He also had some bad luck on a couple of occasions this year, first being excluded from his qualification race in Brazil for outside assistance (from a spectator) which ruined his chances of a good start in the Brazilian Grand Prix, and then having trackside fencing stuck in his back wheel at another GP.

Still third place in the FIM World MX2 Championship points standings and with his home Grand Prix in England coming up in a few weeks things are not all bad. We sat down with Searle and asked him about his season to date and he also let us know his thoughts on the British GP and the MXoN.

Q: Tommy, can you explain how the Grand Prix of Limburg was for you last weekend?

Searle: Lommel was tougher than what I was expecting. I don’t ride in the sand so much but usually I just come to Belgium a week before the race and that's enough. But here I struggled with myself and a little bit with the bike. I was happy with the settings of the bike when I rode during the week but here the track conditions were very different; we made a lot of changes during the weekend to help me to feel more comfortable on the bike, but I just wasn't my normal self and went six and six. It was not a devastating day but it’s not great for the championship; I just did what I could as I didn’t want to crash and loose any points over Paulin. I rode the entire weekend under my limit; it was so easy to make a mistake.

Q: Are you happy with your season to date?

Searle: The last Grand Prix’s weren’t that good, but I have been there abouts this season, had some bad luck. I feel pretty good I haven’t been riding how I should, I’ve struggled a little with bike setup, not the engine just suspension and stuff like that and it’s hard to get it figured out on the different tracks, I’ve just struggled with it for some reason. Other than that I feel alright.

Q: Your home Grand Prix will be in a few weeks time. Are you expected to head back to the Grand Prix of Great Britain?

Searle: I can’t wait to go there, I haven’t had that feeling of being at a British Grand Prix for a long time, and I just want to get that feeling when I got out and giving it everything I have. Sometimes just before a race I feel like I am not pumped up enough, but when I get to England then I will have that feeling and I want to go out and give it everything I have for the British GP.

Q: You obviously won your home GP in 2007 and you have always been a big event rider, also at the Motocross of Nations. Why is that, what gets you up for these big events?

Searle: It’s different; I’ve always felt different when that is the case. I look forward to the atmosphere and that type of race. I can’t wait, it’s a good track, and for me it’s always the best Grand Prix of the year, not just because it’s English, it’s just the best atmosphere and everything is run well, that one race is the best of the year.

Q: Have you ridden Matterley Basin before?

Searle: I rode the Motocross des Nations there in 2006 and I also had my first podium there for the Grand Prix that same year, then I won the British GP in 2007, I have always been on the podium at the British Grand Prix.

Q: What do you like about the circuit?

Searle: It flows well, nice jumps, it just flows so well, some nice bumps, but also some berms, it’s an all-round good track, the dirt is good and it’s also good for the crowd.

Q: Have you had time to think about the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations yet?

Searle: I haven’t thought about the des Nations, nobody has really talked to me about it. I mean I have spoken to Steve a couple of times, he seems to be excited since the beginning of the year and asking me who he thinks should be in the team. I mean he is worried people will say he picked the wrong team, which is always the case, somebody is going to slate him, but he just needs to pick the best team possible at the time.

Q: Looking at the team with Dean Wilson and yourself, and a long selection of riders to pick from for the third rider, you guys have a great chance to win the event.

Searle: We do, I won at St Jean, so I can go there with confidence and we have Dean and he is strong every week and he isn’t off the podium in America. There are so many teams were you can name two good riders, it’s always the third rider were we have a not a problem, but having three solid riders. It’s a team event and you need six good moto’s and I think they should all be good.

Q: Back to this year, Ken has been really strong, are you disappointed you haven’t been able to race with him more?

Searle: I just think Ken has been strong, and he is good at riding a bike and that makes it difficult. He gets good starts and he has never been behind, he is always right there, he makes life easy for himself, which is of course the best way to do it. I think if I can get my starts then I will be right up there this year. There is no reason why I can’t win a few more races before the season is out.