Conrad Mewse sets his sights on the future
By Team TMX on 9th Jul 16
Winner of the opening round of the EMX250 championship, 16-year-old Conrad Mewse has spent the last few months finding his feet in the ultra-competitive MX2 World Championship. Claiming a fifth place moto finish at the GP of Great Britain the FC 250 mounted rider has made impressive steps forward during recent GPs
Conrad, it's now two months since you made your MX2 World Championship debut. How have things been since then?
Conrad: "It was a big step to move to MX2 but I'm happy I took it. The class is the future of motocross for younger riders like myself, and it's where I always wanted to be. I struggled during the first few GPs. I was nervous, wasn't getting good starts and couldn't show my potential. So I kept working hard and it started paying off at the GP of France. Since then I've had a couple of good races and even got a career best fifth place moto finish in Great Britain. My team and I have been putting in 100% and we've made some very good progress.”
How important has the support of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team been in making the jump from EMX to MX2?
Conrad: "My team's support has been incredible from the first day I walked trough their door. They're there through the bad times and the good times and I'm happy that we've now made it to the top 10 in MX2. I'm also fortunate to have two great teammates, Max Anstie and Thomas Covington. I get along really well with both of them. It's good as all of us train together. There's no secrets in the team and we all help each other to try and get the best possible results.”
What changes did you make in order to improve your fortunes at the GP of France?
Conrad: "During the first four GPs I was struggling to make it inside the top 20 and only collected one championship point. The week before France I sat down together with my team and had a long discussion. Since that day lots of things changed. I made big changes in my lifestyle and the way I'm training. We decided to try something completely new and it really worked. Since then I feel great about my riding. Hopefully we can continue working like that together with my team. "
Two weeks after France you got seventh overall at the GP of Great Britain. How did it feel to get a career best result on home soil?
Conrad: "It was an incredible feeling. We had a good week of training after France and I was feeling really confident going to Matterley Basin. There were a lot people there who were supporting me. Also, my whole family came to watch the race. None of them really knew what to expect, as I'm a rookie in MX2. But it felt really great to be able to do battle with the top guys. It was a very special moment and I was happy I showed I have the speed to battle near the top. I was feeling a lot more confident and it showed.”
After France and Great Britain you went on to secure 10th overall during a tough GP in Mantova. How difficult was it to race in the near 40-degree heat?
Conrad: "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't struggling with the heat in Mantova. I think everybody did. Despite the heat, I was really happy with my riding. I earned 10th overall and showed that I can now fight for the top no matter the track or the conditions.”
Overall, what would you say have been the greatest challenges you've faced since moving into the MX2 class?
Conrad: "First it's the depth of strong riders in MX2. Even down to the privateers they're all so fast and all their times are so close. It's just seconds splitting riders from fifth to 20th position. Another thing is the speed that the top guys run. Sometimes they can improve on that even during the longer 30-minute motos and I think this goes down to experience. It's taken time for me to start showing my potential but now we're on the right path. I'm happy with where we're at and hopefully we can continue improving all aspects of my riding.”
One thing that remained the same despite your change of class is your bike. How are you feeling on your FC 250?
Conrad: "The bike I'm racing in MX2 is basically the same as the one I started the season with in EMX250. It's based on Husqvarna's production model and only features a few basic mods. Even my suspension is based on the WP production units. Right now I feel at home on my bike. Getting top 10 results in MX2 on a largely standard bike shows how good it is.”
Are there any specific areas of your riding that you've been trying to improve?
Conrad: "There's so many things I'm working on and my starts are definitely one of them. I've worked a lot on my technique together with my team and my starts have improved a lot. In terms of my speed, I can honestly say we've made good progress there as well. I'm just missing a little bit of experience right now, compared to all the other guys. But, we've made steps forward and we'll continue working hard.”
What do you think it will take to consistently be among the font runners in MX2?
Conrad: "I think it's going to take time. Things have been going well so far but it's important for me to gain a bit more experience. I've really enjoyed my time in MX2. Even during the bad weekends I was learning a lot. I'm hoping it won't be long until I get my first GP win. I'm excited to see what the future holds and hopefully the time when I will be able to battle for the MX2 championship isn't that far away.”
With the championship now taking a short break before the GP of the Czech Republic what are your goals for the remaining six rounds of the series?
Conrad: "Our goal is to continue getting top 10 results while also trying to get as closer as possible to the top. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series, as it's a perfect opportunity to show the work we've done. All these things I'm learning now will shape my future and help me come back even stronger in 2017. It's going to be my first full season in the class with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and I'm hoping I'll be able to battle with the top guys in MX2.”
Conrad Mewse and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team will return to action at round 13 of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Loket, the Czech Republic on July 23/24.
