Van Horebeek and Searle talk

Thursday 24 January: Jeremy Van Horebeek and Tommy Searle are two of the new men in the MX1 class and they are two riders who will enter 2013 with a lot of expectations. Geoff Meyer writes for Youthstream.

Jeremy Van Horebeek - image mxphotos.be Tommy Searle - image Geoff Meyer

We have a new format for 2013 with the combined races at the overseas Grand Prix, plus the night race in Qatar, which will open the 2013 FIM World Motocross Championships on 1 and 2 March.

For Van Horebeek the fact the MX1 and MX2 riders come up against each other doesn't really give him a positive or negative meaning. What he does have is respect for what Giuseppe Luongo has done for the sport until this time.

"I am not for it or against it (the combined MX1/MX2 at the overseas Grand Prix); first I want to see how it works out. It is the great unknown. I think the MX2 riders are going to be eating a lot of dirt, that is for sure. I don't think Giuseppe Luongo does this for nothing, he usually has a reason and what he does he usually does well.”

As for preparing for Qatar, Van Horebeek seems to think that the team will compete in the normal pre-season Internationals. Heading into Qatar he feels he will have gone enough to be ready.

"We go to Spain in January, and stay there until Mantova (this weekend), then Hawkstone Park and Valence. We haven't planned a lot yet, but head to the South of Europe."

British rider Tommy Searle will also line up on a Kawasaki and also be making his MX1 debut. Just back from America Searle can't wait to experience the atmosphere and challenge that the night race in Qatar shall bring.

"Starting in Qatar will be very different for the riders, and people will be positive or negative about it. It is very important because everyone wants to get a good start to the season and for me it is really important because it will be my first Grand Prix in the MX1 class. At the end of the day I don't care where it is, because a race is a race."

"With it being a night race makes it something really different and I have ridden enough times in Supercross to have some feeling for night races. Lights are many times better than day light, so I am looking forward to it a lot."

Many will be looking out for Searle and Van Horebeek as last year's runner-up and third placed rider in the MX2 class go head to head with not only their former rivals, MX2 Champion Jeffrey Herlings, but also their new rivals Antonio Cairoli and his MX1 boys.