Dixon aims to put Searle on podium
By TMX Archives on 4th Nov 15
Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki team owner Steve Dixon has talked for the first time about signing Tommy Searle and the departure of Max Anstie.
Dixon, who takes his team into a second year with Kawasaki support after more than two decades running Yamaha machinery, believes he can offer the three-time world MX2 runner-up a solid base from which to rebuild his career after three injury-ravaged seasons.
"All of the top riders are fast,” he said, "it's just about how they are managed and how ‘it' is brought out of them. I feel confident we can push Tommy up there to podium results. You don't go from winning races against Jeffrey Herlings in 2012 to not knowing how to ride a 450 – that is not the case.
"Things have not gone his way for several reasons but mainly through injury. We are starting with a blank canvas but we know he is a talented, fast and smooth rider. I think it is our job to make him comfortable, we certainly do not need to teach him to ride.
"We need to build him a bike that suits him and he feels confident on. That is what we are known for and why he decided to come here. We are both hoping for good results.”
Russian Vsevolod Brylyakov is set to step into Anstie's shoes in MX2 and the team will continue to work alongside Mel Pocock as he continues his recovery from a serious hand injury.
"We built up a good relationship this year with Max – and also last season – through our work but he made the decision to change teams very early on before he started to get really good results,” added Dixon.
"He had the belief that a full factory team was the only way to a world championship but having tasted all the wins this year and experiencing some crashes while in podium positions we could have been walking away with a title in 2015.
"It is not a bitter split, just a shame. With Tommy it could have been a dream team in 2016 but I wish Max the best in the future because he is a rider that hasn't achieved what his talent merits. For me he is up there with Herlings – that's the calibre of rider he is.”
James Cottrell also joins the team racing MX2 and the EMX250cc series.
