Kawasaki factory rider Pauls Jonass is without doubt a rider who is pretty secure in the MXGP paddock. One of the few men with an MXGP victory to his name, and of course a former World MX2 champion, the Latvian knows that if he keeps doing what he is doing, his career can continue on in the same vein for some years to come.

With around 16 factory riders in the MXGP class, Jonass shouldn’t have to worry about not being a factory rider in the new future and his current team, the Kawasaki Factory team, he has the opportunity to be a regular top five, or even a podium man.

Back in 2024, Jonass scored a GP win in the mud in Agueda, Portugal and had a handful of top five finishes and that was in a field with the big four, Jorge Prado, Tim Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings and Romain Febvre, so not an easy task to score podiums, let alone a Grand Prix victory.

Now, with Prado gone and Jonass going from a privateer team of Standing Construct to the Kawasaki factory set-up, he can work hard in the next few months and come out swinging in Argentina at the start of March.

With the European pre-season starting in around a months’ time, we thought it might be an idea to pick up the phone and chat with the former World champion and ask how its going with the new team. As always, Jonass is his happy and friendly self and always up for a quick chat.

MXLarge: Pauls, thanks for taking time out of your winter training. Where are you now, still in Portugal with Stefan (Everts)?

Jonass: No, we are in Sardinia. I was in Portugal until Christmas and then we went to Belgium for Christmas and New Year and now I am in Sardinia with the team. We will do some training and testing and we are away from the rain. We had some rain this morning, but it is sunny now. It is actually good to have some rain, because when I was with Stefan in Portugal in December, it was really, really dry.

MXLarge: Will you work more with Stefan throughout the season?

Jonass: Well, we started in mid-way through 2023, and he was always at the races with Liam, and during the week he sometimes comes to the track, but once the season starts, he doesn’t come so much during the week. He gives me a program and helps with some decisions and guides me the right way. I also spend some time at his place in Portugal during the off-season. We do some trial riding, enduro and motocross practice.

MXLarge: Obviously a new team, with Kawasaki, and we heard last year Jeremy Seewer had some trouble adapting to the new bike, as did Mitch Evans the previous year, but how has it been for you. Are you already feeling comfortable on it?

Jonass: To be honest, straight away, the first time I was on the bike, I felt pretty comfortable. Obviously from my injuries, I was off the bike for four months, so, it was different, but so far, I am really happy. There is some work to do, because now I am slowly getting back to the speed, let’s say the race speed and fitness. When you get to that point, there is always some work to do. We haven’t done any testing yet, just some riding to get a good base for the winter training. I am feeling really good on the bike.

MXLarge: Are there anything you feel you would like to change on the bike. I remember last year Jeremy (Seewer) mentioned he couldn’t get the bike to turn, although Romain didn’t have those difficulties. How has that been for you?

Jonass: No, to be honest, it is pretty much on the other side of the scale, and when I do complain, I actually complain that it turns too good, that I was struggling with the oversteer. That is one of the things we need to figure out a little. To be honest, I said to the guys in the team and the guys at the factory, if you can give me a bike with the rear low and the front high, I will be okay and I will manage with the rest. So long as I can turn the bike and have good balance.

MXlarge: You have ridden for KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna and then moved to the Honda with Standing Construct and now the Kawasaki. How does the Kawasaki compare to the Honda, because back in the day, they said the Japanese bikes are similar, but I understand that isn’t the case anymore. How different was the Kawasaki to the Honda?

Jonass: Actually, the difference is big, and you cannot compare the Austrian bikes to the Japanese bikes, with the steel frame and the aluminium frame, the difference is really big. Even coming from the Honda to the Kawasaki. The first time on went on the Kawasaki, it felt good, because with the Honda, I was struggling a lot, you know and we eventually figured it out and the results showed, but I was always struggling with the balance of the Honda. As I told you, I like the rear low and the front high, well, the Honda is known for being evenly balanced and that isn’t what I like. That isn’t how my riding style works, and it wasn’t an easy adjustment. So far on the Kawasaki, I feel good on the bike. It is always in training or practice, and we will see how it goes once we go racing.

MXLarge: It is crazy to think you have been racing Grand Prix motocross for 12 years now and it has gone so quickly, hasn’t it?

Jonass: Yes, I am slowly turning into a veteran in the GPs. It is crazy when I look back, because I was with Antti (team manager) before, when we were with the Husqvarna factory and that was 2019 and 2020 and that is already five years ago. We came to Sardinian for our training camp and the last time I was here was with Antti and the Husqvarna team. It doesn’t feel like six years have gone by.

MXLarge: How is that now then, working with Antti again. We all hear how particular and professional he is, and he can be tough, but he does a good job, but has he changed much since the Husqvarna days?

Jonass: Antti has actually changed a lot and also the team. You cannot compare the team to when I was with Husqvarna and Antti has also changed, and both in a positive way. He has more experience now and the team is much bigger than it was back in the day. I have always had a good connection and friendship with Antti, so I am happy to be back working with him again.

MXLarge: The last couple of years, you have had a lot of fourths and fifths and it is tough to get a podium with the field we have now, with Prado, Herlings, Gajser, Febvre and others, but with Prado now gone and you in a full factory team, so, with all respect to Standing Construct, you are in a better team now, so, you must be working on podiums for 2025?

Jonass: Yes, of course. The competition is really tough, but the goal is always to fight for podiums and especially when you are in a factory team. It should be a goal to fight for a podium and fight for wins, when it is possible. It is never easy, because the competition is so tough and there are some really great riders. That is why we do it and we work so hard, to be in the battle for the podium. Of course, Standing Construct did a great job, but the budgets from the factory teams and the privateer teams, it is day and night difference.

MXLarge: You are 28 next week. You are not a veteran yet, but you are getting up there, do you change your preparation at all as you get older?

Jonass: No, not really. I think now I am smarter, and I have always been the guy who likes to work a lot and sometimes too much, so I have gotten smarter in that, and I try and listen to my body a bit more. I also try and stay calmer, and I have also gotten better in switching the mind off when I am not training and I am not over thinking stuff, you know. I do my work now and then I try and switch off, so I don’t get burnt out.

MXlarge: Obviously with the calendar we have more and more overseas races and I am not sure if you like those or not, but from memory, you have generally done good in those races, or not?

Jonass: Yes, yes, I have always done pretty well in Argentina and also Indonesia. Sure, sometimes the travel isn’t fun and in Indonesia, we go to some pretty bad places, where you really don’t want to spend time, but I still enjoy those, because less people from the industry and the paddock feels a bit closer and we all hang out at the hotels and stuff like that. In the European GPs, everyone is hidden in their trucks or the hospitality. So, the fly-away races are nice in that way.

MXLarge: Do you know what you will do leading into the opening Grand Prix in Argentina?

Jonass: Yes, I will do Hawkstone Park in England and Lacapelle in France and then its Argentina.

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