Lotte Van Drunen – The Rookie

After starting the 2023 WMX Championship with a consistent 1-3 performance at the opening round of the series in Sardinia, Lotte van Drunen then collected the red plate in round two with 5-1 result. The Kawasaki rider had stunnedthe world as she burst onto the scene, but it was short lived as in the next round in Spain, Van Drunen finished with 7-5 scores and lost her red plate to multiple World champion Courtney Duncan.

Her recollection of the round in Spain was that it was a tough weekend, but she decided that having fun was the best way to get the most points and concentrate on racing and not the points situation.

“The Saturday in Spain was tough, but I told myself that I just needed to have fun on the Sunday and see how it goes. I woke up this morning with a good feeling; I saw on the sighting lap that the track was rough with many lines, and I was able to go around everyone for second at turn two. I got pushed back to sixth at one point but then I had a good battle with the girls in front of me, switching places several times to finish fifth. My riding was good, and I rode the fastest lap of the race so that gives me confidence”

Van Drunen fought back though in the last round of the WMX championship in France with 5-4 scores and is now third in the championship points with 150 points and just 15 points off second placed rider Daniela Guillen.

At the French round a couple of weeks ago, the young Dutch woman, also gated well in both race one and race two but drifted wide at turn one in the second race and again had to race through the pack from tenth on the opening lap; By lap eight of twelve she had advanced to fourth and continued to close down the girls racing for the podium places but just ran out of time to challenge them. 

The fifteen-year-old rookie has consolidated her third place in the series standings and can look forward confidently to reducing the fifteen-point gap to second at the next round of the series in the deep sand of her native Dutch GP. 

“I felt good in practice, but I made a bad start and had to come from way back to fifth. The second race, I was good out of the gate, but I went way too wide at the first turn; there were still some ruts there, so it was difficult to turn for me, but I fought my way back to fourth. I was in the wheel of second and third but there were some backmarkers in the way so I couldn't pass them; but this is a learning year for me so it's fine. The track was really difficult, but I enjoyed it. There's a couple of months break in the world series now but I can't wait for my home GP at Arnhem in August. I have more races before then to keep me busy; in the European Championship I am undefeated so far and I hope to keep it like that and be champion.”

With a long break now before the final two rounds Van Drunen will no doubt get more experience as she waits for the round in her home country, The Netherlands in August and the final round in Turkey in September. Whatever she does from here on, her rookie season has seen her perform at the highest level and surprised a lot of people.

Photo Credit: Kawasaki