Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1513380
Q: That's a good transition. What was the game plan for moving to the 450? Was the plan ever to race the 250 out - doors, and what were you guys expecting when you moved up? The goal was just learning. I'm always learning to try and be better in whatever I'm doing, and I felt like I learned most of what I needed to learn in the 250s, and I needed to learn more, but it wasn't in the 250 class it was in the 450s. Obviously, looking back now, yeah, it was the right move. I definitely knew I'd be good; knew I'd get some race wins and some moto wins. Just on my 250 times, I wasn't that far off Chase [Sexton] and Eli [Tomac] the year before on a lesser- powered bike. So, I knew I'd be good but didn't know it would be that good of a season. But yeah, it was an easy transition to that bike, and outdoors, that thing worked pretty well. Q: After round one, you go 1-1 and beat your teammate. You're the only guy at that point who can achieve a perfect season. What's INTERVIEW I 2023 CYCLE NEWS RIDER OF THE YEAR: JETT LAWRENCE P62 is just, "Okay, let's make sure we do that again next weekend— just get a good start and make sure we do that again." Q: You'd always say that on the podium or in the press conferences, "I'll try to get a good start, if I get the start, I'll try to lead. If I lead, I'll try to win. If I win, I'll just do it again." But which races did you feel were the clos - est of not winning outdoors? Budds Creek, when I saw the riders in the first moto when One of Lawrence's fiercest competitors on the 450 was his own Honda HRC teammate, Chase Sexton (23). Next year, Jett will have his older brother, Hunter, as his 450 teammate. that like after Pala and was that the result you were expecting? My main goal that day was to stay undefeated at Pala because I'd never been beaten there. So that was the main goal. I was like, "Yeah, that's sick; that's a cool first debut." Then, obviously, the perfect season didn't even cross my mind until getting clos - er to the end of the season. You think like, "Far out like it's still go- ing, the streak." It's still crazy to think about it now. The mentality (Above) Lawrence is also number one with the fans. (Right) Remarkably, Lawrence finished no worse than third in the 250cc West Supercross, 450 Motocross and SuperMotocross Championships. Impressive.