MX2

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain), 19 June 2016 - Another strong performance saw Emil Weckman take a fast-paced race two victory in round two of the Honda 150 European Championship at Matterley Basin (UK), and with it the red plate.

Although Weckman missed out on the holeshot again, this time to Rasmus Moen, and was fifth at the start of the first lap it didn’t take long for the reigning champion to move up into second behind James Scott. The pair battled hard for the opening laps before Weckman managed to pass Scott and start to open up a lead.

Towards the end of the race Scott joined Weckman in lapping in the 2:16’s on their CRF150Rs and started to pull back the gap to the #1 plated rider. Unfortunately with only two laps to go it was too much for the New Zealander to do, who was forced to settle for second.

Hakon Fredriksen, who needed a good result to close the gap on Weckman, found himself out of the top five in the first lap but was soon able to make his way up to third, and stay there until the chequered flag. The top five was rounded out by Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (fourth) and Yago Martinez whose fifth place finish was enough to join Weckman and Fredriksen on the podium.

Emil Weckman will now head to the next round in Lommel, Belgium (30-31 July) with the red plate and a 12 point lead ahead of Hakon Fredriksen.

Emil Weckman: “It feels pretty good to win today. Last year I had a pretty good weekend here so it is good to have another great weekend here this year. I like this track and I get to take the red plate to Lommel so that’s great. I like the Lommel track as well and I’m pretty good in sand, but I haven’t seen how Hakon rides in the sand but I think we’ll have a good race there.”

Davy Dousselaere, Honda Europe Off-Road Manager: “Today we had a very fast paced race and we had a very good battle between Emil Weckman and James Scott at the beginning. We also saw a very good ride from Jorgen-Matthias Talviku who had a great start and finished fourth. I have been very impressed with how our CRF150R riders have tackled this track with the big jumps. Now we head to Lommel where they will get to experience the deep sand, which should make for some very interesting racing.”

Honda EMX150 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Emil Weckman (FIN, Honda), 25:29.767; 2. Luis Outeiro (POR, Honda), +0:44.851; 3. Yago Martinez (ESP, Honda), +1:08.277; 4. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, Honda), +1:08.848; 5. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Honda), +1:25.264; 6. Rasmus Moen (SWE, Honda), +1:30.170; 7. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, Honda), +1:45.168; 8. Leopold Ambjörnson (SWE, Honda), +1:51.251; 9. Jimmy Grajwoda (FRA, Honda), +1:53.389; 10. Calum Mitchell (GBR, Honda), +2:11.899.

Honda EMX150 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Emil Weckman (FIN, Honda), 25:09.012; 2. James Scott (NZL, Honda), +0:27.909; 3. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, Honda), +0:48.356; 4. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Honda), +1:09.321; 5. Yago Martinez (ESP, Honda), +1:31.838; 6. Leopold Ambjörnson (SWE, Honda), +1:35.345; 7. Rasmus Moen (SWE, Honda), +1:37.594; 8. Josh Peters (GBR, Honda), +1:40.332; 9. Jimmy Grajwoda (FRA, Honda), +1:43.210; 10. Pascal Jungmann (GER, Honda), +1:47.308

Honda EMX150 Overall Top Ten: 1. Emil Weckman (FIN, HON), 50 points; 2. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, HON), 38 p.; 3. Yago Martinez (ESP, HON), 36 p.; 4. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HON), 34 p.; 5. Rasmus Moen (SWE, HON), 29 p.; 6. Leopold Ambjörnson (SWE, HON), 28 p.; 7. Luis Outeiro (POR, HON), 26 p.; 8. Jimmy Grajwoda (FRA, HON), 24 p.; 9. James Scott (NZL, HON), 22 p.; 10. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, HON), 22 p.

Honda EMX150 Championship Top Ten: 1. Emil Weckman (FIN, HON), 97 points; 2. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, HON), 85 p.; 3. Yago Martinez (ESP, HON), 72 p.; 4. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HON), 59 p.; 5. Leopold Ambjörnson (SWE, HON), 55 p.; 6. Rasmus Moen (SWE, HON), 53 p.; 7. James Scott (NZL, HON), 52 p.; 8. Luis Outeiro (POR, HON), 49 p.; 9. Henry Vesilind (EST, HON), 43 p.; 10. Jimmy Grajwoda (FRA, HON), 39 p.

Click here to obtain the complete result

All the photos of the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain will be available HERE

FULLBACK MXGP OF GREAT BRITAIN – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1640m

Type of ground: Hard pack

Temperature: 17°C

Weather conditions: cloudy

MXGP was available across the board in high definition and is also globally available to view live and in HD on MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM Europe

FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain

Author: Honda 150 European Championship

Watch the official GoPro lap of Matterley Basin for the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain with Fillip Bengtsson and Brian Bogers:

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Rider Romain Febvre met with team staff and FIM medical personnel on Sunday morning, June 19th, following a crash on Saturday during qualifying at Matterley Basin to evaluate his condition and determine his eligibility to start the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain.

Following consultation with the medical commission representative from the FIM, Febvre will withdraw from the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain and travel home to continue his recovery. The 24-year old Frenchman will not start the FULLBACK MXGP of Lombardia-Italy on June 26th.

"I'm disappointed to leave early, but the crash on Saturday was serious and it is the best decision for my own well-being to withdraw from Matterley Basin. With a head injury it is very important to rest and recover and take no action that could cause another shock, so I will recover at home and wait for more medical tests to determine when I can continue training and racing," Febvre said.

Yamaha Motocross Racing Manager Alberto Barozzi said Febvre will miss the next race in Mantova, and approach a return once he has recovered fully.

"The FIM is very clear when it comes to this type of injury that every precaution must be taken to protect the rider's health and recovery. We are all disappointed to miss these important races in Great Britain and Italy, but in the larger picture it is Romain's health that we must consider," Barozzi said.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Official MXGP Team rider Romain Febvre crashed on Saturday during the MXGP qualifying race at Matterley Basin in England. The 24-year old Frenchman was examined on site by medical personnel and transported immediately to University Hospital Southampton where he underwent further investigation and treatment.

Doctors at University Hospital Southampton performed a CT scan and x-rays on his cervical spine and limbs and diagnosed Febvre with a head injury and a fractured right middle finger before releasing him from urgent care.

Febvre will consult with team staff and FIM medical personnel today, Sunday, to determine his next steps at the MXGP of Great Britain.

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain), 18 June 2016 – It’s all about finding the flow, which is apparently relatively easy around a track as awesome as Matterley Basin, the venue that has set the wheels in motion for the eleventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain.

The racing was once again riveting as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Anstie lit the candles for his first qualifying race win of the year here on home soil in MX2, while Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser was flawless in his performance, which has put him on pole in the premier class for the sixth time this season.

Meanwhile, GL12 Yamaha Racing’s Brad Anderson is looking good for a podium here at round four of the European Championship EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing after winning Race 1, while the fifth round of the European Championship EMX125 presented by FMF Racing Sahkar Racing KTM's Jago Geerts saw take his fourth race win of the season.

The cream of MXGP had their work cut out right from gate drop when the red plate holder, Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser, snuck up the inside of the holeshotters, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl and Marchetti Racing Team KTM’s Jose Butron, for the lead at turn two. From there, there was no looking back for the rookie who controlled the race from start to finish for his sixth Qualifying Race win of the season. “I really like the track,” Tim said, “the guys always do an amazing job with the track, it’s really tacky, grippy, it’s really enjoyable to ride.”

Meanwhile in the early stages of the race it was Butron who appeared to be feeling it as he knocked Nagl back to third and even managed to inch away on the first two laps. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli was also in the mix but got too hard on the gas on the second lap and slid out.

Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev quite happily inherited fourth, hit turbo and caught Nagl who had reeled in Butron. Nagl felt the pressure and passed Butron with ease, which threw Butron off as he screwed up heading into the quad and could only triple it. Bobryshev launched the quad and took over third before making light work of Nagl for second.

As Butron dropped back, Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team’s Valentin Guillod chimed in and briefly challenged Nagl and Bobryshev.

Meanwhile, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek was happy chilling in fifth while the real carnage was occuring in the battle for sixth where the former British grand prix winners, Antonio Cairoli and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle, bashed bars with Team Suzuki World MXGP’s Ben Townley, Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre was also weaving through that group before he crashed out. Nagl then pulled the pin on his grenade and passed Bobryshev back, forcing Bobby to settle for third ahead of Guillod and Van Horebeek. Cairoli put in an epic ride to get back to sixth after passing Desalle with a few laps to go while the local Tommy Searle finished eighth.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s guest rider Chad Reed finished fifteenth but he was still smiling, “it was a lot of fun out there,” he said. As for Romain Febvre; he suffered from a concussion and was taken to hospital for further examination.

MXGP Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 25:49.192; 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:06.439; 3. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:08.488; 4. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:12.935; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:17.878; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:21.487; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:23.770; 8. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:29.229; 9. Ben Townley (NZL, Suzuki), +0:31.686; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:31.927.

Great Britain’s own Max Anstie launched out of the gate on his Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna for a near holeshot but was pushed wide by Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Dylan Ferrandis who started on the inside and drove him wide. Less than half of a lap in, the kid who was fastest in Timed Practice, Team Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer, was around sixth before dumping it after going into a 180 degree turn too hot and colliding with TM Racing Factory Team’s Samuele Bernardini.

Anstie had the crowd going mental as he pushed Ferrandis for the lead while Wilvo Standing Construct Yamaha’s Aleksandr Tonkov sat back in a distant third before being caught and passed by Seewer who had made a quick recovery from his spill on lap one.

At the half way mark, Anstie got on the gas and set the fastest lap time three laps in a row before making a pass on Ferrandis. The Frenchman tried to respond but couldn’t quite match the pace of the hometown hero, who managed to take his first qualifying race win of the season with an impressive 6 second margin.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings took a while to find his flow after a pretty cruddy first lap. The Bullet came around for lap one well outside of the top ten but eventually carved his way through the pack for fifth. Behind him, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Petar Petrov, Kemea Yamaha MX Official Team’s Benoit Paturel and the remainder of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders, Thomas Covington and Conrad Mewse, had a gnarly battle for sixth. It was tight at the end; in fact Paturel and Petrov were bar-to-bar over the finish line with Paturel being awarded sixth by the narrowest of margins. Credit also has to be given to the rookie Conrad Mewse who managed to steal eighth from his teammate Covington.

MX2 Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), 25:55.733; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:06.778; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:11.697; 4. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Yamaha), +0:21.954; 5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:27.465; 6. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:28.298; 7. Petar Petrov (BUL, Kawasaki), +0:28.341; 8. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:36.225; 9. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:41.005; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:41.487

Click here to obtain the complete result

All the photos of the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain will be available HERE

FULLBACK MXGP OF GREAT BRITAIN – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1640m

Type of ground: Hard pack

Temperature: 18°C

Weather conditions: cloudy

TIMETABLE

Sunday: EMX300 Race 2 08:30; EMX250 Race 1 09:30; MX2 Warm up 10:10; MXGP Warm up 10:30; EMX150 Race 2 11:10; EMX125 Race 2 12:05; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; EMX250 Race 2 15:10; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain

Adrian Mahoney was a local British motocross rider who suffered a bad spinal injury back in 1988.  Initially he was in a wheelchair but due to subsequent complications he has for many years now been confined to his bed 24/7.

However despite his difficult situation, Adrian is still hugely positive and optimistic and is a real inspiration regardless of his adversity.

Adrian is also still one of the world's greatest motocross fans. He has an enormous collection of motocross memorabilia from many of the great riders past and present and he spends most of his time watching motocross videos and following the MXGP world Championship.

Adrian also likes to go to the British MXGP each year, which is a massive logistical undertaking given his circumstances.  

One of Adrian's friends has a 7 year old daughter named Jasmine, and Jasmine suggested to her father "Wouldn't it be cool if we could get Tim Gajser (one of Adrian's favourite riders) to carry a sticker with Adrian's name and number on his bike at the GP?" His friends thought this was a great idea.  However they also thought that maybe they could do a little bit better than just Tim Gajser. Why couldn't they get every rider to carry the 'Mahoney 73' sticker in honour of their disabled friend?

So, in the weeks leading up to the GP they one-by-one contacted all of the MXGP teams and asked them if they would take part in this gesture and carry Adrian's sticker on their front plates.  

Whilst they were initially doubtful that many teams would agree, they were blown away to find out that without exception, every team came back and said 'Sure!  What a great idea!'  And so, at the British MXGP, all the riders, from the privateers and EMX150 riders, right through to the mighty factory stars like Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre and the guesting Chad Reed, proudly displayed the 'Mahoney 73' sticker on their front plates.

Both Steve Dixon, Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki and Steve Turner, Wilvo Virus KTM offered to source the stickers and so their mutual graphics sponsor Spiral GFX very kindly provided all the stickers free of charge.

In addition Youthstream also offered to take part in this project and Youthstream President Giuseppe Luongo arranged free passes for Adrian and his carers as well as a prime VIP parking spot, where Adrian could be set up in his bed and tent to watch the weekend's racing from a great vantage point. Youthstream also briefed the TV crews and announcers to show and give a little explanation behind the 'Mahoney 73' stickers that were present on every bike in the race.

And that is why every rider in the MXGP carried the sticker for one of their injured motocross brothers. It's a testament to the generosity, kindness and solidarity of the MXGP paddock that all of the teams - including the big-time factory squads - all agreed to do this in honour of Adrian this weekend, and to bring both a great surprise, and happiness, to somebody who is not as fortunate as ourselves.

Watch all the highlights from the FULLBACK MXGP of Great Britain, round eleven of the FIM Motocross World Championship

MXGP Qualifying Race Highlights

MX2 Qualifying Race Highlights 

Watch the first GoPro lap of Matterley Basin with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Max Anstie