After a challenging start to his EMX250 campaign, Bobby Bruce is looking to build momentum as the season progresses. The British rider had a tough opening round in Spain, failing to qualify, but showed signs of improvement at round two. In this interview, Bruce discusses his decision to step back to EMX250, his recovery from injury, and his goals for the season, including competing for the British Championship title. He also reflects on his brief experience in MXGP last year and how it has shaped his approach for the future.
GateDrop: Bobby, round two of the EMX250 championship. How would you assess your weekend? Obviously, you started the series on the back foot in Cozar, I think the only way that could have went worse if you ended that place with an injury after not qualifying. So, progress in that sense, but you probably still want more?
Bruce: I mean coming into this year we knew that it was going to be a bit on the back foot. We didn’t start riding until middle of February, so we had six months off just to let my body heal from last year and then obviously Spain was just an absolute nightmare. You could really only get one lap in and I messed that up, I crashed and whatever. This weekend it’s something to build on, it’s not exactly where I want to be and where I know I can be at this point, but yeah it is what it is. We’re taking results here, the first race I think could have been a good one, but unfortunately I lost my front brake about six laps in and then riding down them hills and stuff without a front brake is quite tough. I mean it is what it is, we are where we are right now and we can only progress from there.
GateDrop: I guess the main positive is probably the starts seemed quite good, you were at the front I think in both motos, so you must have been happy with that?
Bruce: The starts are good and they say it’s the hardest part of the race, so as long as I’ve got that bit dialled you know the rest will follow.
GateDrop: People are probably a bit confused, you haven’t had the normal career, you know you started last year in MX2, then you went to MXGP and now you’re back in the EMX250 class, can you just tell people what the thinking was behind that?
Bruce: I think it’s just timing, right? I’ve had a few years where I’ve been injured and I’ve not managed to see my full potential and you know many riders in the past, Horgmo has dropped back down, Lata dropped back down, Osterhagen has also dropped back down. It’s just you need to have a building year before you go into MX2. I want to be competitive when I race in MX2 and I think EMX is a good stepping stone for me next year and the year after in MX2.
GateDrop: Racing MXGP on the 450cc last year, how was that whole experience? Probably something you didn’t expect at the start of the year and then all of a sudden, you’re on a 450cc, but the couple of races you done the speed was quite good I thought…
Bruce: My speed has always been quite good, but last year I was dealing with some injuries that was just not really all that good to race with, so stepping up to the 450 we just thought why not learn something new. Ride a bike, I just used it as fun and we actually gained a lot of experience out of it.
GateDrop: Going from the 450cc to the 250cc, do you think that’s made you a better rider, probably helps you be more aggressive?
Bruce: I mean I think when you have your own style you ride your bike how you ride it, no matter what the bike is, so yeah it has its pros and cons 100%.
GateDrop: Over winter you said you didn’t get back on a bike till mid-February, was it? What was the reason for that, just let body heal and stuff or were the injuries worse than maybe you let on last year?
Bruce: Last year I mean I had to pretty much just suck it up with my wrist and ride because I got offered a ride from Steve.
GateDrop: How bad was the wrist?
Bruce: It was pretty bad you know, there were some days where I’d go practicing, I could do one moto and go home. Then obviously there was many GPs last year, Latvia I was running top 10 and then my hand blew up, had a big crash, Arco I couldn’t even line up for both my moto’s and Saridina was the same, so it was tough. So along with crashing because of my wrist I also damaged my shoulder, so it was just a roll on effect. So, I had from middle of September, the last British round, until the middle of February.
GateDrop: What are the goals for the EMX250 championship? You probably came in with big hopes but after the first round, I mean it’s going to be hard to win the title let’s be honest, but I’m sure you want to be consistent top 10 and then maybe get a podium in the good days…
Bruce: Even coming into this year I knew that winning would be tough, you know I’ve not even been close to winning the last few years so we just wanted to build and be at a sharp end. I think that’s where we can be come the middle of the season.
GateDrop: You’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries, I think it’s probably the most important thing is to stay injury free this year because you should naturally improve the more races you get under your belt…
Bruce: 100%, that is the goal is to finish the year out racing every moto, 100%.
GateDrop: What was the track like this weekend? Obviously I thought it started very fast the start of the day because they didn’t rip it due to the rain but once heavens opened it got pretty technical…
Bruce: Yeah it was, yesterday was a really fast race track and then obviously the overnight rain, then it was pretty brutal to be honest. There was like knee high deep ruts, it was definitely technical.
GateDrop: Are you going to do the full British championship? Have you got an plans for that because sometimes you do the rounds and sometimes you don’t. Are you going to focus on that?
Bruce: Yeah I’m going to race the full British championship this year.
GateDrop: What are your goals for that? Probably to try and win the title?
Bruce: Just be at the sharp end, see what happens. We don’t want to put our hopes up too high right now, but I know that on my good day that I can win the British championship.
GateDrop: It’s funny because yesterday and today you were battling with Doensen and Werner, it was kind of a British championship battle in with the EMX guys, I don’t know if that crossed your mind but I think that is good as it gives you a good gauge heading into the British Championship…
Bruce: Yeah, just being my first race of the year you know, it’s tough your first race of the year, there’s a lot of cobwebs you’ve got to blow off, just the feeling. The race intensity, we’re far from where we want to be and where I know I can be but it’s all up from here.
GateDrop: Just in terms of the future, are you on a one-year contract with Steve or are you secured for the future because you obviously want to be racing MX2 GP’s next year?
Bruce: I want to race MX2 next year in the GP’s so if there’s something that we can do together with Steve then I’ll stay but then if not then I might have to venture off somewhere else.
