Printed on 3 January 2023
5 instances FIM world championship runner-up, Jeremy Seewer, will spearhead Yamaha’s three-rider quest for the 2023 MXGP crown with the most recent technology of YZ450F expertise. The 28-year-old believes his new racebike may very well be the important thing ingredient to maneuver from the second step of the series-podium to the highest.
2022 was the Swiss’ finest season to-date, with three victories and 9 rostrum appearances. Alongside fellow winners and champions like Glenn Coldenhoff and Maxime Renaux within the Monster Power Yamaha squad, Seewer’s consistency and longevity (’23 might be his sixth season with Yamaha and he hasn’t competed with every other model within the premier class) has elevated him to the height of the pecking order.
Except for numerous promotional duties which have saved Seewer occupied in a ‘regular’ winter interval – in comparison with the slender two-month stretch on the finish of 2021.
“I’ve been busy, there have been a variety of occasions,” he tells us. “Just like the Blu Cru Masterclass and the brand new bike press launch however I like doing issues with the children which have a ardour for the game and wish to be taught; it’s good to be an MXGP rider in that place.” he has additionally been honing the 2023 YZ450F with a view in the direction of the MXGP spec.
Yamaha targeted on delivering a compact model of their distinctive reversed idea format. The brand new inventory YZ is lighter and extra highly effective and the event course of between Yamaha Motor Corps in Japan, Yamaha Motor Europe and GYTR, YRRD – Michele Rinaldi’s race-tuning division – and the Monster Power race staff imply the bike is progressing in the direction of Grand Prix fettle.
“The brand new bike has meant extra using than common however, being a smaller man, it feels lighter, slimmer,” Seewer opines. “We labored loads to get the previous one to the purpose the place it was aggressive and it may win GPs nevertheless it nonetheless felt like a ‘large’ bike. I really feel like this new model has been ‘made for me’. It makes using quick a lot simpler in lots of features.”
Yamaha shaved virtually 2.5kg from the 2023 manufacturing YZ450F nevertheless it was reductions to parts just like the airbox, and the fully new chassis in addition to a major precedence on ergonomics that has made the platform extra usable and probably simpler for Grand Prix racers. Seewer and Yamaha have been analysing base suspension settings, begin gate efficiency and engine energy supply as a part of the customisation course of for 2023.
“The inventory bike is at a excessive degree however for MXGP it needs to be a bundle that matches collectively so we’ve been making an attempt to get it pretty much as good as doable,” he says. “If I needed to race subsequent week then I feel I’d be fairly OK. We might make it work however the issue is that you just by no means actually understand how good all the pieces is till you race a number of the different guys. Then, even if you find yourself joyful, you continue to wish to strive issues to see if it may be even higher.”
KTM and GASGAS have been engaged on the second iterations of the KTM 450 SX-F and MC 450F after the bike’s redesign for 2022. Jeffrey Herlings didn’t full a single Grand Prix lap on account of his damaged angle harm and Jorge Prado categorized third within the standings however has allegedly benefitted from a recent chassis replace within the winter. Yamaha’s course of might be fastidiously monitored with Coldenhoff (31) lending his expertise for what might be a 3rd yr in blue and Renaux eyeing Seewer’s standing after his spectacular debut season classifying 4th.
For #91 2022 marked a yr through which he was wholesome, fast and one of many only a few to mount a weekly problem to eventual champion Tim Gajser. A remaining push is required to show his place as ‘2nd place man’ to 1 that may lastly grasp the primary prize.
“Yearly you attempt to work more durable and discover extra potential,” he states. “You may’t chill out since you would possibly go backwards…however I’ve been capable of finding an excellent steadiness.”
Phrases: Adam Wheeler
Pic: Martin Plesnik
