Our back-to-back MX1 champion in 2010 and 2011, Brad Anderson passed up on the chance of making it three in a row last season when he decided to spend a year Down Under racing the Aussie Nationals.
Well, now the bruising North Easterner is back in the UK and focusing on making it a hat-trick of Red Bull Pro National crowns with his new Maxxis Kawasaki by LPE team.
Here’s what he’s got to say…
Q: First off, how the hell are you Brad?
BA: “I’m all good thanks and looking forward to the start of the 2013 race season back in the UK.”
Q: How’s your off-season training and testing been and have you gone anywhere exotic?
BA: “My off-season training has been better then ever. Paul Bird Motorsport has helped me out this winter and I’ve got a personal trainer called Sharky from Elite Fitness and me and Keith Farmer – who’s a Kawasaki road racer for Birdy – have been training together which is mint as we’re both competitive people so we bring each other on. I went to Spain for a week and other then that I’ve been able to ride in the UK as the weather’s not been bad at all.”
Q: The MX1 field for the Red Bull Pro Nationals is pretty stacked this year – how do you fancy your chances and who do you think your main rivals will be?
BA: “You can’t count anyone out – everyone in the line-up is a main rival. The big question is am I their main rival?”
Q: How important is it to you to do well in the RBPNs? You could make it a hat-trick of titles this season…
BA: “How important is it? There would be no point turning up if it wasn’t the most important thing. It’s my job, it’s my living, it’s very, very important!”
Q: Has the Australian experience changed you in any way?
BA: “I’m gonna be a dad – that’s a big thing that’s changed. Also, I’ve been away from UK tracks and it’s been good to experience different racing and tracks. Having a year out of the UK has made me look forward to the tracks again here – I got sick of riding the same tracks over and over again so I think having a year doing something different was a good thing to do as I’m ready to put my stamp down back home.”
