Yamaha wins in MX1 but looses grip on championship at British GP
Antonio Cairoli
Yamaha Motocross Team's Josh Coppins made a brave comeback to the FIM Motocross
World Championship despite sustaining a two inch break to his left shoulder only
four weeks ago but could not prevent his lead in the standings being lost to rival
Steve Ramon. Meanwhile MX1 debutant Antonio Cairoli marked a new highlight in a
truly wonderful season of success as the MX2 world champ won his first ever outing
in the premier class with a 2008 production YZ450F in front of 28,000 spectators.
Coppins was back in action for the first time in two Grand Prix but completed few
fast laps and took things easy on Saturday. The New Zealander commented that he
was fighting pain in the joint but had medical attention and took to the line on
Sunday to attempt to defend the 12 points he held in defiance of Ramon. The many
jumps and rough ruts of the track were not ideal for the Kiwi.
The first moto at the new track inside the Donington Park MotoGP complex started
perfectly as the 30 year old holeshotted on the YZ450FM. However he was unable to
keep pace with the leaders and tried his best to remain as high in the
classification as possible but was swamped by a group in the final laps and took
fourteenth.
With the gap down from 12 to 4 points for the second race, Coppins tried again to
fight his corner but had to pull into the pits after one lap as the former
championship runner-up had no strength in his upper limb and could not control the
bike properly.
His eighteenth position overall means that he lost the red plate for the first
time this year to Ramon and now faces a tough job at Lierop to regain his status.
The deserving champion and winner of five Grand Prix this year will need to obtain
14 points or more over Ramon (who is racing with a small fracture in his scaphoid)
to claim his first world title.
Marc de Reuver was unable to make an impact on proceedings. The Dutchman retired
from the first race and did not feel comfortable on the bike or the track. He did
not take to the gate for the second moto.
2007 MX2 World Champion Antonio Cairoli could not have done a better job in the
MX1 class to give Coppins support and also assist Yamaha's effort to retain the
manufacturer's title. The Italian admitted that riding the production 2008 YZ450F
after steering his YZ250F to nine Grand Prix victories this year was 'different'
and placed more demands on his muscle groups. but still managed an incredible
debut triumph by taking second and first positions in the two motos in his usual
flamboyant style. He walked the top step with hardly any preparation to riding the
450 and leaving the factory bikes of Kevin Strijbos and Ken de Dycker behind on
his production machine.
The World Championship will now face a tense and exciting conclusion. The final
round of fifteen will take place next week in the deep and rough sand of Lierop
for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.
Antonio Cairoli
Antonio Cairoli, De Carli Yamaha:
"Well this is another good day for me. I did not have the speed to make a good
qualifying time yesterday but I knew that in the race it would be different. In
the first moto I started well and just waited for a little bit behind Mackenzie
but I had some arm-pump because I'm not so used to the power of the 450. When I
was in the lead Kevin went through and he was faster. I had a small problem with
my goggles because the sweat kept dropping onto the lens and I just wanted to make
sure of second. I know that my physical condition is good and in the second moto I
was again at the front and just did what I normally do in MX2. I did not waste any
energy in the first part of the race and pushed when I needed to in order to take
the win. I had two different kinds of races today. I found the power the biggest
difference with the 450; for one race it is fine but for the whole season it would
be hard. With little to no preparation to ride the 450, I prefer my 250 for the
moment because I really enjoy that bike and have so much fun."
Joshua Coppins
Josh Coppins, Yamaha Motocross Team:
"I just could not deal with the pain this weekend. I kept telling the doctor to
give me more but I had reached a limit. I was struggling for concentration and at
one point I could not even lift my arm to put it on the handlebars or put on my
goggles. I knew after the sighting lap in the second moto that it was pretty much
over but I tried the start and to see if the race could change something. I was
happy with the first moto even if I did ride bad lines. I found myself focussing
more on the pain than my riding. I can take some pride out of the fact that I
finished and got some points but at the same time I was disappointed. I just want
to go to Lierop and try to race like I know I can."
Marc de Reuver
Marc de Reuver, Yamaha Motocross Team:
"I don't know what is going on. Something in my head is not right and I don't feel
comfortable or fast on the bike. I have problems with the handling when I am not
in the sand. The track was good but I did not do the second moto because I did not
see the point in riding around in last place."
Carlo Rinaldi, Team Manager, Yamaha Motocross Team:
"It is a disappointing day but it is still not over. It depends on how Josh will
recover this week. If those extra days give us a benefit like we hope then the
championship is not over. We just hope that this weekend has not added any extra
damage or slowed the recovery. Marc's situation is just another disappointment and
I do not know what more I can say about it."
Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe:
"Again Tony has proved that he is an unbelievable talent. We were hoping for a
good result and for him to be in front of Steve to help Josh and take some points
away but we never expected him to win the GP; a podium would have already been a
great result. I can't really find more words to explain it. Today though is a
classic case of mixed feelings because it is incredible what Tony did but I feel
so upset for Josh. What he managed in the first heat was very brave but he was in
so much pain. We have been through a spectrum of emotions today. We won't give up
and hopefully in the coming week the bone in his shoulder will continue to heal."
Circuit Length: 4023
Crowd: 28000
Weather: Sunshine
2007 GP of Donington Park, Great Britain 26/08/2007
Race 1 - 18 Laps
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Total Time
1
Kevin Strijbos
Suzuki
BEL
39'51.315
2
Antonio Cairoli
Yamaha
ITA
0'9.194
3
Ken De Dycker
Honda
BEL
0'16.306
4
Mike Brown
Honda
USA
0'18.954
5
Tanel Leok
Kawasaki
EST
0'33.673
6
Steve Ramon
Suzuki
BEL
0'37.393
7
Sébastien Pourcel
Kawasaki
FRA
0'46.607
8
Billy MacKenzie
Kawasaki
GBR
0'48.012
9
Julien Bill
Honda
CHE
0'48.911
10
Jonathan Barragan
KTM
ESP
0'55.727
11
Kornel Nemeth
Suzuki
HUN
0'58.685
12
James Noble
Honda
GBR
1'3.197
13
Pierre A. Renet
Honda
FRA
1'5.746
14
Joshua Coppins
Yamaha
NZL
1'8.264
15
Alex Salvini
Yamaha
ITA
1'9.522
16
Marvin Van Daele
Honda
BEL
1'10.555
17
Thomas Allier
Kawasaki
FRA
1'32.866
18
David Philippaerts
KTM
ITA
1'41.843
19
Bradley Anderson
Yamaha
GBR
1'43.453
20
Wayne Smith
Honda
RSA
1'47.202
24
Aigar Leok
Yamaha
EST
-1 Laps
28
Marc De Reuver
Yamaha
NED
-6 Laps
Race 2 - 18 Laps
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Total Time
1
Antonio Cairoli
Yamaha
ITA
40'10.950
2
Kevin Strijbos
Suzuki
BEL
0'2.484
3
Ken De Dycker
Honda
BEL
0'23.197
4
Steve Ramon
Suzuki
BEL
0'26.293
5
Tanel Leok
Kawasaki
EST
0'29.593
6
Mike Brown
Honda
USA
0'32.917
7
David Philippaerts
KTM
ITA
0'39.324
8
Sébastien Pourcel
Kawasaki
FRA
0'43.471
9
Jonathan Barragan
KTM
ESP
0'45.977
10
Julien Bill
Honda
CHE
0'47.839
11
Marvin Van Daele
Honda
BEL
1'11.605
12
James Noble
Honda
GBR
1'17.846
13
Kornel Nemeth
Suzuki
HUN
1'25.348
14
Bradley Anderson
Yamaha
GBR
1'35.993
15
Pierre A. Renet
Honda
FRA
1'41.245
16
Billy MacKenzie
Kawasaki
GBR
1'55.596
17
Alex Salvini
Yamaha
ITA
1'59.866
18
Alessio Chiodi
Aprilia
ITA
2'0.814
19
Clement Desalle
Suzuki
BEL
2'7.932
20
Lauris Freibergs
Yamaha
LVA
2'8.426
29
Aigar Leok
Yamaha
EST
-16 Laps
30
Joshua Coppins
Yamaha
NZL
-17 Laps
Rider Standings
26/08/2007
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Points
1.Steve RamonSuzukiBEL4662.Joshua CoppinsYamahaNZL4523.Kevin
StrijbosSuzukiBEL4284.Sébastien PourcelKawasakiFRA4275.David
PhilippaertsKTMITA4066.Ken De DyckerHondaBEL3857.Jonathan
BarraganKTMESP3478.Mike BrownHondaUSA3449.Tanel
LeokKawasakiEST34110.Billy MacKenzieKawasakiGBR31911.James
NobleHondaGBR25112.Kornel NemethSuzukiHUN20813.Julien
BillHondaCHE19914.Manuel PriemTMBEL17415.Marvin Van
DaeleHondaBEL16416.Marc De ReuverYamahaNED15617.Pierre A.
RenetHondaFRA15018.Clement DesalleSuzukiBEL10819.Maximilian
NaglKTMGER10720.Gordon CrockardHondaIRL10221.Aigar
LeokYamahaEST10024.Antonio CairoliYamahaITA4748.Kenneth
GundersenYamahaNOR2
Manufacturer Standings
26/08/2007
Pos.
Manufacturer
Points
1.Suzuki5712.Yamaha5423.Kawasaki5254.KTM5145.Honda5036.TM1747.Aprilia388.WRM15
RACE REPORT
26/08/2007
Aubin takes second podium finish of the season
Nicolas Aubin
Yamaha Team Ricci's Nicolas Aubin won a moto and took third position overall in
the MX2 class at a cloudy but bright Donington Park for the British Grand Prix and
the fourteenth round of fifteen in the FIM World Championship.
Aubin, on the YZ250F, started the weekend in excellent form by taking a dominant
and impressive win in the first qualification heat; his first Saturday success of
the season and giving him first pick in the gate for the motos.
On the long, narrow and jumpy track the French youngster defeated popular local
rider Tommy Searle, in front of 28,000 cheering fans, in a close duel through
Moto1. Even a small crash that let the KTM rider get close did not rattle his
nerves. It was the former French Junior champion's second chequered flag of the
season and second since his overall victory in the Czech Republic.
Although world champion Tony Cairoli was contesting the MX1 class and left the
spotlight free 19 year old Aubin could not take another triumph for Yamaha after a
bad start in the second race that left him outside the top five and watching
Searle escape to claim the overall win. Although Aubin clearly felt capable over
the supercross nature of the track he did suffer with arm-pump across the bumps
and ruts. He finally took fifth place for the third step of the rostrum.
De Carli Yamaha still had cause to feel content with their work in MX2 as Matteo
Bonini enjoyed his finest Grand Prix to-date and his best set of results. The
Italian came back from injury problems and more than his fair share of bad luck to
be seventh and third in the motos for fourth overall.
Kenneth Gundersen was back in the MX2 category after an unsuccessful outing on the
YZ450F at Moneyglass Demense. The Norwegian started badly in both races and rode
back to sixteenth and fifteenth for a total of eleven points and seventeenth spot.
Davide Guarneri was out of action after pulling his right groin in the first free
practice. The Italian was unable to control his YZ250F and now must wait and see
if the muscle recovers enough to compete in Holland next week.
3C racing's Manuel Monni took a top ten result with ninth while Bike it Dixon
Yamaha's Martin Barr was the highest placed representative from the three-man
British squad and he took tenth for his best result of 2007.
In the championship standings Aubin has reached fifth position and with a 42 point
gap to fourth he is likely to stay with this ranking. Gundersen is tenth and can
still move up a slot while Guarneri is eleventh and just six points behind his
team-mate.
The 2007 World Championship comes to an end next weekend as the final Grand Prix
of the season takes place in the sand of Lierop in the Netherlands.
Nicolas Aubin
Nicolas Aubin, Yamaha Team Ricci:
"I managed to win the first moto even with a small, silly crash because I had some
good speed and found that I could pass the backmarkers easily. I did find it hard
to keep a good rhythm though and Tommy put a lot of pressure on me at his home GP,
which I understand. I held on though. The second moto was quite difficult and my
start was not good at all whereas Tommy had pulled away with the lead. I am very
disappointed because after the first race I really wanted to win this GP. Fifth
place was the best I could do."
Matteo Bonini
Matteo Bonini, De Carli Yamaha:
"I loved the track and felt fast all weekend. I was doing well in the first moto
but had a small crash towards the end and lost two positions. I was leading at the
start of the second moto and followed Searle until Tarroux had some good speed and
passed me. I was third and I knew that if I had not fallen earlier then I would
have been on the podium. Anyway after a lot of injuries and problems I am really
happy with this result."
Kenneth Gundersen
Kenneth Gundersen, Yamaha Team Ricci:
"I somehow started 30th in both motos and just did my best. I feel that my riding
is good but I am getting stuck behind slower riders and I lose my rhythm. When I
get through then I quickly draw up to the next one. When you have bad starts it is
not possible to rise higher. The track was very difficult for passing. I am happy
I finished two motos and got some points. I am looking forward to Lierop now and
the sand."
Davide Guarneri, Yamaha Team Ricci:
"I'm really angry and frustrated. I felt OK yesterday but woke this morning with
an ache in my groin. I went out to do some laps and thought it was just a stiff
muscle but I caught my leg when I put it out on a corner and I had a lot of pain.
I tried getting the area on the top of my leg strapped but it was no good."
Circuit Length: 4023
Crowd: 28000
Weather: Sunshine
2007 GP of Donington Park, Great Britain 26/08/2007
Race 1 - 18 Laps
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Total Time
1
Nicolas Aubin
Yamaha
FRA
40'24.881
2
Tommy Searle
KTM
GBR
0'2.417
3
Jeremy Tarroux
KTM
FRA
0'36.708
4
Gareth Swanepoel
Kawasaki
RSA
0'41.221
5
Xavier Boog
Yamaha
FRA
0'47.830
6
Matti Seistola
Honda
FIN
0'51.263
7
Matteo Bonini
Yamaha
ITA
0'55.272
8
Steven Frossard
Kawasaki
FRA
0'58.157
9
Manuel Monni
Yamaha
ITA
1'2.894
10
Martin Barr
Yamaha
GBR
1'5.891
11
Dennis Verbruggen
Yamaha
BEL
1'9.900
12
Sean Hamblin
Suzuki
USA
1'17.809
13
Joel Roelants
KTM
BEL
1'18.900
14
Rui Goncalves
KTM
POR
1'20.174
15
Tom Church
Kawasaki
GBR
1'27.846
16
Kenneth Gundersen
Yamaha
NOR
1'35.560
17
Shaun Simpson
Kawasaki
GBR
1'38.235
18
Carlos Campano
Yamaha
ESP
1'40.100
19
Carl Nunn
Yamaha
GBR
1'41.139
20
Jeremy Van Horebeek
KTM
BEL
-1 Laps
Race 2 - 18 Laps
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Total Time
1
Tommy Searle
KTM
GBR
40'32.902
2
Jeremy Tarroux
KTM
FRA
0'7.961
3
Matteo Bonini
Yamaha
ITA
0'10.703
4
Dennis Verbruggen
Yamaha
BEL
0'13.077
5
Nicolas Aubin
Yamaha
FRA
0'13.259
6
Jeremy Van Horebeek
KTM
BEL
0'36.767
7
Carl Nunn
Yamaha
GBR
0'44.201
8
Sean Hamblin
Suzuki
USA
0'53.802
9
Matti Seistola
Honda
FIN
0'54.756
10
Rui Goncalves
KTM
POR
0'55.962
11
Manuel Monni
Yamaha
ITA
1'8.213
12
Martin Barr
Yamaha
GBR
1'9.846
13
Jason Dougan
Suzuki
GBR
1'12.383
14
Tom Church
Kawasaki
GBR
1'13.884
15
Kenneth Gundersen
Yamaha
NOR
1'16.300
16
Gareth Swanepoel
Kawasaki
RSA
1'16.974
17
Shaun Simpson
Kawasaki
GBR
1'33.697
18
Carlos Campano
Yamaha
ESP
1'42.269
19
Joel Roelants
KTM
BEL
1'43.112
20
Lewis Gregory
Suzuki
GBR
1'56.561
Rider Standings
26/08/2007
Pos.
Rider
Manu.
Nat.
Points
1.Antonio CairoliYamahaITA6102.Tommy SearleKTMGBR4783.Christophe
PourcelKawasakiFRA4364.Tyla RattrayKTMRSA3715.Nicolas
AubinYamahaFRA3296.Gareth SwanepoelKawasakiRSA3247.Pascal
LeuretHondaFRA3208.Matti SeistolaHondaFIN2609.Marcus
SchifferKTMGER23510.Kenneth GundersenYamahaNOR22411.Davide
GuarneriYamahaITA21812.Rui GoncalvesKTMPOR21413.Xavier
BoogYamahaFRA19014.Carl NunnYamahaGBR18115.Anthony
BoissièreKawasakiFRA17716.Jeremy TarrouxKTMFRA15917.Matteo
BoniniYamahaITA14818.Jeremy Van HorebeekKTMBEL14319.Manuel
MonniYamahaITA13420.Tom ChurchKawasakiGBR12822.Dennis
VerbruggenYamahaBEL10531.Carlos CampanoYamahaESP30
Manufacturer Standings
26/08/2007
Pos.
Manufacturer
Points
1.Yamaha6712.KTM5783.Kawasaki5064.Honda4195.Suzuki230
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