Nathan Watson Interview: The future’s bright
By TMX Archives on 15th Jul 15
The Grand Prix of Sweden saw an amplified British presence in MXGP with Red Bull KTMs Tommy Searle, Wilvo Forkrent KTMs Jake Nicholls and Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Racings Nathan Watson all back in the start gate alongside perennial threat Shaun Simpson (with the Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM man notching his first top three GP moto classification of the year).
Among the returning throng it was 21-year-old Watson who managed to shine on the third FC450 as Searle demoralisingly picked up another injury with a possible fracture around his left elbow and Nicholls came through his first grand prix in over a calendar year with a solid 18th position and points from the second moto after a stone jammed his chainguard in the first outing.
With a 11-13 scorecard Watson began to erase memories of a broken left wrist that had ruined a first term as the factory team's ‘development project'.
We spoke to Nathan to get his take on the weekend and also the future...
TMX: Did you have any kind of expectations coming here? It was your first GP since round three...
Nathan Watson: Obviously the other guys have a lot of races under their belt and I've only completed one GP! I knew my race speed would need improvement and I'd have to build on this weekend but I've been training for three weeks now and I believed I wasn't a million miles away from where I need to be.
I wanted to get into that top 10 and I didn't struggle with my fitness but it wasn't 100 per cent. The more races I do the better I will be. I was quite happy with today.
TMX: Is there also a bit of frustration after taking those results? A feeling of ‘where would I be now if I'd done a full season?'...
Nathan Watson: Yeah, definitely. Everyone always says it but when I got injured I was just getting going. I'd had three really good days testing the week before the crash. It was a real shame but it is part of the game and it happens to a lot of people.
TMX: What's the idea now? To do as many races as possible? Even if it is some obscure Dutch international...
Nathan Watson: Racing is the place to be to get faster now. I was going to do the British championship last weekend but then I decided to do some more fitness training.
I have the ADACs (German series), the Belgian championship, the British and also the GPs. I also need to work on my starts more – they weren't so great this weekend.
TMX: Were you still running the WP air forks and shock this weekend?
Nathan Watson: Yeah! It just feels normal to be now and I really like it to be honest. On tracks like this where it was rough – especially yesterday – it worked really well.
We are still developing it all the time and the guys from WP gave me some new settings to try to get it better and better.
TMX: You've banged in those results right in the middle of the window where final talks are taking place in the paddock for next year. Is 2016 occupying a small place at the back of your mind somewhere?
Nathan Watson: Yes, there's a lot of competition for the rides and I don't want to put myself under too much pressure. I just want to get some good results under my belt before I have to really start thinking about that.
There are a few sand races coming up and hopefully I can get in the top 10. I was so close in that first race and struggled a bit in the second one.
TMX: Do you envisage another year at this team? Having the same third rider development role?
Nathan Watson: I have no idea. We have not spoken about it. It was a one-year deal and they gave me a great opportunity and I cannot thank them enough. Obviously to stay at a team like this you have the get the results and so far I've been injured. If I can get some better results for them then who knows.
