What a couple of years that Mathis Valin has had. Moving up to the 250cc machine in 2024 he was a revelation as a rookie winning the EMX250 championship under the BUD Kawasaki awning. The factory team decided to sign up Valin for the 2025 season and he made his debut with his new team at Hawkstone International.
British fans got to see what Valin is all about dominating both MX2 moto’s as well as a super strong second in the super final. After Hawkstone, we caught up with the French talent to discuss a range of topics which you can read, watch or listen to below…
GateDrop: Maths, your factory Kawasaki debut here in England, Hawkstone Park, just talk me through your day. You were very very fast so you must be happy with how your day went?
Valin: Yeah, I’m very happy with this day. We did three starts, three holeshots, and I had quite good speed too. It was a really nice weekend for me. I won the first race, I won the second race and I did second in the super final. It was a great day, we worked a lot this winter with the team so I’m very happy.
GateDrop: Have you ever raced Hawkstone Park before?
Valin: No, never. This was the first time for me.
GateDrop: What was your thoughts on the track, very very sandy, rough, gnarly, technical?
Valin: It was gnarly, the sand was heavy because we had a lot of rain here. But it was quite nice, I need to stay on two wheels, and for the precision and everything it was a good track. It was a bit cold here, so it’s a little bit hard, but yeah.
GateDrop: The super final, you were the best Kawasaki rider, how did it feel to beat both your teammates, you’re supposed to be the rookie (laughs)…
Valin: Yeah, I was the best on the team, but they started a bit later, so that’s why. But I still showed good speed and I enjoyed a lot to ride with the big boys. It was a nice training for today.
GateDrop: Last year you were living in France with Bud Kawasaki, I believe now you’re based in Belgium, how do you find being in Belgium and away from your home country?
Valin: Yeah, I live in Belgium, but it is a big world because I have only stayed two weeks until now in Belgium. I just stayed two weeks from the beginning with the team, because I move a lot to France with my coach, and we went to Spain to train, we went to Sardinia in January to train for one month. Because of this I don’t stay a lot there for the moment, but it’s quite nice, the weather is a bit like this.
GateDrop: Have you rode a lot with Jonass and Febvre, your teammates, and what has it been like riding with them? These are guys you can learn a lot from, they’re world champions…
Valin: I ride a little bit with them, every time when I ride with them it is always good, because we speak a lot about the track and everything. They push me at the training, because I’m a bit less fast than them so it’s nice. I love to ride with them, and I learn a lot.
GateDrop: Your coach Thierry van den Bosch, I think you started working with him last year, what’s it like working with him and how is he able to help you?
Valin: I started last year with him, and I decided to stay with him this year. It was the best choice for me, because he’s actually a nice coach and we work a lot. He knows how to go with the bike, he knows the suspension, he knows everything, and this is a good point. I train a lot with Maxime Renaux too, because Thierry is also his coach so yeah, we have a nice group.
GateDrop: Last year you won the EMX250 championship of course, I mean, did you surprise yourself last year coming in, did you really think you could win the title, and how did it feel to win it? Not only that but you never cracked under pressure, so you must have been happy with your season?
Valin: Yeah, we were not expecting that at the beginning, because I was moving from the 125cc to the 250cc so it was quite a big step. Directly from the beginning of the season, I do the first podium, so we said okay, it’s good, and every GP I was even faster and faster, so we think a bit more. It was a really good year and I was not expecting that, and the team too but it was a really nice year.
GateDrop: Last year you were a rookie and you’re going to be a rookie this year again in the MX2 World Championship… what are your goals going into your first season in MX2 or do you just want to learn, take each GP as it comes?
Valin: I don’t have so many goals, I just want to learn and take experience. But of course I don’t train to do tenth or something like that so if I can win, I will go for win. I will give my best and progress GP after GP, so we will see the result.
GateDrop: You’ve only ever raced in Europe before, are you looking forward to going to Argentina, and racing the Flyway Grand Prix’s, and also what’s your thoughts on racing 20 GP’s, it’s going to be a long season, and also a lot more track time, you’ve got more sessions, the qualifying race, so you’re just going to have to learn, as you go along…
Valin: Yeah, it’s going to be a big step, because I will go from 10 rounds to a 20 race GP season. We have three races per GP, so it’s quite a lot, but yeah, I need to take experience and need to be consistent. I need to be not injured and finish the championship in a good place.
GateDrop: Your English, amazing, two years ago, not so good when I spoke to you, you’ve learned it quite quick…
Valin: Yeah, I learned a lot in two years, two years ago when I was on the 125cc, I was not speaking English. This year to come to Kawasaki, the team speak English, so I need to speak English, and I train a lot with my two mechanics, so that’s good points. It’s not so good for the moment, but I can still do interviews and speak with other people so that is nice.
GateDrop: Perfect, thank you very much, and good luck for the season…
