with ... Gautier Paulin
Saturday 16 July: Gautier Paulin is the man of the moment going into Kegums GP of Latvia. For Youthstram, Geoff Meyers catches up with him.
Monster Energy Yamaha rider
Gautier Paulin is
very much a person who
![](../i/images/vol.230/gautier16july.jpg)
gives it 100% in his profession. The Frenchman
has been a little unlucky in his career with injuries early in the past
two seasons, but now he is starting to come back and show some really
good speed.
Last weekend in Germany he won a moto and
came really close to winning the Grand Prix, taking victory in the second moto
and finishing fourth in the opening moto. Second place overall and moving slowly
closer to the top step of the podium.
We caught up with Gautier and asked him about
his recent form and also how he can get closer to beating the MX2 series leader
Ken Roczen.
Gautier, can you explain how it went in
Germany?
It was great, I won my first moto for
this season and I didn’t expect it at that circuit because it was a hard weekend
and during the qualification race I was riding tight. The team worked really
hard for me and we made some changes to the bike, it felt more balanced and the
suspension was also better for Sunday. In the first moto I made a big mistake
and caught my foot peg over a jump. I nearly crashed over the handlebars and had
to get my foot back around and on the bike correctly! I had a great start in the
second moto and I was behind Ken when he made his mistake. I knew I had the
advantage and had to win the race. I pushed hard to make it happen. We are
second on the podium and the first three-four riders are very strong but we are
working hard. The upgrades we had for the engine helped me with the starts and
also exiting the corners. It was an improvement for sure so I have to give big
thanks to the team for this. Yamaha Racing image
You seem to be getting close to the speed
of Ken Roczen. Why is that?
I don’t know what is better, Ken is
faster, but not a lot, at the start of the season, I was injured and not many
people remember that, so my season started slow, I was like five weeks not fit
and now I am good again. I am back and moving well on the bike and I am able to
train better. For Ken, he isn’t faster; he is just more consistent riding at the
front. It’s now two years that he rides at the front and he is pretty cool and
doesn’t stress. He does his own thing and goes for the win. I really understand,
in the first moto in Sweden, I was close to his speed, but he was just a little
quicker in some places. He is stronger, but it’s not like he is much faster than
everyone else. We are all fit and ready to race, I know I am heavier than him
and I don’t know who has the best bike, that is difficult to know, still I
really hope I can win a Grand Prix and I am waiting for it. It is easier for Ken
because he wins and knows how to do it.
You also looked good in Sweden. Tell me
about that weekend?
I did a good first practice in
Sweden, and I had pole position, so that is great for me and my Monster Energy
Yamaha. In the qualification race I didn’t have a good start, I felt good and I
lead and I was looking for good lines and I finished fourth and I felt good. I
was riding good, looking for good lines and I had a good place on the gate for
the Sunday. On Sunday in Sweden I started second behind Ken (Roczen) and he was
a bit stronger than me, step by step, he got away from me and that was pretty
much how it went in the first moto. I was a long way ahead of Herlings and a
long way behind Roczen, so I decided to just take it easy and keep my energy for
the second moto. In the second moto I didn’t have that good start, but I got to
third place rather quickly and I hit a rider, I don’t know who and I bent my
gear shift and it was hard to change gears and I finished
third.
The Swedish circuit looked difficult, was
it?
It was a tough track and easy to make a
mistake. It was a good track with many jumps, many corners, not so much speed
and many ruts and it was a little on and off, many bumps also. I was
concentrated 100% corner after corner.
You must be looking forward to possibly
being selected for the French team at the Motocross of Nations in
September?
Of course I think about riding at the
Motocross of Nations and riding in front of the French people, we will see. It
isn’t my choice to pick the team, but the French trainer. I hope for sure for
Monster Energy and myself that I can get in the team. I will try and do my best
just like I did in Italy.
It’s going to be tough to get in the team
for the MXoN. I understand Marvin Musquin will be fit by then and also
Christophe Pourcel is back and fit.
Marvin had bad luck in America, but
it is important that we pick the best team and the French team has the chance to
win. You don’t know who will be fit in September, but it’s the most important
race of the season and everyone wants to ride it and I hope to be
there.
Last question, what do you think Christophe Pourcel can do at the Grand
Prix’s?
We don’t know what Christophe
can do, I mean he was paralyzed and he came back and won a Supercross race in
America and had some success there, so anything is possible with him. We can’t
say anything about him, just big respect. He made many mistakes in America, but
I don’t want to judge him, and every rider has his own way.