Josh CoppinsWith just five rounds remaining in the 2007 World MX1 series Rinaldi Yamaha rider Josh Coppins still controls the World MX1 championship. The New Zealander has shown great speed and determination this year. At times he hasn't had the speed to win the GP, although he has not really needed to win all the time as he is the most consistent of the MX1 riders, and no doubt that plays in his mind. If he wins the World championship this year, we might just be saying goodbye to him in 2008. It's been a long career in europe and he looks forward to relaxing in the comfort of his wonderful country.
Q: Let’s say you win a world title or two, will you continue racing for the Rinaldi team?
Coppins: I am pretty sure I will stop in two years. I enjoy it in Europe, but every top rider has ten top years, and I know I can give 100% for the next two years. After that I don't know, I will have to look at the situation after the two years. I think if I didn't win a world title in the next two years, that would be a good enough reason to keep going. I have spent 15 years in Europe and that is a big part of my life, but I want to go back home to New Zealand. It's hard to say that is all I will do, but that is what I am thinking.
Q: What about racing in Australia, does that interest you?
Coppins: I mean, I might do the Australian championship. I also want to have two great years with Rinaldi. I have always wanted to race for the Rinaldi team, I remember when I first came to Europe watching Andrea Bartolini on the black Yamahas and then the white Chesterfield bikes, they were also pretty cool. I have actually negotiated twice with Rinaldi, but the time was not right. I figured with Stefan leaving it was really a good time to do it. I still feel like the best part of my career is to come.
Q: What is your scheduel for the rest season. Will we see you racing at Belgian or British championships? Josh Coppins: I am just taking one race at the time and the moment. I won’t do any Belgian championship, or British championships or anything like that. It’s a long season, we go for six months and I don’t want to be in a bad condition from racing too much. My condition was probably 80% (at the start of the season). I needed a little more fitness, I was feeling a little tired at the end of the motos. In Spain I felt okay, but in places like Mantova I struggle a little. I am using a lot of energy because I am not riding that well (in the earlier races and in Faenza last weekend). It will come good if I just keep doing what I am doing, keep working on the bike.
Q: How did you feel in Faenza? At first it looked like you were struggling and after Sweden I thought maybe you were feeling the pressure of the championship, was that so?
Coppins: All weekend my times were not the fastest, but they were consistent laps. The track was really wet in qualification and I knew I had to wait for the lines to dry up and then put the foot down. I felt okay, I probably didn't look that great early in the opening moto because I was getting held up, it was frustrating, I couldn't get around them, I couldn't get past, so I had to wait to make a pass. I very really good at the end of the opening moto. The disadvantage was that I went really deep into the first one, and I missed out on the overall.
Coppins: All weekend my times were not the fastest, but they were consistent laps. The track was really wet in qualification and I knew I had to wait for the lines to dry up and then put the foot down. I felt okay, I probably didn't look that great early in the opening moto because I was getting held up, it was frustrating, I couldn't get around them, I couldn't get past, so I had to wait to make a pass. I very really good at the end of the opening moto. The disadvantage was that I went really deep into the first one, and I missed out on the overall.
Q: Losing points to Ramon in Sweden, did that worry you at all?
Coppins: It's not that important (the points situation). I had nearly 90 points on Ramon and he pulled points back on me in Sweden, but that was the first time he pulled points on me, then I got a bunch of points back in Italy. I had a bad day in Sweden and I knew I would get those points back quickly. I wasn't concerned (about losing more points), we did some work on the bike and I felt confident coming into Italy.
Q: What do you need to do to get back o nthe top of the podium?
Coppins: I need to improve my hot laps (Saturday qualification), try and get a better qualification spot, but at the same time I know my condition is good an I know I can do seven or eight laps on a fast speed and the others can only do one lap. I want to win some more GPs. When you race today with somebody like Sebastien it's good, because you want to win and your pushing for that.
Q: What do you need to do to get back o nthe top of the podium?
Coppins: I need to improve my hot laps (Saturday qualification), try and get a better qualification spot, but at the same time I know my condition is good an I know I can do seven or eight laps on a fast speed and the others can only do one lap. I want to win some more GPs. When you race today with somebody like Sebastien it's good, because you want to win and your pushing for that.
Author: Geoff Meyer
Photo: Massimo Zanzani