Shaun Simpson Interview

Scotsman Shaun Simpson has really been one of the surprises of the 2014 season. Despite always looking consistent and having won the Grand Prix in Lierop last year it was expected the KTM rider would be around the top ten in 2014. He is currently fifth overall in the MXGP points standings and shows what a talent he really is when comfortable within the team.

The Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM rider is one of the few riders to score points in every single GP this year and no doubt he is looking forward to 2015 and building on what has been a really strong season. We caught up with him and asked about his podium in Lommel, and also his expectation for the last two rounds of the season.

Q: Shaun, you must have been happy with your performance at the Grand Prix of Belgium?

Simpson: It was nice to show in Lommel that Lierop last year wasn’t a fluke. In the second race it was nice to follow Antonio Cairoli, because he is always fast in the sand. Unfortunately my first heat I couldn’t find my rhythm at all and went back to eighth or ninth. I think that there was a lot of flat pieces on the track and I like it rough, so that didn’t help me. I managed to pick up my speed and get third, but I was even thinking about being behind Gautier Paulin in that race and thinking it might cost me in the overall points. It turned out to do just that as Ken (De Dycker) beat me in the second one and got second place and I was third overall.

Q: It’s been a good season hasn’t it?

Simpson: It was progress this year, the first privateer bike in the championship. I passed Steven Frossard in the points in Lommel and we have turned the screw this year, and we hope we can continue to perform like this in the last two rounds.

Q: How tough was that second moto in Lommel, because I haven’t seen conditions like that in a long time.

Simpson: It was tough with the heavy rain, and I spoke to Ken (De Dycker) after the moto and he said he couldn’t see anything. I went from doing the big quad to just doubling it. When the rain started I thought this will be good for me, but I just couldn’t see anything and lost like 10 seconds a lap.

Q: I am guessing you want to finish the year off with a bang with the last two rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship and the MXoN?

Simpson: The last few weeks I have had Belgian championship and the British championship races. I am looking forward to the fly-aways in Mexico and Brazil. It is a long trip, and its two new tracks it should be good, and I am also looking forward to the MXoN. It will be a little sand there at Kegums, so a great end to the season. My form is just getting better and better and I want to end the season on a high.