Great chat with Dennis Dierckx, Arnaud Tonus mechanic
For Arnaud Tonus, the return to the GPs was a bull's eye. Although the sympathetic Swiss still lacked some regularity, as an MXGP rookie he immediately took a podium and a series victory with Wilvo Yamaha. With this, “AT4” also gave its mechanic Dennis Dierckx (30) the first major milestones on his list of achievements. In a calm moment before the proverbial storm, we spoke to the former Belgian MX2 champion about 'his pilot', about the road he has traveled and about his profession.
After three seasons for 24MX Honda - in its various guises - Dennis switched to Wilvo Yamaha MXGP. This new challenge with Louis Vosters' Dutch top team turned out to be tailor-made for Dennis. Wilvo may be a very professional structure, but there is also room for a joke and the typical Brabant geniality. No nonsense, roll up your sleeves and build towards the next goal step by step. Dierckx feels perfectly at home there, which also appears to be the case for his driver.
How do you look back on the 2017 season?
Dierckx: Arnaud has undergone a nice evolution in 2017. After difficult years in the US, he has completely emerged again. It's just a shame that he had to miss a few GPs due to his shoulder injury in Switzerland. As a result, he finished 12th in the World Cup, and he will certainly finish much higher in 2018. Yet the foundation has been laid. Arnaud achieved his first podium early on (ed. In Arco di Trento), followed by his first series victory. So the speed is certainly there, and he has also grown in confidence during the season.”
What is your ultimate dream?
Dierckx: “To become world champion of course! But it has to go step by step. At the MX of Nations I saw that the red number plates fit very nicely on a Yamaha! I would also like to see that in a regular GP this year.”
What is the sportsman Arnaud Tonus like on a personal level?
Dierckx: “Arnaud is really a great guy. He is always very friendly, takes his time to explain things and he is always calm. Sometimes maybe a little too quiet. But you can tell that he is experienced in making decisions. He knows where he wants to go. Arnaud worked at Pro Circuit Kawasaki, among others, where he also worked at a high level. That decision-making determination also applied to Ken De Dycker who came from the KTM factory team.”
How did the transition from driver to mechanic go?
Dierckx:“It actually went quite smoothly. If you have driven GPs yourself, you know what the pilots want. That is an advantage. I did have to learn more on a technical level. Although I used to do everything myself in terms of maintenance - except for tuning the block - that is different. Even after my international career, I did a lot of work myself as an amateur. But then the maintenance does not go as far as for a GP rider. As an amateur, you are not going to completely disassemble your motorcycle every week, for example. In retrospect, it also helped me that I started the season early for my first full-time year as a mechanic. I have been busy since September, so you already have some routine by the time the competitions start!”
A mechanic in a top team still has a lot of additional pressure compared to the tinkerer who carries out everything in the workshop at his own pace.
Dierckx: "Beats. I personally have very little trouble with that. Just like I was as a rider, I handle pressure well, I always remain very calm. There's no point in worrying because it doesn't make the work go faster.”
Your first year, 2014, was at Jens Getteman's side.
Dierckx: (hangs in)“Which unfortunately got hurt very quickly. As a result, I also had to work with a lot of other riders such as Jeremy Delincé, Klemen Gercar, Santtu Tiainen. The following year was with Filip Bengtsson, which was my first full season with one rider. That was a tough season because we only had two full-time people on the team. Training, competitions, travelling... and everything that comes with it is intense.
"
In 2016 you worked with Ken De Dycker.
Dierckx: “Ken also got hurt early on and then as a team you have to work with substitutes. Something like that is never easy.”
Can you compare what it is like to work with a top driver like Arnaud Tonus or an experienced crack like Ken De Dycker versus a younger pilot?
Dierckx: “Those younger men are usually much more easily influenced. They still have a lot of doubts about everything and anything. More experienced riders like to test, but once they have found their setting, they will almost never deviate from it. Even if they are slightly better, they are not willing to give up what they already know.”
Will Wilvo Yamaha also finish the year with the package it started with or will the team make updates?
Dierckx: “In principle not for us. For example, if the rider does not feel good about the setup during the first GPs, there is no point in finishing the year with it. Then we continue working until the rider is happy. We are also not dependent on many others because we make a lot in-house. This allows us to respond quickly.”
What should I imagine with the base you start with, is that a factory engine?
Dierckx: “No, we start with a standard engine, but we will of course receive support from Yamaha and a lot of information. In addition, there are also the special GYTR (ed. Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) parts from Yamaha. But we also try out many things ourselves. Just to prove that you can also run at the front based on a standard engine!”
What gives you the most satisfaction?
Dierckx: “The results, anyway. It may sound strange, but our goal is to be on stage on Sunday evening. Or like winning a race in Switzerland, that gives the most satisfaction.”
How difficult is it as a technician to stay motivated in a team with few resources or in times of injuries?
Dierckx: “That is extremely difficult. In the case of 24MX Honda I was in a structure where there was less budget and fewer people and then it was impossible to offer the same 'service' to the rider. With Ken De Dycker we ran into some real bad luck. No one saw it, but in the run-up to 2016 he had a very good winter. Ken was super motivated, very sharp and the feeling was good. If that falls apart, it will be damn difficult to stay motivated as a team until the end of the season.”
As an outsider, the second half of the season in general seems difficult for many team members. The atmosphere is often tense, I already know that the current driver will leave the team, the fatigue of the season is piling up...
Dierckx: “That is indeed true, but the work has to be done whether you finish first or fifteenth... The work remains the same! So in principle little will change.”
A mechanic also gets a unique view of a rider's potential. You see him riding in training. In such a situation it must be frustrating to find that things don't work out in competitions. Both Getteman and Bengtsson were promising, but there might have been more sporting potential in both cases.
Dierckx: “There are always things that could be done differently. At least as I see them from my insights. But that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be better. Every rider has his own ideas. And both Jens (Getteman) and Filip (Bengtsson) were still young and inexperienced for MXGP. At that moment, as a sportsman you have to make big decisions. You can't blame them if they make the wrong decision every now and then. Bengtsson has shown great things as a wildcard driver this year. That pleased me. But you cannot ignore the fact that there is a lot of talent concentrated in the MXGP at the moment!”
What percentage of your job is that of a supervisor or confidant for the rider?
Dierckx: “Actually not that much. In the case of Arnaud (Tonus), there are so many people around him who try to provide him with information and tips. Then, as a mechanic, I just try to give him peace of mind. He doesn't need me to weigh in with my opinion!”
What is a tough week for a GP mechanic, how many hours do you work?
Dierckx: “To be honest, we never look at it that way! There are GPs that fell week after week where it was a real constant struggle. I think it was after Teutschenthal that we were in the workshop at 2am and then spent the night. And also have to work again the next day to get everything ready on time. Those are ridiculously long days. Fortunately, this is highly exceptional at Wilvo-Yamaha because everything is well organised. We have separate training technicians for the riders and everyone knows their job. Louis (ed. Vosters) has simply provided an excellent setup in that regard.”
It is striking that during peak moments it is sink or sink for every team. Even the factory teams or the best private teams work very long hours when the crates have to leave for the overseas moments.
Dierckx: “That is certainly the case at the beginning of the year. At that time, many suppliers are simply not ready to supply large quantities of parts. Over the past few months we have done as much preparatory work as possible and of course January will also be very busy. However, there are still things that need to be adjusted at the last minute. Moreover, the pilots are also busy driving. If they want to change something, everything has to be adjusted again. That's just part of it. Let's say that 80% is ready in advance and then there is another 20% that is last minute.”
Question from the mechanics among our readers, which tools do you work with at Wilvo-Yamaha?
Dierckx: “We work with Beta tools at the GPs and with Snap-on in the workshop. Of course there are small differences, but I think some people overestimate the importance of the tools! As long as you know what you are doing and work in a well-organized manner… The choice of material is less important.”
Do you have any advice regarding the tinkering itself?
Dierckx: “I have a lot of respect for riders who work on their bikes themselves. Like Jeremy Delincé, for example, as I have done myself. But I find that combination very difficult. You know what you have done to the engine and sometimes you feel or hear something while driving that makes you think. Then you might think, for example: have I secured this or that? While that's not right at all. This way you are also constantly working on the technical aspects as a rider. While on a motorcycle you should only be concerned with lines and your sporting performance. So my only tip is: try to do as little as possible yourself. Although I understand that something like this is absolutely not possible for some people.”
On the other hand, technical knowledge gives you a huge advantage in translating the feeling on the bike into possible solutions to tackle certain problems. Unlike someone who can only accelerate.
Dierckx: “That is also very difficult indeed. Actually, that's the other side of the coin. In that category you will also find riders who are very quickly satisfied with the setup because they do not master the finesse of the technique. While there may still be a lot of margin to be gained by refining the setup. Something like this only gets better with experience. I don't think someone of 15 or 16 can immediately be a fantastic test pilot.”
Of course, a lot also depends on what you as a rider can learn on a technical level from the people in your area or team.
Dierckx: "Naturally. Although it is not wrong to make your own mistakes at a young age. Just by not constantly adjusting and sometimes allowing a rider to make a mistake, allows him to learn from it. You can also learn from wrong decisions. As drivers, you would also do well to collect data yourself. Write things down, the more information you have from each year, the easier it is to compare.”
In other disciplines, such as road racing, the hunt for data is second nature. Both for technicians and mechanics. Is that sometimes missing in motocross?
Dierckx: “A lot depends on the ambitions and level of the driver. For an amateur who just wants to have fun, there is much less need. Standard engines are now very well adjusted from the factory to meet the needs of the average motocross rider. Then you shouldn't mess around too much. Sometimes I go to watch an amateur cross. When I see riders in the VLM at the Beloften starting with an A-kit suspension… Well, that is not what you need at that moment.”
The material alone is certainly not the solution, while professional racing teams allow the engine to grow with the level of the rider.
Dierckx: “The perfect example was someone like Dean Ferriss at the MXoN. Feriss came from Australia and was given two standard 2015 YZ450Fs at Matterley Basin. He brought his suspension, exhaust and handlebars. No more. Still, Ferris performed well. When you see what some drivers do in terms of tuning! The engine is indeed important, but a standard engine is so efficient that it is more useful to initially work harder yourself than to tune the engine.”
Many amateurs are looking to the new tuner making waves in the GP world to give them a winning engine. Or people go from one tuner to another only to be disappointed each time.
Dierckx: “That certainly doesn't work. Of course, there are certainly professionals in the field of engine tuning. We have enough of those in Belgium and the Netherlands. But if you go there and the man in question doesn't know you at all, he has never seen you ride, he doesn't know what style you have... Then he doesn't know exactly what to make. Okay, as a driver you can provide information, but I think it is important to work with a tuner who really knows you, who knows what you need. In my opinion, for someone who is really looking for better performance for their motorcycle, suspension is even more important than the block or the exhaust.”
What is your advice for someone who wants to work as a mechanic at Wilvo-Yamaha?
Dierckx: “Definitely give us a call! First and foremost, you have to really want it. You have to be passionate and you have to show it. In addition, you need that little bit of luck to get started somewhere at a good level. It is not necessary that you were or are a good rider yourself. You can always grow in this job. In a top team you often start as a training technician or helper.”
Thank you for your time, good luck next season!
Dierckx: “You're welcome, thanks!”
Tekst: Tom Jacobs
Photos: Eva Szabadfi, Yamaha racing
Also to read
VIDEO: Qualy Highlights MXGP Portugal 2024
During the fifth Grand Prix of the season, Liam Everts (MX2) and Tim Gajser (MXGP) will start from pole positions. The current World Cup leaders had a difficult match because Kay de Wolf…Gajser narrowly takes pole ahead of Herlings, Prado P7
Tim Gajser took pole position during the fifth race of the FIM MXGP World Championship. The Honda rider (photo) wins the qualifying race ahead of Jeffrey Herlings and Romain Febvre. Brian Bogers and…Everts takes pole in Agueda ahead of Elzinga
The fifth “RAM Qualifying Race” of the season was won by Liam Everts. The Belgian rider wins pole for the Portuguese Grand Prix by a wide margin. Rick…Valk the best mud master in Agueda
Under very wet conditions, Cas Valk won the first round of the third race of the European 250cc Championship. The KTM rider managed to…
Your reactions