The French Connection
The French Connection
When I heard that group member Eric Lenser was returning to Scarborough to compete in the 2015 Spring Cup I was looking forward to seeing his RS250 again and when I realised he was bringing 4 of his compatriots along, I was intrigued. I decided to contact Eric and set-up an interview. We conducted the question and answer session via email, and here are the results:
Joel: Eric you competed in the Spring Cup in 2014 on the Honda RS250 and Suzuki SV650. How did your races go as I hear you had a few problems?
Eric: Yeah, Olivers mount was one of those circuits I've wanted to ride for a while, and the spring cup timing worked great, as I was chasing signatures for the Manx GP. But the weekend was tough, it was my first ride on the SV (first time ever on a 4 stroke race bike), and we didn't get along. And my beloved 250 Honda decided to give me troubles all weekend (later traced to a blocked breather in the fuel cap) . Still, that's how racing goes, certainly with 2 strokes.
Joel: Apart from these issues you must have enjoyed your experience at Oliver's Mount (as you are returning in 2015). What aspects appealed to you? The circuit itself? The atmosphere amongst the riders?
Eric: Well, it's very different to the other road circuits I've been doing in eastern Europe or Ireland. The circuit is dinner plate smooth, the track is more a proper circuit converted to be an open road as opposed to the opposite. And the organisation was really top notch, we were made really welcome, the weekend ran like clockwork. And I feel I've got some unfinished business so I'll be back this spring !
Joel: Please can you tell us a little about your Racing History? I am aware that you have competed at the Manx and also in the Czech Republic. Is this a recent conversion to Road Racing? If so what other forms of Motorbike racing did you compete in prior to the roads? Circuit racing or maybe Motocross?
Eric: I made the change to full time road racing a few seasons back now, after my first trip to Horice in the Czech republic. I loved the style, quite different to closed circuits. I was a circuit guy to start, I started out racing in Australia back around 2002, racing 250 proddies. Managed to win a couple of club championships, before switching to 250GP. But even then I preferred the tight, bumpy circuits to places like Phillip island or eastern creek. When I moved to France the Honda came with me, and we did a few seasons of the national hill climb series (which is a serious business over here) before going full time road racing. Last year I managed to win the Czech 250 road race championship, so it was a great season.
Joel: What are your plans for the rest of the 2015 season? Would you like to tell us a little about your sponsors and how you manage to fund your racing career?
Eric: How do I fund my racing ? Ha, I live on rice and bread, and spend ½ my year saving every cent to blow it on entry forms, tyres and avgas! I do get the odd bit of help, Route 21 have been great in supplying me leathers, and I had some very helpful friends last year who chipped some cash, and who I can’t thank enough. Cheers fellas, you know who you are.
My main goal this year is a return to the Manx, this year on the lovely Darvill racing SV650. Aside from that I'm just picking courses that make me smile, or that I’ve wanted to do.I’m not doing any championship. After Scarborough I'm off to Horice again, and July Heading for the IOM for the Southern 100 before the Manx.
But in the same time I'm swinging on a sidecar in France, ridden by Bernard Ragonnet. We are starting out on closed circuits, and will see from there. But I'm excited !
Joel: I hear you are coming to Oliver's Mount with a contingent of fellow French riders (Martial Mourra, Franck Petricola, Frederic Besnard and Nicolas Pautet), how did this come about? Are you members of the same club or just friends from the French motorcycling scene? Describe how you put together and agreed to organise this visit to our shores.
Eric: They are all friends from the road racing world, I met Fred and Martial at the Manx and we had a great time there together, Franck I know from the IRRC scene and Nicolas from a IOM group as he is working on his Manx Debut this season. They all were interested in racing Scarborough after I talked it up last year, and so I talked with the them and then the Auto club 66 team, to see what we could do. The club has been a real great help. I'm juggling logistics and all, for a few of us it's over a 1000 mile trip each way, with people coming from different corners of France, then car pooling, ferries , everyone having internationl race licences, etc. But then hey, who wants to do easy !
Joel: You have a very distinctive livery/paint scheme on your bike. Does this hold any particular significance?
Eric: Ha, not at all. It started when I repainted the Honda in 2012, and found the white a little boring. I wanted the bike to be noticed, and I had a roll of black adhesive lying around, so went to work making a chequered flag design. When I painted up the SV I thought I'd do the opposite, black as opposed to white (makes it easier to tell which bike) but kept the flag as a common theme.
Joel: What goals have you set for your 2015 visit to the Spring Cup?
Eric: My goals are personal, I'll be watching my times compared to last year. I want to get a decent finish in the 650, but those hot Kawas are hard to race in the minitwin spec SV Anywhere above mid pack will be great for me. And on the 250 I'm always chasing podiums, if the bike is working like it should that's what I'm shooting for. She managed 4th las time so we should be able to do better. Joel: Will you all (Martial, Franck, Frederic, Nicolas and yourself) be camping in the Paddock area and can you tell us a little bit about your fellow countrymen?
Eric: Yeah, we are travelling and staying together. Don't be afraid to come around and say hello people :) The real road racing scene over here is small, we all know each other, and everyone gets along great. It's what I like the most I think about real road racing, everywhere you go it's a big family, you can race hard but in the paddock everyone is ready to help, lend you a part, whatever! And these guys are fast ! I'm hoping to not let the team down too much :)
Joel: Cheers Eric!
Eric: Thanks, and see you at Scarborough !
Pictures courtesy of: Lee Davies
