Few figures in the MXGP paddock command as much respect and longevity as Roger Harvey. A cornerstone of Honda’s motocross programme for decades, Harvey has seen it all – from being a rider himself, title-winning campaigns to major rider moves – and yet, despite repeatedly hinting at retirement, he continues to play a key role behind the scenes. With Honda entering an exciting new chapter that includes the blockbuster signing of Jeffrey Herlings alongside the talents of Tom Vialle, Ruben Fernandez and Valerio Lata – Harvey finds himself right at the heart of the action once again.
We caught up with Harvey as he opens up about his evolving advisory role within Honda, the long-awaited move to bring Herlings onto a red bike, and the thinking behind assembling a formidable MXGP line-up. He also reflects on the challenges of running a three-rider factory effort, the progress of Honda’s MX2 project, and why, despite the demands of constant travel, the thrill of race day still keeps him coming back for more.
GateDrop: Roger, you’ve been in this paddock for some amount of time, and every year you are always saying you are going to retire but you are still here yet, I don’t even know what age you are, but you must still enjoy coming to the GPs…
Harvey: Absolutely. I don’t think anybody wants to know what age I am; I’ve been there that long. I’ve been thinking the time is probably coming to stop, but like when you have a day like today, you think that changes life a little bit, you know. I think I can blame Jeffrey if I go on another year of working now. I think it’s the boys we’ve got – Jeffrey, Tom, Ruben and Valerio, it’s quite an exciting time. Maybe I’ll hang around for another year yet.
GateDrop: For the people that don’t know, can you tell me exactly what you do for your Honda, you always tell me it’s an advisory role, but it’s probably a bit more than that…
Harvey: It is a bit more than that, but that’s how the Japanese term it, and basically, I report to Japan. Basically, I’m at the end of the phone so if anything needs experience with contacts and things like that. I’ve been around since I don’t know how long, they can come to me at any time, so that’s the sort of thing I do, and then obviously we’ve got Marcus Pereira de Freitas who took my general manager job over, and so I’ve supported him, and basically that’s a lot of what I do. With the contacts and the people you know, and how to approach different people, riders, etc. I like talking to guys such as yourself in the paddock, just so you can inform me what’s going on. Hopefully I give you a bit of information back that might be helpful to you as well (laughs).
GateDrop: Well, I’m glad you enjoy speaking to me, thanks very much. 16 years, Jeffrey Herlings has been a factory KTM rider, I think you tried a few times, but I’m sure even you, did you think the day would ever come you’d see him on a red bike in this paddock?
Harvey: Absolutely. The first time I approached him was on the 250cc when he raced MX2. I approached him a little bit in the intermediate time, since those early days, but one thing he’d always said to me, whether we got it done is that it had to be a convenient time, what he’d always said was, one day I want to ride a factory Honda, I’ve got to do it before my career ends. It was an obvious conversation that, mate, your career will be ending soon, so we’d better get it done now. Marcus also did a lot of the negotiations and that. But I knew Jeffrey wanted to do it, and we wanted to do it. All the stars come in line, so it was time to get him in.
GateDrop: When you knew it was going to happen, how excited were you for that? Whenever I found out, I was very excited!
Harvey: It’s a risk, it’s a big risk for him and it’s a big risk for us. Then you think it can work one of two ways but it’s something we’ve been chasing your backside for about 10 years at least. When it comes together, it’s exciting. I was ready to retire at the end of this year, but now, when I get to speak to him, I’ll just tell him that he’s caused me a few more years of work.
GateDrop: Tom Vialle, obviously he was in America, I was a bit surprised when I heard he was going to come back to Europe and race for Honda, what were the thoughts behind getting Tom? Obviously, he’s a very good rider, he’s a good starter and the bike is good out of the gate, so overall, it’s a pretty good package…
Harvey: It suits him, at the moment, he needs a bit of time to get used to the 450cc, that’s what he needs to do more than anything. If you look at the first 10 minutes, as soon as he gets that sorted, it’ll be good. Racing in America, it’s one day event, or one night event, so here, there’s a lot more riding. He’s on the 450cc which is a handful for a guy that’s just on a 250cc. He was working out how his situation was in America and our situation here. We were looking to change the role of riders and it’s a combination. We have to speak to Japan, and a lot of people have opinions at Honda, but I’ve been central.
GateDrop: It’s a big effort to run three MXGP riders, just how much effort actually went into making all that happen, and keeping Ruben to partner them, as well, I think it’s good, I wish all factory teams ran three to be honest but obviously, it’s a big budget needed…
Harvey: That’s the problem. To run three bikes at this level, the factory bikes are basically prototype bikes, which we can run them in this series, but America can’t. To get that budget in, it’s not granted very often. I suppose, the 80s was the last time it was granted, and it’s enabled us to have a team like this with the success. The sponsors and everything have got on board, and I think they’re going to enjoy it.
GateDrop: Just on today, I mean, how would you sum up that performance from Jeffrey Herlings. I mean he was unreal in both moto’s but that first moto, especially, just unbelievable.
Harvey: I couldn’t believe it; I couldn’t believe it. I’m stood next to Steve Ramon, a former world champion, and he’s saying, he’s going to do this, he’s going to do this. To see that happening, the hairs on the back of your neck were stood right out. It wouldn’t have been for you because I saw you after the race and you couldn’t believe what you’d just seen (laughs). I don’t think you’ll see many riders like that again, I won’t in my time but you might with your age (laughs).
GateDrop: Just on the MX2 project, obviously, a lot goes into the MXGP bike, it’s arguably the best bike, how far away do you think the MX2 bike is being with the KTM and the Triumph who look the best 250cc bikes at the moment…
Harvey: It’s advanced a long way and it’s being done the right way. To be honest, it’s quite competitive. As you see, Valerio can put a time in, but just, the race is more difficult for him, because he’s still learning his craft. He tends to get tangled up a little bit and maybe, because of the effort, he can put the one lap in, that’s no problem but you’ve got to put that in from the start. He’s normally a good starter; he had a bit of a fright at one of the other races but he’s okay with that. We’ve got competitive bikes; we’re really pleased with the way bikes are going.
GateDrop: Just on Valerio himself, probably the sand is probably the biggest weakness, and has he got a long-term future at Honda, is that the plan?
Harvey: Yeah, you know, we want to carry on with the project that’s going through which is what’s amazing from Jeffrey’s side and Tom’s side, they’ve come, and they’ve gelled with the bike straight away, which normally, when you take a rider, it takes time for him to settle in on the bike, the team, the new environment, and how it works. He’s going really well.
GateDrop: The level of MXGP today, unbelievable, isn’t it?
Harvey: Yeah, to see that there’s so many guys capable up there, it’s the best we’ve seen for a lot of years.
GateDrop: I mean, you do a lot of traveling, do you still enjoy it, you’ve been doing it for years?
Harvey: Yeah, the traveling that I do get fed up of, but when you’re here, a bit like you, it’s great. You know, the traveling, do you think where I am going to go from, how do I get there, this and that. I was just talking to somebody about going to France, and they suggested a different way to go, which might work. The traveling is what gets me, that’s why I was going to retire, but when you’re here, you’re just like think, yes, you know.
