Nagl and Herlings the Victors in MXGP opener
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It was an emotional beginning to the start of what is essentially the most anticipated season in the history of the FIM Motocross World Championship, MXGP 2015, as the recently named ‘Dad’ of a beautiful baby boy Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl and the kid who has been on the recovery road from hell Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings both surprised everyone, including themselves, with impressive double victories.
Max Nagl pulled off two very impressive Fox Holeshots, which has given him the early advantage in the race towards the €10,000 Fox Holeshot purse. He proved he’s fit, fast and fierce – he led ALL thirty-six laps even despite being under immense pressure from a previous MXGP of Qatar winner, Clement Desalle, in race one.
Meanwhile the all-new super smiley version of Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle looked on form out on track tonight making some bold statements when he passed and pulled away from two of MXGP’s hottest players Antonio Cairoli and Gautier Paulin. Desalle said “I am really happy with my riding at the moment, I feel good in my body and also on the bike. In the morning I will go home because I think it will benefit me more to do this than it will to stay over in Thailand.”
Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin couldn’t be missed, not only because of his super bright Fox kit, but also because of his unique BMX style which happened to look even more awesome than usual on the man-made jumpy circuit here in Losail. While the Frenchman had a lot of fans backing him for the win this weekend, the strong Frenchman was satisfied with his 4 – 3 performance saying, “I’m really happy to start the season like this, it is always good to be on the box, actually on the top, but it is still a long season, so it is good to start with a third”.
What may come as a surprise to many, especially after his dominating performance in the Qualifying race yesterday, is the fact that Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli didn’t make the podium. Although, in saying that, the Italian did tie with Paulin for third but was knocked off the box with Paulin achieving the better result in the final race. Despite only finishing up the weekend in fourth, you can rest assured that Tony knows it is a long championship and already looking fast and aggressive.
It was a feeling of deja vu for Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek who put together two fifth place finishes for fifth overall just as he did in 2014. The Yamaha rider, who admitted in the Press Conference earlier this week “I want to do better than I did last year, and there is only one place more” was content with fifth today as he knows better than anyone, it CAN get better. Just look at last year’s eleven round podium streak.
Also representing Yamaha Factory Racing and more than worthy of a mention is MXGP class rookie Romain Febvre. The young Frenchman caught our attention as one to watch after footing it with some of the most seasoned riders in both MXGP races.
As for Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Ryan Villopoto, it was just one of those events you just have to put down to experience. Although we are sure RV didn’t get the result he anticipated, we have to admit his one of a kind riding style was so cool to watch.
Todd Waters managed 15th and 13th place while countryman Dean Ferris carded 23rd and 17th place finishes.
Ryan Villopoto, 9th and 8th: “I haven’t raced since May last year, and it wasn’t a good day but we scored points and that’s definitively something we have to work on. I never had a schedule like that one for a long time, but I’ve got to get used to that and all the rest, including how the gate drops, how they do everything. We struggled a little bit with the start today, a little me and a little the bike, but we came back and got points. We’ve definitively some work to do, but that’s part of it. We learned a lot this weekend and will be stronger at the next GP; we have to work on setup stuff, which make thinks a little bit easier. For me every time I went on the track this weekend things went better; in the second race I had some issues as my rear brake felt strange; I don’t know if it’s a rock or what, but it’s part of the deal. We can make some stuff this week, even if the team doesn’t go back home, and we will be better next weekend.”
Clement Desalle, 2nd and 2nd: “It is a strong result and I am happy with my riding and my feeling with the bike and the new stuff. We try to improve every year and this was a good beginning to the season. My starts can be better; this is something we can work on for the next race. We will fly back now and benefit from the time at home to get ready for Thailand.”
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), 34:52.985; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.221; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:18.550; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:24.809; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:34.810; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:42.395; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:47.295; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:56.052; 9. Ryan Villopoto (USA, Kawasaki), +0:59.609; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +1:03.179
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), 35:00.295; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:06.023; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:08.752; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:12.787; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:17.740; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:24.676; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:36.357; 8. Ryan Villopoto (USA, Kawasaki), +0:40.816; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:03.294; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Suzuki), +1:07.182
MXGP Overall: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 50 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 44 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HON), 38 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Ryan Villopoto (USA, KAW), 25 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 25 p.; 9. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 24 p.; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 21 p.
MXGP Manufacturer: 1. Husqvarna, 50 points; 2. Suzuki, 44 p.; 3. Honda, 38 p.; 4. KTM, 38 p.; 5. Yamaha, 32 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 25 p.; 7. TM, 17 p.
Herlings in tears after MX2 victory
It was one of the biggest displays of emotion we have ever seen from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings as he genuinely broke down in tears only moments after taking his second victory for a perfect start to the season. “You can’t believe what was going through my head on the last laps, I was seeing the craziest things”, the kid known as The Bullet said, “I have just had a lot of bad luck in the last months, struggling with my leg for a long time, seeing this doctor, that doctor, and onto the next doctor, but finally it’s okay and I can finally ride. Yeah, my riding wasn’t that great but for me it wasn’t even about that. I am just so happy to be here.”
The most impressive performance of the night had to be that of Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Julien Lieber. The tiny Belgian rode absolutely amazing in both races to stand on the FIM Motocross World Championship podium for the first time in his career. He modestly said, “It was definitely not easy for me this weekend, but in the race my riding was good and Dylan crashed in the second race, so I got third in the first race and could get second in the last race. I am looking forward to Thailand, I know it will be difficult to do the same but I will try my best and we will see.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Dylan Ferrandis was undoubtedly making a MX2 title run this weekend as he charged unbelievably hard in both races for third overall. Race two in particular was gnarly for the Frenchman who bounced back from a gnarly crash adding a fourth place finish to his second place finish of moto one. The Frenchman then went on to inform during the press conference, “I am happy with today because I haven’t been riding that long because I had an operation on my shoulder after I crashed riding supercross. It was my second operation on that shoulder, so I am happy with return and my speed.”
Meanwhile Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser wrapped up fourth despite having a horrendous crash in race two. Nevertheless, the Slovenian who is making a name for himself as a warrior, battled on to finish seventh which was in addition to his fourth in race one.
Rounding out the top five, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Aleksandr Tonkov wound out the night strong with a thrilling run at Julien Lieber in the final race for second, but couldn’t quite make it happen and was forced to settle for third.
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 33:51.825; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.674; 3. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:04.052; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:11.387; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:12.575; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:14.559; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:28.803; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:29.400; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:36.823; 10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:40.860
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 33:56.613; 2. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:02.731; 3. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:05.065; 4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:10.885; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:11.093; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:18.511; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:20.689; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:26.731; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:30.798; 10. Thomas Covington (USA, Kawasaki), +0:54.200
MX2 Overall: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 42 p.; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 38 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 32 p.; 5. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 31 p.; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 29 p.; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 28 p.; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 27 p.; 10. Thomas Covington (USA, KAW), 21 p.
MX2 Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 50 points; 2. Yamaha, 42 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 38 p.; 4. Honda, 32 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 31 p.; 6. Suzuki, 29 p.
FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship
Amidst the darkness of what was a spectacular evening in Losail, Qatar, where round one of the 2015 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship took place, the spotlight was on Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot as she made a perfect start to her 2015 world championship campaign.
Race 1
When the gates dropped for the first WMX race of the season it was the young Dutch sensation Nancy Van de Ven who had her Yamaha YZ250F pinned stretching out a couple of bike lengths to take a very convincing holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki Bud Racing’s Meghan Rutledge and Yamaha MXFontaracing’s Kiara Fontanesi.
After making quick work of Rutledge, Fontanesi went on to make a run at Van de Ven for the lead. While the little Dutch rider did an amazing job at holding off the three-times FIM WMX World Champion Kiara Fontanesi for at least quarter of the race, it ended devastatingly when she was pitched off her bike in spectacular fashion through the wave section.
With Van de Ven going in one direction, and her bike in another, Fontanesi was forced off the track to avoid the carnage which allowed last year’s WMX round of Qatar dominator Meghan Rutledge and the 2008 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion Livia Lancelot to take over the top two positions.
While racing the remainder of the race in the thick of a three-way battle for the lead, it was Lancelot and Fontanesi who were able to take advantage of Rutledge, who was struggling with suspension, to go one – two with only a couple of laps to go.
After making the passes, it was down to the former WMX champion and the defending champion to vie for the first twenty-five points of the season. While it was a well fought race, it was Lancelot who held strong to take a narrow win over Fontanesi. Rutledge rode a smart remainder of the race for third while Italian Francesca Nocera finished fourth and Norwegian Genette Vaage rounded out the top five.
Race 2
When the gates dropped for WMX race two it was Rutledge who was fired up leading the way around turn one ahead of Van de Ven, Larissa Papenmeier, Fontanesi and Lancelot.
Apparently, Fontanesi was in no mood to mess around and in one fell swoop she charged passed both Van de Ven and Rutledge to take over the lead. While Van de Ven was lucky to even walk away from her massive crash in race one, it was obvious her confidence hadn’t been knocked as she found a way around Rutledge for second.
The next to give Rutledge a hard time was none other than the super stylish Livia Lancelot who appeared to be in her groove as she styled it up around the jumpy circuit of Losail and launched her way into second.
With Fontanesi toting that same aggressive style she had back when she dominated the 2013 WMX championship, it seemed she had the race under control. Lancelot, on the other hand, had different ideas and was determined to redeem last year’s third place performance with a double victory here tonight.
Sure enough, Lancelot dropped the hammer, caught Fontanesi and forced the Italian into an error. With Fontanesi crashing, Lancelot took over the lead and stormed her way to the finish to wrap up a great night’s racing with a red plate and a perfect fifty point score.
Meanwhile Fontanesi made a quick recovery and managed to come home in second ahead of Van de Ven who rode impressive considering… Rutledge rode clever for fourth while the speedy German Larissa Papenmeier managed to round out the top five.
With the combination of points from both races, Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot took the first WMX round overall of 2015. Yamaha MXFontaracing’s Kiara Fontanesi took second with Monster Energy Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge rounding off the podium in third.
Meghan Rutledge: “Obviously this weekend was not as good as last year; there are just a few problems we have to fix but I’m happy to be on the podium of this long series. I’m not 100% yet, but I did the best I could and I’m happy with the points. Actually I’ve been sick coming to his GP, and couldn’t practice or go to the gym form the last week and a half so this podium is really good. The goal is to get another podium next week in Thailand, and then we have a couple of weeks to be stronger before the third round.”
WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 24:34.777; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:01.858; 3. Meghan Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:05.572; 4. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +0:57.201; 5. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), +1:04.584; 6. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:18.051; 7. Jessica Moore (AUS, KTM), +1:42.408; 8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:47.528; 9. Virginie Germond (SUI, Suzuki), +1:53.647; 10. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:56.775
WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:00.222; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:17.119; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:26.372; 4. Meghan Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:32.876; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:38.996; 6. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:04.795; 7. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), +1:31.552; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:41.352; 9. Stefany Serrao (BRA, Honda), +1:44.415; 10. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:47.323
WMX Overall: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 50 points; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 44 p.; 3. Meghan Rutledge (AUS, KAW), 38 p.; 4. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 33 p.; 5. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), 30 p.; 6. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 28 p.; 7. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 25 p.; 8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 24 p.; 9. Jessica Moore (AUS, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Justine Charroux (FRA, YAM), 21 p.
WMX Manufacturer: 1. Kawasaki, 50 points; 2. Yamaha, 44 p.; 3. Suzuki, 34 p.; 4. KTM, 30 p.; 5. Honda, 20 p.
KTM Report
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings delivered a strong message to the critics and his fellow competitors on Saturday on the Losail night circuit in Qatar when he closed out the first round of the 2015 MX2 World Championship with a double moto victory.
It was a great performance by the Dutch racer who has only had two weeks back on the bike after almost six months of injury layoff with a broken femur. Judging by his emotions at the finish, Herlings may have even surprised himself on his first time out for 2015.
“It was pretty amazing,” Herlings said. The Red Bull athlete added: “We have has a tough time both mentally and physically because of the injury. I didn’t expect to win here and this was something really special. I’ll remember it for a long time. Now I hope to keep up this rhythm and and if I can put the bike on the podium again next week I am already happy.”
MX2 Factory teammate Pauls Jonass also had a strong night out, finishing with a 9-4 result for overall sixth for a very solid start to the season.
Meanwhile results were more mixed in the MXGP category, with Antonio Cairoli picking up a 3-4 moto result to finish overall fourth. GP winner was Max Nagl with Clement Desalle second and Gautier Paulin in third. Cairoli had equal points to Paulin but the Frenchman claimed the final podium place because of a better placing in the second race.
Cairoli who said before the opening round that his levels of fitness were not yet at their peak will be striving for a podium place in one week’s time in Thailand. Teammate Ken de Dycker, who wrapped up his night with a modest 19-15 result crashed in the first moto and had to scramble back into the action. British rider Tommy Searle who aggravated an old thumb injury in Saturday’s qualifying had a disappointing night and had to retire in the second moto because of the discomfort if his injury.
Cairoli said his riding was good in the first moto. “Third for me was good on a track that is not one of my favourites and that was hard and slippery and sketchy in some places. for sure i didn’t give my best but I controlled the race and the points are very important for the championship. I was a little tired in the second race from the medication I took before the first moto then I got a big stone on my arm and had some pain. My goal was not to crash, to get some points and to finish.”
Speaking about the much speculated duel between him and US rider Ryan Villopoto, Cairoli said: “For sure it is normal that he’s getting used to these kinds of tracks. He was struggling a bit but that’s what we do when we’re in America. He will be in front in the next races when he’s adapted a bit.” Villopoto, one of the most winning riders in the USA, finished overall seventh in his first World Championship GP.
De Dycker admitted that he struggled with the track all weekend. “I just didn’t have a good feeling. The first moto I got an okay start but then I crashed and I bent the handlebars, so it was difficult. Then in the second moto I got very tired and I just didn’t have the strength. I think maybe I put a bit too much pressure on myself.”
Tommy Searle, who has had a very positive pre-season said he was disappointed for himself and the team. “I put in a lot of hard work, as did Claudio (De Carli Team Manager) and the whole team to come into this season 100 percent so to be in this position is hard to take. I tried to race (in the second moto) but with so much pain I just couldn’t manage it.”
Herlings opened his 2015 account in the MX2 class with a strong first moto and was in the forefront of the action right from the gate drop. He engaged in a tough battle with early race leader Dylan Ferrandis, tucked in behind him and made his move in the fourteenth lap, slipping into the lead after setting the fastest lap. He also got away well in the second moto, again with Ferrandis as his biggest challenger at the start. But by lap three he was out in front by two seconds and never looked back, cutting his way through the gnarly track at the Losail circuit in a style reminiscent of his dominant performances in the first half of 2014.
It was also an impressive start to the season for Herlings’ new factory teammate, Pauls Jonass of Latvia. Jonass got in two good starts and was fighting with the top group in the first half of each moto. His overall sixth will be a confidence booster going into the next round.
“For sure I am very satisfied,”Jonass said. “I got two hole shots and the bike is awesome getting away from the start. Also my riding was pretty good and I have to thank Stefan (Everts). He has helped me to be where I am today. I also beat some of the top guys in the pre-season races but the track here was pretty rough and gnarly and it wasn’t so easy to keep it on two wheels. I’m satisfied with my riding and my speed. Now I just have to bring the intensity to make the top speed for 35 minutes.” Herlings and Jonass ride the KTM 250 SX-F.
HRC Report
Gautier Paulin capitalised on his qualifying performance yesterday to seal third place overall today in Qatar, getting his season with Team HRC off to a strong start with a podium from his first Grand Prix riding the Honda CRF450RW.
Taking a fourth place in race one, Gautier then leapt into second position from the start of race two. In a race-long battle with Clement Desalle and Antonio Cairoli, the Frenchman fought hard to hold third place at the line, guaranteeing him third spot overall.
Evgeny Bobryshev returned to Grand Prix action today for the first time since the Italian GP in June last year, and recorded an eighth and a ninth to finish in eighth overall. Happy to be back, the result lays a strong foundation from which he can build now he’s back to race fitness.
Roger Harvey HRC General Manager – MXGP – “Our target for this year is to be on the podium at each race, so I’m happy with what we achieved today. Gautier rode a very controlled race and really used his head, especially when he was under a bit of pressure. Bobby hasn’t been riding for so many months so the results are not so bad. He managed the race well, and though he just ended up in the middle of nowhere racing nobody, he’s two reasonable results under his belt to start the season.
“It’s been a good day’s racing, so in general, we’re pleased. It’s all about making sure we get in solid results now so we’re in a position to attack later this year. There has obviously been one or two changes to the team since last year, but at the first Grand Prix here everyone’s working very well together. The riders have been helped tremendously by JMB and on the mechanical side the team have done a great job, so I’m pleased with where we are.”
Gautier Paulin 21 – 4TH, 3RD – 3RD OVERALL – “It’s the first race in the World Championship for me with Team HRC so I’m really happy to start the season like this, and it’s always good to be on the box. We’re not at the top, but the season is long so it’s already good to be in third place. For sure you always want better but it’s been a very smooth first grand prix. I’m really happy to work with my crew. We improve every time I go on the bike so we’re in good shape.”
Evgeny Bobryshev 777 – 8TH, 9TH – 8TH OVERALL – “It’s been a long time since I’ve raced like this so it’s good to be back for sure. I now have to build it up. We have lots of races so I just want to be consistent, stay positive and build from here now that I’m back.
“In the beginning it was difficult because I was fighting in the middle and the front group already pulled away so when I got the space I was alone in the middle so it’s difficult to find the right speed. It could be better for sure but I have to be happy. Yesterday I had problems with the stone in the brake so I had last gate pick and was right on the outside of the first corner so to finish 9 and 8 is ok. Overall I’m really happy with the bike, it’s all working really good so thanks to the team who have done a great job.”
Kawasaki Report
Ten times US champion Ryan Villopoto had a baptism of fire in Qatar as he finished seventh on his debut for the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in the FIM MXGP World Championship.
The 26 year old from Poulsbo in Washington State was inevitably a little race rusty after nine months without a race. He also acknowledged the difference in many aspects of the sport in the USA and on the world stage, and already displayed his commitment to tackling the challenge during the weekend in the Gulf state. After finishing on the same second as the leaders during practice, he faced a tough ride to eighth in the qualification but race day started badly when he stalled the motor at the start of the opening points moto. Despite two falls he eventually finished ninth, and advanced one further place up the scorecard in race two even though he was forced to ride the second half of the race with a damaged rear brake after a rock hit it. He will now return to Europe for some days of testing before the second round of the World Series in Thailand.
Teammate Tyla Rattray was dogged by even more bad luck throughout the weekend as crashes affected his results. The South African had twenty-second choice of gate after an incident in qualification and a crash in the opening GP moto restricted him to seventeenth. After adjustments to some bike settings he charged from twenty-first to sixteenth in race two.
Ryan Villopoto: “I haven’t raced since May last year, and it wasn’t a good day but we scored points and that’s definitively something we have to work on. I never had a schedule like that one for a long time, but I’ve got to get used to that and all the rest, including how the gate drops, how they do everything. We struggled a little bit with the start today, a little me and a little the bike, but we came back and got points. We’ve definitively some work to do, but that’s part of it. We learned a lot this weekend and will be stronger at the next GP; we have to work on setup stuff, which make thinks a little bit easier. For me every time I went on the track this weekend things went better; in the second race I had some issues as my rear brake felt strange; I don’t know if it’s a rock or what, but it’s part of the deal. We can make some stuff this week, even if the team doesn’t go back home, and we will be better next weekend.”
Tyla Rattray: “It was a tough weekend for me, for the team, for Ryan, for everyone. We’re not where we want to be; we did a lot of testing, with suspensions, we thought we had good settings coming here, but the GP tracks are much different than the US tracks and where we’ve been testing in Europe. In this case we return to the drawing board, and do some testing; we return with Ryan to Belgium before going to Thailand, we’ll do some more testing this week and will continue to work hard. Sometimes you have to deal with the circumstances, and do the best that you can, but we’ll be ready for Thailand.”
Dylan Ferrandis started the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship with a podium finish at Losail in Qatar for the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team.
The young Frenchman showed tremendous speed to storm past ex-champion Jeffrey Herlings on the seventh of seventeen laps in the opening race and immediately pulled away until he became nervous and made a few mistakes which allowed his rival to catch and pass him again. Determined to make amends in race two Dylan grabbed the holeshot, but was caught by surprise further round the opening lap. Determined not to make the same mistake as in race one when he showed his card too early Dylan settled in behind Herlings. Unfortunately he was forced to change lines and crashed when his front wheel dropped into a hole. Losing many places Dylan eventually recovered to fifth place in the moto, which guaranteed him a place on the overall podium for the day in third place.
Thomas Covington nearly got the weekend off to a sensational start as he led the qualification race until the final lap, and he again showed good speed on race day to finish tenth and eleventh despite crashes in each moto.
Jordi Tixier had a difficult start to his career on Kawasaki when he was knocked off by chief rival Herlings at the second corner of the qualification race. The Dutch rider later apologised for the incident, but the damage had already been done, as it was difficult to achieve a good start in the GP motos from eighth choice of gate. Nevertheless the Frenchman persevered and, despite further crashes, was rewarded with ninth place overall.
Max Anstie of Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki suffered an unfortunate incident in qualification as the footrest of another rider’s bike slit open his boot and his foot was cut open, requiring three stitches. Nevertheless he persevered on race day for seventh place in the opening race before a big crash in race two eliminated the Englishman as he held fourth place.
Teammate Mel Pocock was making strong advances in the opening moto until an awkward moment mid-moto when he twisted his knee but persevered to finish twelfth. He bravely went to the start of race two, but an incident with another rider resulted in damage to his wheel and caused him to withdraw.
Dylan Ferrandis: “I’m happy and at the same time a little bit disappointed, as I crashed in the second race and could have done better. In the first race I passed Herlings and led the race, but I felt some pressure and made a few mistakes so he passed me back as he was faster. I got the holeshot in the second race, but he surprised me when he made a move at the third corner; I had a good rhythm behind him and I didn’t want to try to pass him so early in the race but I crashed when I didn’t see a big hole after I changed lines. I stalled the engine and lost time but I recovered and finally got on the podium even if I’m far from being 100% as I was sick this week.”
Thomas Covington: “It wasn’t a bad weekend for me, a lot better than last year as I rode consistent. I scored a top ten overall even though I crashed in both races, that’s not so bad. In the first race I collided with Tonkov and went off the track, unfortunately I couldn’t find a place to get back on the track and lost a lot of time. I came back to eleventh and then in the second moto I was running in fifth after a decent start, but I crashed before the big double and had to come back again from 19th to 10th. I’m happy with the way I’m riding, the bike was running very good and I never gave up as I wanted a top ten result here.”
Jordi Tixier: “Not so much to say about this first GP, it was not a good one for me and I’m very disappointed tonight. I had a good start in the qualifying race but Herlings pushed me down in the third corner, so I didn’t have a good gate for the races. Today I crashed; I’m not where I want to be after so much training this winter, but I hope next weekend will be a different story in Thailand.”
Max Anstie: “We have worked hard with the team for several weeks, and tonight I’m just disappointed with the way it has turned out. I had a few issues yesterday, but it was the first race for us this season and we needed to know where the bike was. I had a decent first moto with a seventh, the second race was even better; I felt really good and was in fourth when I had a big crash in a difficult section. The good news is that I’m still alive, even if I’ve got some pain in my leg.”
Mel Pocock: “My starts are not so good so far this year as we’re still getting used to the new bike. I have good speed but unfortunately I twisted my left knee halfway through the first race. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to start the second race, but I soon had to retire because another rider’s footrest went in my wheel and broke the spokes.”
Suzuki Report
The Grand Prix of Qatar was the stage for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Clement Desalle to score his first podium finish of the 2015 FIM Motocross World Championship and with the RM-Z450 as the Belgian ended the motos in Qatar with two second positions and status as runner-up at Losail.
In three editions of the spectacular night event, Desalle and Suzuki have now picked-up two trophies; this latest result complimenting his victory in 2013.
Under the many lights and around a wide and quick layout, Desalle carried his impressive pre-season form onto the Losail bumps and set the fastest lap in Timed Practice on Friday. The winds and sodden terrain (through extensive watering) from practice and qualification had largely vanished for Saturday night’s two 30-minute and two-lap motos but the softer soil was treacherous in places and the long and large jumps were a tough ask for the MXGP elite.
Desalle’s start was bright if not stellar for the first moto of the year and against a deep and competitive field in the premier class. The ‘# 25’ however wasted little time in passing Shaun Simpson and Antonio Cairoli to reach the front and tried to close a three-second gap to runaway holeshotter Max Nagl. At times Desalle chipped away tenths-of-a second but then suffered a problem with his boot and eventually had to settle for second. In the next moto he made light work of Gautier Paulin but stared at a larger distance to Nagl again and focussed on maintaining the margin over the Frenchman.
Team-mate Kevin Strijbos endured a frustrating weekend with pain in his right wrist largely limiting his possibilities. He made a terrible start in the first moto and suffered with arm-pump as a result, taking 12th by the flag. Strijbos ingested more painkillers before the second moto and managed to end the Grand Prix on a positive note by getting out of the gate among the leaders and riding conservatively to sixth spot.
Desalle will swiftly fly home on Sunday while Strijbos will head directly to Thailand to prepare for round two of the series next weekend at the new circuit of Nakhonchaisri.
Clement Desalle: “It is a strong result and I am happy with my riding and my feeling with the bike and the new stuff. We try to improve every year and this was a good beginning to the season. My starts can be better; this is something we can work on for the next race. We will fly back now and benefit from the time at home to get ready for Thailand.”
Kevin Strijbos: “I had a lot of pain in my wrist all weekend. It was difficult because I had a good winter and I want to do well and go for the podium; at least top five. The first moto was really bad. I had pain in the morning so we tried to strap it…and on top of that I had a bad start. I could not ride the way I wanted to, which meant I tightened up and had arm-pump. I felt better in the second race and the start helped. I went from third to sixth and stayed there all moto. My wrist was not hurting, which was good. I think I made a mistake because I should have taken painkillers before warm-up and repeated the dosage before the motos. At least we know for next week. Overall I can be happy with how things went considering the problems.”
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer got his 2015 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship campaign underway in fine fashion by equalling his personal best finish in a Grand Prix moto with fifth position in the very first race of the year.
The young Swiss was seventh overall at Losail for the GP of Qatar – the third time the floodlight venue has hosted the MXGP season opener – but showed he is already operating on a higher level compared to his rookie year in 2014 by hitting the top-five at the first call.
Losail was softer and bumpier than usual and although the track and facility is one of the best maintained and prepped within the championship, the racing surface was still a tricky blend between being fast, rough and unpredictable. Grip-levels varied and the long leaps were sometimes tough ‘asks’ for the MX2 division and their 250cc four-stroke engines.
A positive start for Seewer on the RM-Z250 meant that he reached third position on the opening lap and from that moment was in the leading sect. He could not resist the speed of Dylan Ferrandis or Julien Lieber but showed his first full winter of training as a Pro had not been wasted. Aiming to capitalise on fifth place in the second moto Seewer was not as sharp out of the gate and even slipped off briefly in the first few laps. He nudged into the top-10 when Jordi Tixier crashed and then stayed ahead of the world champion to make sure of eighth position.
Glenn Coldenhoff is now steering an RM-Z450 in MXGP and made his debut in the class at Losail. The Dutchman flew to the first round with discomfort in his feet due to the two toes he broke in a training accident a fortnight beforehand. Slightly underprepared, Coldenhoff nevertheless tried to give his best account; unfortunately a great start in the first moto only yielded 18th by the flag. The second moto was more encouraging with his first top-10 finish in the category in 10th place to claim 13th overall.
Nakhonchaisri is the destination for round two of the MXGP series and the new circuit inside a road racing facility west of Bangkok should provide the same hot and humid conditions as the two previous incarnations of the Grand Prix.
Glenn Coldenhoff (MXGP): “I was struggling all weekend long. I was riding way-too stiff with arm-pump and tired shoulders. I got a great start in the first moto and was fourth and started to drop back. I finally started to find my rhythm in the second moto; like I should be riding and passing a few guys. It was a good way to end the weekend.”
Jeremy Seewer (MX2): “A pretty good start to the season. I’m happy and the first moto was very positive. The result was good and my riding was OK also. For a long time it was comfortable to do that pace. I made some mistakes in the second race but the track was tricky. We’ll go again in Thailand.”
Yamaha Report
Top six finishes for Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube pair Jeremy Van Horebeek and Romain Febvre signified a steady and promising start to the 2015 FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship at the Grand Prix of Qatar Saturday evening. Riding their YZ450FMs ‘JVH’ negotiated a tricky racing surface to repeat his 2014 results and score fifth overall while new team-mate Romain Febvre was a very creditable sixth on his team/class debut.
For the third year in a row the Losail circuit switched on their powerful and permanent lighting system (420 units) to illuminate the sole night event on the Grand Prix trail. What the meeting lacked in spectator numbers it made up for with a spectacular and fast layout for what has become a traditional season-opener.
A wet terrain – to contain dust in breezy conditions – greeted the riders on Friday but the track dried and became a challenging array of bumps and ruts for the crucial motos on Saturday night. The wind also eased in the desert setting and conditions were ideal for the first races of the year.
Jeremy Van Horebeek had rapid speed but a little insecurity over his rhythm and pace on Friday. The Belgian – who grabbed a top five overall at Qatar in 2014 for what was his Yamaha debut – could not make the best of starts in each race and exercised caution by circulating largely by himself and aiming for consistency with his lap-times. His performance out of the gate was better in the second sprint and enabled a comfortable repeat of his fifth place.
MXGP rookie and new star Yamaha athlete Romain Febvre was in attacking and aggressive form from the first laps in Qatar. The Frenchman took a positive sixth position in Friday’s qualification moto for what was his first MXGP sprint on the YZ450FM. On Saturday, and at the moment of truth, he was effective, impressive and largely fault-free. He reached seventh place quite early in Moto1 but then struggled to pass Shaun Simpson and followed the Scot for a long stretch of the race. Eventually he profited from his rival’s mistake and reached sixth place. In the second sprint Febvre was again hovering the mid top-ten places and had the opportunity to follow and then pass AMA Champion Ryan Villopoto to win seventh position.
DP19 Yamaha Racing’s David Philippaerts was fifteenth overall after scoring tenth place in the first race but having to retire through a problem with his wheel in the second. The Italian had a crash on Friday and also needed to fine tune a new WP suspension setting but was happy with his speed and potential for the Saturday evening motos. The former world champion pushed his way into the top ten and was content with his work at the first time of asking but was then disappointed to have to cut his participation short at the end of the night.
The overall ranking in Qatar formed the initial positions in the MXGP standings with the first of three overseas events now chalked off the schedule. Yamaha’s MXGP elite will now box up the equipment, spares and dismantled factory machinery for the trip further east and the third Grand Prix of Thailand.
Jeremy van Horebeek – “It was the first GP and I was not really relaxed and I struggled to find a good setting because the track was really sketchy. I don’t like it at all. The design is very nice but there are many deep, square bumps. I struggled also with the starts and they were the key this weekend. I think I have the speed; it is not like the guys are pulling away from me. I was better in the second moto and the gap to the others stayed the same from the first lap. I could see the others ahead. I think I changed what could have been a bad weekend into a good one because I wasn’t comfortable out there. So, the same as last year and I will be ready to pull the trigger next week.”
Romain Febvre – “It was a pretty good first GP except that my starts were not that great. I was tenth on the first corner of the first race but I made some moves to seventh. I was stuck behind Shaun Simpson and it was really difficult to pass him. He made a mistake with three or four laps to go and I could get by. The result was good because the track was difficult with many sharp bumps. The grip varied and it was difficult to get a feeling with the bike. My start was worse in the second moto and I made a mistake by coming short on a double jump and almost crashed. I was really lucky. I was behind Villopoto for many laps and passed him. I think I used too much energy with Villopoto, which meant that I had nothing left to chase Strijbos. Anyway sixth overall with the new team, new bike, new class is positive and I’m happy.”
David Philippaerts – “We had one good moto after a bad start. In the second I had a good lap-time – a 1min 51 – which was one of the best for me today. I passed three riders in one lap but half way through the moto we broke the rear wheel on a jump landing. I had to stop because it was the second wheel we broke this weekend. I’m happy to get into the top ten because I think the level this year is very difficult. My speed was good and I’m faster than last year here…but the wheel was a shame. I think many other riders had the same problem. We have to focus for Thailand and Argentina now and keep that top ten position.”
The Grand Prix of Qatar opened the 2015 FIM Motocross World Championship and was the opening foray in the MX2 category for the Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube and Kemea Yamaha teams with their fresh YZ250F technology. Across the hard, rough and fast Losail soil the standout performer in the first round of eighteen and the first two motos of thirty-six this season was Julien Lieber who scored a brilliant second position overall. It was not only the Belgian’s first podium result for the team he joined late last summer but also the first rostrum for the 20 year old in his career.
Losail kicked off ‘MXGP’ for the third time since 2013 and the sensational nocturnal meeting housed the same wide, flowing and inviting layout as in previous years. The course mixed fast turns, rollers and long jumps with tighter sections and some off-camber challenges; the high speed meant similar lap-times and some close-running groups.
Lieber was embarking on his first Grand Prix appearance in ‘blue’ and took advantage of two starts that slotted him into top five positions and an ideal platform to push towards the overall podium. Consistent speed coupled with the strength of the YZ250F from the gate were the building blocks to his success; something that even the rider admitted was a surprise after he struggled through practice and barely broke into the top ten. Third place in the first moto was already a personal best in MX2 but he took profit of a crash by Dylan Ferrandis in the second moto to follow leader and winner Jeffrey Herlings to go one better and claim the runner-up slot; posting a 3-2 scorecard.
Lieber’s achievement was a memorable opening chapter for Standing Construct with Yamaha and represented the manufacturer’s first appearance on the MX2 ‘box’ since the Grand Prix of Belgium last August. Team-mate Valentin Guillod suffered a technical problem on Saturday that meant he entered the gate in twentieth place. The Swiss was battling against the handicap in the starts and registered a result of eighth overall. He was eighth in the first race and improved to sixth in the second moto.
Kemea Yamaha were encouraged by the speed and potential of Damon Graulus as the Belgian rode well to take ninth position in the Qualification Heat on Friday. The youngster was luckless in the motos however. He crashed on the fourth corner of the first race and had to retire and then suffered a light concussion through a nasty-looking fall in the second outing. Benoit Paturel took a best result of sixteenth in the first moto for his first Grand Prix points but in the second was adjudged to have cut the track and was disqualified.
Qatar was also the scene of the first round of six in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship (WMX). Reigning number one Kiara Fontanesi earned Pole Position by over a second in Timed Practice but would have to leave Losail content with second place overall with finishes of 2-2 to Livia Lancelot. ‘Fonta’ was following exciting new Dutch talent Nancy Van De Ven in the first race but the Yamaha rider made a mistake and was lucky to walk away from a big crash that almost gathered the world champion. Fontanesi ran off the track and allowed Lancelot to pounce for the lead. In the second moto the number ‘8’ machine played a safe game and the Italian was pleased to open the season with more confidence and more points that her troubled appearance in Qatar last year.
The Grand Prix of Thailand at the new Nakhonchaisri circuit takes place next weekend for round two of both championships where the heat and humidity is likely to pose a different set of circumstances for some of the world’s fastest racers.
Julien Lieber – “The beginning of the weekend was difficult for me. Really bad. I was low down in the practice sessions and managed to recover to seventh for the qualification race but my start was bad! My speed was good in the race; I could come back from some bad starts quite well and gained some important positions. I’m really happy and I want to thank the Standing Construct Yamaha team because they did a really good job in the winter. We didn’t have much time because the race engine and suspension came late and the testing period was short. I’m really surprised with the result today. It would be great to try and do the same next week.”
Kiara Fontanesi – “Not a great set of races but for sure much better than 2014 here. I was more confident in the bike, myself and my potential. I am fitter and faster and I know I made a mistake last season and lost some points. Livia was quick today and I was thinking of the best position I could take without any stupid risks.”
