American Mike Brown is a rider who is willing to give 100% every time he goes out. He's not about to back down and give his
rivals any chance, and when the former AMA Motocross champion arrives in Europe in early 2005,and begins his preparation for
his assault on the World MX2 Motocross championship he will be doing it with one thing in mind, a World title.
We caught up with Mike recently and he gave his impressions of his past performances in the World championship and his future.
When Brown was last racing the World championship he struggled on an outdated bike and the deep sand tracks in Belgium and Holland.
Times have changed as Brown lines up on the RWJ Honda 250F machine in the 2005 World MX2 championship. Honda might not have won a
World title in many years, but Brown is ready to change all that.
"I didn't have a good bike when I was here last time, and now I have a really good bike, as soon as I jumped on it I knew it was a
good bike and I felt good on it. Back in 2000 I was winning on the hard packed tracks, so it was frustrating to ride in the sand
and lose so badly to Langston and Dobb. For sure winning a World championship for Honda and RJW is a big motivation.
And I know the KTM bikes are still quick, but we have a good bike also now."
The 31-year-old veteran will begin the hard miles in early 2005 when he starts serious training and testing with the RWJ team and
in his new environment. Brown is not new to competing for a British team, having ridden for the Dave Thorpe team in 2000, but
this time he has a better chance to win on the all new Honda 250F.
"I have started testing the motors, but I have not started my training yet, I don't want to get burnt out before the first race.
I will be ready. I will do the Hawkstone race, and of course I do some testing in the winter and we have so special parts to test,
so it will be exciting.
Brown also knows that the younger GP riders will be hard to beat, but he also knows that his is old enough and smart enough to
have an advantage over this young rivals.
"I went to the Motocross of Nations and they looked fast, but I feel like a can go fast and the guys in America are the same as
the guys here. I think the top guys in Europe are similar. The Europeans come to American, but I know it's tough for them, the
tracks in America are so different from in Europe and it takes more than just one race to get them dialled, the World
championship riders are fast, I know that for sure."
The former National champion is also looking forward to extending his career by racing in the World championship and missing the
body breaking AMA Supercross events.
"It could be, I prefer outdoors, I thought coming to Europe would be less racing, but there is a lot of racing in Europe, like the
World championship, British championship, plus Internationals, it's as much racing as in America, but I don't have to do
Supercross, which is nice."
Despite more than a decade of racing at the top level Brown is looking forward to possibly returning to America with an FIM number
one plate.
"I am not sure what this deal will bring, if I won the World championship I would like to race in America again, I‰Û÷m taking it
one year at a time, but I feel I have a good condition and I don‰Û÷t feel old."
So keep an eye out for the American racer, he won't be riding for consistent results, but for victory and he won't back down
from anyone on the track. It's going to make for interesting racing.
Main Photo: Mike Brown
Credit: Geoff Meyer
