Qatar
FIM MX World Champs 2016
Click here to obtain the complete results.
Women's MX:
Courtney Duncan qualified 4th behind Livia Lancelot, Kiara Fontanesi and Nancy van De Ven. Pretty close lap times for the top 4. BUT, on race night, she did it ! A perfect 50 points !
Yes, the predictions were correct. Courtney Duncan won both the Women's races at the opening round of the 2016 FIM World Champs in Qatar overnight, leading from start to finish !
Click for the Slam Dunk for Duncan report
MX1 :
Race Day Report www.mxlarge.com
Gariboldi Honda rider Tim Gajser has won the opening GP of the 2016 MXGP season at the Grand Prix of Qatar. The 19 year old scored 1-1 results to shock the world in his MXGP debut. Second overall was Romain Febvre with 3-2 and third Evgeny Bobryshev with 2-3.
NB: Ben Townley "ran out of track on a double" and was 17th in the qualifyings. He then finished 11-11 for 11th overall.
Bobryshev once again took an early lead in the opening MXGP moto, followed by Gajser, Coldenhoff, Van Horebeek, Cairoli, Febvre, Paulin, Simpson, Guillod, Nagl, Strijbos, Yamamoto, Searle, Snow, Townley, Charlier, Butron, Lupino, Leok, Potisek, and Desalle.
The two Honda riders were already pulling away from Coldenhoff as Febvre pushed past the Dutchman and into third. Cairoli looked to be struggling with the pace as Guillod was putting pressure on the Italian. Guillod though undid his great work by slipping over and losing a handful of places.
As is often the case with the MXGP class there were battles going on all through the 21 riders, Townley on fire moving into 10th spot, and Febvre slowly pulling up on Gajser.
Bobryshev was riding brilliantly, in complete control as he held a one second lead over Gajser, with Febvre also a close third. Next came Coldenhoff, Van Horebeek, Cairoli, Simpson, Paulin, Strijbos, Searle, Nagl and Townley now in 12th.
Desalle continues to circulate, moving into 20th position and a single GP point. Febvre seems to have given up his chase of Gajser as dropped to four seconds behind the second placed man. Gajser though is just a second behind Bobryshev for the lead.
A great battle between the two Honda riders as Gajser takes the lead, sliding his Gariboldi machine under the HRC 450 of the Russian. Both look in complete control.
The World MX2 champion wasted little time in pulling away from Bobryshev, with Febvre closing in. A nice battle between Coldenhoff, Cairoli and Simpson for fifth position. Cairoli passing his team-mate on lap eight.
A little like F1 as Honda are first and second, followed by two Yamaha riders, then two KTM riders. The big brands of the MXGP series showing their power.
Top 15 after 10 laps and it’s Gajser, Bobryshev, Febvre, Van Horebeek, Cairoli, Coldenhoff, Simpson, Paulin, Strijbos, Searle, Nagl, Townley, Guillod, Butron and Lupino. Desalle is still in 20th, a lap down on the majority of the field.
Paulin, Strijbos, Searle, Nagl and Townley are fighting over positions, and Strijbos gets the better of Paulin and sets out after Coldenhoff in 7th.
After 12 laps the lead by Gajser is now three seconds, with Febvre a further five seconds back in third. Simpson is up to sixth position after passing Coldenhoff, and Searle passes Paulin for ninth.
Desalle battled with Yamamoto for 19th place, as Gajser lapped the two. Despite a galant effort Desalle pulled out of the race on lap 14.
Still a long list of riders fighting for a top ten place as Searle, Paulin, Nagl and Townley are within a couple of bike lengths of each other. Townley blasts past Nagl for 11th position and Simpson passes Cairoli for fifth.
Gajser wins it by seven seconds to Bobryshev, with Febvre a further 12 seconds back. Then came Van Horebeek, Simpson, Cairoli, Coldenhoff, Strijbos, Searle and Paulin in 10th.
HRC were 1-2-3 out of the start the second MXGP moto with Paulin, Gasjer and up front, Febvre and Cairoli followed on their tails. Next up came Van Horebeek, Searle, Nagl, Simpson, Charlier, Potisek, Townley, Butron, Strijbos and Coldenhoff in 15th place.
Paulin dropped back into third, and then pulled out as his bike stopped. Gajser took the lead from Bobryshev, followed by Cairoli, Febvre, Van Horebeek, Simpson, Nagl, Searle, Townley and Guillod.
Gajser pulled two seconds on Bobryshev, while Cairoli and Febvre tried to stay with the HRC boys. Febvre blasted past Cairoli, who seemed to be slowing the Yamaha rider up.
Febvre slipped over after seemingly cross rutting in a corner, and picked himself up just as Cairoli rode past. Van Horebeek was also on the back wheel of his team-mate now.
Bobryshev then made a mistake and Cairoli moved into second, and Febvre passed Bobryshev soon after to relegate the Russian to fourth spot.
After seven laps it was Gajser, Cairoli, Febvre, Bobryshev, Van Horebeek, Simpson, Nagl, Searle, Townley and Coldenhoff.
Febvre made his way past Cairoli, and Nagl worked his way past Simpson. After 13 laps it was Gajser leading by nine seconds, Cairoli in third, then Bobryshev, Van Horebeek, Nagl, Simpson, Searle, Coldenhoff and Strijbos in 10th. Bobryshev also made a pass on Cairoli.
Gajser eventually got the moto and GP win, finishing ahead of Febvre, Bobryshev, Cairoli, Van Horebeek, Nagl, Simpson, Searle, Strijbos, and Coldenhoff.
Qualifying Report: LOSAIL (Qatar), 26 February 2016 - Every year the FIM Motocross World Championship opener is one of the most exciting races of the season. It’s like the cards in the deck are shuffled and a new hand is dealt. Who has the best hand? Right now, it’s Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings who have at least one ace in their hand after lighting up the spectacular night skies here in Losail when they won their respective qualifying races.
When the gates slammed to the ground for the first time this season, the holeshot king Jose Butron was back as he hauled out of the gate on his Marchetti Racing Team KTM to claim a narrow holeshot over Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev. Although there was almost nothing in it over the holeshot line, the Russian, Bobryshev, had the inside line through turn one and led the way out of it.
Behind them the rookie, Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser was on rails as he put a text book pass on Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, who couldn’t have wished for a better start after only finishing 16th in Timed Practice which meant he didn’t have the greatest gate pick.
Chasing the eight-time FIM Motocross World Champ in the early stages of the race was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s newest recruit Glenn Coldenhoff who was being hounded by the defending MXGP World Champion Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre. As ‘Bobby’ started to edge away, Butron rode a wide line in second, which allowed a freight train of riders to bunch up.
Febvre was the first to pounce as he threw together a different combo over the bomb hole and slung past Coldenhoff and surprisingly Cairoli too. In doing so, the champ opened the door for Coldenhoff who invited himself in and dropped ‘TC222’ back to sixth.
Meanwhile, up front the Honda boys had their factory FMF pipes burning hot as they ran away from the insane battle behind them as the challenge for third had everyone on the edge of their seats when Febvre, Coldenhoff, Cairoli, Butron and Wilvo Virus Performance KTM’s Shaun Simpson went bar to bar, quite literally.
Butron ended up fading back to thirteenth while the defending champ closed in on the rookie and 2015 FIM MX2 World Champion, Gajser. Febvre made a solid charge on Gajser who managed to hold off the wrath and made an incredible MXGP debut as he followed Bobryshev home for second. Febvre rounded out the top three with Cairoli and Coldenhoff making up the top five.
As for Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle, after missing Timed Practice, he nursed his healing arm around for two laps before pulling off. He will have the last gate pick tomorrow for race day, if he decides to start.
MXGP Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 24:54.670; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:01.814; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:06.734; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:16.642; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:19.578; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:24.719; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:26.985; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:28.083; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:29.186; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:30.329;
MX2 :
Race Night MX 2:
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings has gone 1-1 for victory at the Grand Prix of Qatar. It was a pretty easy night for the Dutchman, although he did get some hurry up from Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis in the opening moto.
Ferrandis finished second overall with 2-2 and third was Pauls Jonass with 3-3 scores.
Ferrandis took the early lead in the opening MX2 moto, followed by Jeremy Seewer, Pauls Jonass, Davy Pootjes and Jeffrey Herlings. Further back came Anstie in 7th, Tonkov in 10th, and Covington in 18th.
Seewer passed Ferrandis on the opening lap, and Herlings made his way into third place and was on the back wheel of the Frenchman.
After one lap is was Seewer, Ferrandis, Herlings, Jonass, Pootjes, Bernardini, Paturel, Getteman, Tonkov, and Brylyakov in 10th place.
Herlings blasted past Seewer to move into second place, and Bernardini passed Pootjes for fifth place. Covington was going well on the one lined circuit, moving into 12th place after his terrible start.
Herlings was struggling to make ground on Ferrandis who had gotten away a little, and after seven laps the top 15 was Ferrandis, Herlings, Seewer, Jonass, Bernardini, Pootjes, Tonkov, Paturel, Petrov, Getteman, Van Doninck, Covington, Zaragoza, Ostlund, and Bogers.
Pootjes went down hard and lost a bunch of places and around the same time his KTM team-mate Jonass was trying to make a pass on Seewer for third place.
Jonass made his way past Seewer on lap 10, as Anstie moved into 13th place after dropping well back in an early mistake.
Zaragoza and Brylyakov had a getting together with the Russian injured on the side of the track. Anstie was now 12th, just one place behind his Husqvarna team-mate Covington in 11th place.
On lap 13 the battle up front remained the same with Ferrandis a couple of bike lengths ahead of a chasing Herlings, then came Jonass, Seewer, Bernardini, Tonkov, Paturel, Petrov, Van Doninck and Getteman.
Herlings suddenly put on a charge, pushing his way past Ferrandis as the two nearly collided, and as the Frenchman tried hard to stay with the Dutchman, he nearly slipped off. Once in front Herlings began to pull away.
In the end Herlings won by two seconds from Ferrandis, with Jonass back in third some 36 seconds behind the winner. Anstie made a late pass on Covington to move into the top ten.
Ferrandis took the holeshot in the second moto, but was quickly passed by Herlings who sept around the outside. Herlings held the lead from Ferrandis, Jonass, Seewer, Petrov, Tonkov, Bernardini, Getteman, Paturel and Van doninck in 10th.
The Husqvarna Factory riders were struggling again as Anstie crashed out and Covington held 18th.
After three laps Herlings is a second ahead of Ferrandis, with Jonass 12 seconds back, followed by Petrov, Tonkov, Paturel, Bernardini, Seewer, Van doninck, and Getterman in 10th.
Tonkov and Seewer were in a brilliant battle for fifth, with Seewer seemingly quicker, but unable to pass the Russian. Seewer eventually got past and moved into fifth.
On lap nine Herlings had extended his lead to 11 seconds over Ferrandis, with Jonass 26 seconds back. The remaining top ten were Petrov, Seewer, Tonkov, Van doninck, Brylyakov, and Paturel.
Covington was riding well and moved up into 11th place, but still a disappointment for the Husky team.
Seewer did well to come back from his mistake, which had dropped him back to 8th, and was back in fourth after passing Tonkov, Van doninck, and Petrov, but then made a mistake to let Van doninck back past.
After 16 laps it was Herlings with an 18 second lead, then Ferrandis, Jonass, Van doninck, Seewer, Petrov, Tonkov, Paturel, Brylyakov, and Covington.
In the end Herlings cruised to his 48th GP victory, miles ahead of Ferrandis and Jonass.
Qualifying: He’s not known for his blistering starts, but Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings got his season off to the perfect start as he ripped out of the gate to claim the holeshot and the first Qualifying heat win of the year. Meanwhile Team Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Dylan Ferrandis, who set the fastest time in Timed Practice kept The Bullet in sight but didn’t have enough juice to take the win.
With Herlings and Ferrandis in a league of their own, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Covington was living up to his solid reputation here in Qatar, at least until his bike stopped on the final corner two laps in. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass then inherited third off of the American and set himself free from the dynamite battle between Team Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer, Kemea Yamaha Official MX team’s Benoit Paturel and Wilvo Standing Construct Yamaha Official MX2 Team’s Aleksandr Tonkov.
As the race approached half way, Paturel appeared to be sick of eating roost sandwiches as he doggedly pursued Seewer for fourth. Likewise, Team Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Petar Petrov was also in a hasty mood as he burst on to the scene to take fifth from Tonkov.
At the checkered flag, it was Herlings who lit the candles for the first time this year ahead of Ferrandis and Jonass. Seewer managed to keep Paturel at bay for fourth while Petrov rounded out the top five.
MX2 Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:51.763; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:01.783; 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:35.137; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:38.236; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.310; 6. Petar Petrov (BUL, Kawasaki), +0:42.207; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Yamaha), +0:49.764; 8. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Kawasaki), +0:51.811; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:54.116; 10. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +1:02.236
Click here to obtain the complete results.
All the photos of the MXGP of Qatar will be available here
MXGP QATAR – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1595m
Type of ground: hard pack
Temperature: 24°C
Weather conditions: sunny