Kawasaki factory rider Jeremy Seewer seems to not be able to start a season with some misfortunes and average form. The rider from Switzerland usually builds throughout the season and more than often, ends the season a top three man in the championship race. 2024 has been no different.

Seewer continued to build throughout the weekend in France two weeks ago, quickly converting a fifth-placed start to fourth in race one he shadowed the red-plate holder until a single mistake in the closing stages broke the contact, and an enthralling start to race two saw the Swiss complete a Kawasaki twin-holeshot.

Surrendering two placings in the unpredictable muddy conditions which reigned throughout the moto he eventually took the chequered flag fourth but was penalised two positions a quarter-of-an-hour later for allegedly "not respecting a waved yellow flag", which was unseen by both the Swiss rider and the other rider to be penalised for the same offence. Despite the penalty he was classified sixth on the day and retains the same position in the series points standings.

“Overall, my speed is back with good starts, consistent laps and speed in the beginning of the race; it just doesn't show in the results yet. Fourth in the first moto was good - it could have been even better but for one mistake - and the second moto was survival again in the mud. It's a shame about the penalty, but those are the rules and that's how it is.”

On the Saturday Seewer had been fastest in both dry practice sessions and edged out his KRT teammate at turn one in Qualifying to take the holeshot but was quickly relegated to third on the opening lap as he warily tested the traction of the track-surface in very different conditions to earlier in the day. The Swiss relinquished another position on lap three but fought back magnificently later in the race to claim a strong third, his best Qualifying result of the season.

“We are definitely making big steps now; P1 in both practices and my best Quali result of the season. A mud-race can always be a little bit of a lottery, but it went OK. I nearly crashed on the same jump as Romain this morning and needed to get stitches in my chin; we used to triple-jump it from the middle of the track to the inside, but some bare rocks came out, we got wheelspin and came up two meters short.”

The previous week in Spain, Seewer gated seventh in the Qualifying race and could soon advance to sixth, but the front runners had already broken clear, and the Swiss had to be content with maintaining that position to the chequered flag.

“My pace was OK and no mistakes so sixth was a solid Quali. We are not where we want to be, but we are getting closer to the guys who are in there battling for the win; we just need to put our heads down and we'll be back in the game. It's a very special track - technical and lots of bumps - but it's small. The start will be important again tomorrow; it was scary today when Calvin closed the door on me from the outside. It's a new track for most of us so we are still learning, and we will make a few adjustments for tomorrow to try to make me feel more comfortable.”

The always friendly and professional Seewer made it two Kawasaki’s in the top-six, continuing to move closer to the podium as he becomes ever-more acquainted with his KX450-SR in his first season in Green. The Swiss converted a seventh-placed start in race one to fifth mid-moto with a couple of impressive passes and two hours later took a clear holeshot in the first attempt to start race two, only to endure the heartbreak of having to do it all again as the race was red-flagged after a couple of gates had not fallen cleanly.

Sixth through turn one on the re-run he surrendered a position to the hard-charging eventual runner-up on lap three but maintained his resolve to regain sixth three laps from the end. 5-6 motos earnt sixth overall on the day and he retains that ranking in the series points-standings.

“This weekend was positive in many ways but also a little frustrating. It seems like there are five or six of us up there at the moment and the gap to the front is not far; the big gap is behind us. I had the speed today, particularly in the second moto, and I have the fitness, but I am just missing the intensity in the first few laps. It was a shame for me that they had to red flag the second moto at the first attempt as I had the holeshot; I got everything right and I feel I would have holeshot even if every gate had fallen clean. I stayed calm and my start on the re-run was also good but it's hard to repeat such a perfect start every time. Of course, that was frustrating but that's how it is.”

Now onto Germany and another hard pack circuit. It isn't the favourite for Seewer, although he has won and podiumed there and you know he will find a way to make the most of what has been until now, a mixed season.

Pascal Haudiquert story and image