MX1

MX2

YAMAHA RACING

Paulin in sensational Italian MX1-GP debut victory
Monster Energy Yamahas Gautier Paulin stepped up to the premier MX1-GP class in fine style by taking the powerful and agile factory YZ450FM to victory at a sizzling Fermo and the Grand Prix of Italy. The final round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship was played out in front of 18,000 spectators and across the steep and hardpack track on the Adriatic coast, south of Ancona.

Paulin, riding the works machine of Steven Frossard after the Frenchman was forced to miss the meeting due to a chest infection, made his debut in the category and assisted Frossard’s confirmation of the runner-up spot in the MX1-GP standings; a fantastic achievement for number 183 in his rookie season.

At Fermo, Paulin gelled immediately with the works machine and confidently notched pole position on Saturday to grab the inside gate. Two decent starts helped towards his race performances and the first moto was outstanding as the 21 year old edged a four second lead by the second lap and controlled the full distance. In the second affair he enjoyed a close battle with Christophe Pourcel and set the fastest circulation of the race on lap ten as he pushed into the lead. With a guaranteed overall win in his sights and across an increasingly rough track Paulin elected not to take too many risks and made sure of the spoils with an assured runner-up place behind Pourcel.

For the second Grand Prix in a row Anthony Boissiere was one of the protagonists in the mid top ten and was sixth overall with results of fifth and seventh. The Frenchman was particularly active in the first race where he barrelled through tussles with Davide Guarneri, Evgeny Bobryshev and Christophe Pourcel to reach the top five. He paid the price a little for his exertions in the second moto and tired slightly but it was still a bright finish to the season for the Monster Energy Yamaha man.

Carlos Campano embarked on his last ride in the Monster Energy Yamaha set-up but his day was ruined with a first moto fall that left him with a painful left wrist. He was forced out of the second race despite a brave attempt to grab some points.

After fifteen rounds in fourteen countries the FIM Motocross World Championship has come to a close and with Frossard in second position Yamaha have managed to secure the runner-up position in the Manufacturers standings. David Philippaerts unfortunately was on the sidelines since round eleven and ends the year in ninth place. Carlos Campano finishes nineteenth in the standings while Anthony Boissiere, after his strong rally in the closing races, has taken thirteenth.

Steven Frossard will undergo a scan on his chest on Monday (12th) and will make a decision over his fitness to represent his country at the 65th Motocross of Nations next week at St Jean D’Angely. Campano hopes to fly the flag for Spain and Arnaud Tonus will steer a YZ450F for Switzerland.

Gautier Paulin, 1st:
For sure I am really happy and I didn’t really know what I could expect for my first MX1 GP. In the first race I made the holeshot and was on my own so I sent my rhythm and just rode out the moto. In the second it was really good fun to race with Christophe and we passed each other but the track was getting harder and harder with more bumps; normally it is smoother for the MX2 motos. It was my first race on the 450 and I knew I was winning the grand prix so I did not want to go crazy. I was riding safe. With Monster Energy Yamaha we did something special today.

Anthony Boissiere, 6th:
It was a good result again and I am very happy. I feel really good on the bike now, already for the last three races, and I am only sad that it is towards the end of the season. Fifth place in the first moto was great after a bad start but I felt a little bit tired in the second. I had another bad start but the riding was OK. Overall it was a good weekend.

Carlos Campano, 28th:
It was a hard day and not really the way I wanted to finish the season. I want to thank the team though because with this bike it was like a step forward for me. I could start with the front guys and race with people who have won motos this year. It gives you confidence to be able to show what you know you are capable of. I hope the wrist will be OK for the Nations next week. I think it should be.

Tonus in touching distance of podium again
Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas Arnaud Tonus was fourth overall at a hot Fermo circuit on the east coast of Italy for the fifteenth and last round of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The Swiss pulled equal on points for the final podium step for the second Grand Prix in a row and has finished behind Gautier Paulin in the final MX2-GP series standings with fifth place.

18,000 fans somehow found a ledge around the steep inclines of the slick and hardpack track that was littered with jumps. The high temperatures (+30) made for a difficult set of 35 minute and 2 lap motos but Tonus leading the MX2 line after Paulin’s decision to successfully tackle the MX1-GP field was able to forge a strong speed at the site where he grabbed his maiden career podium in 2010.

Tonus started the weekend well with a comfortable and effective rhythm in the qualification heat and was half a lap from his second pole position of the season until a run-in with a backmarker saw the Swiss concede first place to Tommy Searle. Entering the gate second on Sunday he got off the line with the leaders and rode a lonely race to third position. The second outing started disastrously with a first lap fall that meant a hard race ahead. Tonus was able to get through from the rear of the pack all the way to fifth in an outstanding display that warranted a trophy. Although he went without champagne the twenty year old could feel content with another fourth and a decent finale to the 2011.

Monster Energy Yamahas Christophe Charlier was luckless in Italy. The Frenchman crashed in the first moto and lost time. He needed to enter the pits and was too far away from the top twenty to register any points. A determined charge in the second moto after another early slip delivered a solid eighth.

In the final MX2-GP standings Tonus has continued his rise at the highest level and set another career-best in his third Grand Prix term. The twenty year old ended 11 with fifth (compared to his seventh of 2010). Team-mate Zach Osborne missed the final five rounds with a shoulder injury but takes eighth. Harri Kullas, absent from the last two events with a broken hand, is ninth. Gautier Paulin, who rode exceptionally in MX1-GP this weekend, had already secured fourth place. Charlier was thirteenth after a campaign interrupted with injury niggles but has his sights set on a thorough winter schedule for his role on the works YZ250FM in 2012.

Tonus and Paulin will now represent their countries at the Motocross of Nations next weekend at St Jean D’Angely in France.

Arnaud Tonus, 4th:
The podium didn’t arrive this year and we were so close a number of times. Anyway I’m happy. It has been a pretty good season with fifth overall and I’ve been quite consistent. I’ve had a lot of fun with the team and the bike and we have a great relationship so I wanted to give it up to them, as well as my family and friends; it is because of them that I am here. I thought oh man when I went down in the second race. I came back well and had a great rhythm going. I was catching Max but I made another mistake. I gave all that I had but it wasn’t enough for the podium.

Christophe Charlier, 13th:
A very hard day. The track was tricky because it was tough to find grip and also clear all those jumps on the 250 because I’m a big guy. I crashed in the first race and lost a lot of time to restart but kept going. In the second I came off on the first corner after the first big tabletop and had to begin again way outside the top twenty. I pushed very hard in the beginning and arrived all the way to eighth and I had nothing left to give at the end. It has been a long year because of some injuries and low moments but I am really prepared to work so hard in the winter and get ready for next season.

KTM RACING

Herlings caps season with a MX2 GP win at Fermo, Italy
Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider Jeffrey Herlings finished his MX2 season on a high note on Sunday when he wrapped up a victory in the final GP of the season with an impressive charge to the finish line in extremely hot conditions.

The young Dutch rider, who celebrates his 17th birthday on the day following the race won six single motos this season and clinched his fifth GP. He picked up the silver medal for finishing second to team-mate to Ken Roczen, who settled the title last weekend at home in Gaildorf, Germany.

As the business of the title was well and truly over, Roczen decided to have some fun this weekend and rode a KTM 125 SX in the field of 250cc machines. He finished fifth on the smaller bike in the first moto and was in fourth place in the second when he crashed and decided to retire.

Herlings was second in the first moto setting up a clash with eternal rival Tommy Searle. The two engaged in a vicious battle of attrition on the heavily watered, slippery and chopped up Italian circuit, fighting also against extreme heat that saw thermometers sore over 35 degrees Celsius. The KTM rider took a lead with 20 minutes to go and put five seconds between him and the British rider. Searle fought back, reduced the gap to just over two seconds then crashed with nine minutes left to ride, leaving Jeffrey a clear run to the checkered flag

To add more credit to the Orange machines, KTM riders soaked up places five, six, seven, eight and nine in the final GP.  Roczen finished 11th overall even though he didn’t pick up any points in the second moto.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I had a small crash in the qualifying heat and even though I had a good start in the first race my riding was bad. But I got away well in the second moto and I managed to get past Tommy (Searle). This year I was just 20 points off the title so I hope I can make it happen for KTM next season and follow in Ken’s footsteps.”

Ken Roczen: the first race was really good and I finished fifth. Then my start wasn’t as good in the second race and I came from way back to fifth place. Then I jumped into the ruts and it was very slick because it had been watered and I just couldn’t stay on the bike. My handlebars were bent so I couldn’t go on. For sure I’m a bit disappointed because I was on a good way to get on the podium.”

Pit Beirer, Head of KTM Motorsports: “I have to thank the riders in the MX2 team because they all got along well with each other throughout the year even though they were fighting for the title right up to Gaildorf. The battle stayed very fair and I think in Ken Roczen we have a great world champion at KTM but the future star is right behind him in Jeffrey Herlings.”

Gajser second for the season in EMX 125
The weekend also saw the final round of the EMX125 European Championship at Fermo, a competition that highlights the up-and-coming MX talent. Final GP honors went to KTM rider Tim Gajser of Slovenia who also secured second place in the final season standings. KTM also won the Manufacturer’s Title in this junior class, giving the Austrian brand a clean sweep of Manufacturer’s titles in the 2011 competition to add to MX1 (Tony Cairoli) and MX2 (Ken Roczen) riders’ titles.

Nagl withdraws from MX1 GP of Italy after Scaphoid injury in practice
Following Tony Cairoli’s MX1 World Championship title last week in Gaildorf, Italy, it was a difficult weekend for the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing Team at the final round of the season in Fermo Italy. This was capped when Max Nagl sustained a wrist fracture that put paid to his chances of finishing in the top three for the season.

The team also announced late Friday night that Tony would not be racing in Fermo following the death of his mother at home in Sicily that afternoon, making a statement that in such circumstances the family and human values always prevail.

With Tony unable to race, it was Nagl’s wish to pick up enough points in Fermo to move him up from fourth to a possible third or even second in the final season’s standings. This would have wrapped up a season in a positive light where he has struggled with a nagging back injury. Max then crashed coming off a jump in practice and was immediately diagnosed as having a fractured scaphoid in his right wrist. He still attempted to ride in the first moto with his wrist strapped and the pain eased with injections. In what was a heroic ride, Max stuck it out until the second half of the race before the pain became so intense that he was forced to return to the pits.

Max Nagl: “I am quite disappointed that this happened already on Saturday. I was riding really good and I was in second place, I was quite surprised at my speed and when I did my last fast lap my feet came off the pegs on the jump at the finish so I jumped way too high and far. The landing was so hard that I broke my scaphoid again.”

Max now returns to Belgium for further scans and medical treatment but will not be able to ride in next week’s Motocross of Nations in Saint Jean d’Angely, France.

Factory team co-ordinator Valentina Ragni also reported on Sunday evening from Fermo that Claudio DeCarli, Tony Cairoli’s personal manager and manager of the MX1 Factory Team for KTM, presently in Sicily with the Cairoli family, had called to express Tony’s thanks for the condolence messages and to confirm that he would ride at the MX of Nations next weekend.

Despite mixed fortunes in Fermo, the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team can be well pleased with their season, picking up a slew of riders and manufacturer’s World titles and extending the success they enjoyed winning MX1 and MX2 titles in 2010 for yet another season.

Pit Beirer, Head of KTM Motorsports summed up the season saying: there was a lot of power and energy going into the season with top riders and two title contenders. In MX1 I think we had a tough season. Last year things were a bit smoother because this year Tony had a small injury before the season started but I think that’s when you see what it means to be a great champion because he handled this pressure and his low form well and went on to win the title with a great points lead. The sad thing of course was that Max struggled all year with his back problems and it ended with his hand injury. Overall we have had a great season with also Steffi Laier winning the WMX title again and we also won many other Junior World and European titles. But the focus is always on MX1 and MX2 and we had a fantastic team and fantastic riders and for us it could not have been better.”

KAWASAKI RACING

MX2 - Tommy Searle top scorer again
Tommy Searle of Kawasaki Team CLS was top scorer for the second consecutive weekend as the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship came to an end at the hillside Fermo track in central Italy.

The Englishman was already assured of third place in the championship but, like many other riders, was determined to end the season in style as they lined up in stifling heat for the two races at the picturesque hillside circuit only a few miles the Adriatic. Getting one of his best starts of the season Searle immediately attacked early leader Jeffrey Herlings in race one and built up a huge lead even before the two rivals had to fight their way through lapped riders; such was their pace that at the finish even the rider in eleventh place was lapped ! Tommy's start was even better in race two as he led the pack away, but he was unable to shake off the attentions of Herlings and offered only token resistance when the Dutch teenager attacked so that he could study where his rival was gaining time. Searle expected his fitness to be the deciding factor in the heat as the race entered the closing laps, but a single minor error was enough for Herlings to break clear and Tommy had to settle for a share of the top points on the day with the rider he
expects to be his main rival for the world title next year.

Searle was joined on the podium in Italy by team-mate Max Anstie.
The teenager had missed the podium by just one place on six occasions this summer and was determined to finally collect his first GP trophy. Max's determined approach during the early laps quickly saw him take over fourth place in each race, but the field had quickly spread out in race one and Anstie was unable to close down the rider in third. Determined to make amends in race two he was up to fourth place in race two before he ran off the track into the fencing and had to charge again from ninth place. He showed great spirit to again cross the line in fourth place, and, as he had decisively beaten the riders who had finished third in each of the motos in the alternate race, he was rewarded with third place overall on the day. The result also cemented his fifth place in the championship standings in this, his rookie season.

Having narrowly missed the European MX2 title after winning nearly every race he had contested Dylan Ferrandis of Kawasaki Bud Racing was promoted to the GP class for the final event of the year and came through with flying colours. Strong rides to ninth and twelfth places in the two motos saw the French teenager rewarded with tenth overall and augur well for his first full GP season in 2012, when he will again ride for the French team under the guidance of ex-champion Jacky Vimond.

Tommy Searle: “My first race was good; Jeffrey (Herlings) was fast at the beginning of the race, but I had a couple of good laps and increased my lead to fifteen seconds. After that I think he slowed down to conserve some energy, so I did the same as we both knew the second race would be tough with the heat.

“The second moto I got a good start, my second holeshot this season, and I was happy with that. Jeffrey was behind me and he clearly had some good lines; I knew he was fast in some places, so, when he passed me just before the finish line, I tried to follow him but he put in some fast laps and made a gap. I also put in a couple of good laps to catch him up again but I couldn’t pass him; then I made a small mistake and fell on the ground. We were both pushing really hard after that, and it was not possible to close the gap as he was fast right until the end. For me it doesn’t make a big difference to win this GP or not; I had a good feeling on the bike and I’m really happy with the way I rode this weekend. That’s the main thing as I know that I can win, and we’ll have some nice races next season with Jeffrey. I know what we have to work on this winter. We have already been working on the start; we spoke with (Pro Circuit owner) Mitch (Payton) and he knows what we have to do. Mitch really wants to win the championship and I think our bike will be even better next season.”

Max Anstie: “After finishing fourth in six GPs this year I was really determined to end the season with my first podium, and I did just that. The entire weekend was nice; the weather was lovely, just like at my house in America, and I love Italy, the fans, the food, the pasta ! I think this track was one of the best of the year, and on Saturday I had a really good qualification race so it was great to have a good starting position. I’ve been working hard on my starts and it paid off this weekend. I was fourth in the second race when I went off the track into the fence; it was tough but I came back from ninth to fourth again to get this podium overall ! I want to thank Monster, Pro Circuit, Kawasaki, CLS and all this guys who worked hard for this. I’ve learned so much this year with different people, countries, tracks and I can’t wait to be back next season.”

Dylan Ferrandis: “I’m happy with my weekend, even if it was tough as I’m not used to doing 40 minutes races. I had three good starts and I enjoyed the races, even if I crashed in the second race when another rider stopped in front of me in a corner. I was last and came back to twelfth; this is not so bad, I think. I was riding safe all weekend, I didn’t want to get injured like I did the first time I attempted to ride a GP and my condition was not at his best as I crashed on my shoulder this week. It’s one of my last races of the season; I will take some rest and then start working again with Jacky (Vimond) to prepare for next year and my first full GP season.”

MX1 - Four Kawasakis in the first seven
The FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship ended in style for Kawasaki with Christophe Pourcel and Jonathan Barragan on the podium and four Kawasakis in the first seven at Fermo in central Italy.

Pourcel was again in electrifying form for Kawasaki Team CLS as he took a moto victory for the third consecutive GP. With heavy track watering necessary to combat the boiling sun the team had made suspension changes to Pourcel's bike on Sunday morning, but the track did not develop as they had expected and the sensitive Pourcel did not feel able to push to his limits. Although as high as fifth at one stage, he eventually crossed the line eighth and the team sought a new solution for race two which proved to be absolutely right. Pourcel shot quickly into the lead and, although he surrendered first place briefly midway through the moto, he soon regained the lead and raced away for a clear-cut victory to secure second on the day.

He was joined on the podium by Jonathan Barragan of the Kawasaki Racing Team. The Spaniard had not enjoyed much luck with the all-important starts since taking a podium at the opening GP of the season in Bulgaria, but he was the epitome of consistency at Fermo to finish the two motos fourth and third after racing near the front of the leaderboard both times. His string of impressive finishes during the latter stages of the championship lifted Jonathan to eighth place in the final standings.

Team-mate Xavier Boog finished the series one place better in seventh place after also playing a leading role in the final GPs of the season. One week after mounting the podium in Germany, the Frenchman was looking good for another piece of silverware as he finished a clear-cut second in the opening moto, but he needed too long to find his best rhythm in the opening laps of the second moto and, with the leaderboard quickly spreading out, was only able to recover to fifth place by the end of the moto. This gave him the same total score on the day as second-placed Pourcel and third-placed Barragan but they earned the podium placings by virtue of their better second moto finishes.

Davide Guarneri of Kawasaki Bud Racing was the home star of the Italian GP, as he charged through the field from a ninth placed start to finish sixth in the opening moto. He moved quickly to eighth place in race two, but, with the field already well spread out and the heat taking its toll of all the riders, he eventually had to settle for this position which earned him seventh overall on the day.

Team-mate Gregory Aranda put a fifth Kawasaki in the top ten of the first moto despite pain from an arm injury sustained one week earlier. The effort had taken its toll however and, although the Frenchman started the second race, he soon recognised that the pain was too great for him to complete a second tough 40 minute moto and withdrew from the race early on.

Christophe Pourcel: “On Saturday during the qualification race I had a pretty good start, but then I went a little bit wide in a corner after the downhill; my back wheel went outside the bump and the bike slid out. I crashed and, although I recovered to eleventh, I was afraid that might not be so good for the races. However my Kawasaki still got me to the first turn with the leaders in both motos. Usually I can find the good lines right away but in the first race I couldn’t find any ! We made a lot of changes on the bike this morning and I didn’t feel comfortable so the only thing I could do was to finish the race and do my job. We changed the suspensions settings for the second moto; we put the same as for Gaildorf last week and the bike was so good ! We must keep working at it; we have only been together for a few weeks but the team is working hard and it’s going better and better.”

Jonathan Barragan: “I was on the podium at the first round in Bulgaria and it’s great to end the season like this with another podium. This year I had many problems with my starts, and I lost my confidence a little bit; we’ve been working hard, and it has been coming together again better for the last few GPs. The start is now so much important, and this weekend I had my best ones of the season! Next weekend we’ll have a strong team for the Nations, with three good Spanish riders, and I’m really motivated for this race.”

Xavier Boog: “I had a good qualifying race yesterday, and after second place in the first race today I was expecting a podium, so it's frustrating to miss it with the same points as Pourcel who finished second. It took me too long to settle down into a good rhythm after the start. I made a couple of mistakes, so I was not so confident for a few laps and it took me too long to start posting some good lap times."

Davide Guarneri: “Overall it was a good weekend for me. The main difficulty here was not the speed but the weather as it was so hot, even for an Italian ! I already had good speed on Saturday and was third in the timed practice session but then I had a few problems finding my rhythm quickly in the qualification race. I started the first race in fourteenth but fought through to fifth before I made a mistake and lost one position again. In the second race I moved forward from tenth to finish eighth, but, just like most of my rivals, I was very tired at the end; it was really tough, and not so many riders were able to push after twenty minutes. Seventh overall was good and I had a great support from the fans as I was the best Italian rider. Next weekend I contest the Motocross of Nations for my country and hope we can make a good result.”

Gregory Aranda: “I was still suffering from the arm injury I sustained last weekend in Gaildorf, and when I went on the track for the first practice session I already knew that it would be a difficult weekend. In the first race I got my third consecutive top ten result, but the pain became too intense in the second moto and I had to stop after a few laps.”

TEAM SUZUKI

STRIJBOS TIES FOR ITALIAN MX1 PODIUM
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 has completed the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship with Kevin Strijbos scoring fourth position overall at a hot Fermo for the Grand Prix of Italy and the 15th and final round of the series.

The Belgian used his RM-Z450 to tie on points for the last step of the podium and was disappointed to miss out with a decent tally of third-and-fourth places through two steamy motos.

The steep Italian hillside at Fermo, set in the shallow dips of the scenic landscape close to the Adriatic Sea, provided a slick, hard-pack and rutted track. The high temperatures and many jumps of the course meant a hard day's work for the riders at this last appointment on the 2011 schedule.

Some 18,000 spectators found a slot on the slopes and watched as Strijbos set a mean pace after bright starts on the factory RM-Z450 in both 35 minute and 2-lap outings. The former double Championship runner-up with Suzuki was quick but just not quick enough to trouble Xavier Boog in the first moto and Jonathan Barragan in the second and was bumped to fourth only because of his second-race ranking. The result still represented his best since joining the factory team for the last four rounds of the Championship.

Cody Cooper pushed valiantly through the haze, dust and up the hills and grabbed his first Grand Prix points with 16th and 19th for 20th overall.

After an eventful season for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1, Clement Desalle has finished third in the MX1 standings although the Belgian missed the final three rounds through a shoulder injury. Steve Ramon is 14th but is still recovering from his injury sustained at round 11 in Lommel. Kevin Strijbos ends a year on the RM-Z450 with 10th and will now represent his country at St Jean D'Angely for the Motocross of Nations next week.

Kevin Strijbos:
"I rode well today but I'm feeling a bit down about missing out on the podium. I had a good jump out of the gate in the first race but I was dragged outside a little bit. Anyway I made my way to third and at one point I was pushing to catch Boog for second but then backed off a little bit because I was feeling a little tired. I'm not sure what happened at the start of the second; I think I had some wheelspin, but I rode the whole moto believing I had third place so it was disappointing to not make the podium."

Cody Cooper:
"As I said last week it was a tricky decision to come and do these Grands Prix because I knew I wasn't in the best shape; but now I go home with some good endurance under my belt that's for sure. I had a good start in the second moto because the bike has good power and it was awesome out of the gate. I had some fatigue from the previous race but I did my best. I'm real thankful to the team for the experience of coming here and I'm glad I did it."

ZECCHINA TAKES TWO-STROKE TITLE:
Italian Simone Zecchina finally placed both hands - the left one containing a broken finger - on the European 125cc two-stroke championship 'EM-X125' at his home event at Fermo last weekend. The 17-year-old guided his RM125 to fifth position in the first moto on Saturday, which was enough to guarantee the title ahead of Tom Gajser.

Zecchina, who made three grand prix appearances on the factory-backed RM-Z250 for Suzuki Europe MX2 as a substitute for Valentin Teillet, won three motos from 12 and finished in the top three nine times in what was the second year of the series being run alongside the FIM Motocross World Championship. At Fermo he was third overall. Swiss Jeremy Seewer was third in the final standings of the competition.

Simone Zecchina:
"I was a bit worried about my broken finger and how I would be able to ride here but of course I am really happy to take the title and now think about this season. It has been good in many ways and now I am ready for the next step."

Final European 125cc two-stroke championship standings: 1. Simone Zecchina (ITA, Suzuki), 250 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, KTM), 226 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), 207 p.; 4. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, KTM), 185 p.; 5. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), 170 p.; 6. James Dunn (GBR, KTM), 152 p.; 7. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, KTM), 152 p.; 8. Luca Moroni (ITA, KTM), 128 p.; 9. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), 95 p.; 10. Dave Versluis (NED, KTM), 93 p.

HONDA RACING

Weather: Sunshine, hot
Temperature: 31 degrees C
Attendance: 18,000

BOBRYSHEV SECURES FOURTH PLACE IN THE WORLD

Honda World Motocross culminated their 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship with both Evgeny Bobryshev and Rui Gonçalves both securing positions in the top six of the MX1 standings at a sweltering Fermo for the Grand Prix of Italy and the final round of fifteen in the series. Gautier Paulin ran out as the winner on his debut in the premier class and the best CRF450R representative on the day was Gonçalves with eighth place.

Relentless sunshine bore down on the steep hillside and the rutty hardpack offered a 'typical' Italian circuit with slick ground and many jumps. 18,000 spectators came to this final round despite the absence of world champion Tony Cairoli who suffered a family bereavement just prior to the closing GP.

At the event where Honda World Motocross team principal Paolo Martin celebrated twenty years of world championship racing (Bobryshev and Gonçalves ran dedicatory graphics and a presentation with the 2011 factory CRF450R was placed alongside the works machine of Trampas Parker in 1991) the Portuguese was the top performer in spite of low energy levels that have clipped his performances in the last few rounds. Gonçalves rode to ninth and sixth places for his overall ranking.

Evgeny Bobryshev was eleventh at the end of the day. The Russian, battling the heat, piloted the Honda to seventh in the opening sprint of 35 minutes and two laps and later collided with Carlos Campano when the pair crossed lines in the second moto. Another mistake led to some slight damage to his front wheel and he had to pit. 'Bobby' re-entered the fray, as he needed only one point to move up to fourth in the championship and above the injured Max Nagl. He managed sixteenth and five points by the flag.

In twelfth overall was Marvin Van Daele. The Belgian was drafted into the LS Honda Racing set-up to replace the injured Ken De Dycker and grab some valuable laps at the highest level before his role as part of Team Belgium at the Motocross of Nations next week. The former Grand Prix rider and now part-time racer collected fifteenth and fourteenth for a solid outing. Shaun Simpson was able to count on only one finish for his scorecard (ninth in the second moto) after a technical problem meant he was unable to getaway with the first race start and retired with an ailing motor.

In the final FIM points table Bobryshev has had his best season to-date (only his second in the premier class) by capturing six podium results and one victory, in Germany. Gonçalves, also only in his second term as an MX1 rider, as well marked a personal best and walked the rostrum on one occasion in 2011. De Dycker finishes the year with eleventh despite missing the last three rounds and Simpson ends a tough maiden campaign with fifteenth.

Bobryshev and Gonçalves will now represent their respective countries at the 65th Motocross of Nations at St Jean D'Angely next weekend for the traditional season-closing event.


Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 7th/15th Championship position: 4th
"I cannot get on so well with the heat. I was making many mistakes and using so much energy. At the end I was barely doing the jumps, I was boiling in my helmet. I don't have a great feeling about the race and the crash in the second moto, but I'm really happy with fourth in the championship. There was a chance to finish third, but that is the next step for me. It has been a long and tough season."

Rui Gonçalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 9th/6th Championship position: 6th
"I think the only way that it would have been tougher today is if we were in Lommel! The heat made the difference between some riders today. In the first moto I had some problems with stomach cramps and had a sketchy moment with Paulin over the first jump. I couldn't do better than what I did. The second race was a little bit better and with a good start I could take sixth. I learned a lot this year and it was another season where a lot of things happened and I found out more about the bike and my body. I want to sit down and think about the positive stuff and move forward for a better result in 2012."

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: DNF/9th Championship position: 15th
"I went on the sighting lap, but the bike was misfiring and I just made it back. It seemed to fire OK for the start, but then spluttered and I was kicking and kicking as the gate dropped. We got going, but I was missing some confidence in the bike and was a lap down. I decided to call it a day because it wasn't running right and I was way down the field. We used the second bike for the next moto and I got a shocking start. I found a rhythm and gained some ground in the first laps, but I was a second or two off Boissiere. I think I ended up with fifteenth in the championship, but to be honest, fifteenth, thirteenth, twenty-first it doesn't make any difference, it is not where I want to be. Onwards and upwards and hopefully we can wrap up the Belgian Championship before the season ends."

Marvin Van Daele (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 15th/14th Championship position: NA
"It was so hot! But I enjoyed it! I had my best feeling of the weekend in the second moto so I feel like I have prepared for the Nations. I would like to thank Steven for being able to use his hospitality and his truck. I am very satisfied. I had a tough week because I was a bit sick and had to work on Friday in my normal job. Fifteenth and fourteenth on a hard track was OK. Now I'll have a bit of a rest and hope to get a good team result next week."

Roger Harvey, Honda Motor Europe Off-road Racing Manager:
"The end of an intense season for us, but with two positions in the top six of the FIM Motocross World Championship, well, we can only be happy with this. We have seen Rui show his potential at the highest level and Bobby has made an immense step forwards like we always hoped he would do from an impressive first year in 2010. The team has gathered strength and confidence and we have put the factory effort back at the front of the field. The LS Honda team have worked very hard and have missed some luck this season, but we have to be happy with the way they have stuck at the job. We feel like we are in the right position, a good position, to work ahead for 2012."

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev reclaims fourth in overall standing on last day of the season

on the last day of the 2011 MX1 championship season, Evgeny Bobryshev has regained the fourth position in the standings he lost due to enforced break following his injury in the run up to the British GP a few weeks ago.

In many ways it was handed to him, as Nagl – who sat ahead of him in the championship – failed to complete a race at the Fermo track on the east coast of Italy. Despite a below par performance from the Honda man, Bobryshev did enough with a seventh and 16th place finish across the two motos, to edge back in front of Nagl and into a deserved fourth overall.

A struggling performance in the first running and a crash in the second moto put the Russian out of contention for what would have been a seventh podium of the year. It was team-mate Gonçalves who finished top Honda on the day with a ninth and sixth place finish across both heats. The Portuguese was starting well, in the mix off the start in the first and grabbing the holeshot in the second.  Despite the power off the start, he would struggle to find his rhythm early on in both heats, compromising his overall race strategy.

Untouchable in sixth position in the championship standings, a finish of eight overall on the day would not quite be enough to elevate him to fifth in the table. But nonetheless, as season finishing position of sixth was just reward for his first season’s efforts aboard the Honda.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“It has not been a good weekend on track for me really but I am happy to have got back fourth in the championship. Everyone was saying “you can get third or second’ but to be honest I feel that fourth is what I deserved this year and perhaps to be third in the championship may have been a bit false. It has been a great year and next year I will be looking to build on this and make another challenge for the top.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“The result was not really what was planned this weekend and it would have been good to get into the top-five in the championship. But overall it has been a good season for me. Coming to a new team and a new manufacturer there has been a lot of change but I feel comfortable in this team and confident about building for the future.”

LS HONDA RACING
LS Honda Racing wraps up at scorching hot Fermo

The Italian GP at Fermo was the final round of the 2011 FIM MX1 World Championship. The intense heat and rutted hardpack track provided the world’s motocross elite with a tough challenge. While the MX1 world title had been wrapped up last weekend, the Fermo GP would decide the final standings in the World Championship and offer one last big test before next weekend’s Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in France.

Relentless sunshine during the 25-minute qualification heat on Saturday prepared the riders for things to come. Shaun Simpson had a decent start and rode a consistent race to finish 10th while his wildcard team mate Marvin Van Daele did a good job placing his CRF450R 15th ahead of New Zealand’s Cody Cooper.

The first moto got off to a dramatic start for Shaun Simpson. A technical problem with the fuel pump meant he was unable to get away from the start line. However Simpson got the bike going but decided to call it a day because of his bike woes. Former GP rider Van Daele started just inside the top-20 and battled the heat to climb up to 15th at the finish line.

Simpson entered the second moto full of energy on his spare bike. Although the likeable Scot messed up his start he bounced back quickly. While he was circulating around 18th at the start, Shaun found some nice lines and made his way up from 15th to 12th after two laps to push on to 9th by half race distance. Simpson would also finish the final MX1 moto of the championship in ninth, thus sealing his sixth top-10 moto finish of the season. The MX1 rookie ends his first season in the premier class 15th.

Marvin Van Daele’s plan to use Fermo as warm-up event for the Motocross of Nations was coming along nicely, in both senses! The former Dutch MX1 vice champion needed some time to get used to the track, however he proved in the second moto that he can hang with the regular GP riders. Marvin ended his Italian weekend in 14th place to grab 12th overall, one up on his GP finish at home in Lommel. Ken De Dycker, who missed the last 3 GP’s after injuring his neck placed 11th in the final standings.

Shaun Simpson: “It was a tough race today. I went on the sighting lap for the first moto, but the bike was misfiring and I just made it back. It seemed to fire okay for the start, but then spluttered and I was kicking and kicking as the gate dropped. I got going, but I pulled out because it wasn’t running right and I was way down the field. In the second moto I got a shocking start. Luckily I found a rhythm and gained some ground in the first laps, I almost managed to catch Boissiere. In the end I finished 9th.”

Marvin Van Daele: “It was so hot, but I enjoyed it and I’m happy that I did it. I had my best feeling of the weekend in the second moto so I feel like I have prepared for the Nations. I had a tough week because I was a bit sick and had to work on Friday in my normal job. So fifteenth and fourteenth on a hardpack track was okay. Especially because I never rode here before and I had to get used to the soil and the layout. My results also show that despite the conditions my shape is good. Now I’ll have a bit of a rest and hope to get a good result with the Belgian team next week.”

YAMAHA VAN BEERS RACING TEAM
Seven World Championship points for Herjan Brakke in Italy

Herjan Brakke of the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team has scored World Championship points in both motos at the final Grand Prix in Fermo, Italy. Brakke qualified himself for the race in 17th position. The first moto started with some bad luck because he crashed in the first corner and had to go straight to the pits with some damage on his bike. When he went out on the track again he worked himself back up trough the field. His lap times were the same as the lap times of the 13th place rider so this was really good for the Dutchman. Herjan kept fighting till the end of the race and finally he finished the race in 18th position.

Herjan knew that he had the speed to do better in the second moto. He took a good start and in the first lap he was riding in 13th position. Unfortunately he made a crash and dropped back to 27th position. Herjan wasn’t happy about this and charged back through the field. This time he crossed the finish line in 17th position and scored four world championship points.

Overall he finished in 18th position and in the final world championship standings he finished in 28th position.

Petar Petrov felt himself at home on the circuit in Fermo. In the practice sessions he set the 15th and 11th fastest time. Unfortunately he picked up an arm injury but despite this he still managed to qualify himself in 17th position. In the first moto he took a good start and was riding in twelfth position in the beginning of the race. Unfortunately the pain in his arm got to much and he was forced to retire from the race. In the second moto he could only ride one lap because the pain in his arm was again to much. Petar finished in 16th position in the final world championship standings.

Next weekend Herjan Brakke will race for Team Holland at the MX des Nations in St. Jean d’Angely in France.

TANEL LEOK
TROUBLESOME FINAL GP FOR LEOK

Any motocross rider will tell you this – some tracks gel well with them, some not. This holds true even in the professional ranks. A top level rider will sometimes enthuse about a favourite track, and sometimes complain bitterly about a track that does not quite blow his hair back. Tanel Leok is not given to much idle chatter, but it is fair to say that the Italian track of Fermo does not exactly rank high on his list of favourite places. In 2010 he really battled to get to grips with the track , and although he professed to feel more comfortable during his 2011 visit, he went away from his race weekend with the kind of result that is not calculated to engender fond memories.

The qualifying sessions did not augur well for the Estonian, as he placed his factory TM only in 14th – and 13th spots in the time training and qualifying race respectively. He started in more or less that same position in the first race come Sunday, and finished in thirteenth position when the race was flagged off. He needed to pull a spectacular rabbit out of the hat to turn his race day around, but that option was snuffed out pretty much immediately. His bike exhibited problems with starting on the start line, and it pretty soon became apparent that this was not a problem that was simply going to evaporate into the clear Italian air. He was consequently forced to retire from the race, and his world championship season ended with a disappointing DNF.

Tanel was not at all happy with his weekend's outing , and particularly so not when it became clear that he had forfeited one position in the world standings. Whereas he came into the weekend looking to break in to the top 10 in the final world standings, he actually dropped a position to finish 12th. He is fired up as anything to turn this disappointment around with a strong performance this coming weekend, as he will be Estonia's anchor rider in the Motocross of Nations at St Jean D'Angely, France.

QUALIFYING

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
3-4 for Honda World Motocross Team in Fermo qualifying

Honda World Motocross riders, Evgeny Bobryshev and Rui Gonçalves finished third and fourth respectively in Saturday qualifying for the Grand Prix of Italy in Fermo.

On a scorching hot day on the east coast of Italy, both Honda men got a flyer off the start. Gonçalves got the holeshot with Bobryshev trailing not far behind in third. By the end of the first lap, things had shuffled around as the two swapped positions, Bobryshev now leading the way ahead of Boog.

As the front four began to edge away from the chasing pack, Gautier Paulin – riding the 450 for this event only – began to make a move through to the front. In the searing heat, Bobryshev would begin to fade, still not back to full race fitness after his three week enforced break. Slipping back to third he would begin to come under pressure from team-mate Gonçalves, but they would hold position, finishing with half a second of each other as they crossed the line in formation, behind Boog and heat winner Paulin.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“It was hot out there and even a 20 minutes + 2 Lap moto seemed long. I got the start and put in some laps. My goal is top-three this weekend and so far I am on course but will look to improve on that tomorrow.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“I got the holeshot but didn’t get into my rhythm straight away and lost a couple of places. At the end I was coming strong but couldn’t quite make my move on Bobby (Bobryshev) for third. I like the track and think I can be strong tomorrow.”

TEAM SUZUKI
STRIJBOS STRONG IN ITALIAN MX1 QUALIFIER

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1's Kevin Strijbos pushed hard in the MX1 Qualification Heat at the Grand Prix of Italy and captured sixth position for the same choice in the gate for the 15th and last round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Proceedings in eastern Italy began covered by crystal-blue skies and it was clear that the steep hill of Fermo would be home to high temperatures and a set of physically-demanding conditions for the riders. The Italian hardpack was rough and slippery in places and there was plenty of airtime over the many jumps.

Strijbos posted the fifth and ninth fastest times in the first two sessions and adjusted the power delivery of the factory RM-Z450 during the day for more immediate grunt from the potent Suzuki motor. In the Qualification heat itself the Belgian recovered from an indecisive opening phase of the race to find his lines and cut through from tenth to sixth.

Cody Cooper continued his acclimatisation to the Grand Prix series and after a few minor suspension modifications - and with a better feeling on the Italian terrain compared to the Gaildorf course in Germany last week - finished the 20 minute and 2-lap sprint with 16th place. The New Zealander will complete his second outing with the factory machine tomorrow.

More good weather and high temperatures are forecast for the final race-day of the season.

Kevin Strijbos:
"It was OK today but I need to ride better right from the beginning. The track is pretty difficult because it is dusty and soft in some sections but then hard, slippery and rutted in others so you get a lot of wheel spin. There are also a lot of jumps! I started third in the heat but made so many mistakes in the first two-or-three laps. I was jumping too short, too far, going over berms: I just didn't have it. I was back to 10th and slowed down a little bit to look for some good lines and then my rhythm got much better and it was a strong end to the race. Overall I'm happy. My knee was hurting a lot yesterday and there was some pain this morning but afterwards I think everything went back into place and it was OK. We made the bike a bit more-snappy because it was a little bit too-mellow in some places and it works really well."

Cody Cooper:
"I rode quite well today but right at the end I felt like I couldn't push as hard as I can. I drunk a lot and the heat went OK so I feel better; at least not like I was going to faint! The track is a lot more loamy if you go looking for it. It is still hardpack underneath but it is better for me than Gaildorf last week. We are running Clement's settings and I am getting used to the bike but it is awesome I have to say."