It’s easy to forget as he was so impressive on his return to racing but Thibault Benistant missed the start of the 2022 season due to a knee injury. The French talent once he returned though ran at the front of a stacked MX2 World Championship line up and going into 2023 he will have had a full winter to prepare which could make him dangerous.
Benistant discussed having Jago Geerts as a teammate who he is expected to battle for the title with in 2023, as well as his plans for the future to DailyMX.
On having Jago Geerts as a teammate who he could battle with for the title this year…
Jago and I aren’t close on a basic level. He’s pretty reserved and we hardly ever talk. Jago, for me, is like a ‘normal’ competitor. I never train with him, I never talk to him, I never see him, so in the end it’s like he’s a competitor of another brand; we just have the same colours. I don’t have any more relationship with him than with another rider in the paddock like a Laengenfelder at GasGas for example. We see each other on race day and that’s it. The competition for the title, whether it’s with him or someone else, it doesn’t change anything. I don’t have any more pressure, but no tension with him either.
On his plans for the future…
It’s true that the number of riders behind the grid is starting to get smaller, the fields are a bit monotonous. It may not get worse and worse but we could find solutions. I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m thinking about going to the USA in a few years.
I think I’ll be in the US in 5 years. I’m under contract with Yamaha for the 2023 season, as well as another in 2024 and an option for 2025. I have options; whether it’s in MXGP, or for the US.
You can read the full interview on DailyMX, here.
Image: MXGP/Infront Moto Racing