British rider Max Anstie is a cool kid. Always working hard for his profession and building himself a good career. We sat down with the Honda Gariboldi Esta rider and asked him about how he feels being in the FIM World Motocross Championship.

Q: Max, you are riding well at the moment, but your season started really strong in Bulgaria and Holland. How is it riding with the Honda Gariboldi Esta team?

Anstie: I spent like four weeks training on a 450cc in America, just before the season started and that was a lot of fun and seemed to prepare me well. I really like the team; we are all working really hard for everything to make the whole package better. Training is also going well. It is a new thing for Honda to support a 250cc team, and it takes time to get it sorted. Martin Honda is helping with the engines and the bike is working good.

Q: The British riders have really looked good so far this year with Tommy Searle, Jake Nicholls, Mel Pocock and yourself all being inside the top ten on occasions.

Anstie: The first rounds everyone is trying to go fast and be up there. I don’t know much about the other British guys, I don’t know them personally and they are all doing okay.

Q: Do you hang out with any of the riders at the races?

Anstie: I don’t hang out with anyone at the races. It’s easier for me that way. I am doing okay, the team are all Italian and don’t speak much English. Of course I do my studies and that is really good for my future. I like Italy because the people are nice and the food is nice. Obviously it’s tough not having my dad around, he always helped me at the races and I know what he would tell me, but it’s nice to hear it from him and have him around.

Q: You rode some Supercross races earlier in the year, but what is your plan for 2013?

Anstie: I want to do Supercross, I want to win there, and I think I could be good in Supercross. I want to continue doing the Grand Prix’s. I like the FIM World Motocross Championship, it’s way more important than being AMA Champion, the word World Champion sounds much better to me.

Q: What are some of the things that you prefer about the FIM World Motocross Championship?

Anstie: The FIM World Motocross Championship is really though, the tracks are so different. America is where my family is based, but I like it in the World Championship. You know the tracks in America are all similar and whoever is fastest on the Thursday practicing will win on the Sunday.

Q: What do you mean?

Anstie: I mean you go to a practice track in America, any practice track and it’s the same as the National track. It’s not like going from Lommel to Fermo. Our tracks over here are so much more difficult to race on. You can have an Italian going really well at his home Grand Prix and then struggle to get inside the top 30 in Lommel. The difference in tracks in Europe is they are so different from each other, which is cool, gives everyone a chance.

Q: Do you enjoy the travel?

Anstie: Yes I do. You also get to go to a lot of different places and it’s a real World Championship. I would have to say the FIM World Motocross Championship is a good championship to win.

Photo: Max Anstie - Ray Archer image

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