Dirk Gruebel is the team manager for the Red Bull KTM Factory team riders Jeffrey Herlings and Tom Vialle. Having spent many days working with Herlings as the Dutchman worked towards his incredible 2018 season Gruebel knows as well as anyone what it takes, not only from the Dutchman, but the whole KTM outfit.

With a new season comes the challenge to step it up again, and try and stop “The Sicilian”, Antonio Cairoli from stealing the MX2 championship back to Italy. We caught up with the friendly KTM man and asked him about what to expect in 2019.

MXlarge: Dirk, where are you at the moment, are you still in Spain?

Dirk Gruebel: No, I am at the factory in Austria.

MXlarge: The season comes around pretty quickly doesn’t it?

Dirk Gruebel: We tested late, until the 20^th of December, I was down at Redsand. Then flying out on the 21^st and it was Christmas, then two weeks holiday, and since the 7^th of January everyone is back down here in Austria.

MXlarge: Tell me, I am an old guy, so time goes quicker, and you are probably 10 years younger than me, but does it feel like the last two off-season have just flown by.

Dirk Gruebel: Yes, there is no off-season. Everyone thinks we sit on our ass in the winter, but that isn’t the case, especially with a big team like we have. First we went down with the Italian riders, testing and then Tom Vialle popped up, so we went testing with him, to get him comfortable, and then we went testing with Jeffrey, so the whole of November and December, there isn’t much off time.

MXlarge: How is Vialle looking?

Dirk Gruebel: He looks pretty good. To be honest, he is really shy at the beginning, and he still is, and has to find his way in the MX2 class, but the kid has potential. The way he stands on the bike, his style and his riding ability. He can push to the limit and not have too many crashes, and he showed that last year. We also looked at Brian Moreau, but he is blazing fast or in the hospital. A do or die attitude a bit, but in the end he still had a contract with Kawasaki and we didn’t want to breach contracts.

MXlarge: There was also talk you had the Australian MX2 champion testing Wilson Todd. How did that go?

Dirk Gruebel: Yes, we flew that guy in, but, I don’t know, to be honest, he is 21, so two years older than Tom, and to be honest, I was missing the spark, you know the fire. When you have the chance to land a factory ride on the KTM team, then I expected something different. His riding was okay, but nothing flashy. One day we went to Lommel, and there is a lot of improvement for the sand. Of course Aussies don’t have sand tracks like Lommel, but even there, he was quickly tired and he didn’t seem motivated to show us he could do better. We first went to Wilson, and then we went with Tom, and Tom was a completely different approach. He saw the chance he was getting if he does well and in the end we went with him.

MXlarge: Tell me, Jeffrey, we all know how good he is, and I was speaking to him just after Christmas and I asked him if he thinks he can improve. I mean at 24 years old, he should improve, but it seems impossible that he could get better than he is now. What do you think?

Dirk Gruebel: I think he can.

MXlarge: Incredible to think that right?

Dirk Gruebel: He has big goals, and his biggest opponent is Tony (Cairoli), and I can tell you Tony is training like hell, and that is clear. It is so nice to see a rider with his age, he is what 33, and he wants to do it again this year. He is testing good, training hard and looking for improvement in himself. He is looking how he can improve to beat Jeffrey, but Jeffrey is exactly the same. He knows he has to beat Tony and he wants to be better. There were some things with the engine that Jeffrey wasn’t happy with in 2018, and we have improved for 2019. We didn’t have much time, but at the last test at Redsands, I saw a big smile on his face and he said we gave him what he asked for, and I think he will be stronger in 2019, stronger than he was in 2018.

MXlarge: It is ridiculous to think those two can get better, because the way they rode in 2018, was as fast as any motocross rider has ridden, ever. It is exciting to think that right?

Dirk Gruebel: It is really exciting, but with us, we have the pressure you know. Pressure inside the team, it isn’t bad, and I expected way worse last season, when they clashed together, but they are both professionals and they kept it on the track. Also Jeffrey is growing up, and there is friction, but it stays out on the track, it isn’t in the team truck. Of course you have your favourites and you need to have them. It is clear Claudio (De Carli) is Tony’s team manager and I am Jeffrey’s team manager. It is exciting, and imagine that you have in your own team you are fighting for first and second.

MXlarge: I wanted to speak to you about those amazing Redbull videos. You are obviously a very passionate motocross fan. How was it first making those videos and then seeing the final product?

Dirk Gruebel: To be honest, it was awesome and I was blown away. He would send us his pre-cut and then he would change it a bit. The crew that they sent was really professional, not getting in the riders way at all. They also liked to show a different light of the sport, not only the superstars, but also behind the scenes. Bring in David Luongo was a good thing, it was just a good package. They had many hours of material, but I never saw Wayne (Herlings mechanic). They interviewed him after every race and I didn’t see him in the videos (laughing). That’s kind of funny, but that is how the movie world works. They had tones of footage and had to choice what suited them best. They asked again if they can make another episode in 2019, and I know Red Bull are also pushing for it. From our side, both Claudio and I have it the green light for another episode in 2019. They did an awesome job. You can’t get better advertising for the sport than this, not only for KTM.

MXlarge: So there will be another version for 2019?

Dirk Gruebel: I hope so, and I think so, because everyone is pushing for that. They are such a professional crew, they did a good job and are never in the way.

MXlarge: I want to mention something that pisses me off. Since the Des Nations, we continue to hear excuses for why Team USA riders didn’t do well and to me, that is a slap in the face of the Grand Prix riders and how our series is run. Lommel was because of sand, Germany was the weird ruts, Italy they had injuries, and now it’s supercross as an excuse. I really thought after Redbud, they would just admit the GP system and riders is why the European riders are doing so well. What do you think of all these excuses?

Dirk Gruebel: What I don’t like, is they say we changed their track, this was no tour Redbud track, but that is BS. It doesn’t matter if you change 30% of the track. The most honest guy was Roger. He said he could turn his back and tell when the American riders go past, because they rev their bike like shit and the bike goes nowhere. Prado on a 250 stayed in front of all those 450s, because he was shifting and riding in the correct way. It is lame and they blame the supercross, but I can tell you, their bike set-ups were wrong in Lommel, and they were wrong in Latvia, and they were wrong in Redbud. I saw it with Dungey who was in our tent, and you try and help them out, but they stick to the supercross settings. The front is too high and the back is too rigid and they can’t make the turns on a normal motocross and that is where it all starts.

MXLarge: Last couple of questions. You guys have the season just around the corner, so what is the plan leading into Argentina?

Dirk Gruebel: Italian side do all the Italian championship and next week they have the photo shoot. We have our photo shoot at Redsand the week after, on the 30^th and 31^st with Jeffrey and Prado, because they are down there anyway. Then we do Mantova, Hawkstone Park and Lacapelle.

MXlarge: Last question. The calendar for this years has really seemed like a tough one to organize, with a lot of changes. The final calendar to me looks good, but what do you think of it?

Dirk Gruebel: Well, we fly two times to China, and with budgets and stuff, it’s tough. It is travelling a lot, and I would have preferred it was week after week. Hong Kong is the week before Nations and that makes it tough for material. Indonesia the second venue was way better and now we have a new one there, we will see how that goes. We have some where we have three races in a row, and I would prefer two races and a weekend off, and for riders who do National championships, they would have seven races in a row, which is a killer. I think everyone would be happier if it was just 18 races, but that isn’t in my hands, that is up to FIM and Giuseppe. We are pushing for 18 quality races where it comes out in October and its really solid, as you said, this year’s calendar changed a lot. I don’t know how they can plan that, it’s getting more difficult.

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