The team manager of ICE 1 Racing, Kimi Raikkonen’s MX outfit, catches up with redbull.com…
Former MX3 World Championship rider Antti Pyrhonen took on a new challenge in 2013: team management at the highest level.
The Finn took the reins of Kimi Raikkonen’s MX1 ICE 1 Racing team for this season and has been doing a stellar job with riders Rui Goncalves and Xavier Boog, the latter currently sidelined through injury.
Seven rounds into the campaign, Pyrhonen has had plenty thrown at him and he’s dealt with it all in impressive style. Redbull.com caught a few minutes with him to get his perspective…
Redbull.com: Antti, how’s your first season as a team manager in the World Championship gone so far?
Antti Pyrhonen: Well there are many new things and it’s a big challenge of course, but nothing major – I’d been a professional rider for 12 years before this and also the last few years running my own small team. However, now with ICE 1 Racing it’s on a much bigger scale and especially with these overseas GPs, there have been many things to learn.
I have worked hard and pushed in every aspect, and the seven races for the team so far this season have gone quite well. Up until Portugal, we had both riders inside the top 10 of the championship, which was our goal at the start. But Xavier had an ankle injury and has had to miss Portugal and Brazil, so of course that’s affected his overall standing. But it has been going quite well. There can always be something better in each moto, but on average let’s say not too bad!
RB: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned this year?
AP: Several small things to be honest, like how to cooperate with partners, manage riders and recognise their good and bad days, and trying to always get the best out of them. But let’s say the best thing I’ve learned and where I still want to learn even more is how to manage a big group of people. That’s something that’s very challenging but I’m very lucky – we have a great team. The technical team is great, the team coordinator is doing a fantastic job and also Kimi’s manager Riku Kuvaja is helping me a lot. So far everybody has worked well together towards one goal.
RB: And finally, your highlight of the season so far?
AP: That’s an easy one! Thailand, especially the Super Final. Both riders finished fifth and sixth so that was great. Also to have those overseas races in Qatar and Thailand as a successful start was great. It was my first time organising overseas races as a team manager, and especially to end up there in the Super Final with those results was definitely the high point so far.