Petar Petrov interview

Petar Petrov is very much a rider with a lot of potential. Early season though his results struggled somewhat and his position of 13^th in the MX2 Championship points is not where he wants to be. A very good Bulgarian Grand Prix saw him gain in confidence as a sixth overall made up for his results in Qatar, Thailand, Brazil and Italy.

We caught up with Petrov and asked him about his series so far.

Q: You must be happy with your home Grand Prix at Sevlievo?

Petrov: I was expecting more from the Bulgarian Grand Prix on the Saturday, at least in qualification. Sunday went better. It felt so much better doing it in my home race. Usually I ride bad at Sevlievo, but this year was really good. The track was so much different than other years. In the past it was fast and wide open all the time, but now there were deep ruts and you could make a difference.

Q: Can you explain your two moto’s for me?

Petrov: In the first moto I crashed after a couple of corners and was in last position. I put my head down and attacked as hard as I could. My speed was good and I enjoyed the race. The public was fantastic! They were cheering so hard and it literally gave me an extra boost. I finished 8th and was one of the fastest on the track, so that was good. In the second race my start was better. The track was tricky with the rain and I didn’t take too much risks. I finished 6th and had a good battle with Coldenhoff. I’m relieved I managed to finish two good races and this gives me extra confidence for Valkenswaard, which is a track that suits me well.

Q: Obviously we also saw some mud racing in Sevlievo. You had done well in the mud at this circuit a few years earlier, but how did you find it this time?

Petrov: Mud is tricky and if you get a good start and find good lines then it is really good, but with mud you can also do really bad. The track was really good on Saturday, but I just didn’t have the speed. Sunday I didn’t mind the mud too much.

Q: Can you explain what has happened in your season so far?

Petrov: My season isn’t what I had hoped for. We had some bad luck, technical issues and crashes on my side and that is pretty much what happened before Bulgaria. Bulgaria went a lot better for me. Top ten is still possible. I don’t want to focus on the championship I just want to fight for podiums.

Q: Did you feel much pressure in your home race?

Petrov: I had some pressure, I am the only one riding the GP from Bulgaria and all my family were there watching, it was fun but stressful. I left for Belgium on Monday morning after the race, so no sightseeing for me. It was Easter and people did come, but of course the weather helped a little early in the day. I was happy there was a crowd and because I was the only Bulgarian rider they cheered for me a lot.