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Revealed on 26 January 2023
One rider that has loads of expertise within the Motocross world is Bulgarian expertise however now based mostly in Belgium, is Petar Petrov. Being a part of the Grand Prix paddock since he turned 15 years previous, he has seen so much in his sport and has had a profitable profession with the spotlight being an MX2 GP podium at Lommel.
For the 2022 season, Petrov determined to race the British Championship and he has completely advised us that for the 2023 season he will likely be a privateer operating Yamaha equipment.
We caught up with Petrov to debate his plans and extra…
GateDrop: On the finish of the 2021 season, you needed to make the choice to go away the MXGP paddock, a paddock you’ve been a part of since 15 years previous… Was {that a} tough determination to make?
Petrov: It wasn’t actually a tough determination as 2021 didn’t go as I needed. I broke my neck then I received again on the bike perhaps two weeks and I broke my again. There wasn’t actually a call to make as I had no time to be prepared for GP’s so that’s the reason I made a decision to return to the British Championship. It was probably not a query of whether or not I may or not as a result of I just about didn’t begin driving till February after virtually a full 12 months out. I imply I used to be driving on and off however I used to be out for greater than three months with my neck after which after two weeks again on the bike it was 4 months out with my again. I had no time to organize and be prepared for GP’s. I did have some provides to remain within the GP’s however it didn’t make sense for me, I used to be by no means going to be prepared, be quick and wholesome just about. It took me fairly the entire 2022 to get wholesome. It was robust however I used to be proud of the British Championship. I used to be on the verge of quitting so I used to be completely satisfied the British Championship received me a bit of bit excited once more. I used to be completely satisfied being again racing once more.
GateDrop: Simply on the British Championship, you had a short expertise prior to now with Roger Magee’s KTM UK group within the MX2 class however final 12 months you had been racing the MX1 class… How did you discover the intense? Clearly very completely different to what you might be used to however individuals exterior the UK most likely don’t realise how briskly the British riders are at their very own dwelling tracks…
Petrov: Precisely what you mentioned. I imply there’s guys you’ve by no means even heard off however they’re actually actually quick on these tracks. The tracks are additionally a bit of bit completely different and one thing I’m not used to, the bike setup and stuff is a bit of bit completely different. It took me a bit of little bit of time to get used to it however I did take pleasure in it and the extent is excessive. Within the MX1 class, you’ve gotten the highest 5 guys which can be actually quick after which one other 5-6 guys which can be additionally good. It’s a powerful championship however I actually did take pleasure in racing there, it’s approach much less demanding than the GP’s and the strain is completely different however I had loads of enjoyable.
GateDrop: Waiting for the 2023 season, are you able to inform me a bit of bit about your plans for this 12 months?
Petrov: My plans are a bit of bit unusual let’s say (laughs). Fortunately I’ve some help from Yamaha and my sponsors so I’ve determined to do it on my own to be a full privateer for now. It didn’t make sense for me to signal for a group the place I wouldn’t be completely satisfied. I would like to have the ability to what I believe I ought to and get the outcomes that I believe I can get. I made a decision to attempt to do that and go on my own, you by no means know what occurs however hopefully it may give me a shot through the season. Possibly a possibility will come and I’ll hopefully be prepared, I’m going to work arduous. Hopefully I can get again my pace, be match and all the pieces correct. I plan to race the Dutch Championship firstly of the season then perhaps some British races, some Worldwide races and perhaps some GP’s. My objective is to be prepared if a possibility comes and hopefully it does.
GateDrop: Clearly it’s early days however are you able to inform me a bit of bit extra about your setup, is it going to be one thing like Tanel Leok, Kevin Strijbos and Joel Roelants have achieved prior to now?
Petrov: I believe it is kind of what they did and likewise Shaun Simpson. It will likely be one thing related however I’ll have some help from Yamaha Bulgaria fortunately and a few good sponsors that may help me. However like I mentioned my objective is to be prepared for a possibility if it hopefully arises through the season. We are going to see what occurs however extra importantly for me is for my again and neck are recovered. I’ve now just about had one full 12 months because the accidents so I need to trip correctly, practice correctly and bodily be extra prepared than I used to be final 12 months.
Picture: Patje MX Foto
GateDrop: Throughout your GP days, I’d say your greatest days had been most likely with CLS Kawasaki however apart from that you simply had a good time with Kemea Yamaha. You should be trying ahead to getting again on a Yamaha?
Petrov: Yeah, I had a extremely good MX2 profession with Yamaha after which after with Kawasaki. I felt I had some unhealthy accidents on the finish of my MX2 profession after which additionally with Assomotor in 2018. I felt I used to be coming again, in 2020 I had an honest 12 months with KTM however clearly in 2021 I received injured however I’m trying ahead to getting again on a Yamaha. It’s a extremely good bike already from inventory so I’m trying ahead to it. I haven’t been on the bike but however I needs to be again on the bike this week. I’m actually excited for it, I simply received my bike and I’m actually trying ahead to it.
GateDrop: Have you considered your winter preparation but? Throughout the season you keep based mostly in Belgium, is the plan to remain there or will you go to Spain/Italy/France or anyplace like that to organize for the season?
Petrov: I reside in Belgium so in the mean time I’m right here however the climate is sort of unhealthy right here in the mean time because it’s winter. I do plan on doing a number of practices right here however then we’ll see, we’ll most likely to go Spain, France or Italy relying on the climate. We are going to see the way it goes however like I mentioned it’s a small construction in the mean time however we’ll see. If a possibility involves do the British, do the GP’s or no matter it’s, so long as it’s alternative, the objective is to be prepared.
GateDrop: By way of pre-season racing earlier than the season begins have you ever received any plans? There’s Hawkstone Worldwide, Lierop and likewise the French opening spherical of the Elite…
Petrov: I plan to do Lierop in the mean time and we’ll see for the remainder, I’m not positive however perhaps Hawkstone relying on loads of issues. It comes fairly quickly so we should see about that one. Lierop is for positive after which we’ll see, I all the time sit up for Lacapelle however this 12 months there isn’t any Lacapelle so we’ll look into it and see what is feasible.
GateDrop: You’ve been within the GP paddock since 15 years previous, so much has modified within the Motocross world and particularly with Covid-19 and the value of residing growing on a regular basis. With issues being so tough in the mean time how would you assess the MXGP paddock? It’s a must to give Infront some credit score because the entry payment value is dropped for subsequent 12 months however I nonetheless suppose brining again prize cash can be even higher for the long run…
Petrov: In 2010 I began racing GP’s and to be trustworthy so much has modified since then. To be trustworthy I felt all the pieces was going good till Covid-19 hit and Infront did actually good whereas Covid-19 was there. They continued, I believe doing a fantastic job and just about saved the season. I believe that was a fantastic effort from them however since then, I don’t know what, however I suppose the impacts of Covid-19 and all the pieces, the financial system is basically actually unhealthy and issues are actually tough.
It has been a giant drop and I really feel like for 2023 it should even be a giant drop. Once you see many groups which can be solely having one rider which is sort of uncommon and I really feel probably not proper. I consider it’s the affect of the financial system and the prices of all the pieces growing.
Once you have a look at Yamaha and all of the manufacturers, they’re all struggling to get bikes. It’s a huge struggling however I additionally consider that it’s not straightforward for Infront both, I’m positive they’re searching for options however it’s not straightforward for them to search out the options throughout this time. It’s tough for Motocross and the game typically however I hope they discover the answer and we will get again to many riders behind the gate and to have the ability to help riders. I consider and I believe it’s not proper that many riders are coming in by cash, they’ll get into MXGP and get into good groups and all these items.
I don’t blame anyone as I perceive the groups additionally. You understand, they need to survive so it’s only a unhealthy time. I hope it may possibly come again to the great previous days the place there have been sufficient rides for each rider, there was sufficient cash for the groups they usually may afford to pay the riders. We had been going in all places and we truly loved racing. Now if you’re injured otherwise you miss one thing, you might be just about completed as groups received’t take an opportunity on you which ones is basically unhealthy for the riders. I don’t blame them however it’s a disgrace as a result of generally there’s riders that deserve a second probability, they’ll impress and get again to their high degree.
GateDrop: Simply based mostly on all the pieces you mentioned there, I agree with you, I believe Infront did a fantastic job till and over Covid and there’s loads of explanation why numbers had been low this 12 months… While as a fan having 19/20 GP’s is superb, I do really feel from a groups standpoint it is likely to be higher to have round fifteen with most of them in Europe and with prize cash. I really feel then you definately may get ADAC, Dutch and British groups doing MXGP as nicely…
Petrov: To be trustworthy, will it assist? I’m probably not positive. In fact for the riders, when you go to a race and let’s say earn 1,000 euros or no matter it’s for a tenth/fifteenth place… it should assist for positive however I don’t see that it’ll assist that a lot the groups. Right here we’re speaking a couple of couple thousand euros a weekend, I consider it might assist and for positive it might be the suitable step. I believe it might inspire extra personal groups, personal riders and possibly myself this 12 months as a result of we may then go to a race after which at the very least cowl my prices if I do nicely or no matter so for positive it might assist. I’m unsure, having round fifteen rounds, that truly may assist as a result of then you’ve gotten much less journey prices, much less bike time which implies much less components so yeah, perhaps. However I don’t know, they know greater than me what needs to be achieved however it’s simply what I’m pondering is one thing to have a look at.
I personally don’t agree with the U23 age rule in MX2. Personally I don’t agree with it as a result of there’s guys that had an incredible MX2 profession however then in MXGP they don’t have the identical outcomes. There’s guys which can be constructed for the MX2 bike and never constructed for the 450cc so that is extra a private factor, you already know. There’s riders battling for fifteenth place in MXGP that is likely to be high 5 in MX2. I really feel like it’s stopping riders from making a residing out of it and while it’s filling the MXGP class it’s emptying the highest guys within the MX2 class.
Interview: Andy McKinstry
Photographs: Patje MX Foto
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