One rider that has plenty of potential in the future is German talent, Cato Nickel as he is still very young but already racing the 450cc machine. He has had a strong pre-season as well racing the International Italian Championship. At the latest round of the series he beat full factory riders on the way to finishing ninth overall.
The plan for Nickel is to contest ten rounds of the MXGP World Championship in 2025 so he’ll regularly be racing with the best riders in the world. We decided to catch up with the German to discuss his strong pre season, plans for the 2025 season and more.
GateDrop: Cato, let’s start with your off-season, how has that gone for you and where have you spent most of your time spinning laps?
Nickel: In the off-season I did absolutely nothing, to rest my body and to get excited for work again. In the middle of November I started my training and also some riding again.
GateDrop: You are still really young, I think I know exactly why but can you explain the decision to race a 450cc so soon in your career?
Nickel: In my second year of racing the 250cc I finished the ADAC MX Master Youngsters Cup class in second so anyway I had to move up (due to the rules). Aside from that I was too big and heavy to improve a lot on the EMX250 results, so I decided to ride the 450cc.
GateDrop: Let’s talk about Montevarchi, that was impressive. Can you talk me through your day?
Nickel: It started with a muddy free and timed practice where I could ride a solid lap without big mistakes which was difficult on that track (P.7). In the first race I took a bad start in around twenty-first but pushed all the way to seventh. In the second moto I started a bit better but couldn’t push like the first moto because I was sick these days and had some pain in my lungs and throat, but still did a solid job against the factory guys.
GateDrop: Seventh in the first moto, what’s your going through your mind – beating a few full factory riders, you must have been pumped?
Nickel: After I passed a few riders at the beginning I started to stagnate in fourteenth. I managed to pass two more riders and with five minutes left when I was twelfth I started to “race” I felt so comfortable that I closed the gap and passed in the same lap. When I read the names of the riders that I passed I thought I was dreaming, I was such a good flow and in one piece with the track that I finished in seventh.
GateDrop: I believe your setup with Bauerschmidt Husqvarna this year will be a little bit different. Can you explain this?
Nickel: Actually it’s the same bike and training facility as last year, for me it’s just a different name and organisation as the “CatMoto” Team. Because they want to focus on the 250s and Bauerschmidt took the 450s.
GateDrop: For 2025, the main focus will be on the ADAC MX Masters. What’s your goals for the series?
Nickel: The goal is always to get the best version out of myself, it’s hard to say it in numbers but I want to ride at the front with the fast guys and maybe get some TV time.
GateDrop: I can’t mention the ADAC MX Masters and not ask you about Nagl. He is still so fast, being German he must be one of the role models for you?
Nickel: I admire him a lot but he was never a role model for me. He rides very cleverly for his physical age and he has more experience than anyone else. But I think the time will catch him one day, but for sure not this season.
GateDrop: I believe you’ll race selected MXGP World Championship events in 2025. Do you know which rounds yet?
Nickel: I decided to race ten rounds of MXGP this season because this is what I’m aiming for in the future. Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands are the rounds I plan on racing.
GateDrop: You raced some MXGP World Championship events last year, how did you find the class – it goes without saying, the class is very, very fast…
Nickel: I really like the MXGP class. The riders are more calm and professional, but it’s hard to get a good result like tenth because there are so many factory riders and they don’t joke around. The split between factory and normal teams is pretty big.
GateDrop: What are your goals for the MXGP rounds you will race?
Nickel: I want to ride constantly in the points in the top fifteen. But one in top ten race would be the jackpot for me
