Tanel Leok privateer for 2018

DeStouwer
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11/7/2017 12:38am Edited Date/Time 11/9/2017 2:20am
Tanel Leok will be a privateer for the 2018 MXGP-season. He'll ride a Husqvarna, and will race at least all the European rounds.

Last season Leok was racing for the Italian 8Biano Racing Husqvarna team, who will focus on MX2 next year. Leok had a few other options for next season, but decided to go privateer, so he can spend more time with his family in Estonia.

Leok: "I will be a privateer on a Husqvarna. I had other options, but in the end it seemed better for me to start my own small team. Maybe I'll take another young Estonian rider in the team aswell. In this way I can spend more time at home with my family. Offcourse I'll race every European round, and if everything goes well maybe all of them. Or at least the first race in Argentina."

This leaves Bobryshev and Paturel as the biggest names without a ride next year in MXGP. Every other rider has a ride now, although not all officially yet. In MX2 Van Doninck is the only one who hasn't signed yet.
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11/7/2017 12:57am
As Paturel was mentioned, what’s his deal with BUD Racing? I saw that he’s rode French SX on their bike.
DeStouwer
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11/7/2017 1:50am
As Paturel was mentioned, what’s his deal with BUD Racing? I saw that he’s rode French SX on their bike.
SX-deal only.
Bidirella
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11/7/2017 3:47am
How old is tanel? He just keeps going year after year, respect for that. To have that motivation every off season again.

Tanel would be great as a team manager/team trainer in the future if you ask me.. allot of experience and the right mental/fitness/passion

Good luck for the old dog!
Bidirella
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11/7/2017 3:48am
What happend with Van Donick btw? No news about him Why he left or What is next.. Strange..

The Shop

11/7/2017 4:36am
Bidirella wrote:
What happend with Van Donick btw? No news about him Why he left or What is next.. Strange..
And what about Petar Petrov??
EastFlorida
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11/7/2017 6:03am
How does he make any money as a privater in MXGP? I thought they don't pay purse money... I guess his income would come from his other sponsors?
Adam43
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11/7/2017 7:02am
I love this guy. He's been at a consistently high level for decades now.

Does he actually still live and train in Estonia?
mx_563
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11/7/2017 7:21am
Do any of you guys know how the MXGP team registration system works?
I thought you had to be on an "approved" team to race in MXGP, and pay a bunch of money to Youthstream.
How can Tanel just show up on a "privateer" bike to race?
11/7/2017 7:40am
Man, Leok has spun some serious laps in his career. From what I understand, he and his family are like moto royalty in Estonia. I remember him buzzing right in front of me on a pit bike at the Namur GP in 2006. Crazy he’s still grinding it out
Prejump
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11/7/2017 9:44am
Bidirella wrote:
How old is tanel? He just keeps going year after year, respect for that. To have that motivation every off season again. Tanel would be great...
How old is tanel? He just keeps going year after year, respect for that. To have that motivation every off season again.

Tanel would be great as a team manager/team trainer in the future if you ask me.. allot of experience and the right mental/fitness/passion

Good luck for the old dog!
I agree. In fact when there was talk about the man being replace as team USA mxon manager, I thought of Tanel Leok straight away.

He's ridden for his country 17 times I believe, where as some US riders cba after a couple of tries.

Who's going to say no to a guy that has ridden the event 17 times on top of a full GP calendar & national series.
DeStouwer
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11/8/2017 6:27am
Bidirella wrote:
What happend with Van Donick btw? No news about him Why he left or What is next.. Strange..
Most likely 8Biano Husqvarna.
Fearo
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11/8/2017 7:21am
mx_563 wrote:
Do any of you guys know how the MXGP team registration system works? I thought you had to be on an "approved" team to race in...
Do any of you guys know how the MXGP team registration system works?
I thought you had to be on an "approved" team to race in MXGP, and pay a bunch of money to Youthstream.
How can Tanel just show up on a "privateer" bike to race?
It works as you described. However, a select few (including Leok) have the pull to go the privateer route if they want to. Kevin Strijbos did this as well a few years back when he was in between teams.
roninho
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11/8/2017 5:00pm
How does he make any money as a privater in MXGP? I thought they don't pay purse money... I guess his income would come from his...
How does he make any money as a privater in MXGP? I thought they don't pay purse money... I guess his income would come from his other sponsors?
If had to guess a combo of
+ manufacturers provide materials (bike, tyres, fuel, etc) as loaners or even sell it at season end
+ distributor/dealer puts in some in kind (mechanic, van, etc)
+ helmet/gear cash deal
+ some sponsorship
+ race national championship for purses
MxKing809
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11/8/2017 5:20pm Edited Date/Time 11/8/2017 5:21pm
Funny story.....

Went to MXdN this year, and wasn’t quite sure what we needed to do for the VIP sign in / pickup. We ended up standing in the rider will call line in front of Leok for 20 minutes, while everyone else was eyeballing me (I was in USA gear from head to toe). It was pretty funny, and turns out it wasn’t even the right line!

button99
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11/9/2017 2:14am
How does he make any money as a privater in MXGP? I thought they don't pay purse money... I guess his income would come from his...
How does he make any money as a privater in MXGP? I thought they don't pay purse money... I guess his income would come from his other sponsors?
Luckily there are few good guys in Estonia who really love motocross and have money. They will pay year salary to Tanel and help him with the bikes. Also the KTM(Husqvarna) factory helps a little.
button99
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11/9/2017 2:20am
mx_563 wrote:
Do any of you guys know how the MXGP team registration system works? I thought you had to be on an "approved" team to race in...
Do any of you guys know how the MXGP team registration system works?
I thought you had to be on an "approved" team to race in MXGP, and pay a bunch of money to Youthstream.
How can Tanel just show up on a "privateer" bike to race?
Any privateer can go and race at MXGP if the startlist is not full. You just pay the money for one GP and go race if there is a free spot on the list.

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