Rattray is looking forward to the new MXGP season
2014 was the first season in the MXGP class for former world champion Tyla Rattray and it immediately turned out to be a total failure. But the 29-year-old South African has now received the resources from the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team to make a good impression again this summer. Rattray, like his other colleagues, is very enthusiastic at the start in Qatar. The winner of several AMA competitions does not mind that he did not see much action during the pre-season. Because he also believes that the late winter weather in Europe has hardly been conducive to a favorable preparation for the Grand Prix season.
“I feel good and have worked hard for four months in the US, so I know my physical condition is not a problem,” he says. “It's always good to do one or two races before the first GP, but I'm not worried about this because I rode in the US for five years and we just don't have any preparatory races there. When we got behind the starting gate it was immediately time for the points and therefore time to go for it. There was never a match without any purpose. So this doesn't really bother me, especially since people couldn't get much out of these international competitions this year. From all I saw it was snowy, frozen, foggy and muddy and we have to go from these conditions to 27 degrees at night and then on to the next heat in Thailand.”
Without his injuries (broken thumb, finger and concussion in 2014), Rattray was still someone who was included in the list of pilots to be on the MXGP podium. He is now back on the KX450F with factory support from Kawasaki, the brand he had a good relationship with in the United States from 2009 until his departure in 2013. “It has been a busy off-season with a lot of hours on the bike ,” explains Rattray who had Villopoto as the perfect speedometer. “You can always make some improvements with testing every day if you want, but you have to draw a line somewhere. The people at KRT have really worked hard and expect great things from Ryan and myself. I can't wait to get started. My last GP was in Lommel at the beginning of August, so it has been a while since I last rode a race.”
“MXGP is going to be great,” he feels. “There are a lot of good and strong drivers. With Ryan joining it will attract even more attention than the previous seasons. It will certainly be an exciting season.”
Text: Adam Wheeler / OTOR
Photo: Kawasaki
Also to read
The final of the MXGP Championship will be held in Spain
Infront Moto Racing today announced that the Spanish venue Cózar will host the exciting final round of the 2024 MXGP Championship. It is the third Spanish GP…Team HRC Honda to Portugal with Tim Gajser as the only rider
The 2024 MXGP World Championship kicks off the first of three straight races this weekend in Agueda, Portugal for the fifth round in this exciting battle. The next weekend it will…VIDEO: Roger De Coster about communication with the riders
In a video interview with Roger De Coster, the difficult start of the KTM boys in the US is discussed. It's about the set-up of the engines and how everyone...An update on Tyla van de Poel's injury
Tyla van de Poel crashed during the EMX125 in Arco di Trento and broke his tibia and fibula. Another pilot hit his front wheel on a ski jump, causing him to...
Your reactions