David Needham has quietly become one of the most respected practice mechanics in the MXGP paddock, building an impressive career that has seen him work alongside some of the sport’s biggest names. From starting out as a volunteer at Steve Dixon’s team to helping Jeffrey Herlings win world championships before making the switch to the Kawasaki Racing Team, the Brit has experienced the highs, lows and relentless demands of life behind the scenes at the highest level of motocross.
We recently caught up with Needham as he reflects on his journey through the paddock, working with riders including Jeffrey Herlings, Jordi Tixier, Thomas Covington and now Pauls Jonass, explains the realities of being a modern MXGP practice mechanic, discusses why his long partnership with Herlings came to an end, and reveals why he believes his future remains with Kawasaki heading into the 2027 season.
GateDrop: David, first of all, take me back to the start – how did you get involved in the sport?
Needham: My parents got me into racing since I was three years old. I had been racing myself for a very long time. When I was 15, I spent a few years in America, and that’s when I started doing mechanical roles, when I realised I was not any good at riding a bike. I started as a mechanic for a few amateur riders, and then I actually came back to the UK to work with Steve Dixon.
GateDrop: I believe you your first role in the paddock was back in 2012 working at Dixon Racing – I believe they were Yamaha at the time, and you were helping Shaun Simpson but I don’t think you did all rounds back then? What was that first role like for you?
Needham: The role was not really to work with Shaun Simpson as such, but I was the team helper, but I did do many things with Shaun and his father. It was actually a great experience and I actually worked for half of the season for free there to get myself into the industry, which I’m sure Steve Dixon would have liked (laughs). But actually that helped me out a lot for the future.
GateDrop: You must have clearly enjoyed it as you decided to remain in the paddock after that?
Needham: I still love it now, honestly. I always say if I won the lottery, I would continue to do what I’m doing. I would just eat good food and drive nice cars as well (laughs).
GateDrop: Your next team was CLS Kawasaki who ran the factory MX2 effort back then. You worked with Jordi Tixier who was a world champion at the time. What was it like working with a world champion? Sometimes the French are known to be stubborn (laughs)…
Needham: Jordi Tixier was actually my second season at CLS. The first season was with Alessandro Lupino but actually that was only half a season, because there were some other riders that got injured, and he had to go to the 450cc. It ended up that I continued with Thomas Covington for the second half of that season.
I enjoyed getting along with the riders, and they seemed to get along with me quite well too. Everyone has their frictions, but in the end it was always a nice atmosphere and always a good experience.
GateDrop: CLS would have been the first team in Europe you’ve went to work for – how did you find living in Belgium and being away from the UK so much?
Needham: I had lived in America for many years before that and I’d actually been away from my family for a lot of my life, so I’m used to it. I was not in need to be home with my family or my parents so actually in the end it was quite nice.
GateDrop: I didn’t know you were in America at the beginning, what was it like to grow up there and then come back to Europe? A lot of people never come back from America…
Needham: Just some personal reasons were why I ended up coming back. It was just a good experience in America, I was there when I was a kid and I stayed at the Millsaps training facility. I dipped my toes into being a mechanic there as well. It ended up being a good opportunity to come back to Europe, back home and to start a career here.
GateDrop: What initially led to you working with Jeffrey Herlings? I believe yourself and Ruben Tureluren both worked closely with him before he left to go to Husqvarna…
Needham: We were doing the photo shoot for the Motocross des Nations, and I was with Calvin Vlaanderen at that time. Ruben actually asked me if I would like the job then. I got quite lucky with that opportunity, and it was another great experience.
GateDrop: What was it like working closely with Jeffrey over such a long period, especially through different teams and environments?
Needham: I enjoyed it. Many times, Valentina (Ragni) was kind of surprised that Jeffrey got me close so early. I don’t know what I did differently. We had a good relationship from the beginning. It was a bit of a shame to end when it did.
GateDrop: How did Jeffrey’s approach to riding and preparation evolve during your time together? He certainly loves to ride and race a lot!
Needham: Definitely more intense but it just shows his consistency. There’s never really a day off, which is nice for me because it continues that motivation on my side to see that he’s still pushing every day. That helped me with my motivation. Honestly, it’s nice to see someone work that hard.
GateDrop: People see Jeffrey’s aggression on track—what is he like in a practice and testing environment?
Needham: I’m sure with Ruben and the MX2 days, he would have pushed that hard every day. With me, he knew his limits and he stuck to how he was feeling that day. He knew his limits.
GateDrop: What are the biggest misconceptions people have about working with a rider like Jeffrey at that level?
Needham: I’m sure people look at Jeffrey as the quiet type who hides himself and doesn’t want to talk to the public. I think if you get him on one-on-one, he’s very talkative. He’s one of the nicest guys on a one-on-one basis. I think he struggles to deal with a lot of public around him. That’s actually what everyone sees every weekend.
On a personal level, what we do is a full-time job, for sure. I’m sure a lot of people think it’s more of a holiday and just a fun job. But no, it’s a full-time job.
GateDrop: You’ve won world titles with Jeffrey, just how special are those years when you reflect back on them?
Needham: I was very emotional. I don’t know if I cried, but I remember watching the last race and having that sick feeling in my throat. Thinking, is he going to do it or not? It’s always exciting. I think that’s what brings you back every year. It doesn’t matter if we’re going for a world championship or a fifth place. Sometimes that best result for the rider you are working with is always exciting.
GateDrop: You followed Jeffrey through different manufacturers—how different is the day-to-day work when switching from KTM to Honda machinery? January looked like long old days…
Needham: We rode a lot at the beginning of January. It was definitely difficult. When you’re in Spain, also with the Honda, you’re not staying in a workshop, so you’re on the road quite often as well and working outside. It was different. Working with the KTM was quite an easy bike. The Honda, it was quite a difficult bike. In the end, the winter prep is also difficult with the KTM. It’s just a different team and getting used to everybody.
GateDrop: Whenever we reported the news that you decided to move on from Jeffrey, everyone was saying it’s because it’s too much hard work… But I don’t personally think that’s why. From your point of view why did you end up leaving Honda and going to work with Pauls Jonass at KRT?
Needham: It’s really a shame to have it end like it did. Honestly, Jeffrey was working as hard as he does and that only motivates me more, I enjoy that. It was just getting along with the team, it just didn’t seem to click both ways. They didn’t get along with me so well, and I didn’t get along with them so well. It was quite mutual. It just didn’t make sense for me to stay anymore.
Luckily, right at the perfect timing, also Kawasaki had an opening. I know it looks like I just jumped straight into another position, but it was just all perfect timing in the end.
GateDrop: What are the biggest technical differences you noticed between bikes at that factory level? You’ve had roles at Factory Kawasaki, KTM and Honda…
Needham: Honestly, yes. Also, compared to the KTM, Kawasaki is also a very difficult bike. There are many more things, like electrical stuff, on both the Honda and Kawasaki. There’s quite a big difference, honestly. Also, mainly the way the teams work. Each team wants you to work slightly different, so that’s also something you’ve got to get used to.
GateDrop: How has the transition into the Kawasaki Racing Team environment been for you? You’ve been at Kawasaki before but a different team so it’s not quite the same…
Needham: No, I worked with Kawasaki at CLS and also Dixon, the second time I was at Dixon was also Kawasaki. Those days were the 250cc but now I’m working with the 450cc. It’s a big difference – a very big difference, actually.
GateDrop: What are your early impressions of working with Pauls in comparison to previous riders you’ve worked with? He seems pretty laid back and friendly…
Needham: He is a very friendly guy, and we get along very well together. Also, the motivation is still very high on his side. It’s not like you see some riders are even more laid-back and not so interested in their practice days, but he’s always trying to look for that next step. I think he’s doing very well. It’s unfortunate about the injury now, but I think we’ve done very well this second half of the season.
GateDrop: How would you describe his riding style and technical feedback compared to others you’ve worked with?
Needham: Yes, honestly, when you look at him, he’s got that bulldog type of style that you would think he doesn’t feel so much on the bike. He is actually very sensitive on the bike and he feels many things. That has also been a learning experience for me and something for me to learn on how to get used to the bike.
GateDrop: For people who don’t understand the role, what does a “practice mechanic” actually do day-to-day at MXGP level?
Needham: Yes, as a practice mechanic, we’re more involved with what happens behind the scenes. We’re going to talk about Pauls now because I’m currently working with him. If he wants to try something that day, then I’m the first one to touch it or to come up with the ideas with him and with the team as well. For me, being a practice mechanic, it’s exciting because we’re more involved with each change that happens and also servicing the bike in the evenings after each day.
GateDrop: Being the first person to touch the bike, do you feel any pressure with that or are you just used to it now?
Needham: You get used to it. You can’t take what Jeffrey used to change and discuss that with Pauls because you’ve got to get used to the rider and what he likes. What worked for Jeffrey, I cannot bring those same comments to Pauls, it just doesn’t work like that. You’ve got to get used to the bike and the rider.
GateDrop: From your experience, how much has MXGP machinery changed since your first role in 2012 to now? There seems to be a lot more data available now!
Needham: For sure, there’s a lot more data. It’s all on the computer now, so we can change so many things just on the computer which is pretty crazy when you think about it. All the sensors that we have now, it’s also a lot, there’s a lot to look out for now. Before, it was more of a kick-start and go – now it’s a lot different.
GateDrop: What’s the most challenging part of life on the MXGP world championship circuit that fans don’t see?
Needham: The consistency of everything. We don’t have that week off or you cannot just take a random week off. It’s pretty much every day. The same thing keeps going and keeps going. Even when you think, we’ve got a bit of a break now, in the end, you’re still going. That’s the most tiring part.
GateDrop: How do you manage the constant travel and back-to-back race weekends mentally and physically? It must be tough and the calendar is very long!
Needham: Results do help with the motivation on that. If you’ve also got a rider that has a lot of respect or is doing good from what the expectations are then that helps with motivation of going back to work. It is tough to get around that mental side of the travel.
GateDrop: Looking back, what’s been your proudest moment in the paddock so far?
Needham: One of my first years with Maxime Desprey, I think we almost finished on the box, which was quite unheard of for him, so we were all buzzing. That was when I was Dixon. Obviously winning the World Championship with Jeffrey was incredibly special.
GateDrop: If you could go back and give yourself advice at the start of your career, what would it be?
Needham: I guess it would be to start earlier. I enjoyed my life when I was younger. I was trying to ride and become a professional, I’m not saying don’t give up on your dreams, but I started quite late. I was 25 or 26 when I started, that doesn’t sound so late, but I think many people now are starting at 19 now.
GateDrop: What would you still like to achieve in the sport moving forward?
Needham: I would like to maybe change departments and do something with the engines or learn ECU (Electronic Control Unit) stuff. There are many avenues now with all the ECU projects and stuff like that, so for sure I would like to learn some new stuff.
GateDrop: Have you got any plans for next year yet or do you just go one year at a time and it’s a wait and see for next year?
Needham: One year at a time, but I’m pretty confident I’ll be staying with Kawasaki next year. On the rider situation, I have no idea who that will be yet.
