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Mikael Persson - Sights Set On The Enduro 1 Podium

As the 2016 Enduro World Championship season draws to a close Miglio Yamaha Official Enduro1 Team rider Mikael Persson has his sights set on wrapping up the series with a podium result at the GP of France.

Clinching the 2015 Enduro Youth title, the 21-year-old took the bold decision to jump straight into the senior ranks of the championship in 2016. Aboard his Miglio Yamaha Official Enduro1 Team WR250F machine the Swede has gone from strength to strength.

Starting the year battling for a place inside the top 10, Persson has earned results inside the top six in each of the last four GPs. Delivering his most successful performance last time out in Italy, Mikael came agonisingly close to a first podium result, placing fourth on day one in Fabriano.

Prior to the 2016 Enduro World Championship final on September 9-11, Yamaha Racing caught up with Mikael to find out more about the Swede's season and his hopes for the final round of the championship.

Mikael, what are your expectations going into the final GP of the season in France this weekend?

"I really want to get a podium result. I've been battling for the top three in Enduro 1 and I'd love to end the year on the podium. At the last GP before the summer break, in Italy, I finished fourth on day one, so now I want to improve on that. It's been a long season and I've worked really hard, so now I'm really looking forward to wrapping up the championship on a high note."

The GP of France will also mark the return of your teammate Jamie McCanney. Are you looking forward to racing alongside him again?

"Jamie is a great athlete and a role model for me. It's a bummer he was forced to miss most of the season due to injury. He's been racing the world championship for five or six years now and I feel there's a lot I can learn from him. One thing he taught me this year is to remain calm and not try to over-ride the bike. Maybe sometimes I was a bit more aggressive than I should've been, pushing the bike too much. Watching Jamie ride I learned that I needed to ease down and not force things too much."

Did being the only official Miglio Yamaha Official Enduro1 Team rider for most of the season add any extra pressure?

"I wouldn't say there was extra pressure. We've set our goals since the beginning of the season and we stuck to that. At first not being able to race alongside Jamie made me reconsider my goals and motivation. Being like a lonely soldier within the team meant I had nobody to chase. Obviously there was a bunch of other riders to battle with, but what I really missed was the feeling of trying to chase my teammate. It's always good to have someone a bit faster than you to learn from. Of course it would have been better for all of us if Jamie could have done the whole season."

As the 2015 Enduro Youth Champion, what were the biggest challenges you faced in your debut season in the senior ranks?

"It's been a huge step for me. Last year in Enduro Youth, when I was having a good special test I'd look at my times and I'd be first or second. This season things were different. There were times I felt I rode a great test and I was still outside the top 10 in Enduro 1. As a racer I wanted to be up there fighting for the podium and it was tough to accept mentally. I had to take a step back to understand I couldn't have the same expectations. I learned there was no point in getting overly stressed. I'm happy I didn't give up the fight and continued working hard."

You've had almost a full season on the WR250F now, how have you enjoyed adjusting to Yamaha's new four-stroke machine?

"The WR250F is an incredible machine and I really enjoy racing it. Switching from my championship winning YZ125 to the four-stroke at the beginning of the season took some time. I had to get used to the feeling of a little extra weight and the extra power, as well as learning not to be so aggressive. The team has done an incredible job developing my race bike. We've worked a lot on our engine and suspension set-up and we've developed a machine that's capable of winning GPs. What I really love about it is that feeling of safety you get from the chassis and suspension when riding fast."

2016 has also been your first season on a factory-backed team. What's it been like having the full support of an experienced and professional team behind you?

"I can't thank them enough for what they've done for me this season. It's been a tough year and all of us had to work really hard to reach the point where we'd be able to battle for podium results. They stood behind me in all the good and the not so good moments and honestly I couldn't ask for anything more. Being a member of such a professional team felt unreal sometimes. I didn't have to worry about travelling, race assistance and other trivial stuff so I could only focus on my racing."

Overall, are you satisfied with the progress you've made during the season?

"It's been a great season and I'm satisfied with my progress. My two main goals this season were to get a podium result and finish inside the top seven in the Enduro 1 championship. I'm eighth now and in the position to fight for a better championship result this weekend in France. Overall, I'm glad I managed to stay away from any major injuries. Most importantly I kept improving my results as the racing went on. From battling for the top ten in Enduro 1 I became a regular contender for the top six. It's been a fairly good season and apart from my double DNFs in Greece things have been moving in the right direction."

From what you've learned so far, what are the keys for success in the highly competitive Enduro 1 class?

"I think staying consistent throughout the day and avoiding mistakes at any cost are the keys to getting good results. The level of competition is so elevated that any mistake could drop you six or even ten spots down the rankings. All riders in the class are experienced and they've learned not to make big mistakes. Sometimes I was maybe pushing too much, ending up making many mistakes. From my side, I did my best to up my game without forcing myself so much and it paid off. I just want to end the season on a high note now. I'd be over the moon if I got on the podium this weekend in France."