With three rounds left to run in this year’s WPTGlobal FIM EnduroGP World Championship, Britain’s Nathan Watson has suddenly pushed himself forward as serious championship contender.
Word and Images by EnduroGP
Absent from the EnduroGP paddock since 2017, Nathan has returned for 2022 with Honda Redmoto World Enduro and is arguably wiser, more well-rounded and significantly more motivated than when he left.
Storming his way to a confidence-boosting double win last time out in Portugal is testament to that and with momentum gained, he’s hoping it carries through to Slovakia this weekend.
“I feel like I’m in with a shot for the Enduro2 title and that’s ultimately the goal,” says Nathan ahead of round five. “I have never won a world title, so I want to take advantage of it this season.”
Currently third overall in the EnduroGP standings, the Honda man lies second in Enduro2 with just eight points separating him from points leader Wil Ruprecht. Another strong showing in Slovakia, in conditions that are likely to favour him, could really shake things up.
“I’m really looking forward to the next two races in Slovakia and Hungary. In 2017 we raced in Slovakia and it was definitely more suited to what my favourite conditions are like. I like the soft, loamy ground with less stones. I’m prepared to push hard.”
After numerous seasons on Austrian machinery, the switch to Honda seems to have gelled well with the Brit.
“I’m super happy with how things are going in the team. It seems a lot more relaxed than when I was in the KTM factory team and I think that it suits me. I’m there to do my job, they’re there to do their job and we get on really well.
“For the majority of my career I rode KTM or Husqvarna, so switching to Honda was a big step for me. We did a lot of testing and development to get the bike how I wanted it to be. I feel like we’re dialled in right now.
“My form has come good at the right time in this championship,” concludes Nathan ahead of the weekend’s GP of Slovakia. “I’m really focused on getting points in Enduro2. I want to win more races there and I know that when you’re in a good position in Enduro2, you’re also in the hunt for EnduroGP too!”
The WPTGlobal FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues with round five in Gelnica, Slovakia on July 29-31.
Stay tuned to www.endurogp.com throughout the weekend for championship updates and live results, and to @enduro_gp on Instagram for event story content.
