KTM men take out British GP – Aussie youngster EMX150 podium

FIM Motocross World Championship 2014 – Round Eight – Matterley Basin, GB

It was obvious the weather gods were out to redeem themselves today, offering peace with their fine display of blue sky and sunshine. Thanks to the endless hours spent on the track last night, moving mud and fixing jumps, the circuit of Matterley Basin was primed and ready for round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship which fell perfectly into the hands of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s duo of champions Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings. 

MXGP

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli put on a brave face this weekend after losing a person he considers to be the most important figure in his life, his father. Despite suffering from sleepless nights and doing his best to deal with the understandable grief, Cairoli lined up today with an angel on his shoulder and used that same strength that has made him seven-times world champion to take his fifth overall victory of the season.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle gets kudos for actually finding his edge today. Had the twenty-five year old Belgian not of washed the front end at speed in race one, the overall could have been completely different. Nevertheless, bent bars and all he managed to salvage fourth and then went on to make a statement in race two when he got off to a good start and knuckled down to take home an unchallenged win. A combination of fourth and first place scores landed the Belgian in second overall.

Introducing MXGP’s Mr. Consistency, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek continues to keep up his podium appearances with a pair of thirds for third overall. The Belgian second year MXGP contender later said, “I guess this was a bad day for me but people say you win championships on your bad days, so I guess it’s not so bad. But I like this track, I just struggled the whole weekend from qualifying to free practice to training. But two thirds is always better than two times zero, especially at the end of the season.”

Fourth overall equates a season best result for Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray who battled his way from a bad start in race one to take home eighth. Out for redemption in race two, the South African got off to a much better start up in fourth. A pass on 24MX Honda’s Jeremy Delince ran him into third, but it was short lived when the red plate holder Antonio Cairoli came through a few laps later. Regardless, the 2008 FIM MX2 World Champion held on to a solid fourth for the remainder of the moto to take home fourth overall.

After attempting his return to the gates of MXGP at round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Valkenswaard, where he opted to forfeit after warm-up on Sunday, it seems the extra couple of weeks of training have done a world of good for the fan favorite CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Tommy Searle. The Brit re-established himself as a top five rider with his fifth and sixth place scores for fifth overall.

Although he’s technically Scottish, MXGP of Great Britain still feels like a home GP for Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson who qualified second in the slop here yesterday. Disappointingly today, the Scotsman could only put together a ninth and a sixth for seventh overall which left him one point clear of another popular rider here in Great Britain Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Jake Nicholls.

As for race one runner-up Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Steven Frossard, he was a victim of a first turn crash in race two which forced him out of the race.

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MXGP RACE 1 (17 laps = 27.880 Km)

1. CAIROLI, Antonio / ITA  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:06.163 / 0.000
2. FROSSARD, Steven / FRA  / Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team / Kawasaki / 35:10.022 / 3.859
3. VAN HOREBEEK, Jeremy / BEL  / Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha / 35:19.411 / 13.248
4. DESALLE, Clement / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:25.529 / 19.366
5. STRIJBOS, Kevin / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:33.683 / 27.520
6. SEARLE, Tommy / GBR  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MXGP / Kawasaki / 35:46.862 / 40.699
7. NICHOLLS, Jake / GBR  / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 35:48.317 / 42.154
8. RATTRAY, Tyla / RSA  / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 35:59.529 / 53.366
9. SIMPSON, Shaun / GBR  / Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM / KTM / 36:18.282 / 1:12.119
10. LEOK, Tanel / EST  / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 36:19.020 / 1:12.857
11. PHILIPPAERTS, David / ITA  / DP19 Racing Yamaha / Yamaha / 36:29.869 / 1:23.706
12. BOOG, Xavier / FRA  / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 36:33.362 / 1:27.199
13. ROELANTS, Joel / BEL  / J-Race Racing Team / Honda / 36:36.054 / 1:29.891
14. GUARNERI, Davide / ITA  / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 36:39.427 / 1:33.264
15. ULLRICH, Dennis / GER  / KTM Sarholz / KTM / 36:42.855 / 1:36.692
16. KARRO, Matiss / LAT  / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 36:50.634 / 1:44.471
17. WATSON, Nathan / GBR  /   / Husqvarna / 37:00.721 / 1:54.558
18. DELINCE, Jeremy / BEL  / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 35:17.506 / -1 Lap
19. IRWIN, Graeme / IRL  /   / Suzuki / 35:23.493 / 5.987
20. CARLESS, Shane / GBR  /   / Kawasaki / 35:24.826 / 7.320

Fastest Lap: DESALLE, Clement; 1:55.159 in lap 7 with 51.268 Km/h

MXGP RACE 2 (17 laps = 27.880 Km)

1. DESALLE, Clement / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:00.023 / 0.000
2. CAIROLI, Antonio / ITA  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:17.740 / 17.717
3. VAN HOREBEEK, Jeremy / BEL  / Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha / 35:31.861 / 31.838
4. RATTRAY, Tyla / RSA  / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 35:35.845 / 35.822
5. SEARLE, Tommy / GBR  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MXGP / Kawasaki / 35:42.028 / 42.005
6. SIMPSON, Shaun / GBR  / Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM / KTM / 35:43.100 / 43.077
7. STRIJBOS, Kevin / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:54.171 / 54.148
8. KARRO, Matiss / LAT  / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 35:59.472 / 59.449
9. NICHOLLS, Jake / GBR  / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 36:01.247 / 1:01.224
10. ROELANTS, Joel / BEL  / J-Race Racing Team / Honda / 36:03.648 / 1:03.625
11. PHILIPPAERTS, David / ITA  / DP19 Racing Yamaha / Yamaha / 36:07.534 / 1:07.511
12. GUARNERI, Davide / ITA  / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 36:09.279 / 1:09.256
13. GONCALVES, Rui / POR  / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 36:10.869 / 1:10.846
14. ULLRICH, Dennis / GER  / KTM Sarholz / KTM / 36:25.560 / 1:25.537
15. DE DYCKER, Ken / BEL  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 36:34.386 / 1:34.363
16. IRWIN, Graeme / IRL  /   / Suzuki / 36:37.939 / 1:37.916
17. DELINCE, Jeremy / BEL  / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 36:39.848 / 1:39.825
18. WATSON, Nathan / GBR  /   / Husqvarna / 36:41.937 / 1:41.914
19. BOOG, Xavier / FRA  / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 36:54.922 / 1:54.899
20. GERCAR, Klemen / SLO  / Honda Jtech / Honda / 36:58.076 / 1:58.053

Fastest Lap: DESALLE, Clement; 1:55.139 in lap 2 with 51.277 Km/h

MXGP Overall top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 43 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 31 p.; 5. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 31 p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 30 p.; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 22 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 20 p.

MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 351 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 323 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 316 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 250 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 164 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 159 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 153 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 145 p.

MXGP Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 351 points; 2. Suzuki, 333 p.; 3. Yamaha, 316 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 307 p.; 5. Honda, 250 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 200 p.; 7. TM, 144 p.

MX2

The run-away train of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings is clearly set to full steam ahead with the nineteen-year old nicknamed ‘The Bullet’ soaring to yet another convincing double victory. “I really enjoyed racing out here today, the British fans are some of the best in the world, they are awesome and I felt like I got a lot of respect from them this year which was really cool.

Proving he does in fact have the goods, just not quite as refined as the current FIM MX2 World Champ Herlings, CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus matched the lap time of Herlings in race two and kept the Dutchman honest for the first quarter of a moto. A plausible second place finish in that race combined with a bad start in race one which saw him rebound for fifth, still was enough for a respectable second overall.

Honda Gariboldi’s youngster Tim Gajser reached a milestone in his career today in Matterley Basin, putting in two impressive top five finishes, a fourth and a third, for third over all and his first ever FIM MX2 World Championship podium finish. At the tender age of seventeen-years-old it’s clear the future is bright for the young Honda rider who seems to ride with the smarts of a seasoned pro: “when I got stuck behind Dylan, I never thought about what place I was in, I just kept looking forward and for who was next”, the Slovenian said.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier took a hard fought fourth overall. The French vice-world champion was pushing it to the limit in race one which helped him pull off second place. An average start in race two saw the youngster struggle his way forward to fifth.

Glued to the list of MX2 top fivers, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre brawled his way to an eighth and fourth respectively for fifth overall.

Meanwhile fan favorite BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie definitely turned heads in race one when he was the only rider in the class to send it sky high over the quad and clear it lap after lap. A few flashes of the Anstie we had seen at MXGP of Qatar also surfaced throughout that moto as he railed his way to third. In race two, the funny Brit got smashed on the finger with a rock causing such immense pain he had to pull in. It was later confirmed the bone had been compressed.

Luke Styke scored a pair of 15th place finishes – “I hoped for better results after qualification on Saturday because I had a good start and I felt good on the track. Once I got into my rhythm my lap-times were consistent and I got my first top 10. On Sunday I had two bad starts and then it was hard to make up ground. In the first moto I could hang on to a group of 4-5 riders but I couldn’t make any moves. After Saturday I can say now that a top ten is possible if my start is good, so that’s an important lesson to remember.”

MX2 RACE 1 (17 laps = 27.880 Km)

1. HERLINGS, Jeffrey / NED  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 34:59.916 / 0.000
2. TIXIER, Jordi / FRA  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:21.255 / 21.339
3. ANSTIE, Max / GBR  / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 35:23.963 / 24.047
4. GAJSER, Tim / SLO  / Honda Gariboldi / Honda / 35:25.175 / 25.259
5. TONUS, Arnaud / SUI  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 35:29.166 / 29.250
6. GUILLOD, Valentin / SUI  / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 35:38.858 / 38.942
7. FERRANDIS, Dylan / FRA  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 35:56.176 / 56.260
8. FEBVRE, Romain / FRA  / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 35:59.888 / 59.972
9. TONKOV, Aleksandr / RUS  / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 36:06.149 / 1:06.233
10. BUTRON, Jose / ESP  / KTM Silver Action / KTM / 36:10.719 / 1:10.803
11. GRAULUS, Damon / BEL  / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 36:14.611 / 1:14.695
12. MONTICELLI, Ivo / ITA  / Marchetti Racing Team KTM / KTM / 36:18.053 / 1:18.137
13. SEEWER, Jeremy / SUI  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:18.493 / 1:18.577
14. POCOCK, Mel / GBR  / Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM / KTM / 36:21.485 / 1:21.569
15. STYKE, Luke / AUS  / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:22.491 / 1:22.575
16. LIEBER, Julien / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:23.919 / 1:24.003
17. COVINGTON, Thomas / USA  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 36:36.323 / 1:36.407
18. PETROV, Petar / BUL  / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:39.998 / 1:40.082
19. LENOIR, Steven / FRA  /   / Husqvarna / 36:44.573 / 1:44.657
20. CHARLIER, Christophe / FRA  / Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha / 36:46.224 / 1:46.308

Fastest Lap: HERLINGS, Jeffrey; 1:54.841 in lap 4 with 51.410 Km/h

MX2 RACE 2 (17 laps = 27.880 Km)

1. HERLINGS, Jeffrey / NED  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:08.239 / 0.000
2. TONUS, Arnaud / SUI  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 35:24.928 / 16.689
3. GAJSER, Tim / SLO  / Honda Gariboldi / Honda / 35:49.525 / 41.286
4. FEBVRE, Romain / FRA  / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 35:50.478 / 42.239
5. TIXIER, Jordi / FRA  / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 36:07.978 / 59.739
6. TONKOV, Aleksandr / RUS  / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 36:10.512 / 1:02.273
7. BUTRON, Jose / ESP  / KTM Silver Action / KTM / 36:14.178 / 1:05.939
8. GRAULUS, Damon / BEL  / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 36:18.281 / 1:10.042
9. SEEWER, Jeremy / SUI  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:21.219 / 1:12.980
10. MONTICELLI, Ivo / ITA  / Marchetti Racing Team KTM / KTM / 36:24.392 / 1:16.153
11. COVINGTON, Thomas / USA  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 36:24.404 / 1:16.165
12. FERRANDIS, Dylan / FRA  / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 36:32.700 / 1:24.461
13. LIEBER, Julien / BEL  / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:33.612 / 1:25.373
14. PETROV, Petar / BUL  / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:44.415 / 1:36.176
15. STYKE, Luke / AUS  / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:45.639 / 1:37.400
16. GUILLOD, Valentin / SUI  / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 37:09.610 / 2:01.371
17. JUSTS, Roberts / LAT  / Latvia – Husqvarna Racing / Husqvarna / 37:10.055 / 2:01.816
18. DESPREY, Maxime / FRA  / Honda Jtech / Honda / 35:09.142 / -1 Lap
19. YAMAMOTO, Kei / JPN  / Honda Gariboldi / Honda / 35:10.685 / 1.543
20. KLINGSHEIM, Magne / NOR  / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 35:20.562 / 11.420

Fastest Lap: HERLINGS, Jeffrey; 1:55.179 in lap 9 with 51.259 Km/h

MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 38 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 38 p.; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 31 p.; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 27 p.; 7. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 25 p.; 8. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 23 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 20 p.

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 344 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 305 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 263 p.; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 253 p.; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 248 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 209 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 197 p.; 8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 184 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 173 p

MX2 Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 374 points; 2. Kawasaki, 331 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 269 p.; 4. Suzuki, 249 p.; 5. Honda, 219 p.; 6. Yamaha, 215 p.; 7. TM, 6 p.

EMX Series 

One of the perks of racing along side MXGP is the effort that goes into delivering the racers with a world class circuit race after race. Round three of the European Championships EMX300 and EMX250 witnessed this first hand in Matterley Basin this weekend, when despite the constant lashings of rain the location had received over the past three days and the mud they had to race yesterday, they woke up this morning to glorious sunshine and a circuit which had obviously undergone a ton of over night prep in order to supply prime racing conditions for their second races which took place earlier today.

Proving to be the most versatile this weekend, yet another immensely talented Belgian Creymert Racing’s Brent Van Doninck took his first EMX250 victory of the year while TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini narrowly won the EMX300 over the crowd favorite GL12 Racing’s Lewis Gregory.

EMX250 

Track compound was close to perfect for race two offering a pleasant change to the slushy surface of yesterday. When the gates dropped it was drama for yesterdays race one winner Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Ben Watson who got caught up with Martin Racing Technology Team’s Michele Cervellin on turn one and went down hard. Meanwhile, Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Sullivan Jaulin took his fluo Troy Lee Designs gear to a massive holeshot leading a trio of HSF Logistics Motorsport Team riders, Brian Bogers, Frederik Van Der Vlist and Ceriel Klein Kromhof.

While the white and blue dressed KTM’s of the HSF Logistics Motorsport Team hogged the top five for the first few laps it wasn’t long before they were broken up by a couple of orange ones belonging to Creymert Racing’s Brent Van Doninck and local kid Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Adam Sterry.

Van Doninck who had proved he was a force to be reckoned with in race one yesterday coming home in second, was hastily slicing his way through the pack. Around mid-way the Belgian Van Doninck was all over Dutch Van Der Vlist, who was riding a wide bike in third. A few laps on, the Belgian had worn Van Der Vlist out, taking over third in an impressive pass down the hill and checking out within a matter of seconds.

Meanwhile Jaulin was setting a blistering pace out front, riding flawless to lead every lap for the win. Bogers, who had also been riding super smooth in second, eventually came under attack from a determined Van Doninck. With Van Doninck making the pass with only a few laps to go, Bogers eased off and rode it home for third.

Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Adam Sterry flew the flag for the United Kingdom putting in an impressive performance to take fourth and an outstanding third overall for his home EMX250 round. Meanwhile, the EMX250’s round one winner Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Jorge Zaragoza recovered from a early race mistake to push his way back to fifth and second overall.

With Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Sullivan Jaulin taking a win today but only a twentieth yesterday, the Frenchman had no shot at the podium. Likewise for HSF Logistics Motorsports Brian Bogers who crossed the line in third this morning, but only fourteenth yesterday. With that said, the most consistent and versatile rider here at round three of the European EMX250 Championship was Creymert Racing’s Brent Van Doninck who took two second’s this weekend for the overall victory and his first of the season

Keeping the thousands of British fans, who came out today to witness the awesome racing that went on, happy British rider CNC doors KTM’s Steven Clarke holds on to the EMX250 red plate twenty-one points clear of Spaniard Jorge Zaragoza in second.

EMX250 Race 1: 1. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 30:03.403; 2. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), +0:16.735; 3. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:39.640; 4. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), +0:45.017; 5. Ceriel Klein Kromhof (NED, KTM), +0:46.088; 6. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +1:00.391; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Honda), +1:05.322; 8. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), +1:08.000; 9. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, Yamaha), +1:17.565; 10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +1:18.281.

EMX250 Race 2: 1. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 30:26.348; 2. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), +0:10.166; 3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:14.951; 4. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +0:20.510; 5. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:31.774; 6. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), +0:36.210; 7. Frederik van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +0:38.568; 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Honda), +0:39.835; 9. Ceriel Klein Kromhof (NED, KTM), +0:41.658; 10. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), +0:42.816

EMX250 Overall: 1. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), 44 points; 2. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, KAW), 36 p.; 3. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 33 p.; 4. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), 33 p.; 5. Ceriel Klein Kromhof (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HON), 27 p.; 8. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 24 p.

EMX250 Championship Standings: 1. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), 116 points; 2. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, KAW), 95 p.; 3. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), 90 p.; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 88 p.; 5. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 80 p.; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 78 p.; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HON), 75 p.; 8. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, KAW), 73 p.; 9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 66 p.; 10. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 61 p.

EMX300

The British fans went crazy for the sweet sound of tinny two-strokes this weekend as the European EMX300 produced some of their best racing this season. Yesterday for race one, GL12 Racing’s Lewis Gregory diced the lead with the red plate holder Samuele Bernardini to take his second EMX300 race victory of the season. Bernardini held on for second and Marco Maddii rounded out the top three.

Today for race two, Team Maddii Racing’s Marco Maddii locked the throttle on his KTM 300SX wide open to take the holeshot ahead of the local legend Lewis Gregory and TM Racing Teams Samuele Bernardini. While Maddii was riding fast and led the majority of lap one, he couldn’t match the pace of Gregory and Bernardini as they flew past and took on a race of their own.

Already within the first couple of laps, the EMX300 red plate holder Samuele Bernardini made a statement, blowing past Gregory to take the lead. With Gregory switching roles from hare to hound, hound he did remaining close enough to breathe in that sweet smell of two-stroke smoke wafting from the TM300 exhaust of Bernardini.

After a race of watching Gregory stalk his prey, the moment arrived with two laps to go and he pounced. Upon taking the lead the crowd went mental with the sound of horns drowning out the ‘tinging’ sound of the two-strokes which were pinned around the fast and tacky Matterley Basin. Half a lap later the resounding sound of horns spiked again as the local Gregory got squirley after the finish and lost the lead. With one lap to go the race was fierce, and although he ground at Bernardini right to the finish, a second race win would not be as the Brit was forced to grit his teeth and settle for second and second overall for the day.

Bernardini took his third race win of the season and second overall victory to hold on to the red plate for yet another round. Marco Maddii rode two solid races unchallenged for a pair of thirds and third overall while two Brits in the form of Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Josh Spinks and Jamie Law rounded out the top five.

EMX300 Race 1: 1. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), 30:57.718; 2. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +0:02.943; 3. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), +0:27.124; 4. Josh Spinks (GBR, KTM), +1:17.423; 5. Damon Strydom (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:22.352; 6. Jamie Law (GBR, KTM), +1:32.732; 7. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), -1 lap(s); 8. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 9. Txomin Arana (ESP, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s).

EMX300 Race 2: 1. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 30:54.889; 2. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), +0:00.941; 3. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), +0:39.858; 4. Jamie Law (GBR, KTM), +0:57.446; 5. Josh Spinks (GBR, KTM), +0:58.340; 6. Luke Burton (GBR, Suzuki), +2:04.804; 7. Damon Strydom (GBR, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 8. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 9. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Txomin Arana (ESP, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)

EMX300 Overall: 1. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 47 points; 2. Lewis Gregory (GBR, YAM), 47 p.; 3. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Josh Spinks (GBR, KTM), 34 p.; 5. Jamie Law (GBR, KTM), 33 p.; 6. Damon Strydom (GBR, HUS), 30 p.; 7. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Luke Burton (GBR, SUZ), 23 p.; 9. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Txomin Arana (ESP, YAM), 23 p.

EMX300 Championship Standings: 1. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 135 points; 2. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 125 p.; 3. Lewis Gregory (GBR, YAM), 119 p.; 4. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), 94 p.; 5. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), 80 p.; 6. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), 74 p.; 7. Txomin Arana (ESP, YAM), 74 p.; 8. Bence Szvoboda (HUN, KTM), 61 p.; 9. Jean Loup Lepan (FRA, YAM), 60 p.; 10. Martin Vanleeuw (BEL, YAM), 47 p.

EMX150

Local favourite Albie Wilkie made it back-to-back wins after taking the flag in a thrilling second race at Matterley Basin to take the overall victory at the British GP.

Wilkie won a race-long battle with red plate holder Jere Haavisto in much improved conditions on Sunday by just 0.4 seconds, making the decisive pass with just three corners to go.

Australian wildcard Hugh McKay won his own personal duel with Swede Albin Larsen to secure his place on the podium.

Wilkie and Haavisto went head-to-head as soon as the gates dropped, exchanging places on numerous occasions and despite falling three times, Wilkie was able to use his superior speed over the jumps to catch and pass Fin Haavisto with the chequered flag in sight.

The stars of tomorrow will now regroup before heading to Germany for Round Three of this year’s series.

“Today’s race went really well” said Wilkie “I had a few problems but with the crowd behind me I was able to pick my self up and get my head down. The crowd made such a difference, I could hear them every time I came down the hill it was such good fun. It was good fun making the double jumps and I think that made the difference in the end, that was how I could regain my last ground.”

“It was a great race that really could’ve gone either way” said Davy Dousselaere, Honda Europe off-road manager. “There were good battles all over the track, obviously first and second was very close but all the way down the field the riders were pushing themselves to the limit on a very difficult and intimidating track. Jere leads the standings by just three points now after four races, which demonstrates just how tight it is in the Honda 150 European Championship.”

EMX150 Race 1: 1. Albie Wilkie (GBR, Honda), 25:22.404; 2. Hugh McKay (AUS, Honda), +0:25.707; 3. Jere Haavisto (FIN, Honda), +0:51.439; 4. Matias Murto (FIN, Honda), +1:04.382; 5. Albin Larsen (SWE, Honda), +1:06.469; 6. Damian Bergevoet (NED, Honda), +1:29.319; 7. Quentin Delbrassinne (BEL, Honda), +1:30.987; 8. Alexis Collignon (FRA, Honda), +1:31.907; 9. Tristan-Alexander Tavares (RSA, Honda), +2:05.078; 10. Archie Osmaston (GBR, Honda), +2:31.201.

EMX150 Race 2: 1. Albie Wilkie (GBR, Honda), 25:49.316; 2. Jere Haavisto (FIN, Honda), +0:00.458; 3. Hugh McKay (AUS, Honda), +0:36.514; 4. Albin Larsen (SWE, Honda), +0:45.195; 5. Quentin Delbrassinne (BEL, Honda), +1:52.588; 6. Alexis Collignon (FRA, Honda), +1:53.375; 7. Damian Bergevoet (NED, Honda), +1:57.338; 8. Brian Van Der Klij (NED, Honda), +1:58.014; 9. Tatu Junnola (FIN, Honda), +2:08.963; 10. Archie Osmaston (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s)

EMX150 Overall: 1. Albie Wilkie (GBR, HON), 50 points; 2. Jere Haavisto (FIN, HON), 42 p.; 3. Hugh McKay (AUS, HON), 42 p.; 4. Albin Larsen (SWE, HON), 34 p.; 5. Quentin Delbrassinne (BEL, HON), 30 p.; 6. Damian Bergevoet (NED, HON), 29 p.; 7. Alexis Collignon (FRA, HON), 28 p.; 8. Archie Osmaston (GBR, HON), 22 p.; 9. Brian Van Der Klij (NED, HON), 21 p.; 10. Tatu Junnola (FIN, HON), 21 p.

EMX150 Championship Standings: 1. Jere Haavisto (FIN, HON), 89 points; 2. Albie Wilkie (GBR, HON), 86 p.; 3. Matias Murto (FIN, HON), 61 p.; 4. Albin Larsen (SWE, HON), 59 p.; 5. Damian Bergevoet (NED, HON), 57 p.; 6. Tatu Junnola (FIN, HON), 51 p.; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, HON), 47 p.; 8. Quentin Delbrassinne (BEL, HON), 43 p.; 9. Brian Van Der Klij (NED, HON), 43 p.; 10. Hugh McKay (AUS, HON), 42 p.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe  Report 

Jeremy Seewer picked up another decent points haul for Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe at Matterley Basin, surrounded by 25,000 spectators, for the British Grand Prix and the eighth stop on the FIM Motocross World Championship today.

The Belgian steered his RM-Z250 to 13th and ninth in the two MX2 motos under bright skies on England’s south coast across one of the best-received racing surfaces of the season.

Copious rainfall in the days leading-up to the action at Matterley and again Saturday morning and evening meant a soft and grippy course that allowed riders to express themselves and seek out new and alternate lines to gain an advantage on their rivals. The quick and fluid layout also created a long lap.

In this natural ‘arena’ Seewer didn’t get his weekend off to the best of starts as a crash on Saturday led to a stiff shoulder and left wrist. It also hurt his start position chances as he lined-up in the gate down in 25th position. The Swiss performed admirably to grab 13th in the first moto and then clashed with Valentin Guillod during the second on his way to a pleasing ninth. It was his seventh top-10 finish in his rookie term.

Julien Lieber was less than satisfied with 15th overall: The Belgian was hampered by his starts and a crash in the first moto put him down to 16th. He was held up by a fallen rider in the second sprint but was more in-tune with the track and improved to 12th.

With eight of 17 rounds chalked-off the calendar Seewer is 11th in the MX2 points table with Lieber 14th and the absent Glenn Coldenhoff is ninth. The crew will motor through France this week and to St Jean d’Angely for their next Grand Prix fixture on June 1st.

Jeremy Seewer:  “It was a tough GP for me and I learned plenty again. I was feeling a bit sick on Saturday and I guess it was from the bad weather on Friday. I crashed in the qualification heat and hardly made things better! My shoulder and wrist were a bit sore but nothing too bad. I made a bad start in the first moto and ended up 13th. I was ninth in the second moto after a nice battle with Valentin and I think we are ‘even’ now after he put me off the track in Valkenswaard. It was nice to get a top-10 result even though I was not 100% and I was happy with the speed. I’m looking forward to France now.”

Julien Lieber:  “A s**t day. I just couldn’t get a start this weekend. In the first moto I was between 10th and 15th and I passed some guys but then crashed; I was not riding that well and my speed was also not that good. The second moto was a bit better. After two laps I recovered a bit after a bad start but then somebody crashed in front of me and I hit them. I came back to P12 but it was not good. If there is a positive, then my pace at the end of the day was much better than the first.”

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP Report

Matterley Basin was again a stomping ground for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP and Clement Desalle this weekend as the Belgian threw his Factory RM-Z450 to second position overall – after a race two victory – in front of 25,000 spectators at the British Grand Prix and the eighth round of 17 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Winchester venue had been liberally coated with rainfall in the build-up to the GP (shifted from its usual August slot to a Bank Holiday weekend date in late May) and was again hit by showers throughout Saturday to create a damp, grippy and technical terrain. It was a surface on which the riders revelled; none more-so than Desalle who set the pace from the very first laps of the meeting.

Desalle strode ahead to a dominant Pole Position on Saturday that was essentially a re-enactment of his superiority from the previous round in Spain two weeks ago where the Belgian went 1-1 in the motos for his second overall triumph of the season.

Operating on a favoured stage and one in which he was victorious in 2013, Desalle was second out of the start in the first moto that was run under sunny skies and across a ground that was rapidly drying. He then suffered from a crash that pushed him outside the top five and from where he had to work hard to recover to fourth place. The ‘Desalle from Saturday’ returned for the second moto and although he faced a little pressure from Antonio Cairoli at one stage deep into the 30 minute and two-lap duration, the 24 year old kept clear and earned his third chequered flag from the last four. His 4-1 scorecard meant the second step and his fifth trophy of the season.

Kevin Strijbos took his time to find a decent feeling on the Matterley mud on Saturday and entered the gate with ninth position. The Belgian wanted better for Sunday but ‘so-so’ starts were a slight handicap. He raced to fifth in the first outing and was quick and aggressive to edge into the same position during the second moto but a slow speed crash dropped him to seventh where he continued until the finish. Strijbos classified sixth overall.

As the 2014 season effectively reaches the halfway stage, Desalle sits second and 28 points away from the red plate as MXGP series leader. Strijbos, meanwhile, gives the team two riders in the top four as the 28 year old rests fourth. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP will now pack-up swiftly and head back to HQ in Lommel before journeying into France and to St Jean d’Angely for round nine next weekend.

Clement Desalle:  “Yesterday was a perfect day. I started second in the first moto but Frossard passed me and then in the first three or four laps I wasn’t riding so well. I had a big crash and hit my head on the ground, hurting my neck a little bit. I was really disappointed with that moto because I should have done much better and in the end I missed the overall win because of it. I had some physio before the second race and things went better. I concentrated on my riding and made some mistakes in the middle of the moto but when I saw ‘four laps’ on the pitboard I really focussed and found some good laps again. We will keep working for the next races and I’m positive for future GPs. It is a good feeling to be winning motos like this.”

Kevin Strijbos: “I usually like this track but this weekend I really didn’t. We switched bikes after Saturday and found an improvement but it was not a good day. I had arm-pump after 15 minutes in the first moto and then got the start completely wrong in the second. I did what I could but I was already ‘over’ the race by the time I had that small crash. It is a shame but I just want to move on and try to get something better in France.”

Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing Report

Getting back to top form following his difficult start to the 2014 series due to injury, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray achieved a season’s best result of fourth overall in the MXGP class at the FIM Motocross World Championship GP of Great Britain.

Gelling well with the fast flowing, jump filled Matterley Basin circuit, Rattray ended his weekend on a high with a fourth place result in race two. Knowing that with a strong start he could run up front in the highly competitive MXGP class, Rattray sought to better his race one result of eighth. Rounding lap one in fifth, the Husqvarna rider worked his way up to third. Battling with championship leader Antonio Cairoli, Rattray eventually slipped back to fourth where he then stayed for the remainder of the race.

Securing another top five result for Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, Frenchman Romain Febvre ended the MXGP of Great Britain in fifth overall. Enjoying the loamy, technical Matterley Basin course Febvre got his day off to a great start with the second fastest time in morning warm-up. Hampered by a bad start and arm pump during race one, Febvre could fair no better than eighth. Determined to get back on track for race two he delivered a strong ride. Engaged in a race long battle for third, he eventually placed fourth to end his day fifth overall.

Enduring a mixed performance in race one to place ninth, Russian Aleksandr Tonkov came out fighting for the second MX2 race. Grabbing the Fox Head Holeshot Award, Tonkov ended lap one in third. With a clear track to work on, Tonkov was able to push hard for the majority of the race while holding off a three-rider battle behind him. Unfortunately a couple of mistakes in the closing stages saw the Husqvarna rider lose out and slip back to sixth, ending his day in sixth overall.

Tyla Rattray: “I’m delighted with how this weekend has gone. The hard work is beginning to pay off and I’m getting back into the sharp end of the results. Race two was fantastic. I got a good jump off the start and was inside the top five almost immediately. From there I chipped away and got up to third. I had a nice battle with Antonio Cairoli and then Jeremy Van Horebeek to finish fourth. This result is the confidence boost I needed. The MXGP of France is next weekend and I’ll keep pushing to improve. With a top five result secured my next goal is to get onto the podium. I’d like to say a big thanks to my team for their effort in getting me back to where I belong.”

Romain Febvre: “After placing second fastest in Sunday morning warm-up I felt like I was capable of pushing for a top result today. In race one I got a great jump off the start but then had to take avoiding action with a fallen rider in the third corner and dropped outside the top ten. I fought to recover but some bad arm pump slowed me and I could only finish eighth. Race two was much better. After a clean first lap I was fighting for a top three result but eventually finished fourth. It’s my home GP next weekend in France so hopefully I can get back on the podium.”

Aleksandr Tonkov: “Race one was a bit up and down. I made a mistake off the start and slipped back. Struggling to find a rhythm, ninth was the best I could do. Race two was way better. Getting the holeshot was brilliant and I could run up front. Unfortunately I made a couple of mistakes during the tail end of the race and dropped from third to sixth. But I’m happy. I proved that my speed is good enough to run at the front when I get a good start. Already I’m looking forward to next weekend in France.”

Yamaha Report

Jeremy Van Horebeek roared back from some adversity at the Grand Prix of Great Britain to take third position and climb the podium again – his seventh consecutive top three finish in the premier MXGP class – at Matterley Basin today. The Belgian was once more a prominent force on the Yamaha Factory Racing YZ450FM and rode to a pair of third positions on the tacky and enjoyable racing surface in the south of England.

25,000 fans braved a changeable climate that saw the weekend swapping rain for sunshine at regular intervals thanks to a stiff breeze. The showers on Friday and Saturday gave some superb natural watering to the Matterley dirt and allowed it to carve into a technical and rutty prospect. The scenic layout – which has hosted the British round of the MXGP series since 2011 – made for a long lap-time and once more gave unparalleled views to the spectators that lined the fences around the track.

Van Horebeek’s weekend did not get off to the most fortunate of starts. A problem with the start clip on his front fork guard led to a breakage of the brake hose as he was plotting a fast course from fourth to second position in Saturday’s Qualification Heat. He pitted and rode the second half of the twenty minute and two lap distance with no stopping power on the front end and collected a brave fifteenth.

On Sunday, and under some welcome blue skies, JVH was again a firm presence in the leading group. The 2014 Italian Champion rode a pair of lonely races to third position each time and although he tried to fend off Tony Cairoli while holding second in Moto2 was unable to resist the Italian. Van Horebeek’s unparalleled consistency means he is third in the championship standings.

DP19 Yamaha racing’s David Philippaerts had a reasonable day to tenth overall. The Italian didn’t start so well in the first moto and ran to eleventh. He was in the top six at the launch of the second but was too hesitant in the formative stages and again dropped down to the fringes of the top ten. Rui Gonçalves took his Bike it Yamaha Cosworth YZ450F to seventeenth overall and defied a painful twisted ankle to complete the Grand Prix. Thirteenth was his best race finish and was scored in the second moto.

Almost half of the 2014 campaign fills the MXGP scorecard and Van Horebeek, who has held a spot in the top three of the division for the vast majority of ’14 so far, is 35 points away from his first taste of the red plate and first place. Philippaerts is further back in twelfth while Gonçalves is thirteenth.

Jeremy Van Horebeek – “This is one of my favourite tracks of the year and the GP did not go like I wanted. I struggled all the way through and I guess it is not the best day for me. Still, we are on the podium again so I did pretty well I suppose. I’m looking forward to going to France now. All these podium finishes are great for me and the team. I feel really good with the way it is going. It’s just today wasn’t so great and I prefer to finish third twice than to come off the bike and register zero points.”

David Philippaerts – “A bad race…but good in some ways because I made some points for the championship and I’m close to the top ten; this is important because we have to look at the overall season. I didn’t start the first moto well and finished eleventh. I pushed a lot in the first part of the race and I did the same at the beginning of the second because I was up in sixth. I was too slow in the first ten minutes! I don’t know why but riders were passing me left and right and I was pretty angry. I was setting good lap-times by the end but it was too late. Anyway we have to focus on the top ten and my riding is getting better. My training is good and the bike is working well. Everything is correct but I now need to work on the first laps of the race to stay closer to the front.”

Rui Goncalves – “Definitely a tough weekend. I was looking to turn around some problems we had on Saturday for raceday but I was last into the gate and then trying to do something from the back of the pack when I twisted my ankle on the third lap. I had a lot of pain but figured if I wanted to be out there for the second moto then I needed to ride for a while. I was dead-last and just concentrated on reaching the finish. The second race was a little bit better; better start and better rhythm. I had painkillers between motos to survive the weekend and will now go home to get checked out.”

The slopes, drops and vast jumps of Matterley Basin was the site of the British Grand Prix and the eighth round of seventeen in the FIM Motocross World Championship today and Max Anstie was Yamaha’s top performer in the MX2 class on the 2014 YZ250F as he grabbed third place in the first moto. Blue skies were gladly welcomed in southern England after bouts of rain had threatened to washout the site in the lead-up to the event. The persistent showers at least had a positive effect on the racing surface which was soft, shifting and ‘attackable’ for the Grand Prix elite.

Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Anstie showed that the team’s progress in development of the new 2014 YZ250F is coming along at a decent pace as he ran in second position for most of Saturday’s qualification heat and just lost out to Dylan Ferrandis on the last lap after having to ditch his mud-caked goggles. On Sunday and with the weather much improved 25,000 spectators saw ‘99’ hit the leading group and chase Jordi Tixier hard in the first moto. The Brit entered the top three for the first time since the Grand Prix of Thailand in March. Unfortunately the ‘clutch’ finger of his left hand was whacked by a stone, which caused some painful damage. While he was able to finish Moto1 he could not complete more than three laps of the second and had to retire.

Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier was also luckless. The Corsican is nursing a meniscus problem in his left knee but his Grand Prix was ended by a crash on the first lap of Moto2 that prompted a hospital visit for a cut on his back.

Kemea Yamaha Racing duo Petar Petrov and Luke Styke were seventeenth and sixteenth overall after difficult days. The Bulgarian could not find an effective rhythm with the track while the Australian could not recover from two so-so starts. The stony hard-pack of St Jean D’Angely will ignite the Grand Prix of France for round nine of the FIM Motocross World Championship next week.

Max Anstie – “The first moto today was obviously really good. I moved through quickly and was hitting some of those big jumps. The Yamaha has been working really well and its nice to be riding ‘my’ bike and we have all worked hard. I hope we can continue building from here and it was positive to be racing again where we were in the first few GPs. It was unfortunate I got hit by a rock in the first one. The finger was not too bad when I was riding but then for the second one it really stiffened up and went a bit black-and-blue. When I was jumping stuff it was hurting a lot. I need to get it checked out but at least we know now that we are back where we should be and the hours we have put in is paying off.”

Petar Petrov – “This was the worst weekend since I started GPs…I had no feeling at all with the track and didn’t feel comfortable. To be honest sometimes I was scared I couldn’t push at all. I don’t know what the problem is, last weekend in Holland everything went well and I had a good speed but now there was nothing I could do. I think I’m too focused on the results right now. Therefore this week I want to try to get the right feeling back. I need to have fun on the bike again. This was a total ‘off’ weekend; I want to forget it as soon as possible and try to approach the next one more relaxed.”

Luke Styke – “I hoped for better results after qualification on Saturday because I had a good start and I felt good on the track. Once I got into my rhythm my lap-times were consistent and I got my first top 10. On Sunday I had two bad starts and then it was hard to make up ground. In the first moto I could hang on to a group of 4-5 riders but I couldn’t make any moves. After Saturday I can say now that a top ten is possible if my start is good, so that’s an important lesson to remember.”