Kawasaki Factory rider Jeremy Seewer has started his 2024 season with 4-3-1-1 results from Mantova in Italy and Sommières in France. Obviously those 1-1 results handed the multi-time World number two, victory in the French international and now as he leads into another race this weekend, again in France, but this time at Lacapelle, we caught up with him during his busy preparation.
Since his arrival in Grand Prix racing, Seewer has been one of the most interesting, positive and open-minded characters in our sport and always gives great interviews. As always, he didn’t back down on some questions, including the current situation with his friend Jett Lawrence, who has in the past month or so really taken some heat from fans early in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
[This interview was conducted by Geoff Meyer of MX Large.]
MXlarge: Congratulations on your victory on the weekend. Can you explain it.
Jeremy Seewer: Yes, good day. The track was awesome. It was my first time out there; I never rode there before, and it was a super cool track. Perfectly prepped and a typical French kind of technical track. It was a mega day as far as time schedule. We had free practice, we had timed practice, then we had super-pole and three motos, so a busy day and a tough day. I enjoyed every second, it was my second race on the Kawasaki. The first race I pushed a little more and wanted to see where the limits were, and it went really well. I had a really good feeling from the beginning and went fastest and was one of the fastest in every session. Not much to say, it was a solid, positive day and I had a lot of fun.
You said it’s your second time on the Kawasaki, and you have raced two different types of conditions, sand in Mantova and hard pack in France. Can you tell if it feels better in one or the other?
My first indication is that it is really good on both, or anywhere I go. Sure, we still need set-up some things and it won’t be perfect on every track, but until now, it is very positive.
The field in France wasn’t super deep, but you beat Romain [Febvre] and while these pre-season races don’t really tell the full story, we all know that Romain is a racer and isn’t riding around for anything but the win. In some ways the win means something and in other ways, it doesn’t mean much, right?
Yes, I know the pre-season means nothing, like, it doesn’t count at all, and your feeling is more important than winning, but still, if you look back at every season, the guys who are strong at the start of the year are strong in the championships. They will be there and for me, Romain isn’t cruising around in these races, and nobody is. Sure, nobody is at 100%, but you don’t want to finish, second, third or fourth if you can win it. It isn’t like I say, look, I won now, and everything is mega, but I am also not saying it doesn’t mean anything. It is somewhere in-between you know. It was good info, especially for me, to get some starts in, get some races in and see how the bike feels and so far, it is very positive.
My memory is terrible, but you have won a pre-season race before, right?
Yes, I won both in Italy last year.
Tell me, you are a pretty smart guy and I can imagine you try not to overthink situations, with the pre-season and coming into the first round in Argentina, Jeffrey [Herlings] hasn’t raced yet and will only do a couple of pre-season races, but the fields are pretty weak and Jorge [Prado] only does his home race this weekend, at his home track and only Ruben [Fernandez] will be there, so also not that competitive. Tim [Gajser] has looked really, really fast. Coming into Argentina, how do you go into that race, is it hard not to over think things?
Sure, it is easy to over think with the whole situation, with the competitiveness we all have in the class right now. You know, at this stage, right now, I really don’t give a f%*&. I just put all the energy into myself, just try and be as good as possible and be prepared and I don’t even mind which riders do which races. In the end, it doesn’t even matter, because in Argentina, we will all be behind the same gate and then we have 20 GP’s to come, so, it’s going to be the same outcome anyway.
We had an interview with Jeffrey [Herlings] on our site [MX Large] yesterday from a Dutch journalist and Jeffrey also mentioned how he just wants to get some podiums, maybe some wins and get through the season healthy. Maybe all of you guys want to take the pressure off and just look at it race after race?
Yes, and for sure the main goal is to be at the top at the end of the season, but it is such a long season, it is almost too long, and you cannot focus that far ahead. I take just race by race; we all want to win as much as possible and we all know it is impossible to win every race. Jett [Lawrence] did it last year in America, but the competition last year wasn’t as big and over here, there is not one guy now, who can come and win every race. That is just how it is.
We talked a month ago about the difference between the Kawasaki and the Yamaha and the difficulties you had with the Yamaha, but do you feel a lot better on the bike now than you have the last few years?
It is hard to tell, or say, like that. A bike is a bike and sure they are different and have different characteristics, but I feel on the Kawasaki I can push harder, and it is easier to go on the limit, let’s say, it feels safer. If this helps me going into the GPs, we will see, I can’t lean too far out of the window, you know.
You raced Mantova, then Sommières and next weekend Lacapelle. How are your weeks when you do three races in a row, so early in the season. Do you take the Monday off, what is your schedule like?
I mean, I am still focused on training and even testing the last couple of weeks. A lot of the energy is spent during the week, because, sure, I do the races, but it isn’t like a GP. So, I just do, two- or three-days riding in the week. Some good motos, training, sprints or whatever and then go to the races. Because of the weather in Europe, I stay in the South, gypsy lifestyle and not in Belgium. The weather is too bad there.
You are good friends with the Lawrence family, and I know you watch all the races. Jett has been incredible, and Hunter is slowly building into some nice results. What do you make of the series so far and how do you see all the hate Jett is getting over the incident with Jason Anderson?
Seriously, it is bullshit. I don’t like how some of the media and fans are treating those types of things. They loved Jett since he arrived there and then because of one small thing, which was absolutely nothing [the feelings changed]. Sure, Jett is young, but they have to remember that. I don’t think he was acting like a d@*%head and sure, maybe it wasn’t necessary, but the drama that followed and they [Hunter and Jett] have done so much for the sport over there. It is a weird story, but I think it calmed down now and I think Jett learnt from that and I am not worried about that.
And the racing, because it has been a great series to watch with so many possible winners and so much drama?
Yes, it is crazy how wide the field is and how many guys can win and all at the top, and eight guys ready to go for it. It is interesting, but I think Jett has that little bit extra, a little better than anyone, but it can change quickly and mostly it [seasons] ends in a big crash or being hurt. It is hard to walk away from a crash there [in supercross], but it is great for sure, a packed class and I think it will be great until the end.
