MXP: Hey Newf! Let’s begin with a question sent in by Rob from Ontario. Quinn Amyotte announced this week that he’s doing his own deal this summer on a KTM 450. Are you surprised that Quinn wasn’t able to find something sooner, and how do you think he’ll do in the 450 class aboard his new KTM?
RL: First of all, thanks for the question, Rob. Surprised yes, since I think everyone assumed he was going back to the WLTN Kawasaki Team. But both parties couldn’t reach an agreement when things became late into the off-season. Quinn did start the year on fire but as the series headed east he began to struggle. The WLTN Kawasaki Team has been put into a position where they have a lot of pressure to get results, and with a soft ending to the season for Quinn, they had to look elsewhere. Honestly, I think the 450 is going to be better for him. He’s a big kid which makes the 250 class tough. I think he will be a consistent Top 5 450 guy this year which will put him in a position where teams will be looking at him again in 2026.
MXP: You’re riding a Honda this year for the first time in a long time. In recent years you’ve raced a KTM as well as a Kawasaki. What are your initial thoughts on the 2025 CRF450R?
RL: It was only a matter of time before I switched to the Honda with my role within the GDR Honda Team. My first impression is that I’m happy with the bike. It handles really well which is the most important thing for me. I don’t have a lot of experience riding the previous generation CRF450R, but so far it’s been great. I’m excited to get some more time on the bike and learn how the bike works on different condition tracks. This will be a benefit for me at the Triple Crown Series to help with the team.
MXP: Last weekend, you travelled coast to coast and attended the Foxborough SX in the cold temperatures and rain. First off, what made you travel to this race in particular? Secondly, what were your thoughts on the Foxborough mudder?
RL: Yes, it was kind of a random decision for me to head to this race. I have always stayed very close with Mike Treadwell, and since I haven’t seen him in a while I thought this would be a great chance to spend a few days with him and his family. I also wanted to go to an East Coast venue for something different. It was a bummer that the weather was the way it was, but we still had a great time. I saw a lot of people that I hadn’t seen in a long time. As far as the race goes, there wasn’t much to watch. I couldn’t believe how bad it was. However, it was still interesting to watch as you had no idea what was going to happen. Watching the best riders in the world struggle like that really put into perspective how tough it was. I did enjoy seeing the privateers finish well and seeing the reaction of all the riders in the pits later that night.
