World MX Rnd 4 – Brazil
David Philippaerts obtained the first overall victory of the season in Indaiatuba, while Jeffrey Herlings beat his team-mate Ken Roczen and got his second GP win of the season. Both riders took the overall win being tight in points with the second classified.
David Philippaerts got the perfect weekend, winning the qualifying race yesterday and obtaining the overall win today. Second was Antonio Cairoli and third was red plate holder Clement Desalle.
In the MX2 class, Jeffrey Herlings got an eventual GP win and he finished ahead his team-mate Ken Roczen. Gautier Pauline finished third and got the first podium of the season.
MX1
Monster Energy Yamaha’s David Philippaerts was extremely happy after such overall victory. The Italian had not been really fortunate in the last Grand Prix’s and such result will help him to increase his self-confidence. Philippaerts got really valuable points for the championship and he is now forth ahead his team-mate Steven Frossard.
Second overall was Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Antonio Cairoli, who has succeed in closing the gap with the Championship leader Desalle. Cairoli would have won the GP if he had not made so many mistakes on the track on the second race, as he had won the first one.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1’s Clement Desalle got a bittersweet third overall position. On the first race, Desalle started at the back of the pack, but he did an amazing recuperation and managed to be second overtaking Phillipaerts and Frossard at the same time. Unfortunately, he made a mistake and finished fourth. In the second heat another mistake made him lose the leadership and finished again in the fourth position.
Fourth overall was Monster Energy Yamaha’s Steven Frossard who finished tight in points with third classified Desalle. The French finished third in the first race, but in the second one he had some pain on his thumb and decided not to take risks and keep the fourth position.
Completing the top five was Steve Ramon from Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 thanks to his third final position in the second heat. The Belgian rider is making great progressions on his Suzuki machine and he is now tenth in the point standings.
Max Nagl was not that fortunate this weekend and he just finished sixth overall. However, the German is still second of the MX1 World Championship, eleven points behind the leader Clement Desalle.
Ken De Dycker got a solid sixth overall position, followed by Xavier Boog, who started really good in both heats but he could not keep the rhythm and finished ninth and eighth respectively.
Kevin Strijbos finished ninth and Evgeny Bobryshev could only finish 10th due to the numerous mistakes he made during both heats. His team-mate Rui Gonçalves also struggled in the Brazilian track and he finished just behind Bobryshev.
Davide Guarneri did not take part in today’s races as the doctor suggested him some rest after the heavy crash he suffered yesterday during the qualifying race.
Jorge Antonio Balbi was the best Brazilian rider in the MX1 class finishing 19th position, but he could not finish the second race due to a crash he suffered right after the start.
MX1 Race 1 | MX 1 Race 2 |
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM) 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yam), +0:02.12 3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yam), +0:12.14 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzi), +0:17.50 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:24.04 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Honda), +0:33.10 7. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:35.39 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Hon), +0:38.19 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:39.47 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Hon), +0:52.87 | 1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yam) 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.944 3. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:24.845 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suz), +0:29.849 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yam), +0:34.54 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:36.320 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:37.526 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kaw), +0:38.436 9. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kaw), +0:51.3 10. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Hon), +0:59.566; |
MX1 Round Points | MX1 Championship |
1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yam), 47 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suz), 36 4. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yam), 36 5. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 34 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 31 7. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Honda), 26 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 25 9. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 24 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Hon), 23 | 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suz), 164 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 153 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 151 4. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yam), 138 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yam), 132 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Hon), 110 7. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 108 8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawa), 94 9. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 92 10. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 90 |
MX2
Red Bull Teka KTM Factory racing MX2’s Jeffrey Herlings got a very important overall victory this weekend in Idaiatuba. The Dutch took advantage of the mistake Roczen made when leading the second heat and Herlings crossed the finish line in the first position. However, Herlings admitted that he needs to work hard once back in Europe to close the gap between him and Roczen.
Ken Roczen from Red Bull Teka KTM Factory racing MX2 won the first race easily, but he crashed twice in the second race and lost the overall victory. However, Roczen is still the leader of the series with 14 points advantage over Herlings.
Monster Energy Yamaha’s Gautier Paulin got his first podium of the season after finishing third in both heats. The French rider confessed he is very satisfied with such result because the hard work he has done with his team has been finally compensated.
CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit managed to finish fourth overall, even starting from the very outside due to his disqualification at yesterday’s qualifying race. Searle is still third in the Championship but he is now 35 points away the leader of the Championship Ken Roczen.
Zach Osborne completed the top five with two solid fifth results. Osborne starred in a couple of battles in both heats, first with Paulin and then with Searle, but his injured wrist did not let him push harder and stayed behind.
Max Anstie struggled a little bit in the Brazilian track and he finished sixth and seventh respectively. Christophe Charlier and Arnaud Tonus, who were both tight in 27 points, finished after the British rider. Ninth was Joel Roelants and competing the top ten was Finnish rider Harri Kullas.
Hector Assunçao de Freitas was the best-qualified Brazilian rider in the MX2 class, finishing 13th ahead of Nicolas Aubin.
MX2 Race 1 | MX 2 Race 2 |
1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM) 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:11.475 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yam), +0:25.125 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kaw), +0:30.571 5. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yam), +0:33.134 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Kaw), +0:50.044 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yam), +1:08.177 8. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +1:27.061 9. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yam), +1:31.079 | 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), +0:06.333 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yam), +0:07.549 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kaw), +0:08.581 5. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yam), +1:03.018 6. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yam), +1:06.261 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kaw), +1:22.763 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yam), +1:45.085 9. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +1:48.467 Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:52.473; |
MX2 Round Points | MX2 Championship |
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p 2. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 47 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yam), 40 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kaw), 36y Osborne (USA, Yam), 32 7. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yam), 27 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 27 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 23 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 22 p | 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 191 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 177 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawi), 156 4. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yam), 122 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 120 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), 116 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 108 8. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 96 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 90 10. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yam), 89 |
– Suzuki
Clement Desalle picked up his third podium finish of the season at a sunny and busy Indaiatuba for the Grand Prix of Brazil by claiming third overall and taking part in a pair of entertaining MX1 motos on his works RM-Z450. The Belgian was a leading protagonist in front of a full set of grandstands, housing 26,000 spectators, and maintained his advantage at the top of the standings at the fourth round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
A tight, gnarly and jump-laden Indaiatuba layout was shorter and more condensed than Glen Helen last weekend where Desalle captured his second success of 2011. The constant jumping and turning, coupled with the high temperatures, gave the lively Brazilian event a special character of its own.
A turbulent day on Saturday saw Desalle marking some of the fastest lap times in both practice sessions but then several mistakes in the Qualification Heat left the Belgian with 12th pick of the gate. Team mate Steve Ramon came through the race with sixth place.
On Sunday Desalle spent a long time adrift of the intense tussle for first position between three riders in the first moto until an immense push drew him up to and into contention entering the final stages. He flighted from fourth to second place in one lap but then made a mistake on the fast descent by the pits and had to run wide and re-enter the track via the start-gate. Desalle started well in the second moto but a misjudgement after he had passed Antonio Cairoli for the lead across the finish line jump saw him enter the following corner too fast and he tipped over in the berm. The recently-turned 22 year old beat Frossard to fourth again and picked up his trophy thanks to his second moto ranking.
Ahead of Desalle in Moto2 was Ramon, who was strong and proactive and broke into the top three of a race for the first time this season. The former World Champion was seventh at the first time of asking and the combined total led to a final position of fifth in Brazil.
Desalle keeps the red plate by 11 points over Max Nagl with Ramon now 10th in the MX1 championship standings. Rockstar Energy Suzuki WMX1 is next in action in two weeks time at 2011 Motocross of Nations venue St Jean D’Angely for the Grand Prix of France.
Clement Desalle: “This circuit was pretty difficult for me. I crashed three times in qualification and finished 12th to try and get the best position possible in the gate because the start is important here with the uphill. It was my mistake on Saturday and I have to learn not to do it again. My start was not great in the first moto but I came back really well. I made a big mistake by the pit-lane and I was really disappointed by that. In the second moto I was fighting with Tony, took the lead; and then decided to change my line a little bit over the finish table-top. I couldn’t complete the corner and crashed. I restarted and rode to fourth and made the podium, rescuing some points. This was not my best weekend but it could have been worse.”
Steve Ramon: “I’m pleased with today. The first moto was a little bit difficult. I was feeling good but the speed was too slow, so I was not there from the beginning. I struggled a little bit to seventh and I knew I could do better. In the second moto I was at the front and could follow the speed of the top guys and was riding well. Three laps before the end I was getting a bit tired because I’m still not in peak fitness. Anyway I was happy with the second moto and to be part of that battle for the first positions.”
– Yamaha Racing
Philippaerts victorious after Brazilian battle
The fourth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship belonged to Monster Energy Yamaha and David Philippaerts as the Italian emerged victorious from two hugely entertaining motos at a sweltering and packed Indaiatuba. The Grand Prix of Brazil saw DP19 take his works YZ450FM to second and first positions to spray overall winners champagne for the first time since the 2010 French Grand Prix.
26,000 spectators filled the grandstands around the excellent racing facility an hour north of Sao Paolo and steamy weather graced the entire weekend as the Grand Prix community faced their second fly-away event in succession. The course was unrelenting in a layout of jumps and corners and was short and compact.
On Saturday the factory Yamahas formation-flew as Frossard led the Qualification Heat from Philippaerts before the Italian took control at the mid-way point of the sprint and glided to his first pole position since the season-closing Italian Grand Prix last year.
Filling the first slot on the line for the tricky uphill start from a soft gate, Philippaerts and Frossard both launched well and embarked on a spat with Antonio Cairoli for the lead that lasted practically all of the 35 minutes and 2 laps. Clement Desalle also jointed the dispute prior to his error three laps from the flag. Frossard eventually dropped back in third and Philippaerts followed Cairoli to the line.
Another good battle later in the afternoon involved the same cast but Steve Ramon also joined the fray. Desalle again made a mistake and fell and Philippaerts was able to control the moto from the front. Cairoli applied pressure on the penultimate lap but Philippaerts responded by setting the fastest time of the race on the very last lap. The former world champion now has two podium results in 2011. Frossard felt the effects of the thumb strain he sustained in the USA and was fifth at the finish, tying on points with Desalle for third place but losing the podium due to the second race classification.
Anthony Boissiere was searching for points inside the top ten of the leader-board and finished twelfth in the first moto but a hefty crash in the second left the Frenchman short of breath and holding his right shoulder. Full credit must go to 2010 MX3-GP World Champion Carlos Campano who was riding a stock YZ450F after problems with U.S. customs. The Spaniard aced the holeshot against a gate-ful of works bikes in the first moto. Campano was sadly unable to last the distance or even start the second due to pain his hand after a fall at Glen Helen last week.
In the world championship standings Philippaerts and Frossard are fourth and fifth respectively with Boissiere in twelfth. The Grand Prix of France (home events for Frossard and Boissiere and in fact the site of the latters first moto victory in 2005) will occur in two weeks at St Jean dAngely and will start a run of three consecutive events with visits to Spain and Portugal following immediately after.
David Philippaerts, 1st:
I am so happy with this win and Brazil is becoming a special place for me after some good motos last year also. The track was nice and every corner was different with the lines, so the riders were going at different speeds. Like last year I have the same points as Antonio but we have the win this time and I pleased about this. I changed my lines during the middle of the second moto and made a big push. Antonio was fast and I knew he would come but I just focussed on the track ahead and set the fastest time on the last lap. We go to France next and I won my first GP there in 2005 and also last season so I am motivated for this race. Im glad to be heading home now.
Steven Frossard, 4th:
I was happy with the first race because I had a good battle with Cairoli and Philippaerts and it was a lot of fun. In the second moto I took a great start but Philippaerts was faster. At mid-race distance I had a lot of pain in my thumb and I couldnt brake properly. I had to let Ramon and Desalle go through and I ended the race disappointed with fifth because I was close to the podium. It was difficult today. The first part of the track was good but all the bumps and the uphill of the second half of the lap was very difficult for me.
Anthony Boissiere, 18th:
In the beginning things were OK but the track was hard and difficult. I was twelfth in the first moto and then inside the top ten in the second when I hit Barragans bike in a corner. I crashed and it was not possible to breathe for a little while. My shoulder was hurt and I knew I would not be able to continue. I am disappointed with this because I had worked hard during the week and I hope things will be better at St Jean.
First podium of 2011 for Paulin in Brazil
Third position in front of 26,000 sun-kissed spectators at Indaiatuba for the Grand Prix of Brazil and the fourth round of fifteen in the FIM MX2-GP World Championship gave Monster Energy Yamahas Gautier Paulin his first podium finish of 2011.
The Frenchman was back to fitness after the intercostal muscle problem that affected his performances in Holland and the USA and made the most of two decent starts and a positive synergy around the twisty and jumpy track to tread the rostrum steps. Paulin was third in both motos on the prototype YZ250FM and looked fast and comfortable across the rough red dirt. The former European Champion had no answer to the speed of Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings and completed two fairly lonely 35 minute and 2 lap motos but this was a large step forward for GP21 in terms of points and confidence.
Paulin was the first of five Yamahas in the final MX2-GP Brazilian classification. In fifth position was Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas Zach Osborne. The American posted a solid haul of points despite the discomfort of a badly sprained right wrist, the pain of which even caused the British Champion to vomit before the races. In seventh was Christophe Charlier whose improving fitness and run to sixth place in the second race (a season-best so far) was encouraging to see. Arnaud Tonus was eighth and disappointed not to find a rhythm that would allow him higher than seventh and eighth in the motos. The Swiss has a sore shoulder after his heavy fall at Glen Helen last week and even suffered another small spill in Moto2. Harri Kullas completed the top ten and the Fin was another faller in the second sprint.
Five YZ250Fs lie in the first ten of the MX2-GP World Championship standings. Osborne leads the way in fourth place and is two points ahead of Paulin. Tonus (seventh), Kullas (eight) and Charlier (tenth) follow.
St Jean dAngely will host the Grand Prix of France and a home event for Gautier Paulin and Christophe Charlier in two weeks time.
Gautier Paulin, 3rd:
Im pretty happy to be back on the podium. Third place is not the best position but this is a pretty good start. Ken and Jeffrey are very fast but I know what I have to do. I can improve from this. The whole of Monster Energy Yamaha team are behind me and I can feel their support and I must get in the habit of pushing hard at the beginning so I can think about victory. I will be working on this before my home Grand Prix.
Zach Osborne, 5th:
Considering the circumstances, the day went OK but I feel like I am long overdue a podium. I have the speed every weekend, I put in the effort and my endurance is good but my wrist has been hindering me. I struggled today with my grip because the pain medication was making my arm go to sleep. To take 32 points is pretty good but it was not really want I wanted from the day. The track was pretty awesome. Even though there were a lot of jumps it was naturally set; there were some hills and stuff too with some challenging obstacles. It has been such a good event because the infrastructure here is like nothing else in the world and in my opinion there is nothing better in world championship motocross. I think it should be a model for GPs and has everything as a racer wants to see when you come to a grand prix. There were so many people and it cool to race in front of a crowd like that; we were doing whips on the sighting lap and they were going crazy.
Christophe Charlier, 7th:
Im happy with this weekend, especially the second race because I had a good start and could make a good rhythm. I feel Im not physically totally ready, but now I am working with Willy Linden and sure when Im fit I can get better results. The track was nice and I had fun but the ground was soft and tough on the arms.
Arnaud Tonus, 8th:
I had a great race in Brazil last year and I really enjoy this country but today it did not work out. I had a bad start in the first moto and wasnt on good form. I could not get on the gas, the rhythm wasnt there. I was disappointed with seventh. In the second moto Harri Kullas crashed in front of me so I lost time behind him. I fought back but then crashed myself. After that I gave my best to finish eighth. I took some points but it was a difficult weekend.
Harri Kullas, 10th:
I couldnt push today and I dont know why. I had a good start in the second moto but the sun was already low and I entered a rut in the rhythm section that had water inside and I lost the front wheel. Someone hit me and by the time I could get going again I was twentieth or something. I passed some people and got up to ninth and couldnt make the gap smaller to Tonus. Im quite disappointed with this GP and I am crashing too much this season. Last year I was more consistent and I have to turn this around.
– Honda
At a full-capacity and impressive Indaiatuba circuit for the Grand Prix of Brazil David Philippaerts won his first MX1 race of the season, round four of fifteen in the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship. Honda were best represented by LS Honda Racing’s Ken De Dycker who ended a hot and hard day in seventh overall.
The compact course (normally a Honda Traffic School) offered a contrast to the fast and open expanses of Glen Helen last weekend. The red dirt was mainly hard-pack and forged into many jumps with tight corners creating an energy-sapping but spectacular lap.
The MX1 class again provided great entertainment with three and four-way battles for victory. Ken De Dycker was just adrift of the leading group but his sixth and tenth positions on the CRF450R were enough for his highest points haul of the season so far.
In tenth overall was Honda World Motocross team’s Evgeny Bobryshev. The Russian was not able to repeat his podium result from California last weekend mainly due to a crash on Saturday that left him seventeenth in the start gate. A slip and engine stall in the first moto placed him eighth while a tangle and fall on the first corner of the second race meant that he had to push hard for 35 minutes and 2 laps to reach eleventh. Just behind ‘Bobby’ in eleventh in the final ranking was team-mate Rui Goncalves who couldn’t find a rhythm across the rough bumps and suffered a crash in the second affair. The Portuguese was tenth in Moto1 and thirteenth overall.
It was a hard day for LS Honda Racing’s Shaun Simpson who was mystified as to his lack of race pace throughout the afternoon. Like Bobryshev Simpson was handicapped by a lack of fortune in the qualification heat and had to find a slot in the gate for a tricky uphill start from twenty-second. The Scot was sixteenth at the end of the day, just one slot behind Team Salucci Racing’s Manuel Monni. Top domestic runner on the CRF450R was Roberto Castro Miranda who grabbed the final berth on the leader-board in twentieth.
Swian Zanoni had to count the cost of racing in the United States last week. His injured hand was too painful to consider competing at his home event in the MX2 class. The Brazilian youngster hopes to be back on his CRF250R in two weeks when the series resumes in Europe. Hector Assuncao De Freitas was thirteenth overall for Honda Brazil and received the acclaim of the crowd.
As the FIM World Championship approaches the end of the first third of the calendar Bobryshev sits in sixth place in the points table and stares at a deficit of twenty-two to break into the top five. Goncalves is just two in arrears. De Dycker and Simpson are also together, holding fifteenth and sixteenth respectively.
Round five will take place in two weeks at St Jean D’Angely for the Grand Prix of France.
Ken De Dycker (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 6th/10th Championship position: 15th “It was quite a hard and difficult day. It was not easy to pass. I had a good start in the first moto and although I lost two positions it was OK to keep the speed. You had to be very careful not to make mistakes, especially around the slower riders. In the second moto from the beginning I did not feel strong enough. The track was sticky in places but not in others and it was hard to find traction. We were always turning-jumping, turning-jumping so it was tough. We are getting better though and I hope we can improve the bike a bit more and aim for better results in the next Grands Prix.”
Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross) Race Result: 8th/11th Championship position: 6th “Everything depended on the start and I had bad luck on Saturday because I crashed twice and stalled the bike. I was seventeenth and that was bad for this gate. I struggled coming from a lower position and couldn’t find good places for overtaking. In the second race I had a big crash on the first corner and it felt like someone ran over my neck. When I stood up I was dizzy and couldn’t find my bike! I came back to eleventh and for twenty minutes it was great but then I lost the speed and couldn’t catch anyone else. I don’t know why. A bad weekend to be honest.”
Rui Goncalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 10th/13th Championship position: 7th “It has been a tough weekend. In the first moto I didn’t get a good start and I pushed hard in the first two laps to make positions. I got up to tenth place but the speed wasn’t there to get further. I did not have arm-pump like I did on Saturday but couldn’t go forward. In the second race my start was better but on the waves up the hill I got cross-rutted and crashed, going over the bars. I dropped back to twenty-something and for a couple of laps I was not so sharp because of the crash. I got the speed back but we were all going the same pace. It has been hard but we have two weeks now to work on things before the next race.”
Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 13th/18th Championship position: 16th “I felt like I lacked a bit of speed all weekend and yesterday was a bad start to the GP. In the heat race I was near the back around the first corner and went back to twenty-first and it gave me a bad gate pick, someone even stole my position in the second moto. Despite being down there I got away OK both times and was near in the top ten; if I had been any higher I don’t think I would have been able to stay there anyway. I don’t know why I struggled to get in the rhythm. Thirteenth was the level of where I was at in the first moto but I was looking for better in the second moto until I made a mistake going up the rolling hill and had quite a big crash. Luckily I am OK and can work on trying to meet the pace of these other boys and get up the front a bit more.”
Swian Zanoni (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: DNS
“It is great to be in Brazil and as a world championship rider. I had an injury at the start of the season with my hand and it meant I wasn’t able to train properly. I then had another problem just before the U.S.GP and I rode at Glen Helen but with a lot of pain and unfortunately it was not possible to ride here at my home Grand Prix. I will now have two weeks of therapy and some laser treatment and I hope I will be able to ride at the Grand Prix in France.”
Roger Harvey, Off-road Manager, Honda Motor Europe:
“We expected a lot better to be honest. We were lucky with Evgeny’s crash in the second moto because someone hit his head and he came out of it without an injury and also pushed pretty hard. I was disappointed with Rui; I thought he could have done a lot better and the same also for Ken who although got his best result of the season so far faded in the second moto. Shaun was strong in the second moto in the USA last week but had nothing here. It has been a hard two weeks for the teams logistically and with two demanding events so we will be glad of a short break before we go into three Grands Prix back-to-back.”
– KTM
HERLINGS AND ROCZEN DELIVER THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR AT THE MX2 GP OF BRAZIL
The Red Bull Teka KTM teenage duo Jeffrey Herlings and Ken Roczen were in a class of their own at the MX2 GP of Brazil on Sunday when they split victory in two thrilling motos but it was the Dutch teenager who got the better of his KTM teammate and rival to snatch the second race and the GP title.
Roczen had already thrown down the gauntlet in the first moto when he put in a stunning performance from gate drop to checkered flag. The young German, fresh from his win in the USGP last weekend steamed into the first turn to grab the holeshot and never looked back from then on. Herlings kept him in his sights for the first half of the race but the young German super kid just progressively pulled away from the rest of the field to cross the line an impressive 11.45 seconds in front.
Roczen shot out of the gates in the second race, grabbed the holeshot and looked like he was about to repeat his first moto performance. But Herlings was tenacious and kept him in his sights, applying the pressure until mid race Roczen made several uncharacteristic mistakes was twice briefly of the bike and in doing so left the door open for Herlings. The Dutch teenager needed no encouragement to charge through and once he had grabbed the advantage, the race was as good as over. The two riders have now split the victory in all of the four GPs so far. Roczen won in Bulgaria and the USA, victory went to Herlings in Valkenswaard and now in Indiaituba, Brazil. Roczen still holds the red plate as championship leader and said he was happy to leave Brazil without losing any points in the championship. The game is on between the two talented teenagers and the stage set for more exciting duels as the season progresses. The next episode will be in France in two weeks time.
Jeffrey said he was sorry that Ken had crashed because “I want to beat him fair and square”. “It felt good on the bike, the riding was good today and the crowd was great. This is the second GP win this season and the fourth of my career so now I am really looking forward to the next GP in France,” he said.
Roczen said he had possibly braked a bit too much going down hill. “Both wheels slipped away but I was back on the bike real quick,” he said. “I was closing the gap but then I made another mistake, the bike went into neutral and I went over the handlebars. I hurt my finger a bit and bent the handlebars so I lost my rhythm.”
Factory team boss Stefan Everts was satisfied with his two young riders. “I am happy for Jeffrey. He’s still young and he’s learning fast. It’s good for his future to do this kind of race and this kind of victory. Ken is still in the lead, he’s still confident and he’s still the one to beat. Today he had the best speed!”
The two KTM riders mastered conditions in the deeply rutted and very twisty track and were spurred on by a sell-out crowd at the Indiaituba track about an hour away from Sao Paolo. They also had to tough it out in hot and humid temperatures even though it is officially autumn in southern hemisphere.
CAIROLI SECOND IN MX1 GP OF BRAZIL AFTER TWO STUNNING RIDES
Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider and reigning world champion Toni Cairoli put in two stunning rides at the MX1 GP of Brazil for a 1-2 result and second place on the GP podium in what were races that had the 20,000-plus Brazilian crowd on their feet and cheering wildly.
Cairoli was clearly back to his usual winning ways as he put in two hugely entertaining and hard fought battles on the tight, deeply rutted track at Indiaituba about one hour away from Sao Paolo. He tenaciously fought his way back into contention in the first moto, all the time fending off constant attacks from two Yamahas and a Suzuki with David Philippaerts, Steven Frossard and Clement Desalle at the handlebars. Two laps before the close of the race everything was still in the balance but Tony turned up the heat and prevailed against the others by just over two seconds at the finish.
He then went out and fought equally hard in the second moto second moto but this time he had to settle for second behind fellow Italian David Philippaerts in the closing stages.
“It’s always nice to win but I also have to look out for the championship,” Tony said. “I needed to take some points from Desalle and that was my goal. I knew I could have won today but after 20 minutes into the second race I didn’t feel so good but I am happy for the championship and I’m looking forward to the next race.”
It was not a happy weekend for teammate Max Nagl who was suffering from back pain. “It was very difficult for me this weekend. I already had a lot of pain yesterday and today also my speed was not so good even if I was not too far off the leaders. I messed up the start in the second moto and I got stuck behind Xavier Boog and couldn’t pass him so I wasn’t riding well this weekend,” the German conceded.
Team Boss Stefan Everts: “Tony made two holeshots today. He won the first moto and he tried right up till the end of the second moto to get past Philippaerts but he just didn’t make it. He was a bit disappointed but its good to see Toni back where he should be again – to fight for the title and that’s good for us. Max had a tough weekend he tried his best but his starts were not so good and he struggled a bit.”