It was back in the European Championship that Anstie battled the likes of Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings. Often getting the upper hand and looking like the next best thing.

While he might not be mentioned in the same breath as Roczen and Herlings there are many that expect him to join the other two teenagers at the front of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship in 2011.

Before he sets a wheel racing Motocross the British rider has the historical Bercy Supercross on his schedule. Anstie has ridden Bercy before; although this time he will come up against a very strong field of riders in Antonio Cairoli, Trey Canard, Marvin Musquin, Justin Barcia and Gautier Paulin.

We decided to sit down and ask Max about his preparation for Bercy and also for the 2011 FIM MX2 World Championship.

MXlarge: Max, so in a few weeks you will head back to Bercy for the biggest Supercross in Europe. You’ve ridden there before and always seemed to be having fun. This time though it’s going to be hard work isn’t it?

Anstie: I think like you said the competition is going to be strong. I will be riding the 250 and it will be the Pro Circuit Supercross bike, I am going to be ready. I like Bercy and I like the environment there. I’ve raced the 80’s and the 125 bikes there, but never at this level. There will be strong competition, but I think I can do well. It’s a tight track and I don’t think the 450’s will have a huge advantage. First race with the new bike and team, so I am going in there with an open mind and see how it goes there.

MXlarge: You say an open mind, but all racers want to win or not?

Anstie: I have done my preparation as well as I can. I’ve been in America which is obviously the place to train and prepare for Supercross. I will come back in a week to get my final preparation ready, to get the race bike organized. I am ready and I think I can win, but it’s going to be tough. I have ridden there before and I have done my homework, I will be as ready as I can be.

MXlarge: Will you then head back to America and do the opening rounds of the West Coast Supercross?

Anstie: I really wanted to do that, but at the moment CLS are struggling a little in finances for doing the AMA Supercross. If you look at the guys who will be in the West Coast with Wiemer and Canard not there I am one of the strongest. I was 16 and now I am strong, I would be ready if anything changes. I would have been right up there with the 250cc class. Hopefully if everything goes well at Bercy things can change. Obviously right now my main priority is the FIM World Championship, but I would really like to do Supercross because I have some business to finish there.

MXlarge: You showed signs of what you can do this year, but not enough for people to mention you along with riders like Barcia, or Roczen or Herlings. Is that frustrating?

Anstie: After last year I got hurt a bit. I was a little unlucky when I crashed at Anaheim II. It was always my dream to race in Supercross, I think it’s anyone’s dream. I was only 16 and racing guys I always looked up to, I was racing in front of 60,000 people at Anaheim and it took my three of four races before I got comfortable. Then I found my feet and relaxed, in San Diego I was third and I passed for second and I was right behind Wiemer and I went down on the last lap and I was unlucky. The next weekend I went down again and hurt myself. I have learnt a lot from that experience.

MXlarge: I was speaking to Tommy (Searle) the other day and he mentioned that he was looking forward to racing in front of his countrymen again. You haven’t done that in a long time have you?

Anstie: No, not since I was 65cc, I raced on the 50cc at Farleigh Castle and some of those tracks, but then I raced in Holland and moved to America, so I haven’t raced in England for years. It will be good going back to Matterley Basin (for the British Grand Prix). I watched the MXoN there in 2006 and it’s going to be good going back there. It’s only 20 minutes from my home in England and to be racing in front of the home fans at this level is going to be great, I’ve never done that before so it will be special.

MXlarge: It seems with the design of the circuits on the FIM World Motocross Championship they might suit your riding style. Many of the circuits have a lot of rhythm sections and at times are just like tame Supercross tracks.

Anstie: I have watched a little bit and I’ve done my racing in the sand in Holland and I’ve raced Roczen, so I am going to be ready. I think I would like to do Supercross, because it’s all going to help and I still have a lot of learning to do. I am on a good bike; it’s a full-one Pro Circuit bike, so I am ready to go. It’s a bit of a change doing the GP’s. It will make my stronger and I will learn and then we will go from there.

MXlarge: Racing against Ken and Jeffrey again. How much are you looking forward to doing that?

Anstie: I think I have done my work and I know they have done their work. As far as I can see it will be like racing like we used to. I am back on the Kawasaki’s. Jeffrey is on the KTM. I think when it comes down to Valkenswaard and Lommel it’s going to be just like it used to be. We are just on bigger bikes. It’s going to be interesting. We do have a little of the unknown. I mean over here (in America) you have the top 15 guys and a top ten you don’t get heard of much. I think Jeffrey and Ken have been working hard and they will be strong next year.

MXlarge: Will you do any British Championship rounds if possible?

Anstie: I am not sure, I was meant to do some of the French Championships and some Dutch Championships to get me ready for the sand and some Italian rounds on hard pack, but the plans haven’t been set in stone yet.