Giffard Race Team (GRT) Switch To Kawasaki Power For 2024!
The successful Giffard Race Team (GRT) motocross outfit are switching to Team Green for the 2024 season, where they will be campaigning Kawasaki machinery in the MX1 and MX2 classes in the ACU British Championship and Arenacross Tour!
The established squad has enjoyed fantastic success over the years, most notably winning the MX Nationals MX2 series and claiming runner-up spot in the ACU British MX2 Championship in the 2022 season. Now, the experienced team is making the switch to Team Green, running the Kawasaki KX250 and all-new KX450 machines.
The team will be fielding a three-rider attack in the British Championship as well as competing in the highly competitive Arenacross Tour. The full lineup will be announced in due course, but the team and Kawasaki are very excited to unveil this news and preparing for what we collectively hope will be a successful 2024 season!
GASGAS UNVEILS TRIALS LINE-UP FOR 2024
ALL SIX MODELS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM SEPTEMBER
One year on from launching the best GASGAS trials bikes ever made, GASGAS is heading full steam into 2024 with an updated line-up, based on the already proven model range. Each of the two TXT GP models have received some tasty upgrades while our four tried, tested and much-loved TXT RACING bikes remain every bit as awesome and super fun to ride.
GASGAS unveils its awesome 2024 six bike trials line-up
Rideability and performance of the TXT GP bikes taken to new levels
All six models available from official GASGAS dealers worldwide from September
It only seems like yesterday that GASGAS unveiled the latest and greatest generation of trials bikes. But now, 12 months on, and the best just got better. The bold, modern, and instantly recognisable 2024 bikes are here, with their distinctive red livery. Beyond their easy-on-the-eye appearance, these 2-strokes are the real deal. GASGAS knows that trials riders worldwide absolutely love the unmatched rideability of each bike, which is a result of their agile handling and compact, powerful motors.
For 2024, performance has certainly been spiced up on the TXT GP 250 and TXT GP 300 models. The first thing that draws attention, both visually and while riding, is the Akrapovic exhaust pipe. Made from high-grade titanium, the header pipe is not only 350 grams lighter, but between 2,000rpm and 7,000rpm, there’s a noticeable boost to power, which makes scaling the biggest obstacles even easier than before.
Handling wise, the TXT GP models retain the fully adjustable Tech3 shock that now features a 25% larger reservoir for increased oil capacity. The reason for this revision is simple – less heat builds up which makes damping much more consistent and predictable, even through the gnarliest of technical sections.
Rounding off the exciting changes to both TXT GP bikes are the new, FIM-approved brake discs front and rear, a new gear lever – designed with a shorter tip that’s better at preventing mud from building up, as well as fresh new graphics taken straight from the GASGAS Factory Racing bikes.
Offering next-level rideability, the GASGAS TXT RACING models deliver unrivaled performance and with four popular engine sizes – 125cc, 250cc, 280cc and 300cc – the 2024 range really does offer something for everyone! Each of these models, as well as the TXT GP range, are assembled inside the state-of-the-art GASGAS production facility in Terrassa, Spain, and fitted with quality components throughout. The hottest around when it comes to high-performance trial bikes, the 2024 GASGAS TXT RACING range lets trial riders of all ages and abilities do their thing with serious style.
Technical Highlights – TXT GP
- New Akrapovic exhaust pipe boosts power while saving weight
- New brake disks front and rear
- New gear lever for improved shifting in all conditions
- New GASGAS Factory Racing replica graphics
- New TECH TJ3 shock absorber is fully adjustable and offers consistent damping
- TECH front fork with 174.5mm of travel and a KASHIMA coating for enhanced sensitivity
- Lightweight steel frame made from cast and tubular parts with aluminum front hangars
- Cylinder head with interchangeable inserts for customised power
- NEKEN handlebars and RENTHAL grips
- GASGAS Factory Racing inspired bar pad
- CNC-machined, black anodised aluminum triple clamps
- BRAKTEC hydraulic clutch and brakes
- Strong and lightweight wheels with CNC machined hubs and a lightweight rear rim
- Michelin Trial X11 tyres front and rear for maximum traction
- Patented 4/6-speed transmission
Technical Highlights – TXT RACING
- Lightweight steel frame made from cast and tubular parts with aluminum front hangers
- Cylinder head with interchangeable inserts for customised power
- Fully adjustable TECH forks offer 174.5mm of travel
- TECH shock allows for a personalised rebound and spring preload set up
- Ergonomic bodywork complete with in-mold graphics
- Footpeg design boosts control in tough conditions
- Silencer features a super-durable end cap
- NEKEN handlebars and RENTHAL grips BRAKTEC hydraulic clutch and brakes
- Strong and lightweight wheels with CNC machined hubs
- Michelin Trial X11 tyres front and rear for maximum traction
- Patented 4/6-speed transmission
All six models will start to arrive from September 2023. Full model price list below.
TXT RACING 125 2024 – £7,399.00
TXT RACING 250 2024 – £7,499.00
TXT RACING 280 2024 – £7,599.00
TXT RACING 300 2024 – £7,699.00
TXT GP 250 2024 – £8,099.00
TXT GP 300 2024 – £8,299.00
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Kawasaki UK is excited to confirm that it will be attending the exciting new AX Fest celebration on September 15-17. Run by the team behind the highly successful Arenacross events, the three-day festival will be a celebration of music and motorbikes, while it will also feature as the opening round of the 2024 Arenacross series.
IT'S ROCK AND ROLL TIME
GASGAS LAUNCHES 2024 ENDURO RANGE
So easy, and so much fun to ride. That’s what makes our new generation of enduro bikes so competitive! Spicing up the riding experience in the woods, on the trails, and through every extreme section, these new bikes are as good as it gets when it comes to enduro performance. New bodywork not only makes these bikes easy on the eye, but once onboard, riders will soon notice the larger, and smoother, contact areas, allowing for tighter grip as you get on the gas across challenging terrain. It’s 2024. It’s time to rock ‘n’ roll!
We’ve also added two new models – an EC 450F and an EC 500F. Both big-bore bikes are more suited to open, flowy trails and feature all the same top-level components as the rest of the range. We’re talking Braktec brakes, WP suspension, and enduro-specific PANKL transmissions. Knowing just how beneficial a rear suspension linkage is, we've fitted to every GASGAS enduro bike, to make sure that each one soaks up small chop and hard hits with ease. Make no mistake, the best enduro bikes out there just got even better for 2024!
The outgoing generation of GASGAS enduro bikes was already super agile through the trees and super stable at higher speeds. However, thanks to the new motors across the range being both lighter and more powerful, the handling characteristics are amplified further! This was achieved by our engineers repositioning the motors inside the new frames to centralise weight and balance things out a little better. Sounds like a small change, but will soon become evident on the trails.
Technical Highlights Enduro
New frame – Engineered to be stable at speed while remaining incredibly agile through tight and twisty trails, the new frame amplifies the riding experience for everyone.
New aluminum subframe – Strong, reliable, and plays a vital role in the ergonomics and handling of each bike.
New die-cast aluminum swingarm – Light, strong, and offering just the right amount of flex!
New bodywork – Refined rider triangle gives larger contact areas so riders can better grip the bike for improved control.
WP XPLOR front fork with open cartridge – Undergoing plenty of technical changes to further improve performance and overall handling, the WP XPLOR forks are a little longer, assembled with new settings, and remain easily adjustable by hand.
WP XACT rear shock with rear linkage – Shorter and lighter yet retaining 300mm of travel, the WP XACT shock features a new piston for improved comfort. And to make sure the shock action is always consistent and progressive, all GASGAS enduro bikes are equipped with a linkage.
New forged triple clamps – Featuring a new steering stem that offers a little more flex for improved comfort.
New Braktec brakes – With brake disks unique to GASGAS and new calipers front and rear, it’s never been easier to keep things under control in the woods.
Neken Handlebars – Made from high-strength aluminum and with a bar bend unique to GASGAS, durability and comfort are guaranteed while a bigger bar pad improves safety.
New footpegs – Bigger is definitely better when it comes to footpegs, which means the new GASGAS bikes offer better control in all conditions.
New Throttle Body Injection with separate oil tank for 2 strokes – Bringing our 2-stroke enduro dirt bikes bang up to date, Throttle Body Injection makes sure the motors run clean, crisp, and create strong power throughout the rev range.
New electronic exhaust control 2 strokes – Controlling how the exhaust ports open, the new electronic powervalve improves durability while boosting torque.
New motors – Centralising mass while also being lighter, not to mention that they produce more usable torque, the performance from each motor is even better for 2024.
New, unified motor position – All 4-stroke models have the motor mounted in the same position to improve the overall handling of each and every bike.
Map Select Switch – Take the riding experience of any of our four strokes to the next level with a Map Select Switch! Readily available as a Technical Accessory, with the simple press of the corresponding button, traction control, a quickshifter, and a choice of two maps can be engaged to customise the performance of each enduro bike. And by adding one to any of our 2-strokes, you'll also get the choice of two different engine maps.
Full line-up: EC 250, EC 300, EC 250F, EC 350F, EC 450F, EC 500F
GASGAS Apparel and Technical Accessories
It’s never been easier to personalise your GASGAS dirt bike! The revitalised GASGAS Technical Accessories range includes a huge selection of quality components designed to protect, improve, and to add a little more spice to each and every model. And the best part is, with our online configurator, riders can fit their favourite parts to a virtual bike to see just how cool they’ll look once fitted. Then, all that’s needed is a quick visit to an authorised GASGAS dealer to confirm the selection!
What’s more, the GASGAS Apparel range allows everyone to ride in style! With most of the collection created in partnership with the dirt bike industry’s leading brands, quality, comfort, and performance is never in question. From head-to-toe, GASGAS Apparel has every rider covered. Discover Apparel.
We’re also proud to offer race team replica clothing for every day use, with our Casual Apparel collection. Perfect for hanging out trackside or kicking back with friends, with plenty of options to deal with all kinds of weather, there’s loads of reasons to check it out online and in store at your local GASGAS dealer. Explore Casual Apparel.
Price and availability
Enduro bikes are landing from September 2023.
- EC 250 – £9,049.00
- EC 300 – £9,249.00
- EC 250F – £9,549.00
- EC 350F – £9,749.00
- EC 450F – £9,849.00
- EC 500F – £10,149.00
TURN UP THE HEAT
GASGAS LAUNCHES 2024 MOTOCROSS RANGE
GASGAS is stoked to reveal an all-new generation of motocross bikes for 2024! More red, more awesome, and delivering incredible performance, it’s safe to say that things have well and truly been spiced up, with every model equipped with the latest technology. There's barely a single part on any bike that hasn’t been improved or refined, which just goes to show how new these dirt bikes really are.
GASGAS turns up the heat with 11-bike-strong offroad line-up for 2024
Huge variety of models available means there’s a bike for everyone
Discover the motocross models from August 2023
Motocross | Turning up the heat!
To GASGAS, it doesn’t really matter if you ride motocross for fun or if you race to win. What matters is making sure that all five of our new bikes deliver the very best performance for guaranteed good times in the dirt. For 2024, we’re really turning up the heat in the moto scene. Starting with our little 2-stroke ripper – our beloved MC 125 – through to the MXGP race winning MC 450F 4-stroke, we really do have a bike to suit all types of riders.
GASGAS motocross models are already the best handling dirt bikes out there, but that didn’t stop our engineers from making them perform even better! With each one assembled using new steel frames, new aluminum subframes, and new swingarms, the perfect combination of razor-sharp cornering and straight-line stability is further refined to maximise the fun factor. And to bring our MC 125 and MC 250 2-strokes bang up to date, both bikes fire into life with the simple press of the new electric start button – none of that kickstart nonsense here! Plus, they’re now fuelled by cutting-edge throttle body injection for a crisper response and much-improved on-track performance.
Across the board, all 2024 models are now powered by new, lighter motors, which produce both more torque and high-revving power than ever before. They’re then fitted neatly inside new frames with a slight backwards tilt to lower the front sprocket, centralise the weight, and make the best handling motocross bikes on the planet handle even better!
Technical Highlights Motocross
New frame – Engineered to be stable at speed, the new frames retain their best-in-class cornering ability and give improved rider feedback.
New aluminum subframe – Strong, reliable, and plays a vital role in the ergonomics and handling of each dirt bike.
New die-cast aluminum swingarm – Light, strong, and offering just the right amount of flex.
New bodywork – Refined rider triangle gives larger contact areas so riders can better grip the bike for improved control.
New hour meter – Helps to make sure all riders stay on top of maintaining their bike.
WP XACT front fork with AER technology – Refined, adjustable by hand, and now feature a hydrostop to take the sting out of heavy landings.
WP XACT rear shock – Shorter and lighter yet retaining 300mm of travel, the WP XACT shock has a new piston to improve both comfort and performance.
New forged triple clamps – Featuring a new steering stem that offers a little more flex for improved comfort.
High-performance Braktec hydraulic clutch system – As close as you can get to maintenance-free, ensuring consistency and performance at all times.
New Braktec brakes – Brake disks that are unique to GASGAS and new calipers front and rear. It’s never been easier to keep things under control.
Neken handlebars – Made from high-strength aluminum and with a bar bend that’s unique to GASGAS, durability and comfort are guaranteed. There’s a bigger bar pad for improved safety too.
New footpegs – Bigger is definitely better when it comes to GASGAS footpegs! They help keep your feet where they need to be in all conditions.
New TBI injection with premix for 2-strokes – Bringing our 2-strokes bang up to date, Throttle Body Injection makes sure the motors run clean, crisp, and create strong power throughout the rev range.
New electronic exhaust control for 2 strokes – Controlling how the exhaust ports open, the new electronic powervalve creates maximum power and offers improved durability.
New motors – Centralising mass while also being lighter, not to mention producing more power, the motors deliver even better performance for 2024.New, unified motor position – All 4-stroke models have the motor mounted in the same position to improve the overall handling of each and every bike.
Map Select Switch – Our MC 125 is already equipped with one, but by adding a Map Select Switch to any of our four strokes, the riding experience is taken to new levels! With the simple press of the corresponding button, launch control, traction control, a quickshifter, and a choice of two maps can be engaged to customise the performance of each bike for every rider. And by adding it to our MC 250, you'll also get the choice of two different engine maps.
Full line-up: MC 125, MC 250, MC 250F, MC 350F, MC 450F
GASGAS Apparel and Technical Accessories
It’s never been easier to personalise your GASGAS dirt bike! The revitalised GASGAS Technical Accessories range includes a huge selection of quality components designed to protect, improve, and to add a little more spice to each and every model. And the best part is, with our online configurator, riders can fit their favourite parts to a virtual bike to see just how cool they’ll look once fitted. Then, all that’s needed is a quick visit to an authorised GASGAS dealer to confirm the selection!
What’s more, the GASGAS Apparel range allows everyone to ride in style! With most of the collection created in partnership with the dirt bike industry’s leading brands, quality, comfort, and performance is never in question. From head-to-toe, GASGAS Apparel has every rider covered. Discover Apparel.
We’re also proud to offer race team replica clothing for every day use, with our Casual Apparel collection. Perfect for hanging out trackside or kicking back with friends, with plenty of options to deal with all kinds of weather, there’s loads of reasons to check it out online and in store at your local GASGAS dealer. Explore Casual Apparel.
The new 2024 motocross models will be available in authorised GASGAS dealerships from August 2023.
- MC 125 – £7,949.00
- MC 250 – £8, 749.00
- MC 250F – £9,149.00
- MC 350F – £9,449.00
- MC 450F – £9,749.00
Kawasaki KX brand celebrates 50th Anniversary | 50 Years of Dirt Domination
Making its motocross racing debut in 1973, the Kawasaki KX motocross lineup has served as the bike that builds champions for many of the sport’s brightest stars. This year, the Kawasaki KX lineup celebrates 50 years of dirt domination.
Over the past 50 years, Kawasaki KX motorcycles have dominated at the pinnacle of off-road racing, collecting multiple World MX and WMX titles, plus in the U.S. boosting an industry-leading 63 combined AMA motocross and supercross championships as well as 720 victories in AMA professional racing. Kawasaki’s impressive list of Champions includes all-time greats such as Stefan Everts, Sebastian Tortelli, Mickael Maschio, Christophe Pourcel, and Courtney Duncan for WMX as well as Jeff Ward, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto and Eli Tomac.
The development of the revolutionary technology for the KX lineup has remained constant throughout the years in Kawasaki’s pursuit of victory. These technological advancements include the Uni-Trak rear suspension in 1979, disc brakes in 1980, and the perimeter frame in 1989. Recent innovations include the DFI system with dual injectors and launch control mode in 2012, but in 2019, Kawasaki engineers took the KX brand a step further by introducing both electric start and a hydraulic clutch to an already impressive list of features found on its flagship KX450. Today, the KX250 and KX450 remain poised to continue their industry-leading charge and have adopted FIM World Superbike-derived technology from the Kawasaki Racing Team efforts such as the finger follower valve train, ensuring KX riders have the power needed to get to the checkered flag first.
Throughout the world, Lime Green continues to be recognized as the colour of Kawasaki, and for over 50 years, KX machines have proudly worn this colour that has served as the colour of victory.
To celebrate this milestone, Kawasaki will be sharing historical content throughout this year featuring some of the greatest technological innovations, racing moments and other memories from the past 50 years.
New season KX450 unveiled
Kawasaki have a characteristically “full gas” approach to the 2024 MX season with the much-anticipated announcement of the KX450.
Leading the 450 cm3 class charge is the awesome KX450 enjoying its first full-model change in five years. The 2024 KX450 benefits from a new frame and bodywork plus increased engine performance thanks to a symmetrically aligned intake and exhaust.
Handling performance is also improved, with greater front-end feel contributing to improved cornering performance to complement the KX450’s acclaimed light, nimble handling and legendary straight-line ability. Aggressive new green bodywork offers improved ergonomics due to a slim, and smoother rider interface while upgrades for the coming season include premium Brembo brake components and ODI Lock-on grips (both firsts on a KX model).
In terms of tech highlights, the 2024 KX450 features for the very first time Power Modes and Kawasaki Traction Control, both easily selectable from switches at the left handlebar.
Riders can quickly select from two levels (Weak, Strong) of traction control to suit conditions and preference. Riders may also elect to turn the system off. Using the Mode (M) button on the left handlebar, it is also possible to switch between two engine maps (Normal, Mild response) provided in the ECU.
Additionally, smartphone connectivity allows riders to connect with their machine to adjust engine mapping directly from their smartphones using the application “RIDEOLOGY THE APP KX” to adjust engine maps including fuel and ignition timing while maintenance logs are also available.
Adding new features, plus carefully selected electronic rider aids, has taken the KX450 to the next level and Kawasaki hopes that 2024 season riders will accelerate ahead of the chasing pack towards well deserved podium results.
The KX450 will be available from November, with pricing to be confirmed shortly.
Mitch Evans starts his season in Argentina
Mitch Evans, the newest member of the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP, starts the next chapter of his career in Green this weekend in the opening round of the FIM MXGP World Championship at Villa La Angostura, the magnificent track in the shadow of the Patagonian Andes where he recorded his first-ever GP podium in 2019.
I always love to come back here despite the long travel; it takes longer for me to come here than to go back home to Australia from Europe. I really enjoy the track here; the fans are great, it’s a technical track and I believe that it will be rougher than usual with more riders on-track this weekend. That’s also a bonus; I always love coming back here as it’s not only a beautiful track but also a very nice country. I’m glad we came here one day earlier than in the past; it gives you a little more time to recover from the trip.
I raced my first-ever Grand Prix here and got my first-ever podium that day: that’s really good memories. Usually I’m pretty strong at the beginning of the season and, even after not having so much time on the bike, I’m confident with my speed and my fitness so I’m looking forward to a solid weekend. There’s not so many factory rides in the MXGP class, and one of them was for you at Kawasaki.
I have always had a little contact with Antti; it was always a team I kept an eye on and when I heard about the support they give, that was what I was looking for. We started talking to each other and, even though I had some other offers for World Supercross, GPs, America and Australia, I knew that I really wanted to continue racing the MXGPs and I felt KRT was the best place for me.
There was a lot of different things on the Kawasaki compared to the bike I was used to, but a lot of things that I really enjoyed. We didn’t do so much testing before Christmas but I was comfortable on the bike straight away and when we started intensive testing in January we soon found the best settings to suit me. I feel really confident on the bike now.
I live fifteen minutes from the workshop so I’m there pretty much every day and I’m really happy. That was something I was really looking for, being more involved with the team and having more inter-active support. When you come from Australia you don’t know anybody over here, and you don’t really know what to do, where to go so having that support is really beneficial. It’s the first time in my career that I have such a strong connection with the team members! Every day I go to the workshop I say hello to the guys and can see they are always super-busy and working hard. To see them investing so much time and energy to their job gives me even more appreciation of the work they do. I'm really thankful for everything they do for us. Another good factor is that if I want to try something new on the bike we can have it prepared and test it straight away.
I’m not stressed at all; we’ll just take it race-by-race. I want to focus on taking good starts and racing up-front; Romain got good starts at Hawkstone, and last year we already saw how good the bikes were out of the gate. It's quite funny; last year I purposely never took a gate next to a Kawasaki and now I’m on a Kawasaki!
F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team reveals its new line up
The F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team has revealed its new line up before the opening race of the season in Argentina. The team has had a good off season and is ready to perform in 2023. Kevin Horgmo finished fourth in the world championship MX2 in 2022 and is eager to improve on this result this year. Alongside him is the talented Spaniard David Braceras who moves up from the EMX250 Championship to the MX2 class.
The Grand Prix of Argentina will be held Villa La Angostura, one of the best tracks on the MXGP calendar. Both riders are eager to compete and, for David, it’s the first time that he will race an overseas Grand Prix so for him it will be a great experience.
Kevin Horgmo commented: ‘’The winter preparation went really well. I have enjoyed my time on the bike and we have improved a lot. The pre-season race didn’t really show that but I think that’s what these races are for and I have learnt a lot. Compared to last year I would like to be more consistent and don’t have any silly crashes. I was in a good position many times and let the result slip away. My mission is to improve and be even faster. All the hard work from the winter will pay off during the season. I’m looking forward to Argentina.’’
David Braceras commented: ‘’We did a lot of good training on proper tracks during the winter and I started to feel comfortable on the bike. We have done a lot of work with the bike and the suspension and other aspects are going really well. My goals for the first race in Argentina are see where I am and improve on that in the following races. I’m really enthusiastic to go to Argentina as the people there are also speaking Spanish. The track looks also really nice and I think I will adapt well to the type of sand of the track. It’s really fast and I think it will be a good track for me.’’
Nathalie Fase, Meam Manager added: ‘’F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team will line up this season with two young, strong talented riders in the FIM Motocross MX2 World Championship. Kevin Horgmo who finished fourth in the world championship with us last season looks stronger than ever after a perfect winter preparation and is ready to go for it. Our new Spanish talented member of the team David Braceras has recovered well from a minor injury earlier this winter period and we are confident that everything will work out with him step by step during the season.
The composition of the team has changed slightly, a lot of familiar faces known for years already in the paddock, but also some new additions have made their entrance within the team which is refreshing! I myself recently became the mother of a sweet little boy, so I will have to coordinate the first races from home, Obviously, that is new to experience, but good preparation is half the work and my partner together with our crew is fortunately taking over many of my tasks on site.
We look back on a good season last year and together with all our sponsors and Kawasaki we are ready to take it even further. The complete F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team is motivated to start the season in a positive way and build from there. Let the good times roll!”
Romain Febvre ready for the opening GP
After two solid pre-season races Romain Febvre and the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP are ready for the opening round of the FIM MXGP World Motocross Championship in Argentina this weekend.
It has been a busy winter for the Frenchman who underwent surgery straight after the final GP of 2022 to remove a pin in his leg. “The surgeon also took this opportunity to clean the knee so I had to wait until the end of November to get back training physically and later on the bike. For the first time in a while I can run and undertake physical training without pain, and that was great to have a strong winter to prepare the season,” explained Romain, who also decided to have further minor surgery on his forearms in January. “Two years ago I experienced pain in my arms and underwent surgery then last year, when I was back after six months, the pain returned. That’s pretty usual after you don’t ride for a long time, but after intensive training and testing this winter I felt the pain again so I didn’t want to take any risks and had surgery in January. I had to stop riding for a few weeks which is why I didn’t race the Italian International series.”
For the ninth time in his career, Romain will line up in the MXGP class where he won the world title in 2015. He narrowly missed a second title in 2021, his second year with Kawasaki, when the series went to the final moto of the season, and of course it’s his main goal this year to clinch gold again. “It’s impossible to explain what a great feeling it is when you are world champion. Already as a child I was dreaming to get a title at least one time; it was a dream initially but when I finally got it I wanted more. When you take part in any sport, whatever it is, you want to be the best but it’s not easy. Then when you miss it by just a couple of points like in 2021 you look back on the season and you see where you could have got those few more points. And that’s not easy to accept,” he said in analysis. With all his experience he knows how important the mental approach is. “The mental side is a big part of the puzzle! Even if you work hard and are ready for the challenge you know before the start of each race that it’s a tough affair. To be strong mentally can help you to handle the pressure, and that’s something that you must have in you. Either you have it or you don’t; you can’t invent it.”
The pre-season races were pretty good for Romain, who achieved several podium results, but now it’s time to line up for the first GPs against even stronger opposition. “I’m nearly at 100% now, and the season will be really long. I love that track in Argentina, and the goal will be to score as many points as possible at each round. I know that in 2021 I was missing some speed compared to Herlings at times, and that’s a point we have worked on with Kevin Strijbos. If I regularly take good starts, like in the first moto at Hawkstone, I know what we are capable of this season. Let's go!”
