One rider that doesn’t have it easy contesting the MX2 World Championship is Jan Pancar. Not only has he been a privateer fighting against the factory bikes which is hard enough but he is also driving to every GP from Slovenia and he has also been studying meaning he isn’t even a full time professional.
Pancar finally graduated in mechanical engineering earlier this month which means next year will be his first year fully focusing on Motocross. Considering he is battling for top ten results in MX2 he is doing a very good job. In 2024, it is time for Pancar to make the move up to the MXGP World Championship which is going to be a new challenge.
We caught up with the Slovenian after the Maggiora GP to discuss his setup, season and more.
You can listen or read below:
GateDrop: Jan, first of all, tell me a bit about your season racing the MX2 World Championship… a privateer trying to get a lot of funding together through sponsors, it is probably hard for you just to be here never mind doing what you are doing getting top ten results consistently, today maybe not the best day but I think you can be happy with your season…
Pancar: Yeah, I mean it is not easy being a privateer. It is a lot of money and work… But I mean, I am kind of happy with the season. For sure I can do much better, I think the biggest flaw is that I cannot get the starts. I don’t know, I think it is a little bit because of me and a little bit the bike. It is hard to compete with the factory guys, they put everything into the people and the bikes and everything else. It is really hard to do a good start but I think the riding was really good. I think I will end up eleventh this season, pretty good. I was hoping to be in the top ten but I had some bad luck with the front sprocket, this is the second time that I DNF because of that. The stone comes in and my chain comes off. So, yeah, 11-DNF, pretty good but I think I could do a top five if I started there.
GateDrop: In other MX2 seasons you have been top ten at times but I think this year you have been much more consistent, is there anything you changed coming into the season or maybe it’s just down to experience?
Pancar: For sure, it is experience. The goal was to do good in pre-season and be prepared already at the beginning of the season because before it was always the second half of the season I would do better results. Already this year at the beginning of the season I was around tenth, I already felt a second or two faster so that helped. But I just couldn’t figure out the starts, maybe in MXGP it will be easier because the 450cc’s are all strong so it’s not so important to have the extra power.
GateDrop: I believe you are still living and based in Slovenia, what is it like travelling to all the GP’s from there – maybe it would be better to be based in central Europe in the future? With you studying this year that wasn’t possible…
Pancar: I mean everywhere we go, we go with the camper, only for the oversea races we go by the plane. But yeah, everything is pretty far, everything is over 1,000 kilometers… I mean Italy is closer but otherwise it is pretty far. I mean it could be easier to go with the plane but we just don’t have the budget for it if my father drove alone and then I went with the plane. It would be easier but I am not factory, so… (laughs).
GateDrop: You graduated this year so you aren’t even a full time professional yet, what was it like studying, did it take away from some training? What was it like to graduate, not many riders do that but it’s good for the future… although at the same time you must be glad it’s over so you can be a full professional next year…
Pancar: I mean I was really happy to finish with the School (University) because it is difficult to put two things together, you know? You have to be there and then have to study, it hurts about the Motocross. It is hard to put 100% into both. I am just happy to finish it and for sure it is good for the future. I just think I need a little bit more and hopefully I can get a factory ride but we will see in the next few seasons.
GateDrop: Just on next year, you have your own setup, long-term how sustainable do you think it is and short-term, are your plans for next year the same as this year but stepping up to MXGP?
Pancar: We have pretty good support being a privateer so probably next year I am going to do the same. There’s not really any good team that have made me an offer. For now it is possible to do it for the next few years maybe but if I get the same sponsors I have now because you never know what can happen. If I get the sponsors, I think that I can manage to do it on my own and it is sustainable and I mean it will be easier in MXGP…
GateDrop: In MXGP a stock bike is not so bad but in MX2 you definitely need a tuned bike…
Pancar: Yeah, I mean for sure we will do somethings on the bike but I think not as much as we’d need in MX2.
GateDrop: Guillod is a good example as he’s riding a stock bike…
Pancar: Exactly. I mean MXGP there’s a lot more experienced riders but if you see the lap times and stuff MX2 is pretty close to them. I think the second moto that MX2 were even faster. I believe that I can do top ten results even in MXGP with good starts of course (laughs). But we will see, I am kind of looking forward to it as it is a new challenge.
GateDrop: Just on the Motocross Des Nations and team Slovenia, maybe the strongest team you have ever had. Hopefully you can qualify without that B final which Ireland always need (laughs)…
Pancar: I mean I think if Tim and me even do an average result that we are going to be in. On Sunday, we will just try to do the best result for Slovenia at the MX of Nations. We are a really small country, only two million people so it is hard to get three good riders in Motocross so I think it is the strongest team we’ve had. I am looking forward to it, it is always fun to ride and the atmosphere is always awesome so I am looking forward to it.
GateDrop: You mention Slovenia being a small country, I am not sure if you are into cycling and watch the Tour de France and stuff but Pogačar – what a beast and I think you guys have another top cyclist. What is it about Slovenia and cyclists, it is crazy…
Pancar: I don’t know, they are crazy… pfft. I mean the two guys they were almost winning all the time, Pogačar and also Roglič. I don’t know, if you look at almost all the sports we have at least one guy that is always at the top. For only two million people it is kind of crazy but I mean, I don’t know, maybe we are kind of the underdogs, we fight a little bit more. I don’t know but we have something!
Interview: Andy McKinstry
Image: Goran Kroselj
