Fiat Yamaha Team Fan of the Week – Indianapolis – Susanne Lund Mikkelsen
Each MotoGP round we are introducing a fan who will also receive a prize courtesy of our good friends at Fiat Yamaha Team
Please meet the Fan of the Week for the Indianapolis round, Susanne Lund Mikkelsen from Denmark! RacingLibrarian.com
How long have you been following motorcycle racing?
SM: I can’t really remember when I started watching races, but I do remember the rivalry between Doohan and Criville so I’d say mid 90’s
Have you ever attended any races at any level?SM: I’ve raced in the national Danish championship in 2002, 2005 and 2009. I’ve also competed in a Scandinavian endurance championship in 2005 and 2008. The last couple of years I’ve choosen to race in various local German cups where I get more time on track and it’s still very competitive.
As a spectator I’ve been to British Superbike at Brands Hatch a few times. I know one of the guys who race in one of the support series so I usually get paddock passes and once I was watching the races from the paddock I was standing next to a guy who turned out to be one of Kevin Schwantz’s old mechanics. The stories he could tell about the legends from back then makes me smile every time I think about it. There’s just so much atmosphere in that paddock.
What got you into Motorbike Racing?SM: A coincidence. I had just bought my first motorcycle, went to a trackday to become a better rider and got hooked! I met my husband at a track day where we litterally almost crashed into each other and a year later we both decided to ditch our road bikes and focus on racing.
What do you ride? SM: I race a 2006 Yamaha R6 stocksport and have also got a 2008 R6 as a spare bike. Best bikes I’ve ever owned though I would love a supersport R6 if only it wasn’t so expensive to run.
Most memorable experience on a motorcycle or watching bikes?SM: Last June when I crashed in a highspeed corner and broke my wrist. I went to see a physiotherapist who’s one of the best motorcycle racers in Denmark and his approach to training with focus on balance and core strength has started a whole new chapter in my racing career. I only wish I had broken that wrist a few years earlier!
Dorna for a day. You control Grand Prix racing at the highest level. What would you do, or change?SM: Ban electronics! Randy Mamola sums it up nicely in his column: http://alpinestarsinc.com/mamola-97. I believe the more electronics take over the less the rider’s skills is the deciding factor and the races become less entertaining to watch. I really miss the slides and battles. 125 and Moto2 is so much more fun to watch and the outcome is far less predictable.
If you could spend a day on a track with any racer (past or present), who would it be?SM: Hmm it’s hard to choose as there are so many great racers I would like to meet and all of them could easily teach me a thing or two about racing. If I want to benefit the most from the time on track I would choose Andy Ibbott who now runs the European leg of California Superbike School. If it’s about telling stories I think a day with TT racer Guy Martin would be a laugh.
How and where do you normally watch the races?SM: At home on the telly.
Who is your favorite motorcycle racing legend?SM: Valentino Rossi. He’s someone I’ve followed for years and he’s just one of a kind with his incredible skills on a bike and amazing charisma.
We’re seeing more women involved in the motorcycling/racing industry, what are your thoughts on this?SM: I can only applaud it though I still think there are too few female racers. Physically I don’t see why women shouldn’t be as competitive as men in this sport but mentally women needs to be more focused as we can’t just put our brain in a box and let testosterone take over. Most guys welcome women into motorsport and personally I’ve only met one racer who made a fuss about being passed by a woman. But I also think it’s important women don’t expect to get special treatment just because they are women.
Anything you’d like to share with the MRR community?SM: I’d encourage as many riders as possible to attend track days or even start racing. It’s fun, challenging and under the right circumstances it’s actually so much safer than riding on public roads.
