Off-season my arse! Since four weeks ago and the first column of Webber’s World, so much has happened – and all of it’s been great (check the smile out!), if a bit of a blur!
At the time of writing my last column, Dan Thornhill was just about to embark on his EMXOpen debut at the fantastic Trentino circuit in Italy and what a week he had, improving with each round and wrapping it up with a fifth overall at the final round on Saturday. Great work by Dan and also Gary Finch and Spike Thornhill for doing a top job with the spanners.
I’m sure a lot of British riders will have looked at how Dan and John Adamson performed in Italy and will be motivated to get some rounds in next year – let’s hope so, because I believe this championship definitely has some mileage. It’s just a shame that promoter Infront Moto Racing has announced a calendar for 2021 which includes rounds in Russia and Turkey – some logistics to work on there for sure if we do have a crack at the full series next year!
So the big news is that we have now become the official MX1 Yamaha team for 2021 with the team name being Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha. The deal involves backing as well from Crescent Motorcycles in Verwood and I can’t thank enough the guys at Yamaha UK and Paul Denning at Crescent for putting the whole deal together.
The support and positivity from both Yamaha and Crescent has been unbelievable – something I’ve probably not had in the last three years – so it’s a really positive experience and an opportunity I intend to grasp with both hands.
Winter prep has started for real already and Harri has been staying with me for a while now as we start testing the new blue machines. To be honest, the transition has been very easy and the signs are already positive within just a few days of testing that we can really make it happen next year.
The Yamaha YZF450 is an awesome machine. We have started pretty much with a standard bike and a few bolt-on parts and I don’t think we will be deviating much from that to be honest as the thing is a rocket straight out the crate. Simon Marden has been weaving his magic with the suspension and I’ve even been picking up the spanners as Harri’s mechanic – although I’ll be quitting the role as soon as he heads back to Estonia as we will welcome a new mechanic in the New Year, someone I know who has done a fantastic job in GPs and will come in and do a mega job for sure with Harri.
Dan and Joe Brooks, who we welcome back to the team for 2021, have both picked up their new Yamaha machines and have taken to them with no problem which is another really good sign and with three months until the start of the new season things will only get better.
There’s still another hectic week of testing to cram in before Harri flies back to Estonia for his winter preparation. The joy of having young Kullas here is that he prepares my dinner for the day as we hit the roads of the UK. I feel fitter and healthier than ever before which is surely a bonus but I’ll have to get young Thornhill to take over the job of making my packed lunch once Harri has gone home. Over to you Dan!
My next column will be January 2021 – a new year and a new start – and hopefully we can all put this year behind us.
I know it’s a bit early but from all the team at Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha, we would like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Lee Webber
