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Jeremy Seewer Talks MXGP 2023

By Eric Johnson | January 25, 2023 6:57 PM ET

Jeremy Seewer was a long way from home. The evening before, the 2022 Swiss-born MXGP vice-champion was holding station at K1 Speed in downtown San Diego, California, and in tandem with Yamaha Motor Corporation teammates Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), unveiled the new global Monster Energy Yamaha race team livery.

The 67th annual FIM Motocross World Championship will open with the Patagonia Argentina Grand Prix in March, but it already has Seewe’s complete focus.

“Our MXGP season starts in March, so January is the month to put in the hard work,” he said. “It’s means being in kind of a boot camp for one month in the south of Europe in Sardinia, doing testing and training and cycling and doing a lot of motos and putting a lot of hours on the bike. It can be rainy days and sunny days and it is just putting in laps and getting the bike to work and getting my body to be in top shape. That’s what this January is for.

“It’s not like I have days to waste. You know, what we do is more than a normal job, because I cannot stop at 5:00pm or start at 8:00am every day. Monday is no different from Saturday or Sunday for me, you know? I mean, it’s a dream that we are living, but a lot comes with it that the people don’t see. There is a lot of hard work. And it is very hard work. You have to go to the absolute limit with your body.

“The other thing we deal with is the pressure. We go out there and at the end, OK, we have a whole team and an entire crew behind us and to support us, but when we are behind the start gate, it’s me and the bike.”

A world-class racer both lives and dies on their GP results. Bad races keep you up at night.

“It can be tough,” said Seewer. “Racing can give you a feeling that nothing else on the planet can give you. When you win or when you have a successful race, the energy you get from that is irreplaceable. But the opposite is that when you have a bad day or when you have a few bad races, it nearly kills you from the inside because you are trying to figure out how and why. It’s not a nice feeling. This is the opposite. Still, these feelings make you stronger and make you want to do better the next time.”

Seewer is becoming accustomed to finishing runner-up in the FIM world championship. In 2017 he placed second overall in MX2, while 2019, 2020 and 2022 brought Seewer FIM Silver Medals in the premier MXGP classification.

“I mean, the first time I became the vice world champion, I was proud.. I was like, ‘Wow! I’m the vice world champion! I got somewhere! Wow!’,” he said.

“And then when I got it three times, it was like, ‘Okay, I want to win now.’ You’re not happy with second anymore. Seeing the whole picture last year, I lost a lot at the beginning of the season. Without that, I think I would have been fighting for the world title. The approach for the 2023 season is that I want to win, you know? I want to go out and be the best. I don’t want to out myself in a spot where I have to win because then too much pressure is going in the wrong way.

“I want to enjoy what I do. I want to win without feeling like I have to. Those are two different things. I’m ready for it. I’m looking forward to it. MXGP is the toughest of the toughest. There are many, many good guys out there. You don’t get any place on the track for free. This is my goal – to win. I know I can’t win every race, but I want to be up there consistently and getting podiums and fighting for wins. I will see race by race. I don’t look too far ahead. I definitely want to be in the mix and have the goal to win the world championship.”

KTM Constantly Developing!

KTM Developing Leaf Spring Suspension

Composite rear leaf spring promises more adaptability and less weight.

By Ben Purvis

KTM is exploring some interesting new rear suspension designs to improve packaging and reduce weight.Simon Cudby/KTM

Mention the term “leaf spring” and there’s a tendency to think of old-school muscle cars with unsophisticated, cart-sprung, solid-axle rear ends or, in motorcycle terms, prewar bikes with leaf spring front suspension. However, KTM is now looking at reviving the idea for motocross bikes.

In reality, while crude, old suspension systems often used leaf springs, the spring itself isn’t usually the source of their lack of sophistication. Chevrolet’s Corvette used transverse leaf springs on independent suspension from the second generation in 1963 right until the launch of the eighth generation in 2020, adopting composite plastic single-leaf springs in the ’80s. Less famously, Volvo uses composite, transverse leaf springs in several of its latest models. Used correctly, leaf springs made of modern materials can be lighter than steel coils, and in some instances their long, flat shape is easier to package. Composite leaf springs, made of a single piece rather than the stacked leaves of traditional metal leaf springs, also avoid the friction of the multiple leaves rubbing together, which was one of the main drawbacks of older designs.

For more details go to 

https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/ktm-developing-leaf-spring-suspension/

Supercross Futures?

250SX Futures to make first appearance in 2023 Monster Energy Supercross at Anaheim 2 this weekend.

'Supercross Futures' was a very positive contribution to Monster Energy Supercross when first introduced, but it is about to become even valuable to the industry. Various changes have been made to the format for 2023 Monster Energy Supercross

– those shall ensure that it is more competitive and there is a lot more of a spotlight on all that occurs in the amateur main event. You see, the 250SX Futures will be incorporated into the night show and not in a mediocre slot at the start. Gates will fall at 08:49pm on Saturday night!

Now, it is obvious that eyes will be fixated on Haiden Deegan in what will be his 250SX Futures debut. There are persistent rumors that state that, as long as this weekend is not a complete mess, he will then compete in 250SX East from Houston. Expect everyone to be watching his pace and trying to mark his competitiveness against the professionals, who will take to the circuit right after the 250SX Futures. It would not be much of a shock if Deegan does not have it all his own way though, as the entry list is rather stacked. It is worth noting that there is a 125% rule in qualifying too, to ensure that the talent difference is not quite as noticeable as it has been in years past.

Lewis Phillips

Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team Hit Again

Both 250SX East riders now sidelined one week out from Houston.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki will face a race against time if the team is to compete in Houston after Jo Shimoda joined 250SX East teammate Seth Hammaker on the injury list this week.

While the team only announced it as a shoulder injury, it’s understood that 20-year-old Shimoda broke his collarbone on Thursday and will now take the required time out to recover.

“I’m doing my best to focus forward on my return to racing,” said Shimoda. “Our goal was to compete for the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship and I know we had been doing the right work to make that happen. Unfortunately, this crash will cause me to miss the start of the season, but I still aim to be back on the track racing for wins before the end of supercross.”

After finishing fourth in 250SX West standings last season, Shimoda raced his way to second overall in the Pro Motocross Championship after claiming two overall victories and nine podiums in total.

It’s been a disastrous start to 2023 for Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit team, first with Austin Forkner being injured at Anaheim 1, followed by the injuries of both Hammaker and Shimoda – just one week out from the eastern regional opener of 2023 Monster Energy Supercross.

Malcolm Out for A2

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna star Malcolm Stewart will be sidelined for the Anaheim 2 round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship following a crash in practice.

Having started the season off with 16th and 15th placed finishes, these results certainly haven’t matched the electric speed he’s shown, as A2 was set to offer him a chance to secure a positive finish.

“A practice crash during the week has sidelined Malcom Stewart for this weekend’s Supercross live at A2. Details to follow as Malcolm Stewart undergoes further evaluation”, Husqvarna explained.

Further updates are expected to be provided by the team in the coming days.

Save & Close

Marvin Still Out

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Marvin Musquin continues to recover from a wrist injury sustained prior to last weekend’s San Diego round of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship.

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The 33-year-old unfortunately sustained the injury while practicing and, as a result of that incident, will also sit out this Saturday’s first Triple Crown event of the season at Anaheim 2 on January 28.

It is expected that Musquin – who finished fourth in last year’s series – will at least miss the next few rounds of the season at this point, as he awaits further confirmation on the extent of the injury to his left wrist.

Marvin Musquin: “To have this injury that happened last Wednesday practicing this early in the season is not ideal. You prepare yourself for three months and to only race one race at Anaheim and get hurt is obviously disappointing. Right now all that I can do is wait and do everything I can to heal. There’s bone bruising and a bad sprain, but the time that I will be out for is a little bit unknown. I’ll go by feeling, day after day, week after week, and see how it goes. That’s all I can do right now.”

Anaheim 2 will see Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb enter the round positioned second in the point-standings equipped with his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, as 450SX teammate Aaron Plessinger currently sits ninth and Maximus Vohland is 12th in 250SX West.

Vintage RD