Searle finished second in the World in both the 2007 and 2008 in the MX2 class and in many people’s eyes is the guy who might be able to stop the teenage duo of Red Bull KTM riders Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings.

MXlarge: Tommy, how you doing, have you been busy?

Searle: Just back home for a little bit, trying to let all my injuries heal up a little bit, but not really busy. My shoulder is pretty good and I have a small operation on my foot, and in two weeks I can ride again.

MXlarge: Let’s start with that first moto of the AMA Nationals. You nearly won that race, but it went downhill pretty quickly from there didn’t it.

Searle: I was second; Pourcel passed me with three turns to go. I had a lot of time on the bike and the first race I was behind Canard and Pourcel. I then Pourcel had a small crash and I passed Canard. Pourcel was close to me and I made a mistake and he passed me.

MXlarge: The second moto though was pretty much the end of your season wasn’t it?

Searle: The second moto that day I was in like fourth at the start of the race, but I went around one of the corners and my shifter got stuck and I couldn’t change gears, I couldn’t get it out of the gear it was in and in the end I was in the wrong gear coming into one of the corners and I tucked the front wheel under and landed on the same should I had hurt in Supercross.  That was that really. I couldn’t lift it up; it was so weak, every time I moved it hurt. So then I couldn’t finish the race and the plan was to get as healthy as possible, that was why I missed the USGP race.

MXlarge: What were you thinking when it wasn’t getting any better?

Searle: The first idea was just get through the Nationals how it was, I knew I could run up front and I wanted to go for a Championship. I figured I would just try and get top ten’s and then come back to what I could do, but it wasn’t happening. I was trying to race and it was worse than it was before.

MXlarge: Didn’t you also get some different advice from doctors?

Searle: We went to see other doctors to get it sorted; it just messed up my whole year. We ended up going to another doctor and it ended up being nerve damage, which is totally different to what I had been told before. You can’t see nerve damage in MRI’s. I ended up calling it a day. I had to just let it rest and that is pretty much where I am now.

MXlarge: I am guessing your plan was to race in America and try and win some titles there. Does coming back to do the FIM World Motocross Championship mean you had to change your plans?

Searle: The plan was to race in America, but I also wanted to come back home. I had offers over there, it’s not like I didn’t have any options. I want to get a World Championship, and the deal I have now I can race AMA Supercross with the best team and then I get to fight for my FIM World Championship, so it’s the best of both World’s really.

MXLarge: So you like the idea of racing both in America and Europe?

Searle: Either way is good. It’s funny really, if I am watching an AMA race on television I think oh shit I am not racing over there next year, but when I am out there I sit down and watch a Grand Prix on television and I see the crowd hanging over the fence and all the British flag and I wish I was racing the Grand Prix’s. Both series are good and when I watch one I want to be there and the same for the other.

MXlarge: There are not too many fans in the World as good as the British fans. It sounds like you can’t wait to see all those Union Jack’s around the track.

Searle: It is, I can’t wait to be honest. I see the Lommel Grand Prix with all those British flags and I just want to be there, that is what we race for really to have all those people behind us. I think me being back will bring more interest, at least that is what I hope anyway. We will have a few good riders in there next year anyway.

MXlarge: The 2011 British Grand Prix will be at Matterly Basin. Obviously that is a race that you will look forward to on the calendar?

Searle: I think the British GP will be awesome, it’s a good track for me, and I had my first ever podium there, so to go back there is nice. The track and the atmosphere are amazing there.

MXlarge: You probably watched the recent MXoN and also watched rounds of this year’s FIM World MX2 Championship. What can we expect from you when you come up against the young lions Roczen and Herlings? Are you wondering how you will go against them?

Searle: I am not worried about how I go against them. I am sure the pace has gotten a lot faster than when I was here, people have told me that, but you can also see its faster now, but I am also faster now. I watched one of the races on television, Roczen is fast, but Canard is also fast. I think Roczen had nothing to lose at that race and he got to show the American’s what he can do and he rode amazing. He is going to be fast I am not fooling myself, I am not thinking I am going to win the World Championship and then go and race Supercross. I will just work hard, but I am excited to race both those guys and they are more matured now and it’s going to be great racing.

MXlarge: What will the next few months bring for you?

Searle: My preparation is that I want to be 100% healthy before I do anything. That is why I got my foot fixed and I am heading back to America in two when I can start riding again and start training. I will head back there and start doing some testing, set up the bike, because I still haven’t ridden it yet. I will get it sorted and then as soon as the last Supercross is run in February I will go to Holland and Belgium and do some sand riding with the team, because I haven’t ridden sand in a long time, at least not real sand like Lommel and Lierop. I will spend six weeks or so doing that and get my speed up and get used to being back in those sort of conditions. That will pretty much bring us to the first Grand Prix’s.

MXlarge: No British Championship for you in 2011?

Searle: There is no intention of doing the British Championship, if there is a race that I think will help my preparation then I will do that. All I have to do is the World Championship, but if there is a race I feel will benefit my Grand Prix preparation then I will do it.