Exclusive: Stefan Everts Interview

Almost 25 years have passed since Stefan Everts joined his father, Harry, in delivering an FIM 125cc Motocross World Championship to Suzuki – a twelfth crown in 15 seasons for the RM125 – and now, one of the most famous names in the rich history of this sport is making his return to the brand ‘where it all started’.

Everts’ magnificent achievement of 101 Grand Prix victories and 10 world titles as a Pro racer began with Hamamatsu’s finest technology at the beginning of the 1990s. Sylvain Geboers – a faithful steward and long-time bastion of Suzuki’s racing progression at the highest level for three decades overseeing 125cc, 250cc and MX1 title success – plucked the young Belgian to continue where the likes of Gaston Rahier, Akira Watanabe, Harry Everts, Eric Geboers, Michele Rinaldi and Donny Schmidt had trodden previously.

Now, with Everts’ acquisition of Geboers Racing Promotions (GRP) from the former 250cc Grand Prix winner in the early 1970s, the 43-year-old has come back to launch a new stage of his post-competitive career and take Suzuki onwards into the third decade of the century.

“I have been friends with Sylvain for many years and we’d always talk at the GPs,” says Everts, who ‘retired’ himself at the end of a final championship triumph in 2006 and has barely stepped away from the Grand Prix scene. “I knew for a while that he was looking at retirement and a time to stop. We never really talked about it too much because I was very busy in my former job but it got to a point where I was not happy in what I was doing for a living and we talked more. I was excited about it from the beginning. We chatted for some months and I made my decision in the summer.”

^ Stefan Everts and Sylvain Geboers

GRP – Suzuki’s forceful European base located in Lommel, a few kilometres from the notoriously tough sandy Grand Prix venue – has been the breeding ground for the development of the company’s flagship off-road racer, the RM-Z450, since the model was introduced to replace the potent RM250 in 2004. The works team have helped evolve the motorcycle through phases such as fuel injection and electronics and all the while keeping Suzuki at the forefront of the premier-class of the MXGP series. Names like Strijbos, De Dycker, Ramon and Desalle have all boosted the large silverware collection at Lommel in the last ten years.

Everts will take on this mantle and the lofty standards set by Geboers and his dedicated team of professionals that have not changed radically through the passing of many racing campaigns. GRP also oversees Suzuki’s MX2 and European Championship programme that has witnessed talent like Ken Roczen, Jeremy Seewer and Brian Hsu grow-up and prosper ‘in yellow’.

“It is a very big challenge and a big responsibility, but actually, I think I am ready for it,” says Everts. “I have the age and the knowledge. I have been retired for nine years and thanks to my job as coordinator at KTM I was able to build up some experience on the other side of the fence. I feel ready! And I needed something new.”

“With Suzuki it will be a lot,” Everts adds. “I will have to run a company with a lot of people under my wings. I’ve worked in the past with the Japanese and it is a completely different way to go about things. It is going to be different but fun and I’m sure it will be rewarding.”

As an athlete, Everts wore FIM championship medals with three other Japanese brands and has notable legacies with two of those manufacturers. The fact that Suzuki is where his illustrious career surged into the big time is not lost on the Belgian. “They were my first love,” Everts comments. “Sylvain is the one who got me into Suzuki. He saw me riding as a 13-year-old and he was impressed. Suzuki shipped two bikes from Japan at a time when they were not doing much at all in off-road and motocross. They had stopped for a few years but he gained their support and that was where it all started for me. I raced for him for five seasons and we won a championship and took a second and a third. Those were some great years and I respected what Sylvain and Suzuki gave me.”

“I saw him riding for the first time on either a 125 or a 250 and could see there was some potential and he was a talented boy,” recalls Geboers. “Of course he was together with his Dad and we talked to Harry and agreed we had to do something. There was no way then to know he would win all of those titles and make such an impact on the sport. He was still so young and in his first year with me he was shy and didn’t talk so much! He was under the control of his Dad, who was tough with him.”

“Later on we talked again about completing the story and winning one last title on a Suzuki but it would have been difficult as he was riding with Yamaha at the time and we’ve always been close to Michele Rinaldi,” Geboers continues. “What we have now is a good opportunity for GRP, Suzuki and Stefan – after all, there is only one Stefan Everts; one rider who has won 10 world titles. I think he can be a huge help to riders and knows what it takes to win and become champion. A few years ago we, as Suzuki, lost Roger De Coster and therefore a lot of our power. I believe this is now coming back through Stefan and all the experience he has and even through working for a European manufacturer after his riding days. We want to use that.”

After being such an integral part of Suzuki’s motocross across a period almost reaching half a century, Geboers might be handing over the reigns but is not planning on wholesale retirement just yet. “I will be around to make sure everything goes smoothly as Stefan steps into my shoes,” he explains. “I will give my experience and knowledge where it counts and I will also still be involved on the technical side and hope to do so while I’m still physically able!”

As for Everts, supported by his wife, Kelly, two young children and his father, Harry, he is now ready to give back. Suzuki have won Grand Prix rounds in the MXGP series every year since 2006 and if the famous ’72’ can impart any of his skill, wisdom and technique onto his new charges in the future then the sight of those fast RM-Zs will continue to be enjoyed right at the front of the pack.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Adam: Stefan, since 2006 you’ve had a range of responsibilities like working with R&D, senior management, team management and rider coaching. At Suzuki, what will it be now?
Stefan: I think it will still be a multi-functional role. I will need good people in my team that I can trust and can rely on but I will need to make some major decisions that I’m sure will come up. What will also be important for me is to continue to have this close relationship with riders and help and support them. I think it is a strong extra benefit I can bring. In this respect I have to give credit to my Dad for all his help on this side. I will also work with sponsors and try to find new partners. I need someone who can help prepare that part. We have been talking only about a few sides of the job; we haven’t even mentioned the testing and development of the bikes and the whole strategy behind the team structure. Fortunately, Sylvain will be at my side for the next three years to help me out for some things like the contact with Suzuki and to teach me also how to do things in the best possible way and slowly gain the trust of the Japanese engineers and management.

It’s curious that through your career people made comments like, ‘he cannot win with Husky, he can not win 100 GPs, he can not win three motos in a day’ and now they also make comments like ‘what is he doing trying to be a team owner?’.
It is something that motivates me even more to show that I can do it. I love the fact that people feel they have to say those things because it drives me on. I really feel ready for what I am doing even if someone will say, ‘he’s crazy’. I love this sport so much and I love to travel and be at the races. I love finding new talent. I still love winning! I want to be the best and I was born this way and will die this way. I want success with this team. A lot of things need to change, to move and be pushed forward. It will be hard work and a helluva job but I always try to think of the positive side.

Suzuki have been at the front of the MXGP series for so long and constantly in title contention. There will be pressure to keep that going, but are there also things you want to change and see done differently?
I think a lot of things can be changed. I think for the last few years Sylvain has been going into a mode of just getting the team organised and I believe some sort of ‘refresh’ and some new motivation pumped into the team will help. Sylvain has a few years on the clock and I think it is totally understandable that he does not have that dynamism to push forwards any more. I’d like to change the team set-up in the future, such as the fact that we have the hospitality truck that is really cool but needs to be used more and perhaps can look even better in the future. I’d like to create a really strong team image. On the multimedia side we can work harder and expand our profile more. The interaction with the fans is important. On another side I’d like to push Suzuki with their model range and give more options to the market. Things like merchandising as well. I see a lot of paths we can explore. I see a big opportunity. I can not do all of it and need the help of Suzuki but I think it is the right time to try and fit it together. It will take a few years of course and I have three and five year targets in my mind.

How do you see the MX2/European championship side of the team developing?
The plan in the future is to get the whole MX2 team under the GRP structure. I want to give focus on the MX2 development and find good EMX riders who can be our future factory riders. The goals are eventually to battle for the championships in all classes.

Kevin Strijbos will again lead the team. You used to battle on the track in 2005-2006 and now you are working together. What are your thoughts and will you have one or two riders beside him?
I believe that I can make Kevin stronger! I know his weak points and we’ve already started working on those with him. I believe that we have never seen the best of him in an entire season. It’s my challenge to make him believe that he can do it; everyone knows that he’s got the talent. Ben Townley will be by his side and we will support Steven Frossard if he makes it back. We signed him just before he had his accident at the Lombardia Grand Prix at Mantova. We had to make a decision on whether we will have three riders because Steven’s condition and recovery was still unsure and we did not know when he would be fit to ride again.

Ben Townley is on board. Some people would consider the 30-year-old a risk, others might see it as an inspired move. How did you end up signing the New Zealander?
Maybe some people can see it as a risky move but Ben and I have been in contact for a while and when he visited Europe last spring we had a lot of late night talks – finally he asked one morning if my Dad and I would coach him for his comeback. I did not expect this at all; I was blown away. I’ve known Ben since he arrived in Europe back in 2001 and know that he can be a very stubborn man. He has a strong mind and character. He really opened up and threw his soul on the table. I explained to him how I have learned to work during my career and how I had to admit that I didn’t believe in comebacks, but when I saw Ben racing at Glen Helen and Ernée for the Motocross of Nations we were all impressed. We gave him a real chance and here we are together. Knowing that Ben opened up and wants to go Grand Prix racing differently and how he wants to work, I believe he can make a nice comeback.

The RM-Z450 – is there much work to be done on the race bike because it is already proven to be competitive?
I have always seen and believed that the Suzuki is one of the better bikes on the track. Now that I have tested one, I am even more convinced. The RM-Z450 is more than capable and ready for success. It’s now a matter off getting the riders ready to go and do it!