Two years ago Dylan Ferrandis was nearly unbeatable in AMA Pro Motocross. The Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha rider dominated the series, winning six overalls and claiming the title by a huge margin over Eli Tomac. Unfortunately Ferrandis missed most of the next season due to injury, and has since struggled to regain his championship form and find his comfort zone on the all-new Yamaha. There has, however, been improvement, and RedBud, where Ferrandis went 3-2 for second overall, was perhaps the Frenchman’s best performance of the summer so far.
“Today was a huge step in the direction we needed," said Jeremy Coker, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager. "Dylan was able to be on pace with the leaders and put pressure on Jett [Lawrence]. We have been working very hard as a team and will continue to do so until we get on the top step.”
Dylan met with the media afterward to talk about his day in the post-race press conference.
Dylan, a 3-2 for second overall. Kind of starting to see that Dylan of two years ago where you won the championship. I know you have an all-new bike. With the week off, are you starting to get comfortable with your motorcycle? How does your fitness feel? It had to feel pretty good to be able to be on the same straightaway with Jett and know that you were right there.
Ferrandis: Yeah, exactly. Like I said a lot during that season, the new bike, took us some time to understand the bike. That week off was good. We used it a lot. We tested a lot. I feel better on the bike. The first moto was not that great. Spent a lot of time behind [Ty] Masterpool and never found a way to pass him and lost too much time and energy. The second moto, I was behind Jett and I tried everything I could to try to pass him, but he was still a little better. I think there is room to beat him, but we’re going to have to be perfect. Maybe for sure if we can get a better start than him, that will help us a lot. I think we made a big step this weekend. We’re looking for the next few rounds to do a little better again.
One of the fans asked if each one of you riders, do you have a pre-race ritual or any sort of superstition? Silly as it sounds, I remember a rider back in my era, if he won a certain race he would wash but wear the same underwear the next race, and do it over and over until he lost. Do you have any sort of rituals or superstitions that you have with your races?
No, I don’t have anything. Just my wife the other day she told me I always put my right glove first. I didn’t even know. Just been doing this for so many years, you don’t even realize that.
This year’s tracks, Dylan, what is your thought on this year’s tracks? Do you feel like they’re rougher than previous years or do you think they’re smoother? Just the overall preparation of the tracks.
I think it was good. It pretty similar to the previous years. RedBud is one of the favorite tracks of everyone. It was very good. The new section, I can’t say I was liking more than the old one. It was just different. I feel like the LaRocco’s Leap was easier. I over-jumped many times bad, so for us in 450 it was easier. Just to answer your previous question, the start, I think the people need to watch the second moto in 250 and see how dangerous it is. This start, if they changed it there was a reason. It was too dangerous. I think Hunter is not really happy about it today.
Dylan, did you feel like you had some struggles getting through lapped riders? I know one time you had to check up on LaRocco’s Leap. I saw that. It just seemed like you lost a couple of seconds when that happened. Overall, you were able to make your way through them or were you having issues, too?
For sure, that lap when I couldn’t jump the Larocco’s Leap, it cost me a few seconds. So that was a bummer, but that’s racing. That’s part of the race. Sometimes some guys do respect the blue flags, some a little bit less. I know it’s never an easy situation for everyone. It wasn’t that bad today for me, unless that time on Larocco’s Leap for sure I was pretty mad.
You caught Jett for a little bit there. Were you able to find out anything in his riding style that you can exploit in future rounds?
No, honestly. He was just doing everything right. No mistakes. I think that’s why I never really got close enough to put in the attack, because just no mistakes. He’s been so much in control since the beginning of the season, that he’s just more in control. But us, we have to push to get close to him. I think for now it makes the difference for him. For sure the day I can be closer to him and pressure him, maybe do a mistake I hope. We’ll see that in the next few rounds.
You’ve kept your perfect streak of top fives alive, but this is your third podium. I think it’s podium, podium, then just outside, podium. Did anything change for the two races that you didn’t podium that was different today?
Yeah, just the feeling with the track, the feeling with the bike. There were just races where I was struggling a little more. Just some race situations I put myself in, some mistakes from me. So it’s just that. Today two good starts for sure helped a lot. When you’re out front, you minimize your risk of crashing in the start or crashing in the first few laps. So it helps a lot, for sure.
We talked about the starting, the first turn with all three of you guys, but how does the metal grate change your approach? What have you learned through the first couple rounds starting on the grates compared to now?
They’ve been doing something different the last two rounds. They’ve been not prepping at all after the gate. The ruts have been crazy, crazy the last two rounds. So it’s something very difficult for us to deal with. Other than that, the grate, I’m personally not a fan. I like better when it’s dirt. But it’s the same for everyone and we have to deal with it.
For all three of you guys, Motocross of Nations was here last year. You guys all raced for your respective countries. If you were to be picked again for Motocross of Nations, what would that mean to you guys?
It’s too early for me to talk about it. Still don’t know what I’m going to do next year, so I need to answer this first and then we will see.
