After stepping away from the intensity of full-time Grand Prix racing, Eddie Wade seems to have rediscovered his love for the sport — and it’s showing on track. The former GP contender rolled into this year’s condensed Arenacross series with raw speed and flashes of the talent that once marked him out as one of Britain’s brightest prospects. While mistakes and starts ultimately dictated his results across the three-round championship, Wade proved that when he gets out front, he’s still more than capable of running at the sharp end.
Switching from an all-electric machine to a conventional Triumph added another layer to his Arenacross return, as Wade adapted to life back on a clutch and gears after being away from that rhythm. Now settled back in the UK and preparing for a full British Championship campaign in MX1 next season, Wade opens up about rediscovering balance in racing, the mindset shift that’s come with time away, and why he’s excited to put in the work again – this time on his own terms.
GateDrop: Eddie, only three rounds this year, how do you just sum it all up? Your pace looked pretty good and the riding was pretty good…
Wade: I started off strong in Birmingham. I was hoping for the season to go like that but then just made some stupid mistakes from there. I had some bad starts in Birmingham and then the same yesterday, I got some decent starts but still had mistakes. Tonight, I put it all together. In the first main I got a 9th which screwed me up for the podium. But just to put it all together in the heat races, obviously with the head to head. If I get a start I knew I’m there. That’s all it is. Then the main come around, I thought same again. Get a start, I’ll be away.
GateDrop: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that’s the first time you’ve done an Arenacross not on an all-electric bike. You’ve always done it with Stark in the past, haven’t you? What was it like doing it on a triumph as opposed to the Stark? Any big differences?
Wade: Correct. I had to get used to pulling clutches again (laughs), it took a while to get used to it in Birmingham and last night. Obviously it’s two years away from the start but I managed to figure that out with our triumphs and a normal bike. It took me a while to find my feet.
GateDrop: Triumph is obviously a relatively new bike. What have you found jumping on a new bike? How did it feel when you first got on it? Was it strange for you?
Wade: I’ve rode the 250cc before and it feels a nice comfy bike straight away. Then I jumped on a 450cc and it’s very smooth. The power is very easy and comfortable to ride so it wasn’t a big jump for me. But it’s a nice bike to ride.
GateDrop: Last year, towards the end of the British Championship, you made a bit of a comeback. You were really fast. You got a third or fourth in a moto in MX2. Did you surprise yourself? You surprised me, I have to say because you were away for a while.
Wade: To be fair, I went on a stag do which was riding bikes. All my mates were saying, you need to race the British Championship. So I got back home and I did a couple of days on a bike that I borrowed. I just went to have fun really. I got a bad starts in the first race but then after that I got a decent start. I think I came up second then had a tip over before finishing third.
GateDrop: I mean what’s it like for you racing now? Because obviously growing up you probably took it fairly serious because you thought your future could be in motocross. You took maybe a year or two off. What’s it like now? Are you able to just enjoy it and not think too much about the results? Obviously you still want to do well though!
Wade: Obviously as a racer you want to do well. But I think, especially now taking time away, you have a bit of a different mindset. I’m stepping back and then looking at it from a different perspective. I’m going to it wanting to have fun. I’m not taking as much risk now either, whereas before I’d probably have a go at it. Now I just sit back and let it go.
GateDrop: Is there any part of you that misses the GPs or anything like that? Obviously it’s very intense when you’re in the moment. You have to give your whole life if you want to try and make a name of it. Is there any bit of that you miss?
Wade: Obviously you miss the racing. You miss being the best or trying to be the best. I think everybody will. I don’t miss the life living away from home. You miss the sister and you miss the family.
GateDrop: Are you in the UK full time now? What’s that like? Because you grew up in Spain a lot of the time. Winter here, it is an absolute shambles even for us. Are you enjoying being in the UK?
Wade: I’m enjoying it. I’ll go back to Spain every now and then to see my old mates and stuff like that. But I moved over just before Covid. With my parents getting old and for family reasons we decided to come back to the UK. I’ve been doing really well and it’s all thanks to the support of my mates. I went to Spain for January so I do go back sometimes.
GateDrop: Next year, I believe you’re going to be doing the full British Championship? Now that you know you’re going to be doing a full championship again, not just dipping your toe in like you did last year. I mean, that gives you something to work towards. Are you looking forward to that. That MX1 class, you are going to be riding against Watson, Oliver, Mewse, GP guys… So, you’re going to have to do a bit of work (laughs)…
Wade: I’m going to have to put in the work. Especially on the big bike to get used to it. I’m going to have to put in the work. I’m going to have to get stuck in my gym. So I’m going to have to get some sand training in as well because I haven’t done much of that. I’ll do a bit of that and put in some time to get ready.
