VOL. 53 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 P47
SUZUKI THINKING
FUTURE WITH
YOUNG SIGNEES
S
uzuki is already thinking about the
future with the signing of three young
riders for eventual MX2-class duties. One
of those riders includes Zach Pichon, son
of former World Champion and AMA factory
racer Mickael Pichon. The teenager, who
turns 16 at the end of the summer, will con-
test the 10-round European Series in 2017 as well
as dates in Holland and the ADAC MX Masters
National Championship in Germany.
"This is a quite a big deal for my family because
my father was two-time world champion with Su-
zuki," Pichon says. "I like the bike and I feel great
on the Suzuki. It was an easy and quick deci-
sion to join the team. I am doing more riding and
cycling and running this year and working with my
Dad; he knows how I feel…so we are improving."
Team Suzuki General Manager Stefan Everts
said that he has many memories of close and in-
tense tussles with Zach's father and now the story
circles around to the next generation. "We meet
again after some years!" Everts said. "And now in
a completely different position. I saw Zach when
he was a little kid and Mickael and I were racing
each other and now I am taking care of his son. It
is a really cool story and it is
nice to join up like this again. I
always had a lot of respect for
Mickael; he is a special per-
sonality and we have a lot of
stories! Zach is a completely
different rider and charac-
ter. I think all the experience
around him—with Mickael and
I and my father—he will have the help he needs
to become a champion. Who knows? Maybe in a
couple of years we will see another generation of
Everts-Pichon battling on the track!"
Suzuki has also signed Lawrence brothers
Hunter and Jet. Hunter Lawrence will, next year,
actually join MX2 teammates Jeremy Seewer and
Bas Vaessen, who has already signed with the
team. Hunter is a former Junior National Cham-
pion and Jet Lawrence is a former 65cc Junior
World Champion. Jet will compete in European
Championship events next year.
And there is another name to watch out for—
Brian Hsu. The 18-year-old German star is op-
timistic of joining Suzuki's effort, as well, but in
the U.S. for 2017. "Brian wants to go to the U.S.
so Suzuki is helping him to find a deal there,"
Everts said. "It was his wish from the beginning
and now he has turned 18 I think it is the right
time for him to go." CN
Brothers Hunter (left) and Jet Lawrence (right)
hope to be Everts' new stars in MX.
Team Suzuki
General Manager
Stefan Everts (left)
welcomes Zach
Pichon to the Suzuki
family. Pichon is the
son of former World
Champion Mickael
Pichon.
