It was a great weekend for Jorge Prado at Lommel. He might not have won but when Jeffrey Herlings exists and is in that form, it’s almost impossible. Prado rode really well and in terms of the championship had a great weekend. The Spaniard is has now got the points deficient down to 24 points with Gajser continuing to hold the red plate.
We caught up with Prado after the toughest GP on the calendar to discuss a range of topics and the good news is that he is planning on racing the MXoN – even if he is going to be changing brands in 2025.
GateDrop: Overall in terms of the championship it was a very good day, you gained points on Tim Gajser, so overall, a positive weekend?
Prado: Yeah, I mean overall in terms of the championship, in terms of riding, in terms of everything, it was a good weekend. I am so happy with everything and looking forward to the next races.
GateDrop: I’m sure even you’ll admit today, Herlings was probably the best guy on the day?
Prado: Yeah, so Jeffrey was better today, I was better yesterday, so you know, the track was very rough, it was brutal. So… he has a little bit of advantage with his, let’s say he’s way taller and bigger than me, so I’m good for let’s say 20-25 minutes and then I kind of lose my rhythm and especially with so many lappers, I’m not so good at passing. So… I struggled a little bit with that and he managed to keep all that speed all the time and that’s making him also don’t use the flow. So he did a very good job today, he was better and that’s why he won… but yeah I’m happy with my performance.
GateDrop: What was it like battling with him for the few laps you did? I mean you guys were miles ahead of anyone else, so you were flying at the front…
Prado: Yeah, I mean our speed is very good. I mean what is it like, we just try to do our best, right? He’s a very good rider and we just try our best and try to beat him and this time it was not possible, hopefully next time.
GateDrop: What was the track like yesterday and then compared to today? The track looked pretty weird yesterday, but today it was Lommel as we know it I think…
Prado: I think it’s just a little bit too heavy. I mean we even look slow and we look like we can’t ride the bike sometimes in some places because the holes are just way too deep, way too much. They just didn’t touch anything from Saturday to Sunday. So you can imagine, big holes and just not much rhythm on track. Also, they make the track so tight in places that we don’t really flow, so it’s more fighting it. I think on a track where the corners are a little bit more open, I think it would be better for me to just keep that flow over the bumps. So yeah, today was tough with this kind of track.
GateDrop: What would you like to see them do more in the future, just a little bit more track prep maybe?
Prado: It just depends. They should go back to something a bit more fast, a track with wider corners. I think we all agree, I mean I’ve been talking with so many riders and this conversation comes up so much, especially the last two years. The track is way too tight. It’s too slow in places, the bumps don’t form good.
It’s just a continuous, I don’t know how can you say, but it’s like no flow on track. It’s just fighting, it’s not also pure sand riding. It’s just hammering all the time, all the bumps, it’s not really flowing.
GateDrop: The first six rounds this year, I mean you were totally on fire. Do you still think you’re at that level but they’ve just caught up? Or maybe you’ve went down a little bit, What’s your perspective on it?
Prado: No, I think I’m on that level. Let’s see the next races, see if I can get better starts. For sure if I get good starts I can pull away like I did at the first round. It also really depends on the tracks. Tracks that also suited me so good like Portugal or France we got so much rain and I was struggling with the rain so it was a pity there to not perform at that level. Then for example in Czech Republic, that track was very tough for us, for our setup. Not much traction and I’m more a rider that rides on stand up and stuff so I need those ruts, right? So hopefully we get more tracks with ruts, it is better for me. (laughs).
GateDrop: Sweden is a little bit like Loket in that regard. Obviously it rained there last year and it was one of the most boring GP’s ever. Hopefully we escape the rain this year. But between now and then just go and ride a lot of hardpack, I guess?
Prado: No, I think I will keep riding a little bit of sand just to get myself stronger. And no, I mean Loket to Sweden, it’s similar to Loket but just a little bit more ruts. I think a little bit more flowy too so I’ve been always riding very good there. I had good rides since last year. I made a very good first moto. I think I won first moto and qualifying I think. So it was good, I am looking forward for better this year.
GateDrop: Just on the MXoN at the end of the year, if you’re selected for Team Spain, which I’m sure you are, will you go and race there?
Prado: Yeah, that’s the goal.
