Jorge Prado sat down with Jase McAlpine for a three hour podcast covering just about everything MXGP to USA to MXoN.
On signing for Kawasaki Prado said: “My agent was talking with Kawi for a long time about everything, GP’s or US, my goal was to have an option to race here, I wanted to race here more than the GP’s. I raced A1 and after A1 that week every brand called me, all the brands, it was nice. I got offers from the different brands but I felt Kawi was there more, I felt the programme for Kawi would suit me better, so that’s why I chose to ride for them. Pretty much after A2 it was done pretty much, I just had to wait and sign. I signed in Argentina”.
On the stress of the MXGP title chase Jorge said: “This has been, what a year – so stressful for me because I signed already in Argentina with Kawi, it has been a long time and I didn’t want to come over if I wasn’t world champion but once it is signed, it is signed. I knew I was coming over at the end of the year.. but I wanted to come as world champion, I didn’t want to come over as second”.
“Last year Gajser was injured, Jeffrey got injured halfway through the season even though he was second when he got injured, this year I had everyone on the gate at every single round and I just wanted to prove myself that I could be the best, it doesn’t matter the situation. It was a weird year, because I just knew I was going to get the title, I knew somehow I was going to get it”.
On the MXON Prado said: “I was done. I won my title and that week, I didn’t ride, I was empty. I put so much pressure in to get that title, I was empty. It’s weird, I never had this feeling in my whole life, I was done. I did what I had to do, I couldn’t push my body more. I still did physical training, I wanted to do good in Nations, I won Saturday and already I didn’t see myself on Sunday fully charged. The rain, I didn’t feel very good with my bike that weekend, everything together didn’t make a nice Sunday”.
“Then i was like alright last moto, I did little changes to my set-up, let’s see if I can get a good start, if not I will ride it out. I was around fourth and then I said, ‘let’s see if I want to go fast, what happens.’ – I passed everyone. Then I started having problems with my goggles, the rain went into the inside of my lens. I made a little mistake and tried to follow him and couldn’t see the ruts properly. I started to think about riding the Kawasaki, I blocked myself, mentally I was done, I just couldn’t ride it anymore. I was tired from all year, especially mentally. I was scared to get injured and not get to ride the bike for next year. I was not prepared to race that day, not ready. I was off, not myself… I was too tired mentally”.
“It’s a pity because I told Spain, I am sorry I couldn’t deliver the results for the team. I was tired from the whole year, it was so much stress, I never had this in my life. In my head I only had one option and that was winning, and I was scared to fail and because I was scared to fail I had so much stress”.
“I wasn’t ready to race the MXoN, mentally. I gave all my 100% because I knew it was so important to win the world title, I gave my life, I gave everything, I didn’t have anything left for them, the team, I rode it and that was it, I didn’t really want to race but I had to race for the team”
Gajser v Jett: “I was happy that Gajser won, I was battling with Gajser all year long, if Jett comes and beats Gajser… we will see if I can beat Jett, if Gajser beats Jett, then okay, I beat him (Gajser) so mathematically I should be okay! I have raced with the Tim Gajser that beat Jett in the final corner all year long, I had to beat that guy.”
