Interview: Bas Vaessen

Suzuki spotted the potential in Bas Vaessen when he was competing in the EMX125 class and decided to sign him for the EMX250 class. The 2015 season was his rookie season and he ended up sixteenth in the championship, all his high points came in the sand races.

This year is his second year in the class and he has stepped it up massively. He sits third in the EMX250 championship and finally looks like a good hard pack rider. He has been working with Stefan and Harry Everts.  It is clear to see that working with them has made a huge difference in his riding and it’s great to see the Dutch rider riding well in hard pack as that is something he has always struggled with.

Suzuki have signed him as a rider for the future and they will be hoping he can follow in Jeremy Seewer’s footsteps and battle for MX2 podiums in a few years when he steps up to ride that class.

After the Spanish round we decided to sit down and talk to him after his impressive performances. He also ended up on the podium in the latest round in France!

Gatedrop: Bas, good weekend for you in Spain, can you talk me through your moto’s?

Bas Vaessen: Yeah I was alright, during my first moto it was really good with a hole shot and leading a lot of laps but the second moto, I kind off messed it up with a first lap crash and broke my front brake.

Gatedrop: In that first moto you looked like a really good hard pack rider, how good does that make you feel? Would it be fair to say you have been searching for that speed in hard pack your entire career?

Bas Vaessen: I come from the sand as you know and I have always been really good at it but have been struggling on hard pack tracks as i always make mistakes. I think the sand is more forgiving, like if you make a mistake you can correct it easy but on hard pack you’re done most of the time. Or at least that’s what I think (laughs).

Gatedrop: In Latvia you finished second overall, how good did it feel to get your first overall in the EMX250 class?

Bas Vaessen: It felt great! I have been close a lot of times but to finally stand on that podium felt like a relieve.

Gatedrop: This is your second year in EMX250, are you happy with your progression since last year?

Bas Vaessen: Yeah, I trained a lot with Stefan and Harry.  I made a lot of big steps this year on points and that was something I struggled with before.

Gatedrop: How does the speed in the class compared to last year?

Bas Vaessen: Poh the speed is so much higher this year and the guys are consistent, last year you could have a couple of bad moto’s and still finish well in the championship but this year the level is really high, also if you compare lap times with the MX2 guys.

Gatedrop: Are you surprised by how well Hunter Lawrence adapted before his injury?

Bas Vaessen: Not really, if you are a top rider you are good everywhere whether it’s Europe or Australia I think.

Gatedrop: You are working with Harry and Stefan Everts. How is it working with them and how have they helped you?

Bas Vaessen: It’s been good, really good! They helped me a lot with minimizing the mistakes and being a smarter rider.

Gatedrop: Also, riding regularly with Jeremy Seewer must help your speed?

Bas Vaessen: Yeah, on the hard pack tracks it really benefits me a lot to ride with him. Especially on really technical and difficult tracks.

Gatedrop: Did you change much coming into this season compared to other years?

Bas Vaessen: Not really, only that I trained with Harry and Stefan (Everts).

Gatedrop: Have you got a goal in mind that you would like to achieve before the end of the season?

Bas Vaessen: My goal is to finish top three in the European championship and we are on a good road to achieving that.

Gatedrop: Last year there were rumours you could be racing MX2 this year, are you happy that you decided to stay in the EMX250 class?

Bas Vaessen: Well, to be honest I would have liked it better to ride MX2 but I think for the future it’s best I stayed because now I’m fighting for the top spots and otherwise I would have been a 5-15 rider.  I think that now I am learning to fight more because there’s more on the line right now.

Gatedrop: For next year have you got a plan of where you want to be whether that be in MX2 or EMX250?

Bas Vaessen: My plan is to ride MX2 of course! But Suzuki decides what class I will ride.

Interview: Andy McKinstry