about the Vamo drivers for 2011?
Steven Vandeweyer: The team will consist of three riders. Maarten Cremers will remain on board anyway, but will get on a Suzuki RM-Z 450 next year. A machine with which he is already training and which also suits him a little better. Maarten will compete in the new Amateur World Championship, which will replace the MX3 World Championship. As a result, the team will be split up because we will be at the GPs anyway. As it looks now we will have two riders in the MX2 European Championship. However, the chance that that will happen to Steven Lenoir is very small. Now that he is European MX2 champion, he is eager to go to the MX2 GPs. Which is of course normal. He has the advantage that, as European MX2 champion, his entry fee for the MX2 World Championship will be waived next season. Hopefully he will still stay with us, but as a GP rider.
MXMAG: Can Vamo Racing be combined with a business like V-mac?
Steven Vandeweyer: That works very well actually. People like Paul Cremers and Johan Boonen regularly lend a helping hand. In addition, Michiel Janssens takes a lot of my daily work off my hands.
MXMAG: Does the sporting success of your team also reflect on your business?
Steven Vandeweyer: "Anyway. Of course, we also started the team to generate publicity for the store. But the team is separate from the store. We could just as well have called the team V-mac Racing team. But to keep things somewhat separate, we called it Vamo Racing. We benefit from the European Championship campaign, because we also receive emails and telephone calls from people outside the Benelux who want to order something from us by mail order or come and buy a motorcycle.”
MXMAG: What do you think of the fact that the European Championships will coincide with the GPs next year?
Steven Vandeweyer: “That's certainly a good thing. In any case, because you then benefit from the image of the MX1/MX2 GPs. This had become a lot less in recent years with the MX3 World Championship. It is also better for the sponsors, because they are offered a whole program. So it is certainly progress for the European Championship teams.”
MXMag: You had a third driver with Rasmus Jorgensen, right?
Steven Vandeweyer: “That's right, originally Rasmus was going to ride the European Championship MX2 races together with Maarten. He seriously injured his shoulder in November last year. The injury was a nerve injury and his left arm was essentially paralyzed. As a result, he was out for a whole year. He is now training very hard again and can even ride his motorcycle again. Next year, MX2 GPs will probably still be too ambitious for him. But maybe with him we have a potential top 3 rider for the European Championship again. If the rehabilitation is disappointing, he will compete alone in the Danish championship next year.
MXMag: How important is the BC to you?
Steven Vandeweyer: "Very important. That is why we combine the European Championship with Belgian competitions as often as possible. We have also completed a number of Belgian Nationals in the area, such as that of MC Santi in Hasselt, because this way we generate extra publicity for the business.”
MXMag: Ok, Steven thanks for the interview and good luck in 2011
Steven Vandeweyer: "Thank you"
Photo Credits: CDS Images, Vamo Racing PR/Plons Racing, MXmag.be
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