Coenen brothers about their switch to Bud Racing Kawasaki
After promising performances from both Sacha and Lucas Coenen, there was a lot of interest in the future of the 13-year-old Belgian top talents. Ultimately, the brothers made a somewhat surprising choice for the French Bud Racing Kawasaki. Time to let the brothers and dad Coenen have their say!
As one of the first established teams in Europe, the Dassé brothers' team focused on the development of promising young people. Bud Racing will continue on the path it has chosen for 2021. A total of four national champions will compete for the team from Hossegor next year: Hakon Fredriksen (18), Quentin Prugnères (15), Amandine Verstappen (21) and Sacha Coenen.
The Bud Racing Junior Team Special was created especially for the Coenen brothers. There is therefore great belief in the potential of Lucas and Sacha. Moreover, the boys find themselves in such a professional structure for the first time in their young careers.
What are you looking forward to next year?
Lucas Coenen: “That we have a nice contact with the people around us and it is of course great to be able to drive such a professional car.”
Sacha Coenen: “Achieving good results and getting better!
Many top drivers have already learned the trade at Bud Racing. Who do you look up to?
Sasha:“First of all Marvin Musquin but also Dylan Ferrandis.”
Luke: “Yes, they are really nice men! But there have been so many good drivers with Bud.”
Sacha, there were few races this year, but did the French title in the 85cc make your year?
Sasha: "A little though. But I would also have liked to show myself again in the European Championships and World Cup. On the other hand, it was positive that many people got to know us in France. Partly because of this, we received many offers to drive in good teams next year.”
Lucas, for you 2020 was your first year on the 125cc. How do you look back on that?
Luke: "Positive. In terms of driving, it was fun to drive with more power and more speed. I have also made a lot of progress since the start of the season. It sounds crazy, but I am now 4 to 5 seconds faster than when I first started on the 125cc. It's a pity that I hurt my wrist this summer because I would normally participate in Faenza, Mantova and Lommel.”
What was the deciding factor in choosing Bud Racing?
Raphael (father of Sacha and Lucas): “The fact that they are going to support us so much for both boys and made an offer for 4 years was the deciding factor. Thanks to Bud Racing we also get the opportunity to go to America where we can drive some races for their American team. But it was not an easy choice because there were several great offers.”
Does this also mean that you are moving to France?
Luke: “Probably yes. This way we are closer to the team and there are also many opportunities to train in the area.”
This summer you also did some supercross training. How was that?
Sasha: “Very fun but also very different from motocross. You have to be very precise and stay focused, so we start with very short sessions of a maximum of 6 to 7 minutes.”
Raphael: “Lucas also did very well in supercross. Of course you can also take some obstacles more smoothly on a 125cc, but he adapted well.”
In the meantime, you have also switched to the 125cc, Sacha. How does that work?
Sasha: “Bwah, that's not hard to get used to. Actually, it's not too bad. Only the first day I had to adjust a bit, but since then it's been better and better. Actually, I enjoy the 125cc more than the 85cc.”
This year was the first time you did not compete in the same class, how was that different from before?
Luke: “It didn't differ that much, but it is interesting if we can drive in the same class and the same team. We can always learn from each other.”
What are your goals for 2021?
Sasha: “Everything is new for me next year, both the EMX125 and the French 125cc championship. I would like to make it to the top 10.”
Luke: “Definitely top 10 in the final standings and be at the front as much as possible in every race.”
This summer you already got to know the team a bit during your internship in France and you also met Eric Sorby. Sorby is one of the top European specialists in the field of supercross, but also a special personality.
Raphael: “I think you can compare Eric a bit with Marc de Reuver. He knows that he should have done certain things differently in his career. He is very honest about this and in some areas he encourages his riders to do the opposite of how he approached it as a rider. Although he is loose and pleasant to be around, he is very serious when it comes to training.”
What appeals to you about the US?
Luke: “I just think it would be great fun to drive there. There are a lot of tracks, there is supercross very important. All very different from Europe.”
Sasha: “The courses also appeal to me and the championships of course. There is a lot of audience, a lot of show and there is a lot of attention for motocross.”
Raphael: “It is absolutely not the case that we are resolutely focusing on the US. First of all, the EMX125 and the French championships are our main goals, but we also want to show ourselves in America.”
Because your sons will be included in a professional team next year, a lot of burdens will now be lifted from your shoulders. How do you view that?
Raphael: “That is true. In that respect, from a practical, logistical and of course financial point of view, the timing for the switch to Bud Racing is perfect. One cross-country child at top level requires a major investment, with two it is already quite an undertaking! The only downside is that we have to say goodbye to the loyal partners who have supported us all these years. That's just the way it is when you are part of a team.”
Photos: MxJuly, Kevin François, Manu Fortineau, ADAC MX Masters, Bud Racing
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