Currently ninth place in the MXGP championship, Shaun Simpson of the Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP Team is holding his own in the toughest motocross series in the world. The Scotsman has been a consistent top runner, and battling the likes of Gautier Paulin, Clement Desalle, Romain Febvre and Jeremy Van Horebeek.

We caught up with him and talked about his season to date.

MXLarge: Shaun, you ever ridden in anything like that cold from last weekend?

Simpson: Probably close to that at home in Scotland, but never raced and for sure not Grand Prix’s. I wouldn’t say in my career that I have had days like that and there were days when I was really, really cold. If it is like that riding or training, you might do one moto and then head home. The fact it was the whole weekend and so cold. It was something a bit different.

MXlarge: Speaking to Steve Dixon and he mentioned in normal working conditions, nobody would work in those conditions.

Simpson: I don’t know if I got used to it, or what happened, maybe just more prepared, I didn’t feel the Sunday was as bad, but the Saturday was bitterly cold. You also start thinking about other things, like your body is cold so its easier to get an injury or damage a muscle. It was one of those ones where the race will run, and you have to ride, and you just do it. It is easy looking back it is easy to say it was too cold, but I didn’t question us racing once. On Saturday the track was very wet, and everyone was saying this will suit you, and I was fast, but my mind set was just to race.

MXlarge: Watching you in Argentina, a track you had mentioned you didn’t like because it was too fast and didn’t suit your style, you looked good, and in general you have looked good in both rounds. It isn’t perfect (with a DNF), but you must be happy with your speed so far?

Simpson: I would say I am really happy. Looking at the long series, I am definitely here for the long haul, and I always planned to be in that position, I just feel like the base is really good. It doesn’t matter where I turned up, I have always been in the top five, from the first International race in Italy, to France, and the two GP’s, or the Dutch championship. I have just been there, I haven’t felt once that I was off the pace, like I needed to find two seconds or something. That is a testament to the way we approached our off-season and how we have worked with the bike, taking it back to a nearly stock 2018 450 Yamaha and started building it up from there. Last year we grabbed the bike, threw in some suspension and really changed it before I had even ridden it. Physically and mentally I am in a much better place. We went off to New Zealand and I just cleared my head and my wife, and I just relaxed. I feel like every aspect of my life is dialled now. Its all rolling nicely and its easy, gym, cycling, motos, practice starts. I just know everything is done and I want to go even faster.

MXlarge: You have ridden Redsand. Do you like that track?

Simpson: I think its going to be a really good GP. The guy down there seems supremely motivated for it. The ground they have there is really good, and you can rip it and water it, it will get deep and technical, and that is to my liking. Throw in a lot of cool sections and big jumps, it ticks all the boxes. Bear in mind we will also get better weather and conditions and I think everyone has a good vibe for going there and maybe we can even wear a pair of shorts down there. It is a track I like and enjoy, and I have been looking forward to it since the calendar came out. I will head down there tonight and settle in.

MXlarge: MXGP class Cairoli and Herlings have just dominated everyone, ridiculous speed and a class above the rest. How do you see that, and have you watched video of these guys this year?

Simpson: I have watched a lot of the video’s back and tried to study it. Personally speaking, I not 100% yet, I want to peak in a few races time and that isn’t saying that everyone else is at 100% and I don’t think they will be. I think both Cairoli and Herlings have come out of the start blocks with something to prove, each in their own right. I think they are running close to maximum pace for an MXGP rider at the moment. Can they hold it on like that for the rest of the season, I think they can, they are both incredible riders, but I don’t think it will be long before the Husqvarna and Yamaha boys will start bridging that gap a little more. Sure, there will be weekends where they are out front their own thing, but I do think there will be GPs where we are closer and hassling them a little more. So far its been great racing up front, but it is a shame that second group, including myself isn’t a bit closer. I think that will be bridged a bit more in a few GPs. I think that is what the crowd and industry would like to see, because at the moment it’s just A KTM domination.

MXlarge: Speaking of those guys, you would have to say Tony is riding better than ever, they way he is getting away from everyone, and in saying that, Herlings is still beating him. That’s pretty amazing on Herlings part isn’t it?

Simpson: Yes, that is accurate. Tony is a smart guy and he knows if he gets out of the start, pull a gap, and ride at a pace he is comfortable with which is bloody fast, then Herlings will have a job catching up. It almost worked in Argentina and it almost worked in Valkenswaard, but Jeffrey only just got him in both rounds. I wouldn’t say Herlings was lucky, because he rode perfect, but he just beat him. I wouldn’t say Argentina suited them, because Tony hasn’t done great there, and Jeffrey I am not sure, but Valkenswaard is Jeffreys track, and he just beat him there. I think it’s a good battle to watch, but looking back at the tapes, it’s pretty impressive. Knowing what I was doing and looking at the second groups laps times, we were three to four seconds off. Everyone loves an underdog, and while Jeffrey isn’t that, he is coming back from bad starts and everyone loves seeing that, and that is what I am enjoying about it.

MXlarge: Last question, that second group behind Jeffrey and Tony, that is a pretty magnificent group of riders and it is clear you guys are pushing each other also to another level. Those guys shouldn’t be that far back, but that group is also pretty strong.

Simpson: For sure, I always think the first two or three GPs its hard to come out swinging like Herlings and Cairoli. You are building, and I am pretty devastated with my DNF in Valkenswaard, getting no points, its one we have to take on the chin, but being in that mix, week in week out, you are putting yourself in a higher level and after three, four, five GPs, that brings you on so much. You get stronger, and faster and you start attacking the track, so your bike also needs to improve, so the team needs to be on it, improving the suspension and the power and you need to go in the right direction. I felt in the past that second group, I was with them early, but would lose ground at a point in the season and then I am the first of the third group. I always felt I should have been in that front group and now I am there, and it feels like I belong there, and I think I will stay there.

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