from ... Gautier Paulin

Hi all

We are waiting to head-off to Brazil and have just had two Grands Prix back-to-back, so no better time to catch up on my Yamaha blog. After Sweden we had a three week summer break and the most important thing I had to do during that time was decide my future. I was speaking a lot with my agent and Michele Rinaldi and we had discussions about my options with the team. I’m really happy that I could confirm another year as a Yamaha Monster Energy rider. I like the people around me and they work really hard. The important thing was that the guys were there for me when I was injured and feeling down. They told me to stay focussed, stay happy and keep healing! It meant a lot. The bike is great and the whole set-up is professional so it was not a hard decision to make. I want to win with these guys and everyone connected with them.

At the moment I’m not sure about supercross for 2011. I want to keep my eye on MX2. I am young and I want to have success in the class. I had a good performance at the Motocross of Nations last year on the 450 but I am not that heavy for a tall rider! I have plenty of time to go to MX1. Due to my injury I was not using the summer break as a recovery period. I had not done as many races as the others, so perhaps there were not as many people that were working as hard as me through the little holiday gap in the calendar. Firstly I did have a couple of days off and spent time at home in the south of France. We were in the sea and in the pool at my parent’s house swimming. We hired a boat and with my family and my girlfriend we took the jet-ski and headed out into the water. I love swimming in the sea because you can go anywhere you want; very different to being stuck doing lengths in a pool! It was very hot for those days so we took it easy. When I started to train I was doing running, cycling, mountain-biking and some visits to the gym; I like to do sports to pass the time and through an activity in the morning, followed by lunch, then a run I found that the day passes very quickly. I’m a person who never likes to be on their own so I am always with my girlfriend or friends or family. We spend time by the pool and cook a lot of barbeques. We even have a wood oven to make some authentic pizzas! Once or twice a week I also have to head to Cannes to feed my Sushi addiction!

The days at home passed very quickly and I spent at least two of those thinking, and talking with my dad about 2011. As soon as I called Michele to say ‘I will ride for you next year’ then I was able to get on with everything I wanted.

My dad knows about the sport but not so much on the technical side and doesn’t give opinions. He is clever, he doesn’t interfere and it is very good for me to have my parents around at the races. They give me space. I am really happy when they are at a GP but I don’t need them to go fast.

After the time at home I then went to stay with my agent, Glen, at his house in Belgium where I was able to practice in the sand for Lommel. It was good to be at Glen’s house in Belgium and I have to thank him a lot for that because for a French guy from the south it can be hard to live somewhere with a lot of rain! I feel at home when I am there so I can go training without problems and then just come back and flop on the sofa.

We made some tests on the bike before Lommel and I was happy with the results. We then went to the GP and I was satisfied overall with my fifth position because my speed was good and I felt fit and quick. I have not ridden much in sand this year because I have always been playing catch-up and missed Mantova and Valkenswaard because of injury so I think this counted against me a little bit. My starts weren’t great in Lommel but I came back well and perhaps I could have pushed more but I wanted to be consistent with my rhythm. Overall the Lommel experience made me want to get to Lierop for another go in the sand! Loket a week later was an unbelievable GP for the weather. It rained so much on Friday and Saturday I was wondering how we would race on Sunday. Thankfully it stopped Saturday afternoon and the track wasn’t that bad in the end. I had one good start and one bad, but again I felt strong and was really happy to celebrate my second podium; again I am nearing the level I want to be.

Anyway, we have a long trip ahead of us now. All the way to Sao Paolo and then another two hours to Campo Grande; a new track for the Brazilian GP. I’ll catch up with you again after Lierop at the beginning of next month!

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of Yamaha Racing.