Martin Jessopp fully focused on Macau GP outing

Martin Jessopp has put thoughts about his future to the back of his mind as he temporarily swaps racing leathers for boxing gloves ahead of the Macau GP.

The Yeovil racer is yet to seal a ride for 2013 but said work behind the scenes continued to ensure a return to superbikes, with either the world or British series looking likely destinations.

Jessopp spent just one year in World Supersport, struggling with injury and to adapt to a 600cc Honda whilst gaining experience of international circuits that could prove invaluable if he earns a dream deal in World Superbikes.

However, the 26-year-old is currently preparing for this month’s Macau GP and his fourth visit to the event that is labelled the globe’s most dangerous road race.

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Jessopp has reverted to a training programme designed to make him as quick as possible on his 1000cc Ducati, teaming up with a Mixed Martial Arts academy in his home town.

The father-of-one who flies to the Chinese administrative island next Wednesday said: “I have changed my training from what I used to do for the supersport bike.

“It used to be about improving my endurance and losing weight, whereas now it’s back to doing the training I always used to do with a superbike which I enjoy with more weights for my upper body and trying to strengthen my shoulder.

“I have been working with Giles Richards’ new Fight Academy, which has been going really well.

“I feel I have always been very lucky in being a naturally fit person. Even when I have had three weeks off over Christmas and have not done any training, within three days I have lost the weight I may have put on and am back to my usual levels.

“Touch wood, I have never struggled in a race but if there is anywhere that will expose a drop in fitness it will be Macau with the crazy humidity.

“It will be a 45-minute race so you just need to be as fit as possible and as strong in your upper body as possible without putting on too much weight so that at the end of the race you have been able to put in your all.

“You don’t want your fitness to let you down. You would be surprised at the number of riders that don’t take their fitness that seriously, but you don’t want to be losing to the man ahead of you because he was stronger on the last lap.”

On discussions regarding his future, Jessopp - who last month travelled to Ducati’s Italian headquarters - added: “Nothing has changed, we are still working behind the scenes. Work is on-going but it is Macau time now and we are concentrating our efforts on the final race of the year and to get a good result there.

“As soon as we finish the race and are on the flight home we will be discussing plans of attack for 2013 and what we need to do.”

Once in Macau, Jessopp and his team will have just over a week to acclimatise and adjust to an eight-hour time difference. He admitted his training regime differed from rivals but said his approach suited him down to the ground.

He said: “You can go to the conventional gym all year round and there is only so much you can do in there. The boxing is always something that I have done.

“A lot of people can’t do it and a lot of road racers are keen road cyclists, which is something that doesn’t interest me at all.

“I enjoy running but I can’t get my head around the cycling where you are sat out there for hours on end on roads that were designed for cars. But I doubt a lot of people like the boxing and similar could be said about me. The only bike I can get used to has a large engine underneath me.”

Jessopp has also stayed away from his beloved motorcross bike, keen not to add to an injury list for 2012 that already includes a nerve problem in his shoulder and a broken collarbone.

“I have kept away from the motocross bike and have decided to give that a rest until I come back from Macau as I have all winter to ride that,” said Jessopp who competed in the expert class of last month’s Weymouth Beach Race.

“With the amount of effort the organisers have put in to get us to Macau and the amount my guys are looking forward to it, I didn’t want to do anything stupid and risk not being able to get on the bike thanks to something that I could have avoided.”