On Track Off Road No.183

Simpson back at home with KTM and
part of potent orange MXGP hoard
Grand Prix winner Shaun Simpson will
form part of an impressive line-up for
the Austrian manufacturer in 2019 MXGP
with riders like Max Anstie, Glenn Coldenhoff,
Jordi Tixier, Ivo Monticelli and
Max Nagl also running the 450 SX-F in
the premier class. For the Scot (31 in
March and soon to be a father for the
first time) the chance to ride with new
British team RFX KTM means a return to
the machinery and circumstances (British
Championship competition) with
which the Scot claimed two national
titles and two MXGP wins in 2014 and
2015.
The veteran is hoping his re-alliance with
KTM and WP Suspension will also help
banish some of the memories of two
injury-hit seasons with Wilvo Yamaha. “I
don’t know what it is with the KTM but it
just seems to fit me, fit my style and the
way I ride,” he said in between testing
and riding sessions at the RedSand circuit
last week. “I don’t know if the steel
frame is a factor but I feel at home. I’ve
been able to skip a few steps with set-up
purely because I knew what I was running
a couple of years ago so we started
there. I know how the bike will react and
it means I can get bike time done without
stressing too much.”
“The KTM hasn’t changed all that much
from when I last rode it,” he adds. “It
looks a bit different, aesthetically, and
the engine has had a lot of work. As a
standard package I would say it is pretty
bloody good.”
Simpson has thrived being back in orange
and although he leads a freshman
Grand Prix effort with RFX
(the team will field two younger riders in
EMX European competition) he is back
in a familiar environment that once allowed
his renowned consistency to draw
the #24 up to fourth place in the world
in 2015. “The team has a lot of ‘moving
parts’. We are bringing funds in from a
lot of different areas and there are a lot
of people to keep happy but I know it’s
all centred around me so it is not a big
stress. I have the parts I want on the bike
and now we just need to find that extra
step with the engine.”
Simpson won the 2015 Grands Prix of
Belgium and Netherlands and the 2017
round in Indonesia. He finished 7th and
4th in MXGP in 2014 and 2015 and is
looking to re-establish his credentials as
a top five rider capable of surprising the
GP elite. Being back on the SX-F is key to
this potential.
“I’m looking to turn a few heads and
come out of the gate solid and strong
but not get too excited,” he assessed.
“I’m definitely in for the long haul this
year and to make the races count. We’re
going for consistency and good strong
rides. In terms of comfort on the bike I
feel that consistency will be my friend
this year. Sometimes on the Yamaha I
was riding a bit ‘on edge’ and it showed
in the injuries I had; I had freak crashes
and it was biting me badly.”
Simpson is one of four British riders in
MXGP for 2019.