Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer is about to start his second full season of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. In his rookie season, Beaumer took home Rookie of the Year in both supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. However, as Beaumer told the press last week during the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) media days, he was not overly happy with this rookie season.
“I was satisfied at times," he said. "I was happy with my riding at times, and I think I just made a lot of mistakes. Mistakes that I think everyone makes their first year. So, we cleaned that up quite a bit and then I think I showed a lot at SMX, and I've had a really good off-season so far. So, I'm really excited.”
Rookie mistakes are bound to happen, but Beaumer kept improving as the year went on, and landed his first ever podium at the first round of the SMX Playoffs.
My podium and Charlotte was obviously the highlight moment, I think," he added. "Yeah, I got rookie of the year and both supercross and outdoors, but I didn’t even top five a race in either of them. So, for me it was like, yeah, I got Rookie of the Year, but I didn't do what I wanted to do. I didn't ride how I wanted to ride. And that frustrated me quite a bit. So, I wasn't too happy with the way I rode in supercross or outdoors until I'd say the last few rounds of outdoors and then SMX. So, I think that's a big thing.”
So, what was it that kept Beaumer from riding like he wanted to?
“I think just not believing in myself," the Arizona native said. "I didn't believe I could run up front with those guys, and I think I was a little bit too conservative and at times just like, 'Oh, let's just make it through tonight.' Like, 'Oh, I don't like the track much. Let's just get through tonight and get some points.' We weren't fighting for championships like that. And, no, like, obviously, you're gonna be conservative if it's the final round and you got a 10-point lead in the championship. Yeah, let's be conservative. But when you're fighting for sixth in points, there's no being conservative and I lost a lot of opportunities on that. So, for myself this year, we're coming to win every round and that's that.”
Now going into his second season, he has worked on his confidence and his fitness with the help of his trainer Davi Millsaps and his team. He feels he has fixed his mistakes from 2024 and is ready. Ready enough to win?
“Yeah, I'm sure enough to win," he said with confidence. "Last year, I came into the season, obviously, yeah, I showed speed. I had speed or whatever, but I couldn't do that speed for 15 plus one. This off-season we've made a lot of changes, and I can go wide open for 20 minutes. So, I'm ready to go.”
