Tristan Purdon from South Africa raced a couple of British Championship races last year but managed to secure a full time ride this year with the Gabriel SS24 KTM.
Part of the deal also sees Purdon racing selected MXGP World Championship events and he is heading to Spain this weekend to make his MXGP World Championship debut.
We caught up with Purdon to get his thoughts before the weekend…
The decision to race the MXGP in Spain this weekend…
The plan was to do a couple of GP’s with the team this year, starting with Portugal, but getting a visa in the UK isn’t the easiest process and it just didn’t come in time. It was a struggle to get a visa and it just didn’t come in time.
It’s your first GP of the year and your MXGP debut, how do you feel heading into Spain?
I’m looking forward to it. Feeling good and excited to be able to learn from the best and see how it goes.
You’ve raced the opening British championships and MX Nationals. Are you happy with the start of the season?
Not really, I’ve been struggling a bit here and there, but we working slowly to get my flow back and looking forward to turning the rest of the season around!
Expectations for Spain this weekend…
To be honest my goal is to try my damnedest not to get lapped, it’s a really big talented field of riders, the worlds best, so it not going to be an easy task. To be out there is gonna be awesome, but I also just want to use it to learn and get better.
Anymore GP’s on the schedule…
Yeah, we’re doing a couple more of the closer ones, and hopefully Nations will be on the table again for me.
How’s everything going with the new team on the KTM and working with Shaun Simpson?
It is going well, just having to get used to the way things are here, just a process figuring out new bike set ups, new tracks, and of course the weather, it’s a bit different to what I’m used to back in South Africa (laughs). Shaun is a big help. It’s really cool to have someone so knowledgeable and experienced around, I’m just like a sponge around him, trying to soak in all the knowledge I can.
Interview: Andy McKinstry
Image: Scott Dunne
