Benoit. You surprised a lot of people by announcing that you arrived in the USA in early February. What’s the plan?!
The plan is quite simple. Since January, I put together an attack plan because things were complicated in Europe. My dream for a long time has been to race the Pro Motocross championship. So, I gathered some private sponsors, reached out to some contacts I have in the United States, packed my bag, and left. The goal is to have a three-month preparation block, hoping to find a ride for the Motocross Championship, which starts at the end of May.
Logistically, Marvin Musquin is a longtime friend. He’s giving me a big helping hand over here, so a huge thanks to him. I also have other connections helping me, particularly with mechanics, bikes, equipment, etc. In fact, I have everything I need to train in the best conditions and put in hours of riding to build a solid preparation in time for the season, knowing that I have almost four months before the first round of the Championship. Staying in Europe to race MXGP was complicated—it was too late, and it was too expensive.
This plan had been in the back of my mind for a long time, but it needed to come together. Now it has, and I hope it works out well.
The goal is to find a ride for the Outdoor season, but are you considering doing it as a privateer if needed?
Option A is to find something—a team—before the Outdoor Championship starts, which would be ideal. Option B is to race the first round, maybe the first two rounds, as a privateer if I haven’t found anything by then. One thing is certain: I can’t go much further alone. So I really hope this leads to something positive.
Right now, everyone is focused on Supercross. When the Outdoor season comes, they’ll be riding on public tracks in California for some Motocross testing. That’s when you’ll have the best chance to get noticed, right?
Exactly, you said it. But since I hadn’t ridden for five months—since my last appearance on track at the Swiss Grand Prix—I needed to get back on the bike early. That’s why it was a well-thought-out decision to come over well before the season starts, to acclimate, prepare properly on these tracks, and get used to the heat and life here. I couldn’t just show up a week before; we all know that doesn’t work. That’s why I chose to come early and prepare under the best conditions. Even if nothing materializes, my main goal is to be ready. And if an opportunity comes, I’ll grab it with both hands.
How is your adaptation over there going? If Marvin and your contacts are helping you out, that must take a weight off your shoulders. After five months off, what’s it like getting back into a new environment?
The adaptation is going great. I’m already really happy to be here in the US, starting a new challenge, riding new tracks—it’s like a new life, in a way, a new era. I needed that. For the preparation, I stuck with the same bike I’ve ridden for the past two years because, to me, it was the logical choice. The YZ-F 450 is a bike I love and know well. It’s a standard bike with tuned suspension, that’s it. I have a mechanic helping me out, I have parts, and I’m getting good support from people here, so that’s great. Everything is well-organized, and that’s exactly what I need to have a real chance of making it over here in the US.
So what’s the strategy? I imagine people will find out that you’re there, but what’s your game plan to get noticed and let the right people know you’re available? Just putting in laps at Fox Raceway isn’t going to land you a contract, right?
You know, here, unless a rider is a world champion, nobody in the U.S. really cares about guys from Europe. You have to come here, show up, make sure you are seen. You have to prove that you ride well, that you have good speed, that you’re training hard. And after that, a lot of it comes down to word of mouth. Right now, it’s only the beginning of my preparation, so it’s too early to know what will happen. In the coming weeks or months, we’ll see if something materializes. If things are meant to work out, they will—simple as that.
What’s your daily routine since arriving in the U.S.?
It’s simple: physical training, riding, eating, sleeping, and repeat. That’s the routine seven days a week. I’m doing everything I can to succeed here in the U.S. I’m training extremely hard to be ready and in the best possible shape. I took this project very seriously from the start to ensure I had enough time on-site to be fully prepared. It’s a huge challenge, one that excites me and motivates me. And it’s not something to take lightly because the Outdoor Championship is as tough as the MXGP series—ultra-competitive. That’s what I love, and I’m all in, training as hard as possible to succeed. I have good support, the right resources—now it’s all up to me!
You must have invested quite a bit into this adventure. Just to compare, could that budget have been used to fund an MXGP program instead?
No. MXGP wasn’t an option. Simply because you invest a lot into the Grand Prix series, but there’s no return unless you’re on a factory team. I had reached a point where I needed a new challenge, and ending my career in the U.S. was always something I had thought about. This is what I want to do, and for now, I’m not looking beyond that. Budget-wise, I was able to gather what I needed so that it wouldn’t cost me anything out of my pocket. So I really want to thank the partners supporting me in this new challenge.
You’re going to grind for almost four months, and the goal is to get a factory ride and finish in the top five at Fox Raceway?
[laughs] That would be the dream! But if things play out like that, then great! In any case, if I don’t have anything lined up before the championship starts, Plan B is to race the first and maybe the second round as a privateer and see what happens. I’m the kind of person who goes all in or not at all. So if it doesn’t work out, I won’t have any regrets because I’ll have done everything I could to make it happen.
You hopped on a plane with just a few belongings and committed yourself 100% to making it in the U.S. That’s a pretty bold move.
Yeah, you could say it’s risky, but it’s also calculated. I think you have to believe in it. As we know, in Europe, things are getting harder and harder unless you’re on a factory team. I’ve been through it, I know how it works. I think in the U.S, if you go all out, do the work, and show what you can do, there’s still a level of recognition you don’t get in MXGP anymore. And you can actually make a living while having fun. That’s why I really wanted to take my shot in the U.S.
In Europe, everyone must recognize you when you show up at a track. Over there, you probably fly more under the radar, right? Are you riding at Fox Raceway, Glen Helen, and other places?
Exactly. Some people know my name, and of course, a few media outlets know who I am. But the general public? No. Like I said, unless you’re a world champion, people don’t really care about you here. You have to prove yourself and show what you’re capable of.
As for tracks, we have about four or five options for training—Glen Helen, Fox Raceway, Perris. Then there are quite a few private tracks you can access if you have the right connections. The great thing is that the weather is good 95% of the time. You don’t have to worry about what you’re going to do the next day—it’s all set. You can just put in the hours and get real work done.
That’s a big change from doing 2×35-minute motos at Lommel in the rain, right?
For sure. And financially, that’s also why I made this choice. Training as a privateer in Europe is tough—you either have to go to Sardinia or stay in Belgium. After two training sessions in the sand, your bike is trashed because it eats up so much equipment and parts. It’s almost impossible. That’s why I set my sights on the Pro Motocross Championship.
The MXGP season is about to kick off in Argentina. If a team needs a rider and you get a last-minute call, would you consider returning to the GP’s?
I wouldn’t say my time in MXGP is over; you should never close the door to opportunities. You never know what the future holds. For now, I’m focused on the Outdoor season and fully committed to my goal. We’ll assess everything at the end of the season. The main objective is to make something happen here and secure a ride for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Interview and picture: Frelaud Kevin
