AKIRA WATANABE
Action Photos: Pascal Haudiquert
HALL OF FAME
getting old and there is a race in Asia and that is awesome for the young guys. MXGP Mag: Really? What was so hard about it? Watanabe San: It was hard in Europe, without my family or friends and I couldn’t eat Japanese food. MXGP Mag: Do you still have a bike? Watanabe San: Yeah, if you go on my Facebook page, you can see how I ride. I am still riding a Suzuki RMZ450. MXGP Mag: Do you hope to see a round of MXGP in Japan in the near future? Watanabe San: Yeah, I really hope so. I think about six years ago, we had a GP there. It was great. It’s a shame we don’t have it anymore, but I think the Japanese Federation is talking about it again, that would be cool. MXGP Mag: What do you think about the bikes now?
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Watanabe San: They are very fast but I think in my time the machines were around ten kilos lighter, only there was not enough power. MXGP Mag: Do you know Kei Yamamoto the Gariboldi Honda rider? Watanabe San: Yeah, I have trained him since he was five years old. Two years ago he rode for my team, Suzuki Japan. Then it was my first year working on the team and he took the 250cc title. MXGP Mag: So you’re happy to see another Japanese rider back in MXGP action? Watanabe San: Yeah for sure. He has a good chance to improve this year. So I told him how he should ride this year; in the beginning he must go easy, not push too hard and crash, but just get better and better. Thanks Watanabe San, we hope to see you at more MXGP rounds in the future!