At the time of writing, Mel Pocock is just sixteen years old and has yet to race a full season of the MX2 World Motocross Championship, having been thrust in at the deep end during 2008 when a team mate retired with injury. On Sunday 7th June 2009, at the Ernee circuit in central France Mel finished 18th and 13th, not only scoring his first points but scoring in both motos to take 16th position overall.

Q: What age did you start racing, and at what point did you believe you would race and score points in the GPs?

A: I started racing at the age of six on what was essentially a pit bike, on my sixth birthday at a local evening club meeting. It didn't take long before I dreamed of scoring points every time I raced or trained, but it wasn't until the Saturday qualifying race at Valkenswaard this year that I really started to believe in myself, having finished strongly in the race. I just had to carry that onto the Sunday. I was close to my first points there, but unfortunately it didn't quite happen.

Q: Where and when did you first race a GP, and how did it go?

A: My first GP was Agueda, Portugal in 2008, when I was fifteen years old, it was a huge step for me. I met so many new people, both on the track and in the paddock and had an amazing experience. I rode well but didn't qualify, I did learn an awful lot on that weekend though, it was a real eye opener racing with the fastest guys in the world. I qualified for my first GP in Ireland the same year as second reserve I got a ride in the second moto. I held my own but crashed out whilst in 22nd position. It was another massive step for me, had Kenneth (Gundersen) not been injured I would have been riding in the British Youth Championship!

Q: Scoring your first points at Ernee must have felt good after a few very near misses this year, when did it sink in and how did you really feel?

A: Enree was a very special GP for me in more ways than one. It was the first time I had raced a GP without the team manager or team truck, and more importantly my parents were absent too. We travelled with just a van, two bikes, Zane and Ben (techs) and me. I rode so well there, it all came together on what was a very tough track to ride, in ever-changing conditions. I felt really happy travelling back, all three of us sitting in the van with big grins on our faces, the guys were really happy for me. I was so pleased not only that I scored points, not even that I did it in both races but that I had improved my first race finish to net a total of eleven points! It really sunk in when I got home and saw my parents, they were so happy for me and it brought back the realisation of what I had achieved.

Q: Soon you'll have a full GP season (with the exception of your injury this year) behind you and points in the bag, has that changed your goal for the 2010 season?

A: Yes my goals have changed in a big way. I want to be more consistent scoring points for the rest of this year and next season, I know I can run at the pace, I'm aiming to get top ten starts and run at the front end for the entire moto, every race. To me it's important to always remember to enjoy my riding and have fun, it's the reason I started racing ten years ago.