A happy and positive Benoit Paturel is buzzing ahead of his first AMA outdoor season that begins in a couple of days at Fox Raceway (Pala). We caught up briefly with the former MX2 runner-up and MXoN winner to look ahead to his season in the US and how the adjustment to the Suzuki is going after riding Yamaha for so long.
Benoit told us the ride for HEP Suzuki came out of the blue: “I came to the US with no deal and the plan to just show up, train and hopefully be picked up by a team. I was thrilled when HEP contacted me and gave me the opportunity to race for them for the outdoor season. It was important to be here.
So how is the Suzuki compared to the Yamaha? “I loved the bike right away,” said Paturel. “It feels skinnier and smaller than the Yamaha. We made some adjustments to be more comfortable. And we are excited to go racing.”
And Paturel has a very experienced team manager in his corner in Larry Brooks, who has worked with McGrath, Stewart, Reed and now Roczen, four of the biggest legends in the sport! So, how is Benoit finding working woth Brooks so far? “Larry Brooks is very understanding. He has a lot of knowledges and experiences to share. I have a lot to learn from him. I have great people around me.”
Benoit Paturel could turn some heads this summer if he can get the starts and ride to his potential, the HEP Suzuki squad might just have struck gold.
