There was no beating Dani Heitink in the 85cc class in 2023. The 14-year-old from Kamperveen in the north of the Netherlands won the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85 to crown a magnificent season, in which he also won the Junior World Championship and the Dutch Masters title. “Let the riding do the talking” appears to be the motto of the quiet and calm young man, who really comes to life on the track. He was the only rider in the “little” class to finish in the top three in every race he completed. Having started in 2023 for his own team, set up by his family, he will step up to the 125cc class in 2024 and recently announced that he has signed a contract with the Yamaha Europe MJC team. In an interview, Dani introduces himself and reflects on his season.

Congratulations on winning the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85, your third title this year. Dani Heitink: “It has indeed been a good year for me, with three titles: the Junior World Championship, the Dutch Masters and now the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85. The weekend at the finale in Dreetz did not start so well, but then I changed a few settings on the bike and was crowned champion after the opening race.”

Was your goal to win those titles, or did you surprise yourself a little? “At the start of the year, we simply said that we would see how it went. Then it went very well. I had a very good weekend at the Junior World Championship and also rode very well at the Dutch Masters. Everything also went very well in the ADAC, apart from my DNF due to a technical issue at the opening round, which cost me 25 points. Despite that, I still managed to win the championship with a lead of over 30 points.”

Which of the ADAC races was your personal highlight? “I really like all sand races, but I particularly enjoyed Dreetz.”

And which race would you rather forget? “I don’t want to think about Fürstlich Drehna, where I failed to finish the first race. I came home in the top three in all the other races.”

What was the secret to your success? “In the races, I focus solely on myself, try to find my flow and let the race come to me.”

How old were you when you started out in Motocross? “I started when I was two and a half years old. My grandfather gave me a small bike. Since then, things have developed bit by bit. My goal is now to turn professional. My grandfather used to compete in sidecar Motocross, my uncle finished fourth in the Sidecar World Championship last year – my whole family is involved in Motocross and is there when I am competing.“

What is your dream in Motocross? “I just want to do what I love doing, and to get good results. I want to try to make it into MXGP or even to Supercross and the Outdoor Nationals in the USA.”

In 2022, you only started in the ADAC Series in the summer, and promptly finished in the top five in every race. However, you did not get a win to your name. What did you change coming into 2023? “We didn’t do all that much differently. I trained a lot harder in the winter than I had done the previous year. I benefitted from that, because I learned an awful lot on the different surfaces, from hard to sandy.”

You start in your own little team, instead of a big outfit. Is that an advantage? “We had so many sponsors that we were able to get up and running on our own. I liked that, as there was no pressure from the team and we could approach things the way we felt was best. However, that will change next season.”

What are your plans for 2024? “I recently signed a contract with the Yamaha Europe MJC team and will step up to the 125cc class, having spent three years on 85cc bikes. I will race in the EMX125 and probably also the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125, as well as the Dutch Masters.”