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Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1

DESALLE LEADS WORLD MX1 CHAMPIONSHIP
The Grand Prix of Bulgaria at Sevlievo witnessed an amazing start to the FIM Motocross World Championship for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 as Clement Desalle celebrated his fourth career victory on the factory RM-Z450 - and grabbed the lead in the 2011 series.

The Belgian finished 2nd and 1st in two windy and chilly motos at the open and fast circuit; winning the second race after a tense and entertaining tussle with Steven Frossard.

Desalle picked up the red plate as World Championship leader after two progressively-steady rides at the front of the field. He pulled through from third spot in the opening chase of 35 minutes and 2 laps - run across a hardpack terrain in which lap-times were very tight - to leader Frossard, without getting close enough to attack.

His runner-up finish - in spite of a last lap off-track excursion - set-up a good stage for the second moto, that began exquisitely with the holeshot and then several juicy-laps of action with Frossard.

Desalle swiftly despatched the closing Jonathan Barragan and when Frossard made a mistake and slipped off, the 21 year old had the advantage and defended it to the flag. It was the second success in-a-row for the works team after Desalle also triumphed at the final grand prix of 2010 in Italy.

Team-mate Steve Ramon entered the weekend feeling the after-effects of Flu and was unable to gel with the track, both on Saturday and Sunday. The former World Champion suffered with arm-pump in the first moto and took 10th and collected 12th in the second for 12th overall.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 now has two weeks until round two and the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at the Valkenswaard circuit near Eindhoven.

Clement Desalle - 1st:
"I am very happy and it is very cool to win, but this is the first grand prix and the season is very long. I made a mistake at the end of the first race because I changed my line, thinking towards the second moto. The take-off was different and I landed completely off the track. I don't think I could have done another lap because the back brake was already gone. Steven rode very well and very fast all day and it was good to take the win."

Steve Ramon - 12th:
"I had the same problem today as Saturday; especially in the first moto with the arm-pump. It was not possible to push and the track was not easy. I've been sick since Wednesday and I could feel in my muscles that I was not fully fit. We struggled a little with the set-up so overall I did the best that I could. I guess I was not the only one with problems because Cairoli passed me and he wasn't lapping much faster. It was a bad day but also some damage limitation. Onto the next one!"

SUZUKI EUROPE WORLD MX2
TEILLET INJURED AT BULGARIAN MX2 OPENER

Suzuki Europe MX2 tasted the bitter fortunes of motorsport this weekend at Sevlievo for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria after Valentin Teillet was unable to finish either moto in the opening round of the FIM MX2 World Championship.

The Frenchman needed medical attention after a heavy crash into a low jump during the second race and the extent of the damage to his right shoulder has yet to be determined.

The hard and fast Sevlievo course saw Teillet - making his debut on the RM-Z250 - taking positions in the top-10 through practice and qualification and was happy with his pace. The first moto ended prematurely with a technical problem; and the team was dismayed when the former European Champion became entangled with a first turn pile-up as the start of the second moto. It was on a comeback-push through the field that Teillet had his accident.

The Grand Prix of the Netherlands, through the dark sand of Valkenswaard, will represent round two and the next engagement on the international stage for the Suzuki Europe MX2 team.

Thomas Ramsbacher - Team Manager:
"For sure a weekend that we will want to forget quickly. We didn't have any luck in either race and now our only concern is for Valentin; and we hope his injury does not turn out to be too serious. We experienced the harsh side of racing today and can only hope the good days can come back soon."

An update on the condition of Teillet will be issued soon.

MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA

MX1 - Fantastic runner-up performance by Frossard in Bulgaria
The first round of fifteen in the 2011 FIM MX1-GP World Championship was a memorable one for Monster Energy Yamahas Steve Frossard as the factory team rookie tied on points for victory at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria, won a moto and left the cold and windy Sevlievo circuit with the runner-up position overall.

The Frenchman aced the qualification heat on Saturday to take pole position and signal his intent across the flat hardpack. The 23 year old handled his YZ450F with deft skill; the kind of form that recently helped him claim the MX1 Italian title. A superb start on Sunday watched by the officially-provided spectator figure of 35,000 allowed Frossard to flick and sprint away from the pack and win the first moto of the year and his first in the class and with Yamaha.

The second race saw a similar level of speed and performance although he faced a tricky challenge from Clement Desalle that produced some close and exciting racing. Frossard was able to prevail and had a four second lead entering the closing stages of the contest when he lost traction exiting a corner and the back end of the bike spun out. Quickly remounting he jostled for the lead again with Desalle and also Jonathan Barragan. A small moment of mistiming on the final lap prevented a last-gasp attack and Frossard had to accept second and the same ranking on the podium due to the second race classification.

While Frossard was marking the pace at the front David Philippaerts was forging a similar effort through the pack after two restrictive starts. The Italian pushed through to fourth place in Moto1 after a thorough charge. A better launch in Moto2 was ruined on the apex of the first corner when the former world champion lost balance. From the very rear of the field DP19 valiantly chased back to 14th for 10th overall.

Anthony Boissiere was another rider making his bow for Yamaha in MX1 and picked up a decent share of points for 15th and 13th and 13th at the end of the day.

With 2nd, 10th and 13th the MX1-GP collective of the Monster Energy Yamaha team are off and running. Round two will take place in two weeks on Easter Monday at Valkenswaard for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Steven Frossard - 2nd position
“I feel really good on the bike and the 450 suits me better. In the first moto I made a really good start and it was easy for me to take a lead of a few seconds. In the second it was completely different because the start was not great. I passed Clement and was ahead by four seconds but made a mistake. My physical condition was really good and that helped me to come back to second and look for the win. I was pushing really hard because I wanted to win the GP and then made another error that cost me half a second. In my head I knew I was capable of this speed because we worked really hard over the winter with Yamaha.

“The first moto was good but I crashed at the start of the second and made a mistake when the rear stepped out. I restarted last and pushed as hard as I could but my times were not as good as the first moto. Overall I think I was good enough for a top four finish today, which would have been OK because the track was very hard. I like this place but there were other riders who were quicker today. I’m looking forward to Valkenswaard now and we must improve the starts.”

Anthony Boissiere - 13th position
I crashed on the first lap of the first moto and it was difficult to come back because the track was fast and I couldn’t make much difference no matter how hard I pushed. 15th was not a good result in the first race but my riding was OK. The second race was better but I felt a bit tired towards the end. I look at the results and they are not great but I have scored points and will try for more now.

MX2 - Positive outing for Paulin in Bulgaria
Monster Energy Yamahas Gautier Paulin finished 4th at a blustery Sevlievo for the first Grand Prix of fifteen in the FIM MX2-GP World Championship on Sunday. The Frenchman who missed this event through injury in 2010 showed impressive speed and handling of the factory YZ250FM to 3rd and 7th positions under bright but cloudy skies and through a cold wind.

The gusts dried the hardpack track thoroughly during Saturday practice and qualification and even created difficult dusty conditions. A coating of rain during the night and watering helped roughen the surface but also made it greasy.

Paulin was slightly undone by two average starts in the motos. His flight from a place in the lower half of the top ten on the first lap to pressurise and overtake Jeffrey Herlings for third by the end of Moto1 was entertaining to chart and his increased speed and overtaking prowess was commendable around a layout that was not forgiving to passing opportunism. The 21-year-old’s second start was worse around mid-pack and he spent many laps regaining ground to enter the top ten.

In fifth position in the final ranking was Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas Zach Osborne. The American suffered a little with nerves in the first race and finished seventh but was more comfortable on his YZ250F later in the day and circulated on the fringes of the leading trio, capturing fourth by the flag. New team-mate Arnaud Tonus had a spectacular opening race to pass the chequered flag in fourth but suffered a little with fatigue in the second and sealed eighth for seventh overall.

Monster Energy Yamaha riders Christophe Charlier and Harri Kullas had varying experiences in Bulgaria. Charlier was eleventh overall, one place in front of Kullas, but was competing with a bone broken in his right hand and had to cope with pain and swelling. Kullas had a crash in the second race and felt dizzy. His tenth place from Moto1 was his highest finish of the day.

Round two will take place in two weeks on Easter Monday at Valkenswaard for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Gautier Paulin, Monster Energy Yamaha, 4th:
The first race was quite good but the track was so hard and it was watered so I struggled with it. I normally like Bulgaria but today it was something different. I had bad starts and it was hard to pass. It was like being at Loket where catching the guy in front is difficult. This is the first GP and everyone wants a good result, so I am not too disappointed with fourth because the championship is just beginning. I am so happy with the performance of the bike and the suspension was also very good; I feel happy going out in every session on this bike. For sure we will continue to work because you can never have perfection but the team are trying so hard and we are pushing together. I still need to find a bit more speed but physically I feel good. Two motos today was no problem at all and my lap-times were right there.

Christophe Charlier, Monster Energy Yamaha, 11th:
It was a hard GP for me because I broke my hand two weeks ago and I cannot ride like I want. We tried our best today and I pushed where I could but the racing conditions were hard and overtaking people was difficult. I hadn’t ridden since the accident with my hand so that was also against me. After some treatment now I hope I can see an improvement for Valkenswaard.

Harri Kullas, Monster Energy Yamaha, 12:
I lost too many positions on the first lap of the moto and that was not so good. I had a good battle after that until I had difficulty passing the backmarkers and finished tenth, which I was not so pleased with. I need to be stronger at the beginning. I ruined the start in the second Heat and came back to thirteenth before I couldn’t avoid touching a rider who had crashed in front of me. I went down also and hit my head. I was a bit dizzy and had trouble concentrating after that. I tried to finish the race as fast as I could. Im not really happy and want to do a lot better.

Zach Osborne, Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha, 5th:
It was a pretty decent start to the season, a productive weekend and I am quite close to where I need to be. I was a bit nervous and tightened up in the first race and had to ride through it but in the second race I could show a bit more of my speed and got a fourth place. I was a bit bummed out with the result because I felt like I should have been on the podium today. This was the best finish I’ve had here in three years and I’ve made improvements. I need to work on my first laps but I have something to build on from here.

Arnaud Tonus, Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha, 7th:
I had a great first moto from a bad start and pushed really hard to come back. I was consistent with my lap-times and made a great race to fourth. I think I pushed too hard physically because after fifteen minutes in the next one I had to slow down and ride a smart moto; that was difficult. I need to improve my starts to be further up from the beginning and find the rhythm I want. The bike and the team are really good, I couldn’t be happier from that side.

KTM RACING

Two gate-to-flag triumphs for Ken Roczen in opening MX2 GP
Red Bull Teka KTM's Ken Roczen sent a strong signal to the opposition about his intentions in the 2011 MX2 season when he launched his world championship title bid in Sevlievo, Bulgaria with sensational back-to-back wins in both motos.

Now in his rookie year with the KTM factory team, the German teenager was super-impressive taking both holeshots and winning the first moto by a margin of 14.66 seconds and the second by even more, 21.4 seconds.  He attacked the Bulgarian track from gate drop to flag indicating that the experience he has had racing for Red bull KTM in the AMA SX Lites in the USA during the winter has sharpened his riding skills to perfection.
 
Ken Roczen said after the race that he "just wanted to go out in front and do my thing" and this he certainly managed. "I had an awesome race. I'm very happy and everyone is doing a great job," he said. "I hope I can continue like this for the next races." Looking ahead to Valkenswaard, the next GP, Ken said he liked the track and was going to "try my best" there.
 
Factory team-mate Jeffrey Herlings also had a good season's opener. He rode behind Roczen in second place for most of the first moto, only to drop back in the final laps to fifth place. He was a comfortable third in the second moto to finish overall third behind Britain's Tommy Searle.
 
Jeffrey said he had been hoping for a second place this weekend and had been expecting to be a bit faster.

"Now for the coming weeks I have to work on my speed," he said. "I haven't done too many races so far this year so I have to get into race mode. My main goal this year is to be consistent and to try to finish 2 or 3 in the championship. Everyone is expecting me to win at Valkenswaard but I am just going to do my best - more than that I cannot do."

Jeffrey won the GP at Valkenswaard in his rookie year last year with the KTM factory team.
 
Jeremy van Horebeek, the third rider in the KTM factory team was hoping for top five and indeed finished with equal points to fifth placed Zach Osborne but was discounted to sixth because of the order of his results. The rider with the best second moto results prevails. 
 
Jeremy van Horebeek: "I did expect a little more this weekend but for the first weekend of the season it was good for me. I had two good starts but I didn't seem to find my rhythm all Sunday. I finished 6 and 5 which was okay but I still need to work on some points." Jeremy said he is looking forward to Valkenswaard because although sand is not his favourite surface, he has trained a lot in the sand with team boss Stefan Everts during the winter and he is well prepared.
 
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports boss: "All the riders are fit and strong and it was a great start to have two GP wins with Steffi (Laier, WMX GP winner) and Ken and to have Jeffrey on the podium."
 
Factory team boss Stefan Everts was also impressed with Ken Roczen's performance. "Ken did a great job winning and dominating both motos. He's adapted very well and he's coming from getting good results in the U.S. I thought the switch from SX to MX would be tougher but he's adapted very well. Jeffrey's a sand rider so he did well to be on the podium here. In two weeks he will have his home GO in the same so we will see how good he is."

Nagl fourth, Cairoli ninth in opening MX1 GP in Bulgaria
While the MX1 riders in the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing did not enjoy the same overwhelming success as their MX2 counterparts, Max Nagl and Tony Cairoli still picked up valuable championship points in the season opening GP on Bulgaria's Sevlievo circuit.

The race on the Bulgarian circuit, where it is notoriously difficult to pass, was not without problems for the KTM factory riders. Max Nagl was unlucky to be hit in the goggles by a flying stone that forced the lens out and let the dirt in, obstructing his vision in the second moto, which he said was like "riding without any goggles". He also said he has to work on his starts but overall was happy with his performance on the KTM 350 SX-F this weekend. (Max has been riding the 450 SX-F in previous seasons).
 
Max Nagl: "I am a bit disappointed that I missed the podium by just one point but for the championship the points are okay. I am happy that it's going so good with the 350 and I think it's going to get even better when I've had more race practice. Next race is in the sand at Valkenswaard. That's where I live and I like the track. Last year I didn't do too bad there so I think it's going to be a good GP."  
 
Tony Cairoli said he was disappointed about the result of the first races of the season but given that he had twisted his knee in race one was relieved that it seemed to be nothing serious and that he was able to race in the second moto.
 
Tony Cairoli: "The start is very important here in Bulgaria because it is difficult to pass on this track. It was not so bad for me yesterday but today I had a very bad start in the first moto. I tried to pass as many as possible and I was up to about fifth then I hit my knee trying to pass Gonçalves. It's the same knee that I broke so I was quite worried. It was hurting a lot and I gave up a bit and finished seventh. Then I made an appointment to see the doctor and it started to feel better so I was able to race again in the second moto. My start was better and I almost got the holeshot, I think I was third in the first corner. Then Philippaerts crashed in front of me and I couldn't avoid him and found I was back at 20 or 21 in the field.  I scrambled back to tenth and tried to move up to ninth in the last lap. But I didn't manage it."
 
KTM Motorsports boss Pit Beirer said at the end of the day that he was happy that everything was going well. "The bikes are good, the team is working great and all the riders are healthy so the basis is there for a good season. I am sure that we all expected a little more from MX1 but we also know the competition is very tough. We make no excuses but we know our weak points, the guys struggled a bit with the starts and made some mistakes but I am sure we will be ready to show better form in Valkenswaard."
 
Team boss Stefan Everts: "We expect Tony to be winning of course. Yesterday he had a good qualifying race and a good speed. But today he hurt his knee and I'm happy he could finish the race and take some points. For sure he will come back strong. Max surprised me with how well he has made the change to the 350. He's been riding a 450 for many years and you cannot underestimate that. He did really well and he was riding very aggressively. Maybe he is not yet in the best shape but he showed some good things today.”

Victory for Steffi Laier in Sevlievo
WMX World Champion and Red Bull Teka Factory Racing rider Steffi Laier of France dominated the first WMX GP on the circuit at Sevlievo, Bulgaria on Saturday with back-to-back moto wins to grab the red plate as championship leader after the first round.

Right from the qualifying race it was obvious that Steffi remains in a class of her own.  She mastered difficult conditions that were dry, dusty and very windy and led from the drop of the gate to the chequered flag every time she went out on the track. She finished almost 18 seconds up on second-placed Livia Lancelot of France in the first moto and in the second moto she was 10 seconds ahead going in to the final lap but eased back and took the comfortable victory with more than three second to spare.
 
All indications are that any rider with Steffi in her sights will again have to work very hard to catch the talented German rider.
 
Steffi Laier: It was strange to have the two races on the one day and with the second one when it was already getting dark. The second moto was not so easy on the one hand but also not so difficult. We were fighting in the first four laps but then I found my rhythm but in the end I was flying blind because of the problems with the sun and the dust."
 
In 2011 the women opened their season together with the MX1 and MX2 riders on the Bulgarian circuit but for the rest of the season they will race with the MX3 riders. They race nine GPs in 2011 and their next outing is on April 17 at Megalopolis in Greece.
 
Steffi, like many of the women competing in the WMX is apprehensive about what to expect when the competition switches to the MX3 circuit as from the next race. Her arch rival Livia Lancelot has decided to quit the competition and move onto other things and she expressed concern that so far there were only nine riders confirmed for the next races.

"I really don't know what to expect," she said. "I feel good here with the team and racing the same weekends as MX1 and MX2 and I will miss all that."

KAWASAKI RACING TEAM

MX2 - Tommy Searle second in Bulgaria
Tommy Searle of Team CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit made a superb return to GP racing in the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship, with a stunning second place at Sevlievo in Bulgaria.

Already on Saturday the 21-year-old Englishman had raced to a solid second place in the qualification race, and he again showed great speed in both races on Sunday when championship points were at stake. A good start was a tremendous advantage at the high-speed Sevlievo track and Tommy's main rivals got the jump on him in both races as he momentarily lost momentum leaving the gate when the front wheel lifted. With passing opportunities few and far between Searle needed a couple of laps to displace Jeffrey Herlings from second place, by which time the Dutchman's German team-mate Ken Roczen had already established a lead of several seconds. Searle initially closed the gap on the German in the first race but a number of small incidents as the leaders came up behind backmarkers cost Tommy his gains and he sensibly settled for a secure second place. Needing slightly longer to displace Herlings in race two, Tommy again settled for second.

His teenage team-mate Max Anstie was contesting a GP in Europe for the first time after spending the last three years in America and the 17-year-old inevitably needed the weekend to adjust to the very different environment. 16th place in the qualifying race meant that he did not have a good choice of gate on Sunday, but the power of his KX250F got Max to the first corner amongst the top ten each time and, adjusting to his new work area quickly, he rode two strong races to advance to 8th and 6th places against riders of far greater experience.

Tommy Searle: "I expected Roczen to be fast, but I'm not concerned about him; he took the holeshots and controlled both races from the front. Ideally I should have got to second earlier, so I could have seen his lines but I wheelied out of the gate both motos and by the time I got past Herlings for second, Roczen was gone. I came here to get a solid start to the championship, and I did just that; we have got the bike working well and I believe I can go that fast too; it's early days yet and my day will come !"

Max Anstie: “This was my first-ever GP and it’s a lot different to America; I came here not really knowing what to expect so I’m happy to leave Bulgaria with two top ten results. I was a little bit nervous in qualifying and made a couple of mistakes but today I built my confidence and each race went better and better. Now I have this experience I will be strong in Valkenswaard. My condition is good but it’s maybe 70% at the moment; it’s a long season and I don't want to be approaching my best until June. I’m building my condition, and I’m sure that before the end of the season I will be able to ride for a top three result. I’ve a good feeling with myself, with the bike, everything went smooth and I’m happy tonight.”

MX1 - First podium for Jonathan Barragan with Kawasaki
Jonathan Barragan of the Kawasaki Racing Team started the 2011 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship with a stirring third position, the Spaniard's first podium finish for nearly two years.

Qualification day on Saturday had been a curious mixture of success and disappointment for the Kawasaki riders at Sevlievo in Bulgaria as Gregory Aranda and Davide Guarneri of Kawasaki Bud Racing topped the two training sessions, but none of the Kawasaki riders was to finish in the top six of the qualification race as a crash during the second training eliminated Aranda for the weekend with concussion, while a last lap mistake by Guarneri cost him two places after he had earlier advanced to a strong 5th position.

The fast, dusty track had not been to Barragan's liking, but overnight rain and first class track preparation saw the Spaniard much happier and he immediately posted the 5th best time in the morning warm-up. Despite a poor choice of gate position after his lowly 14th place in the qualification race, Barragan used the power of his KX450F to immediately force his way into the top ten off the start in both races. After finishing 6th in the first moto, he went even better in race two, moving forward from an initial 6th to take the lead on the 14th of 20 laps before eventually settling for third position rather than take overdue risks in the opening GP after an injury-wracked 2010 season.

Guarneri also continued to impress, finishing a strong 5th in the first moto before an incident at the start of the second race when another rider crashed in his path cost him several places. The Italian fought hard to recover to 11th place at the finish, sufficient to leave him 7th in the championship.

Barragan's team-mate Xavier Boog had a frustrating weekend as he struggled to reflect his good form from the early season races. After finishing 12th in a tightly-boxed group during Saturday's qualification race, he never established a good rhythm on race day and just missed the top ten in 11th position in race one.

Feeling more comfortable after a better start in race two, he eventually finished 8th as a couple of riding errors proved costly. The Frenchman ended the day 11th, but is in a position to improve that dramatically at the next GP as he is only six points behind the 5th placed rider in the series.

Jonathan Barragan: “I did not feel comfortable yesterday; the track was dusty and too fast. During the night I spent time thinking a lot about the lines, and today I felt much better; the track was well prepared, I found good lines and enjoyed both races. I didn't have a good choice of gate as I only finished fourteenth in the qualifying race, but I still managed to get in the top ten at the first corner of each race. I was already satisfied to have finished sixth in the first moto, but I even managed to take the lead for one lap in race two. I am still rebuilding from missing most of the 2010 season so I settled for third place as I knew it would be good enough to put me on the GP podium for the first time in nearly two years. I must thank the team, my sponsors, my family and my mechanic for the support they have given me during this difficult time and I feel confident we will enjoy many more podiums this year.”

Davide Guarneri: “I was pleasantly surprised to get the pole position in the pre-qualifying session yesterday as there are so many fast riders now in the MX1 class ! But that result gave me confidence and extra motivation for racing; I made a mistake and lost two places on the last lap of the qualifying race, but I still had a good feeling with the track. I made a good start in the first moto and battled with Philippaerts for most of the race to finish fifth. I had a better start in the second race but Philippaerts crashed in front of me at the first corner. There was nowhere to go and I lost a lot of time, but I was able to recover back to eighth even though I had more troubles with the track in this race. There were more bumps, more ruts and my lines were not as good as earlier in the day; during the last ten minutes I felt tired and made a mistake in the waves section. This incident cost me three positions, but seventh position in the championship is a good basis to work on.”

Xavier Boog: “I’m not so happy with my results as I was expecting better. I had two good starts but I didn't find a good rhythm in the first few laps and that cost me several places. In the first race I dropped into the rhythm of other riders around me and that is always a mistake; the second heat was better but I made several small mistakes. The team and I will continue to work on our preparation for the GP at Valkenswaard; it is in Holland but it’s not really deep sand and I enjoy riding there.”

Gregory Aranda: “I felt good when I posted the fastest lap time in the free practice session, but during the pre-qualifying I came too fast into a corner, crashed and landed on my head. I had pain and also some troubles with my vision, so the team and I decided not to race this weekend. I need to rest, and, as I have some pain to my meniscus for the last two weeks, I will go for minor surgery; I will probably not be ready for Valkenswaard, so my goal is to be back for the French championship race on the first of May.”

Honda World Motocross Team
Solid first GP for Honda World Motocross Team in Bulgaria

Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev finished 5th and 6th overall respectively in the first GP of the year in Sevlievo, Bulgaria to register a solid start to the 2011 campaign.

The first moto didn’t go quite to plan with both Rui and Evgeny getting tangled up in separate incidents that compromised their races. Bobby fell at the second turn in the early stages of the race, when a stone got caught in the wheel. Rui got stuck behind a fallen rider when catching Cairoli, a moment which halted his mid-race charge. Finishes of 12th for Evgeny and 8th for Rui were not justified reward but better was to come in moto2.

Both Honda World Motocross riders got out of the gate well and rounded the first turn within the top 5. In the early stages of the race it was Gonçalves showing good speed, finding his way past Bobryshev and into 4th as the Russian struggled a little to get on the pace. As the race developed it was Bobryshev’s time to show his speed as he caught back up with his Portuguese team-mate and engaged in a battle that would see the two exchanging (clean) blows for the duration of a racing lap.

Bobryshev would eventually come out the winner but would remain in racing formation with Gonçalves for the rest of the moto, eventually finishing within 3 seconds of each other, in 4th and 5th position, and only 19 seconds behind eventual race winner and overall victor, Clement Desalle.

Next stop is the sand of Valkenswaard, favoured territory for Rui but not disliked by Evgeny!

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“I was feeling comfortable on the bike and enjoying the racing. I knew the start would be crucial and had a good one in the first moto. When I was readying to make a move on Toni (Cairoli) I hit a fallen rider and it disrupted my rhythm. By the end of the moto I was back on it again. In the second moto my start was even better and I built on that to finish 5th. I am really happy with that and with 5th overall.”

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“First race was not good. I crashed and lost many places and am not happy with the points dropped! In the second moto I was more focused but at the beginning I was struggling to find my lines and my rhythm. I found my speed and came back the guys who passed me in the beginning and ended in 4th. I am really happy with that but feel that I should have had top 5 in the first moto as well.”
 

HONDA RACING

Weather: Bright, windy
Temperature: Ambient 16 degrees C
Attendance: 35,000

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM SHINE ON DEBUTS IN BULGARIA

The 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship cranked into life with the Grand Prix of Bulgaria at Sevlievo circuit and the new-look Honda World Motocross team enjoyed a solid showing under bright, but breezy and cold skies. Debutant Rui Gonçalves finished fifth overall in the premier MX1 category with team-mate Evgeny Bobryshev taking sixth position to place two CRF450Rs in the top six.

The hard, fast and dusty layout a short distance from the town of Sevlievo housed 35,000 spectators during a blustery weekend as the first test in the fifteen round FIM series provided a simple, but physical challenge. Gonçalves, making his first Grand Prix appearance for the Italian team and on a 450cc motorcycle at World championship level, made two positive starts and battled initially with the leaders during the first 35 minute and two lap moto before taking eighth by the flag. The Portuguese, a former MX2 World championship runner-up, was fifth in the next outing just behind Bobryshev.

The powerful Russian could only score 12th in the opening sprint due to an early crash in which he lost the front end, but was determined to do better and in the second and pulled through from a stuttering start to fourth.

LS Honda Racing's Shaun Simpson was another rider making his MX1 bow and left the grand prix lamenting two mediocre starts that did not do justice to his speed. The Scot ran inside the top five during practice and even challenged for the top three in the qualification heat until running into problems with arm-pump. The former British Champion ended the day with 13th and 16th for 14th in the final listing.

Five positions behind the Briton was team-mate Ken De Dycker who had a meeting to forget. Some technical problems caused a qualification position of 31st and a handicap for the race-starts. The Belgian tumbled off his motorcycle after clipping a hay-bale on the second lap of Moto one and although he was able to remount he classified outside the points. In the second affair he encountered problems with the fallen David Philippaerts on the first turn and completed the race with 17th.

With the young championship table reflecting exactly the overall result of the Grand Prix Honda occupy spots in the first six with all four principal riders gracing the top twenty.

The second round will take place at the Valkenswaard circuit close to the city of Eindhoven in two weeks time (Easter Monday) for the Grand Prix of Netherlands.

Rui Gonçalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 8th / 5th Championship position: 5th
"It was alright. I worked really hard in the winter and I felt I had to take my time with things a little bit because a lot was new for me this season; new bike, new team, first season with 450 and first with a bike with an aluminium chassis. Anyway, together with the team we worked well and I'm happy that they believe in me and keep on giving me what I needed to achieve results and even if the pre-season races were not brilliant, it paid-off today. It was a good start today and now I will focus on each GP."

Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 12th / 4th Championship position: 6th
"I crashed on the third lap of the first race because I couldn't see anything through my goggles due to the dust. I think I hit a stone or something, but the front wheel went away. I was in fourteenth after that and it was difficult to come back through because so many were going the same speed. I was disappointed with twelfth, but it was better to get some points instead of a 'zero'. The second race was much better. I was concentrating more and thinking about the track even if I struggled for a few laps trying to hit my lines. Once I got my rhythm I came back to fourth position. Overall I'm pleased. If I look at last year compared to this year then it is much better."

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 13th / 16th Championship position: 14th
"This is not one of my favourite tracks because it is fast and bumpy and not really what I like to ride. I had some arm-pump in the heat race which was a bit beyond my control, but I was happy with my speed because I was in the top five in both sessions and also up there in warm-up. I think if I could have taken good starts in the two races then I would have been able to do something and make two top tens, which was my goal. I messed up the first start and then in the second Philippaerts crashed in front of me in the first turn and there was nowhere to go. I battled all race and I think my second-to-last lap was my fastest; I just took too long to dial-in to the track. Things should be better in Valkenswaard, but I will take the positives from this."

Ken De Dycker (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: DNF /17th Championship position: 9th
"It was a tough GP and a bad start to the year. The bike wasn't running well for most of the day Saturday and then stopped in the heat race three laps from the flag. At least we were able to identify the problem. It meant I had to start from way outside along the gate and the starts are so important here. I crashed when I touched a hay-bale on the second lap and knocked myself about and it was hard to come back. I started badly in the second race and then a stone hit my goggles and knocked the lens out. I had to stop because it was so dusty. 'Everything' seemed to happen this weekend, so we will leave it behind and look to the next one."
 

SHAUN SIMPSON
Tough MX1 GP debut for Simpson

Shaun Simpson LS Racing Honda endured a tough MX1 GP debut after he placed 13 - 16 in Sunday's main two motos, which fell short of his target of a pair of top ten positions. Despite not enjoying the best of day's there were plenty of positives for the twenty-three year old who showed his speed during Saturday's qualifying sessions and during Sunday's warm up period. Simpson gave himself an uphill task in race one when he failed to get a good initial jump and found himself mid-pack come the first turn. The young Scot made amends in the second moto with a strong start, but was soon halted as a rider crashed immediately in front of him as the pack swung right, forcing Shaun to a halt and back to almost last place.

Simpson's debut in the premier MXGP class begun well with the LS Racing Honda rider setting the fourth fastest time in free practice on the fast and hilly circuit. Strong winds played havoc with track conditions as the organisers fought to keep the circuit damp as the surface dried as quick as they could get the water down. Although the circumstances did not particularly suit Shaun he continued to show his pace on the bigger capacity machine as he put in a series of flying laps to grab second spot come the end of the pre-qualifying session.

Shaun used his good gate pick for Saturday afternoon's qualifying race to put himself right amongst the front runners as the pack filtered through the first series of jumps and momentarily moved up into second place during the initial stages of the twenty minute plus two lap battle. Simpson pushed hard to stay in touch with the first few riders as the race begun to settle down, and ultimately paid the price for his early exertion as the moto wore on. Come the flag Britain's leading MX1 MXGP contender had slipped to eleventh to give him a reasonable gate pick for Sunday's main two races.

Some light rain over night and further watering of the track, meant conditions were more to Shaun's liking for Sunday morning's warm up, this was confirmed as Simpson put in several fast laps and placed second come the close of the twenty minute period. This put Shaun in a confident, but realistic mood ahead of the two main showdowns later in the day. However despite his optimism Simpson was soon to learn about the cruel nature of the MX1 class as a poor start left him battling for a top fifteen place throughout the race and had to be content with thirteenth position for his efforts.

Using the power of the LS Racing Honda CRF450 Shaun dashed into the first turn of the second moto with a real chance of being at the sharp end of the action only to have Philippaerts hit the deck right in front of him. With nowhere to go Simpson was brought to an absolute halt with the stricken bike slap bang in his path. By the time Shaun had found a way around the crashed machine the pack was long gone and he faced an impossible task of playing catch up on a track where no one was making any real progress due to the sheer speed shown by so many riders. Sixteenth placed seemed a poor reward once again for the young Scot's endeavour.

Shaun explained, "Although I was looking forward to getting the GP season underway, I am not particularly a fan of this track even though it was where I got my first ever MX2 GP podium. It's always fast, bumpy and hard here which is not my favourite type of track as it doesn't really suit my style. That said yesterday went well and I showed that I have got good speed on the MX1 bike despite being new to this class. So overall I was pleased how things went yesterday."

"I knew that good starts were going to be important today, and for two different reasons that didn't end up happening. I have to take responsibility for making a mess of the start in the first moto, but in the second race it was just a case of bad luck. Even the fast guys have struggled to make progress through the pack today and that was the same for me. I am disappointed that I didn't manage to get a couple of top ten results, but I am now looking forward to the next GP in the sand as there have been plenty of positives this weekend," ended Simpson.

YAMAHA VAN BEERS RACING TEAM
World Championship points for Marc de Reuver & Petar Petrov in Bulgaria

Marc de Reuver of the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team has scored three World Championship points at the first Grand Prix of the season in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. In the first moto he took a really bad start but fought his way back trough the field and crossed the finish line in 18th position. In the second moto he crashed in the first lap while he was riding in 15th position. He restarted in the back of the field and finally finished the race in 25th position. Petar Petrov has scored three World Championship points as well. In the first moto he came back after a poor start to finish in 18th position. In the second moto he crashed in the start and lost a lot of time there. In the rest of the race he gave everything he had but had to be satisfied with 25th position. Herjan Brakke started inside of the points in the first moto but after several laps he lost some positions and finished the race in 24th position. In the second moto he crashed out of the race.

The weekend started with a 17th position in qualifying for Petar Petrov. Marc de Reuver was riding inside of the top twenty in the MX1 qualifying heat but after several laps he lost control and hit the fence. A lot of track banner got stuck in his rear wheel so he had to retire from the race. Herjan Brakke finished in 26th position in the qualifying heat.

Petar Petrov started the first moto in 31st position and had a lot of work to do. During the race he charged back into the points and with still several laps to go he moved into 17th position. In the closing stages of the race he lost a position and crossed the finish line in 18th position. In the second moto Petar crashed in the start and had to restart in last position. He gave everything he had but couldn't do more than finish the race in 27th position. The young Bulgarian rider finished in 20th position overall.

Marc de Reuver took a bad start in the first moto and went into the first corner in the back of the field. Marc rode a consistent race and didn't took him long to work himself up into the points. In the closing stages of the race he took 18th position and he held on to this position till the chequered flag waved. In the second moto he took a better start but during the first lap he crashed and lost a lot of time there. From last position he had to come back trough the field. Marc tried everything he could but didn't score points in the second moto. Overall he finished in 21st position.

Herjan Brakke started the first moto inside of the points. After several laps he lost some positions and finished the race in 24th position. In the second moto he crashed out of the race and scored no points in the Bulgarian Grand Prix.
 

LS HONDA RACING
Tough start for Shaun Simpson and Ken De Dycker

Held in sunny, yet cold and windy conditions LS Honda Racing riders Shaun Simpson and Ken De Dycker kicked off their 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship campaigns today, at Sevlievo in Bulgaria. Shaun and Ken had proved quick and on-form in pre-season outings, respectively claiming wins in Great-Britain and the Netherlands, but Bulgaria was a tough race for both.

LS Honda Racing hit the ground running on Saturday with Simpson posting the fourth time in free practice and the second time in pre-qualifying practice. The Scot pushed hard during the early stages of the qualification race when he was in contention for a top-3 spot. Unfortunately Shaun had to back off because he suffered arm pump and settled for 11th. Team mate De Dycker had a terrible day with electrical problems relegating him to a disastrous 31st starting position for Sunday’s races.

Rain on Sunday morning made the dirt softer and in some places treacherous and bumpy, while other sections were slippery and lacking grip. Simpson didn’t have the start he wanted to in the opening moto. Although he put in consistent lap times Shaun didn’t succeed in making any headway form his thirteenth position on the opening lap. De Dycker was highly motivated to bounce back from yesterday’s trouble. The tall Belgian was fast but in his attempt to make up as much ground as possible early on Ken clipped an hay bale and went down hard. In the end a disappointing 22nd was the best he could muster. While eventual GP winner Desalle grabbed the holeshot in the second race, both De Dycker and Simpson were victims of a first corner pile-up caused by  a crash of David Philippaerts. Simpson had another race to forget crossing the finish line in 16th. De Dycker’s bad luck continued when a stone broke his goggle lens in the early stages of the race. Because of the dust Ken didn’t have any other option than coming into pit lane for fresh goggles. The former German and British rode his heart out to claim four valuable championship points.

Shaun Simpson: “This is not one of my favourite tracks because it is fast and bumpy and not really what I like to ride. I had some arm-pump in the heat race which was a bit beyond my control, but I was happy with my speed because I was in the top five in both sessions and also up there in warm-up. I think if I could have taken good starts in the two races then I would have been able to do something and make two top tens, which was my goal. I messed up the first start and then in the second Philippaerts crashed in front of me in the first turn and there was nowhere to go. I battled all race and I think my second-to-last lap was my fastest; I just took too long to dial-in to the track. Things should be better in Valkenswaard, but I will take the positives from this.”

Ken De Dycker: “It was a tough GP and a bad start to the year. The bike wasn’t running well for most of the day Saturday and then stopped in the heat race three laps from the flag. At least we were able to identify the problem. It meant I had to start from way outside along the gate and the starts are so important here. I crashed when I touched a hay-bale on the second lap and knocked myself about and it was hard to come back. I started badly in the second race and then a stone hit my goggles and knocked the lens out. I had to stop because it was so dusty. ‘Everything’ seemed to happen this weekend, so we will leave it behind and look to the next one.”

STEVE RAMON
Steve Ramon endures a tough opening GP

The eagerly awaited opening Motocross Grand Prix of 2011 has kicked off in Sevlievo, Bulgaria, with Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 rider, Steve Ramon, enduring a tough day to finish 12th.

Ramon struggled to find a good set up for Saturday’s short qualifying race, but non the less rode to a solid 8th position, securing a decent gate pick for the GP on Sunday.

As the gate dropped for moto 1 on Sunday the ‘Bomb’ got a good jump out the gates and powered his Suzuki through turn one inside the top 5.

Whilst fighting hard on the opening laps Ramon started to really struggle with arm pump, and consequently couldn’t maintain track position. As the moto wore on Ramon was left defending hard from the charging pack, and ultimately went on to finish the tough race in a disappointing 10th position.

Moto 2 was yet another tough race as Ramon was boxed in on the start. Racing hard from mid pack the Belgian Champion had too give it everything to try and pull himself through, but with a class full of the world’s best Ramon was only able to score 12th.

Steve Ramon: “This weekend was tough. In qualification I struggled to find the exact setup I wanted and then suffered with arm pump. We changed some things for Sunday, but still I just wasn’t feeling comfortable. In the second moto a bad start left me trying to fight through, but in the end it was not great. Now I need to focus on regaining a strong form at the next GP.”
 

GAUTIER PAULIN
Gautier Paulin kicks off MX World championship in Bulgaria

The first of 15 rounds of the FIM Motocross World championship has seen Gautier Paulin kick off his MX2 campaign with a 4th overall at a windy Sevlievo circuit in Bulgaria.

The 21-year-old Frenchman mastered his Monster Energy Yamaha to a solid third place finish in race 1 after he put in a great last minute charge to pip Dutchman Jeffrey Herlings on the final lap, taking a podium spot behind Ken Roczen and Tommy Searle.

Paulin was left with a tough job in race 2 and had to come from mid pack after a bad start. He pushed hard to come through the field on the hilly circuit but lost touch to the group of riders ahead of him and had to salvage 7th spot.

Gautier Paulin: “Last year I had to watch this race due to an injury and now I’m happy to start the season healthy. My speed in the first moto was good and I was happy with a podium finish but my start let me down in the second moto. The track was quite rough and I battled to find a good rhythm but overall I’m happy with the result and want to improve from here.”
 

TANEL LEOK
Leok battles stomach bug to open world championship points account

Going into the first motocross world championship event of 2011, everything seemed to be ready over in the Tanel Leok corner. The bike was ready, the team was ready, and Tanel himself, with a swoop of good early season results, certainly looked ready himself. However, that was not all that was ready. Halfway through the week leading up to the GP a rather nasty and virulent stomach bug was also in a full state of readiness and settled down upon the Estonian. The end result of all of this was that it was a very dehydrated and weakened rider that headed in the direction of Sevlievo for the Bulgarian GP.

The track at Sevlievo was, as always, a pleasure to the eye, but some strong winds made matters difficult for the riders on qualifying day. Tanel struggled to get a feel for the track, and the circuit did not "talk" to him at all. He recovered from a poor start to qualify in 13th position during his last official duties on Saturday, but he was, in more ways than one, drained as he repaired to the paddock.

After stopping the clocks with the ninth fastest time during race way warm up, Tanel delved into the medicine cabinet again to settle everything down before the hard work could begin. He launched the factory TM into proceedings in a mid-teens position, and before long he had moved it into the top 10. He was breathing down the neck of former double world champion Steve Ramon with intent, when suddenly his pace slacked off visibly. It was clear that he was experiencing problems, and when he finally retired from the race, the problem proved to be related to the clutch.

The zero score in race one apparently peeved the Estonian Express no end, and he was right in the mix at the front as race 2 kicked off. He was mixing it with early race leaders Clement Desalle and Steven Frossard, keeping the leaders honest with the ever-present threat of an attack. For 6 laps he held onto his third position, but then his powers began to flag as the effects of his illness took their toll. Not wishing a repeat of his first race DNF, Tanel did what he had to do to bring the bike home, and he finally crossed the line in ninth position, for his first world championship points of the season. His provisional world championship standing of 15th is not what he would have preferred, however, he made the best out of a bad day, and will line up in the sands of Valkenswaard in two weeks' time, full of determination to bring matters around.
 

MATISS KARRO
KARRO 13TH IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER

Take a talented Latvian motocross rider with a penchant for top level racing. Stir in an English racing team, brimful of enthusiasm. Add a dollop of risk-taking, against-the-odds determination and a pitcher or tow of sponsorship support. Sprinkle a bit of Honda red pepper on top, bake the whole lot at racing temperature and voila, you have the makings of yet another GP racing effort. It is a testament to Mark Chamberlain's single-mindedness that the MVR-D team made it into the GP series again after a number of sponsorship opportunities succumbed to economic pressure, but like a cat with pieces of bread strapped to its feet butter side down, Mark always lands on his feet.

And so it came to pass that the young Latvian rolled out the MVR-D honda fir the first GP of the year on the beautifully scenic track of Sevlievo in far-off Bulgaria. Someone had left the door open at the border, and a wind that threatened to blow the whole plot into a neighboring country, held sway for most of qualifying day. Matiss posted the the 11th fastest time in the qualifying practice session, but a less than ideal qualifying race left him 14th in the final qualifying stakes.

The MX2 class of 2011 is chock full of talent, and it was a determined line of riders that took guard behind the gates for the start of race 1. After the initial bump and barge had settled down, Matiss was in 12th position, and he fought tooth and nail to keep his position. When the flag fell, he was still in 12th position, for a solid points haul. A similar start in race two slotted him just outside the top 10, but some determined tugging of the throttle got him into the leading 10. He looked set for a top 10 result until a spectacular crashed caused by another rider slammed him into Bulgarian soil - hard. Matiss remounted in fifteenth position, and after a few position swaps, finally ended in this position.

The start to the season was markedly better than the 2010 edition, and although the Latvian would have been far happier with a launch inside the top 10, there was ample reason to smile about his 13th position standing in the world championships after one round, particularly as this is not exactly one of his favourite tracks of the world series. The sands of Valkenswaard await next, and Matiss is keen to use his specialist sand skills to forge a t good result on that occasion.

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev second in Qualifying Race for GP of Sevlievo, Bulgaria

Evgeny Bobryshev has started the 2011 season in fine style with a confident ride to second position in the Qualifying Race for tomorrow’s main events in Sevlievo, Bulgaria.

Having got the holeshot, the young Russian powered away through the first few turns with Steven Frossard in hot pursuit. Relinquishing first spot, Bobryshev engaged in a fascinating battle with Honda counterpart, Shaun Simpson of the LS Honda Racing team.

The battle would last for the first half of the moto as Simpson pushed harder and harder in a bid to take second spot from the Honda World Motocross Team rider. Shaun made the pass but was immediately passed back by the charging Bobryshev. From then on second spot looked assured as Simpson began to fade. Even a late charge from Clement Desalle was repelled as Bobryshev cemented second spot.

Team-mate Rui Gonçalves also put in a solid top 10 ride that will see him start tomorrow’s motos from favourable gate pick. Having not quite got the start, Rui came through from 15th position to take the flag in 10th, one spot ahead of the early race protagonist Simpson.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“The bike just pulls really well off the start - it is pretty easy to make a good start with this bike, the power is so good. I did not want to over-push and now have less nerves about tomorrow because I know what I can do and feel more confident. Today is just qualifying so I did not want to go all out. I will save that for tomorrow.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
I did not get the start I wanted as I got caught up out of the gate. Once I got into my rhythm I was pushing pretty hard and am happy that I made up 5 positions across in the moto. The conditions are tough out there, swirling winds and really dry dirt so I did not want to take any risks. I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

SUZUKI EUROPE WORLD MX2
TEILLET IN BULGARIAN MX2 TOP 10

Suzuki Europe MX2 made a solid start to the opening Grand Prix of the FIM Motocross World Championship when Valentin Teillet scored ninth position at a windy Sevlievo on the RM-Z250.

The blustery conditions in Bulgaria saw largely bright skies cover the impressive hillside venue. The plumes of dust from the hardpack terrain did not make for easy laps even if the flat and fast course was not the most technical of challenges.

Former European Champion Teillet set regular lap times to place within the top 10 for both Free Practice and Pre-Qualification. He then recovered from a brief dismount at the start of the 20 minute Qualification sprint to take a slot in the top 10 and complete a decent day's work.

Tomorrow's two 35 minute and 2 lap motos are the first in the 15 round 2011 series.

Valentin Teillet - 9th position:
"The weekend started very well with eighth place in the first practice and I wasn't really expecting that. I had some injuries during the winter and didn't ride so much; so to set those times made me happy. I was confident for the qualification race and made a good start but then had a small crash. I finished ninth in the first Heat of the year and that wasn't so bad and the gate position is pretty good."
 

ROCKSTAR ENERGY SUZUKI WORLD MX1
DESALLE THIRD IN BULGARIAN MX1 GATE

A bright but windswept Sevlievo circuit was the scene for the first day of activity of the Grand Prix of Bulgaria - the opening round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship - and Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle qualified third on his works RM-Z450.

The Belgian pulled through after a reasonable start in the 20 minute Heat race across a quick and hardpack course and sealed a slot in the top three for a positive pick attacking the opening right-hand turn for tomorrow's Grand Prix motos. The 2010 MX1 Championship runner-up eased into his work throughout what was a potentially hazardous opening set of sessions due to the high winds.

Team-mate Steve Ramon ended the sprint in eighth after struggling to optimise the set-up of his machine and suffering from some arm-pump late in the afternoon. The former World Champion still has a satisfactory selection of slots in the start-gate for Sunday.

Clement Desalle - 3rd position:
"We started really easy and without any risks today as it was the first sessions of the year. I increased my speed in the Heat race to take third and I feel that is good enough for a decent position in the gate for tomorrow. The track is really fast and it is difficult to make any difference against the others. We also had to be a bit careful because the wind can catch you and push you across. I'm happy with the bike and we are set for tomorrow."

Steve Ramon - 8th position:
"Things went OK today but it was difficult and we are still looking for the best set-up with the bike. The track is fast and hard. I did three good laps in timed practice but ran into traffic and yellow flags each time so I was a bit frustrated there. I had some arm-pump in the Heat race and had to slow down a little bit. I'm in the middle of the gate now for the races tomorrow which isn't too bad."