Victory in the LaCapelle-Marival International in France last weekend was the ideal final step of pre-season preparation for British Champion Shaun Simpson as the 26 year old Scot jets to Doha this week for the Grand Prix of Qatar and the first round of eighteen in the 2015 Motocross World Championship. The opening salvo of MXGP under the lights of the Losail International circuit and around the vast jumps and pacey layout of the desert-based track will be the first of at least twenty-six weekends of action for ‘24’ as he attempts to defend his status not only as Britain’s No.1 on home soil but also in the premier class of Grand Prix after taking seventh place in the standings in 2014.
Over two weeks of testing and riding in Spain led to shakedown outings at Hawkstone Park (a top five finish), third place in the mud of Valence in France and the win at LaCapelle last weekend. With his new 450SX-F KTM Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo machine prepped and primed with WP Performance System equipment, Simpson enters Grand Prix in excellent shape and promising form.
"Pre-season for me is something really important in order to get some races under my belt, laps in race conditions, rattle most of the nerves out of the way and gauge where we are at speed-wise before you hit the first GP,” he says. “I think we have had a solid winter and worked on some finer points of the bike as I have stayed with the KTM 450SX-F. Physically I have been on point with my program so there has been no stone left unturned really. The speed seems to be there and in terms of fitness I feel great. Overall I'm just itching to get going and start racking up those World Championship points!"
Simpson was the top British rider both nationally and internationally in 2014 and earned acclaim and plaudits for the consistency and speed that routinely saw him hitting ruts near the front of the MXGP pack. A fantastic top five finish in the championship was within reach until he suffered a brief shoulder dislocation at round sixteen of seventeen in Brazil. Simpson’s delicate touch with the motorcycle and ability to total the maximum amount of points possible each weekend means he is gunning for top honours again among a fierce field of competition that will boast seventeen other riders with GP winning experience.
SS24 is still the UK’s last Grand Prix victor in the premier class.
The hard-pack and wide curves of the Losail layout will provide the initial GP challenge. Round two follows hard upon and the MXGP circus travels to the new venue of Nakhonchaisri in Thailand (west of Bangkok) on March 8th.
Keep track with all of Shaun’s news, moves and views via his websitewww.shaunsimpson.comand social media channels
Instagram:https://instagram.com/shaunsimpson24/Shaun will wear One Industries (jersey, pants, gloves), Leatt (neck brace), Alpinestars (boots), Shoei (helmet) and Scott Sports (goggles) through his 2015 season while also relying on support from Push, Rockwell watches, Dyce Carriers, Carnagie Fuels, Bawbags, Ogio/Madison and Compresssport.
The ‘Simpson Army’ is a special fan club initiative that allows followers and supporters of SS24 to get closer to the racing, and experience being part of Shaun’s chase for results and achievement in 2015. For more information on joining up check out the dedicated section of the website at:http://www.shaunsimpson.com/simpson-army/
2/24/2015 5:55pm
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