Seewer: “Still work to be done with the new Wilvo Yamaha”
MX2 Vice World Champion Jeremy Seewer has revealed he still needs more time to feel at home on the Wilvo Yamaha YZ450F. The switch to blue came late and unexpectedly for Seewer when he ran into problems due to Suzuki's withdrawal.
Because he still had a current contract to make his MXGP debut with Suzuki in 2018, the coincidence was very unfortunate for the Swiss crowd favorite. Ultimately, Seewer ended up as the third rider of the ambitious Wilvo Yamaha team. Seewer joins Shaun Simpson and Arnaud Tonus.
Before his transfer to the team from Bergeijk could be announced to the world, Jeremy had to solve the problems surrounding his contract. Considering he spent his entire professional career on Suzuki, the transfer is certainly a big step for the Ixs rider.
“It's what I expected; very much work!" Seewer told us exclusively about the winter tests and the adjustment process. In addition to a new team and a new engine, Jeremy also has to get used to a new category. “I rode a different motorcycle for so long that was gradually made completely to my needs in terms of setup and parts. This really makes this a start from scratch. At the moment I'm still not completely comfortable with riding it at the cutting edge in a competition, but I still think the YZ450F is a great bike. So far I have driven 90% of the time on heavy sand tracks, which has been really great. Of course I have a lot of faith in the hard, so overall I am optimistic.”
During our chat, Seewer was also full of praise for Louis Vosters' team. The Dutch team is only starting its second season in the MXGP this year. “I am very happy that I chose this team because of the people and the efforts they put in,” he said enthusiastically. “This is the place I want to be.”
“We have already done a lot together and they help me in their way and I also bring something to help them,” he said about the close collaboration with Simpson and compatriot Tonus. Wilvo has clearly opted for a team dynamic and a strict testing and training schedule to push the riders during preparation. “I am of course the youngest and miss that experience on the bigger bike.”
Seewer, Pauls Jonass' biggest rival for the MX2 title in 2017, took his first GP victory last year. The picture for 2018 was clear for a long time: riding the RM-Z450 in the MXGP together with Arminas Jasikonis. That was before Suzuki Motor Corporation pulled the plug on Stefan Everts' team. “It remains a shitty story, if I may call it that. I wasn't happy at all with how everything turned out, but I have to say I was also very 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 with how things were going with Stefan Everts… but it was resolved in the end. “
Seewer is perhaps the most notable MXGP rookie in 2018. Since the newcomers have immediately achieved success in the past three years, this position comes with a form of pressure. Romain Febvre immediately took the world title in 2015, Tim Gajser did the same a year later and Jeffrey Herlings finished second after Tony Cairoli in 2017.
“I've thought about this. I would like to realize the same thing, but I dropped that idea after a few seconds!” he admits modestly. “My main focus this year is to make the bike work the way I want it to and have fun with it. I think it makes perfect sense that I will need some time. I have been under pressure to perform for the past two years because I was the leader for Suzuki. Now that pressure - at the moment - may be more on my teammates than on myself. It means I can relax a bit more and grow during the season.”
Tekst: Adam Wheeler, translation: Tom Jacobs
Photos: Wilvo Yamaha MXGP, Yamaha Racing
Also to read
Janis Reisulis out due to knee injury
Janis Martins Reišulis' season comes to an early end. The 16-year-old rider hurt his knee a week after Easter during training in Latvia. The Yamaha rider…Coldenhoff and Bogers about their MXGP Galicia
Last weekend the Fantic Factory Racing Team MXGP was at the start in Lugo. Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers came into action for the Brabant team during the sixth …Cooper Webb misses part of AMA Pro Motocross
After missing out on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross title, Cooper Webb has announced that he will have to undergo surgery. The Yamaha rider has a thumb injury and requires surgery...Manuel Lettenbichler wins Valleys Hard Enduro
The Valleys Hard Enduro, the first stop in the seven-round series, is a completely new event held over three days of competition. The action started on Friday with…
Your reactions