Words: Adam Wheeler

Team Suzuki’s Jeremy Seewer is growing accustomed to the role of pre-season favourite for the 2017 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship and the prospect of tackling a series that will be without the dwarfing presence of triple-title holder Jeffrey Herlings for the first time in six years.

The 2016 runner-up has risen from 10th to fifth to second in his three terms in the MX2 class and is now likely to battle with Red Bull KTM’s Pauls Jonass and Kemea Yamaha’s Benoit Paturel as the other fancied names for Herlings’ vacant throne.

“It does feel a little bit strange and it has been a while since I was in that ‘role’ but on the other hand it also feels natural and what I have been working towards and what I wanted to achieve…so I am ready for it,” said Seewer.

“We’ve had quite a few months now since the end of the 2016 season and I’ve had time to think about how 2017 will be and how everyone might look or treat me as one of the main guys. I’ve had that feeling before and while it might have only been at national level in Switzerland on an 85 or 125 and a different kind of pressure it still gives you a bit of preparation for what might come.

“In a way all I have to do is the same as 2016 and without Jeffrey there then I would be the champion but of course it is not that easy! I know there will be other riders working very hard and to come in and win.”

Seewer has been riding and travelling south through Europe with the full Suzuki grand prix and European championship squad and is presently housed on Spain’s east coast ahead of the first Red Sands International race this weekend. The Swiss has only just been able to test a brand new engine configuration on his RM-Z250 works machine.

“Last year my starts were not too bad but I also struggled sometimes and they were not exactly as I wanted,” he admitted. “I rode my new bike just yesterday with the ’17 engine – which is totally different – and it feels really good. There are still a couple of points to adjust but otherwise the handling and the suspension fits me really well; this was an area I was already very happy with.”

‘91’, who came so close to his first moto and grand prix victories at Fraunfeld for his home round last summer, has been sharing track space with MX2 teammate Bas Vaessen as well as new Suzuki recruit Hunter Lawrence and EMX competitor Zach Pichon. Suzuki general manager Stefan Everts has been fostering a close team spirit with the four 250 riders and Kevin Strijbos and Arminas Jasikonis.

“It’s quite impressive actually,” Seewer jests. “Five Suzuki vans roll up wherever we go…but we have been riding by ourselves as well, which is actually good and a bit safer instead of having many riders on the track at the same time.”