Buildbase Honda rider Tommy Searle might be retired from Grand Prix motocross, and it seems that unless something changes dramatically, his GP career is done and dusted, but there is no doubt, as defending British 450 champion, he still has the motivation and skills to take victory at home.

Going up against his team-mate Jake Nicholls and multiple British champion Shaun Simpson the 2020 British motocross championships will be an interesting one and it sound like a fit and healthy Tommy Searle might be a handful for his competition.

MXlarge: How have you been doing?

Searle: Really good, spending time at home with the family and the little one. Like everyone else trying to get stuff done. I started riding a little bit, just because I was bored. I could have probably sat at home a bit before riding, but I just wanted to ride my bike. I went out and did a little bit at a local track where I was able to ride. Just like riding my bike and been doing some fun stuff.

MXLarge: I watched the MXVice video, and you looked really good on it, and it was nice seeing you bouncing around the track like that. How is your mind set at the moment, just doing the British, has that sort of freshened you up?

Searle: It isn’t so much my mind set from just doing the British, it is just the break. I mean I had a lot of little injuries and they don’t heal up like they used to, and they drag on, but now, with the break, I finally feel healthy. When I am a little bit injured, I just don’t enjoy riding and I worry about making things worse and it gets into my head a little more now. The last couple of months I have felt 100% healthy. I did pick up an injury in the winter, my shoulder, just from riding when I was cold, but that is good now and I really enjoy riding when I am 100% healthy.

MXlarge: What I did notice is how good you looked in that video, you really seem to gel with the Honda?

Searle: I love it. It is amazing. I really like it, and it has changed me being on the Honda. I have really good production suspension, just changing the internals. My suspension guy does a really good job. I am really happy with the package I have.

MXlarge: Watching that video it reminded me of you many, many years ago, really intense. Do you have that feeling a bit?

Searle: Yes, I do, but in the video I wasn’t doing laps, just sections and I don’t know if I can do that for a full lap, but I do feel really good on the bike. The bike is so light and easy to ride and I am really enjoying riding it at the moment.

MXlarge: You rode for Kawasaki a long time, and always looked at home on it, how does the Honda compare to the Kawasaki?

Searle: I think everyone knows that all the bikes are good now. Some bikes suit other riders better and I always liked my Kawasaki, but it is always about the people you have around you and the Honda suits me well, and the Buildbase Honda team, with Dave (Thorpe), Brian my mechanic, it’s a close knit team and they do a good job.

MXLarge: What do you think Dave can bring for you with his experience?

Searle: You know, he can. Dave is a quiet guy, and just likes to sit back behind the scenes, but I have noticed throughout the years at the races that he is always walking around, always looking at different things, taking a lot in, keeping his eyes open and I think when we are racing that is where he will be able to help me. He has a lot of experience and really wants to win the British championship; you can see how determined and passionate he is to win that championship.

MXlarge: The British calendar isn’t out yet, but when the GP calendar came out, did you think you wouldn’t mind doing some of those?

Searle: No, I thought the exact opposite. I thought, glad I am not doing those. It starts off with a triple header in Latvia and that is a hard track. Last year I had a big crash in that wave section. Three races in Latvia and that is one of the most difficult tracks in the year, it is sort of sand, but also not and it can catch you out really quickly. Three in Lommel, I didn’t look much past those three races and thought, that looks like hard work.

MXlarge: I heard that there might be a British championship race before Latvia, do you know anything?

Searle: I heard it will start the last weekend of August, whether that happens I don’t know. There might be a round of the MX Nationals before Latvia, which is pretty much the same as the British championship, just without the GP riders. So that will be me, Jake (Nicholls), Harri Kullas. I don’t know why it takes so long to release the calendar. At one stage I thought maybe there would be a race before Latvia and some riders might come over and do it, to make it more interesting, but it doesn’t look like that now.

MXlarge: Obviously Shaun (Simpson) will be a tough competitor at the British championship, and he will have done maybe a pre-season race and those Latvian races before the British championship. Would you feel a bit underdone if you don’t do some races? Maybe the MX National, or I guess a club race somewhere?

Searle: No, I am not concerned at all. I feel like if I train properly, I don’t need races to warm up. I never did a warmup race and I came in well. When I raced the MXGP class, I didn’t do one warm up race and I think I finished fourth in the first round one year. I don’t think that makes much difference for me. I might do a little race at Justin Barclay’s track Cusses Gorse. When it is an easy race I might do it, its on August the 6^th and if there is an MX National I am contracted to do those also, so I think I get a race in before the first British championship race.

MXLarge: The new calendar has the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations set for Matterley Basin in England. I can imagine you want to do that race.

Searle: Obviously I want to do the Motocross of Nations anytime. I don’t want to be negative, but it will be difficult for that to go ahead, I think. There is just a lot going on around the World, but if it does go on and I am riding well, and winning the British races, then I want to go, but if I am not doing the job, then I am happy for somebody better to get picked. I want my position to be earnt and not put in if I am not the man for the job.

MXlarge: You mentioned you looked at the calendar for the GP’s and said you don’t want any of that. Earlier in the season you mentioned you might like to do a GP or two, but are there any rounds you look at and think maybe you would do a GP or two now?

Searle: The only races I think are tough are the three in Lommel and the three in Latvia, but I actually ride well at Latvia, but it doesn’t work out. I always liked the French GP, the British GP and also Germany. I would only do a GP if I felt I was ready, and I don’t mean running for a podium, but at least be at the sharp end of the results. I wouldn’t want to go to make up the numbers. It would be one of those things if I was riding well and my confidence was up, then I might like to do a GP, but I wouldn’t rush to do one now. 

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