Heading into the 2025 season, Joel Rizzi is staying with the same team but apart from that it is all change for the young Brit. The Dirt Store team have made the switch from Kawasaki to Triumph and Rizzi will be racing the all new Triumph 450cc machine.
It’ll be Rizzi’s rookie season in the British Championship MX1 class but he’ll be eager to learn quick and put the new Triumph at the sharp end. We caught up with Rizzi as he was at the Arenacross in Belfast as a spectator as he decided to come to Northern Ireland to do some testing at Magilligan. You can watch, read or listen to the interview below…
GateDrop: Joel, A big change for you this year after many years on the 250cc and the mx2 class you’re stepping up to the big boys class in mx1 and the Triumph. First of all, can you talk me through the decision behind that?
Rizzi: Well, Triumph is a UK brand and I thought it was a really good opportunity to jump on the 450cc as it’s a brand new bike and have a young British prodigy on a brand new British prodigy bike. I thought it was a good mix and I feel like a 450cc suits my riding style for sure. I’m not 100 percent on it yet but just clocking the hours keep putting in the moto’s and it’ll come. We’re taking it step by step on it and it’s cool to be working with Triumph and developing this bike.
GateDrop: Just how exciting is it to be with the British brand in triumph… They obviously broke into the Motocross world last year but everyone could see what they’ve done in MX2 GP’s with Mikkel Haarup who had the best year of his career so far and then in AMA they’ve done pretty good stuff too. Just how exciting is it to see this new brand in the sport and you’re going to be the first rider racing the 450cc machine at Hawkstone International…
Rizzi: It’s super exciting, you know. I think it can lead to big things especially for the team and for me as well. Like you said with the MX2 GP team they’ve shown it’s an amazing bike and it’s time to show how good the 450cc is now. Time will tell, there’s a long way until the first main race of the British Championship and we’ve still not put lots of hours on the bike. Time will tell but I think it’s going to shock some people.
GateDrop: You’ve done a few laps here in Ireland this week actually before the Arenacross at Magilligan, our best facility. Just what was it like coming over here, I am sure the change of scenery was good and the track you’ve probably enjoyed it because it was your first time at the track…
Rizzi: For sure, I didn’t actually know there was a track like Magilligan in the UK to be honest so I’ll definitely be paying a visit here again. I’ve got another three days there Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (after the Arenacross). I’m just looking forward to putting in the laps because it is a place I think that is very similar to a GP track. It gets rough, there’s big jumps and I think it’s an amazing place. It’s a good place for me to get to grips with the 450cc for sure.
GateDrop: You’ve got Hawkstone International this weekend, it is going to be your first 450cc race, you’re being thrown in the deep end when you look at the entry list but at the same time that must be exciting to race with some of the best riders in the world… (UPDATE: Rizzi has announced since the interview he’ll be racing the MX2 class at Hawkstone instead).
Rizzi: For sure, I’m really looking forward to it and I think I can surprise some people there for sure. You know, I wouldn’t say my full moto is there to race Febvre and that yet but maybe next year I’ll give him a go in the racing.
GateDrop: I was talking to Stephen Sword earlier and you’re working with him, I think this is a new thing so it’s probably early days but so far what’s it been like working with him and you’re kind of young but do you remember him at his best when he was racing GP’s?
Rizzi: We were actually speaking about that the other night. It’s good to be working with Swordy because there’s a lot of good structure on the practice days and stuff like that. I think that’s what I needed instead of just going to a practice track and just riding around. Swordy is there telling me what to do, telling me what to improve on and making sure my lap times are staying good. It’s good to have a legend looking over you like that as well. I like Swordy as well because he’s chilled out, he keeps himself to himself and I like that about him.
GateDrop: Just on the British Championship, the MX1 class, it is obviously going to be a rookie season for you, What are the expectations? Obviously, Conrad in the UK is unbelievable so having that reference is probably going to be good for you…
Rizzi: For sure, I’m all in for every race I enter. I want to win but you know everyone knows how good Conrad is and I think if I can be close to Conrad that’ll be really good. I think maybe by the end of the year to be pushing him for wins and that’s my goal this year. Like you said, you know how good Conrad is in the British and I know for sure if I’m pushing Conrad in the British that is the speed for top ten at the GP’s and then I can look for next year if there’s something there in the GP’s. I think if I could beat Conrad this year that’d be quite good.
GateDrop: I interviewed Jon Giffard when the Triumph news was official and he told me back then that the plans for you this year, it’s obviously your last year to race MX2 GP’s so the plan for you was to do some of them but now you’ve been riding the 450cc, is that still the plan?
Rizzi: Now I’ve got on the 450cc, it’s a little bit skeptical but for sure I’d love to do the 250cc in GP’s because I haven’t actually rode the 250cc since being on the 450cc yet. I think I’m going to love it because I think I’m just gonna ride the balls off it. I think that’s going to be fun to do. I think I’ve shown some pace in the British last year and surprised myself. I think before I crashed at Preston Docks, I was pushing Valk who was on a sand track going for a championship. I think if I could take that speed to a GP with experience on the 450cc and more strength, I think I could open some eyes in the GP’s. I’d like to get some redemption in the GP’s because it was a tough few years I had in GP’s.
GateDrop: Just on last year, it was probably the first time you battled for a British title in terms of MX2, when you reflect on your season I think it was a successful one and you can also take confidence from that because going into that last round you were in with a shout…
Rizzi: 100%, it’s such an amazing feeling as well to be fighting for a championship. You can’t describe the feeling when you’re on that line and I live for that feeling to be honest. Like you said going back to your question about racing Conrad, you know I want that feeling again even though I know Conrad is good, but I honestly think with my mentality that I can put it up there for sure.
GateDrop: As you touched on there, you do want to do a few MX2 GP’s but you’re going to be racing the 450cc, are you hoping maybe towards the end of the year when you get really comfortable on that bike to maybe do a few MXGP rounds as well?
Rizzi: It all depends really. It all really depends on where my speed is at in the British because like you said we know how good Conrad is. If I’m close to Conrad then there’s no point doing MX2 GP’s, I may as well go straight into the MXGP class and get a head start. But we’ll play it by ear with that and I’d love to do some GP’s. Like I said, I want a bit of redemption at the GP’s for myself mainly more than anything. I’m really looking forward to this year, I think it’s going to be a tough year. You know, last year I’ve ridden a 250cc, I wanted to win the British Championship and I knew I could but this year it’s all a bit in the air with a new bike, a new class and everything. I’m going to give it my best and we’ll see what happens.
GateDrop: Perfect, thanks for your time and we’ll see you at Hawkstone International.
