Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe tackled the Grand Prix of Trentino around the Pietramurata hard-pack with its full fleet of young talent pulling the best from the RM-Z250 technology in northern Italy.
The first European round of the FIM Motocross World Championship (the fourth appointment from 18 on the schedule) meant that the MXGP and MX2 classes were joined by European EMX250 for the first of nine races and both Brian Hsu and Bas Vaessen pushed their race-bikes next to Jeremy Seewer under the awning.
Of course it was Seewer leading the charge on the factory RM-Z250 and the Swiss walked away from the Arco di Trento setting with sixth overall thanks to race finishes of seventh and sixth. The bumps and stony soil at Arco created one of the most difficult racing terrain of the year and the tight trajectory of the course meant that good starts verged on being essential for any hopes of a classification near the top of the results sheets.
Seewer did not make the best of getaways in both motos, run in sunshine and with a stiff breeze chilling the 32,000 attendance. The Swiss nevertheless set a mean pace to make progress and trouble the groups tussling for mid-top-10 slots. His prowess with overtaking was sharper in the second moto but his path to the first five positions - possible through his chase with Benoit Paturel and Dylan Ferrandis - was ended by a brief crash before the finish-line jump. Sewer is now seventh in the MX2 standings and just two points from fifth place.
The 2014 125cc World Champion Hsu was 12th overall after his first taste of EMX250. A pleasing fourth position in the first moto run on Saturday afternoon gave good cause for optimism but the German could not replicate his speed from the gate on Sunday morning. Aiming for the top-10 on just the third lap, Hsu crashed and then spent the rest of the moto trying to recover places and points. The youngster got back to 23rd. Vaessen had a tough day on the terrain and used the races as a learning experience, unable to record any points.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe will pack-up and head back north to their HQ in Lommel, Belgium and will have only a few days to clean, strip, revise and prepare for round five of MXGP. The Grand Prix of Europe means only a short hop to the sandy Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard but will be the team's first serious outing in terrain this season. EMX250 will again be part of the billing in Holland.
Jeremy Seewer:
"Everybody knows that Arco is a special track; I'm not sure if many people like it! For me it is quite nice because I grew up on this type of dirt and all the spectators create a nice atmosphere. My starts were not good this weekend and I don't know why. They were fine in the first few races but not today so we will have to work on that. I had to fight back both times. My speed was not great in the beginning of the first moto but when I found my rhythm then the lap-times were very good. It was a bit messy with the lines at the beginning of the second and everyone was taking each other's! I passed a lot of people when we got going and reached seventh place quite quickly...then it was a tough battle with Paturel and Ferrandis. I just lost the rear wheel before the finish jump. Anyway sixth overall; it was one place behind my goal for today."
Brian Hsu:
"For me it was totally new - the whole 250 experience - this weekend. I have been improving to the point where the 250 feels like a 125 and I can do what I want with it but it's still not 100% because it's heavier and stronger. Everything went good on Saturday but if you didn't get a good start today then you were done! The first race was decent but I had some arm-pump after the first 10-minutes. I got closer to the third-placed guy in the last four laps. My start was not so good today and there were a lot of crashes. A lot of people fell in the 180 turn and me also. It slipped-out so fast there was nothing I could do. I had to keep going after that."
MX2 Moto1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:14.247; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:15.868; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.967; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:21.346; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.219; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:31.955; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:45.882; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:48.126; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:55.332; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:59.371;
MX2 Moto2: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:27.396; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:16.199; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.041; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:44.825; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.962; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:53.212; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:58.979; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +1:03.117; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:09.210; 10. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:12.304;
MX2 Overall result: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 40 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, KAW), 32 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), 29 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 21 p.;
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 4 of 18 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 172 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 159 p.; 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 133 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 126 p.; 5. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 101 p.; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 101 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), 99 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 95 p.; 9. Thomas Covington (USA, KAW), 86 p.; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 75 p.;
EMX250 European Championship Overall/ Standings (after 1 of 9 rounds): 1. Maxime Desprey (FRA, KAW), 50 points; 2. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, HON), 38 p.; 5. Simone Zecchina (ITA, KAW), 25 p.; 6. Damon Graulus (BEL, YAM), 23 p.; 7. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 23 p.; 8. David Herbreteau (FRA, KAW), 22 p.; 9. Alessandro D'Angelo (ITA, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, KAW), 20 p.; 11. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 19 p.; 12. Brian Hsu (GER, Rockstar Energy Suzuki). 37p.
The first European round of the FIM Motocross World Championship (the fourth appointment from 18 on the schedule) meant that the MXGP and MX2 classes were joined by European EMX250 for the first of nine races and both Brian Hsu and Bas Vaessen pushed their race-bikes next to Jeremy Seewer under the awning.
Of course it was Seewer leading the charge on the factory RM-Z250 and the Swiss walked away from the Arco di Trento setting with sixth overall thanks to race finishes of seventh and sixth. The bumps and stony soil at Arco created one of the most difficult racing terrain of the year and the tight trajectory of the course meant that good starts verged on being essential for any hopes of a classification near the top of the results sheets.
Seewer did not make the best of getaways in both motos, run in sunshine and with a stiff breeze chilling the 32,000 attendance. The Swiss nevertheless set a mean pace to make progress and trouble the groups tussling for mid-top-10 slots. His prowess with overtaking was sharper in the second moto but his path to the first five positions - possible through his chase with Benoit Paturel and Dylan Ferrandis - was ended by a brief crash before the finish-line jump. Sewer is now seventh in the MX2 standings and just two points from fifth place.
The 2014 125cc World Champion Hsu was 12th overall after his first taste of EMX250. A pleasing fourth position in the first moto run on Saturday afternoon gave good cause for optimism but the German could not replicate his speed from the gate on Sunday morning. Aiming for the top-10 on just the third lap, Hsu crashed and then spent the rest of the moto trying to recover places and points. The youngster got back to 23rd. Vaessen had a tough day on the terrain and used the races as a learning experience, unable to record any points.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe will pack-up and head back north to their HQ in Lommel, Belgium and will have only a few days to clean, strip, revise and prepare for round five of MXGP. The Grand Prix of Europe means only a short hop to the sandy Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard but will be the team's first serious outing in terrain this season. EMX250 will again be part of the billing in Holland.
Jeremy Seewer:
"Everybody knows that Arco is a special track; I'm not sure if many people like it! For me it is quite nice because I grew up on this type of dirt and all the spectators create a nice atmosphere. My starts were not good this weekend and I don't know why. They were fine in the first few races but not today so we will have to work on that. I had to fight back both times. My speed was not great in the beginning of the first moto but when I found my rhythm then the lap-times were very good. It was a bit messy with the lines at the beginning of the second and everyone was taking each other's! I passed a lot of people when we got going and reached seventh place quite quickly...then it was a tough battle with Paturel and Ferrandis. I just lost the rear wheel before the finish jump. Anyway sixth overall; it was one place behind my goal for today."
Brian Hsu:
"For me it was totally new - the whole 250 experience - this weekend. I have been improving to the point where the 250 feels like a 125 and I can do what I want with it but it's still not 100% because it's heavier and stronger. Everything went good on Saturday but if you didn't get a good start today then you were done! The first race was decent but I had some arm-pump after the first 10-minutes. I got closer to the third-placed guy in the last four laps. My start was not so good today and there were a lot of crashes. A lot of people fell in the 180 turn and me also. It slipped-out so fast there was nothing I could do. I had to keep going after that."
MX2 Moto1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:14.247; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:15.868; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.967; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:21.346; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.219; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:31.955; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:45.882; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:48.126; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:55.332; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:59.371;
MX2 Moto2: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:27.396; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:16.199; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.041; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:44.825; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.962; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:53.212; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:58.979; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +1:03.117; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:09.210; 10. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:12.304;
MX2 Overall result: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 40 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, KAW), 32 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), 29 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 21 p.;
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 4 of 18 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 172 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 159 p.; 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 133 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 126 p.; 5. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 101 p.; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 101 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), 99 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 95 p.; 9. Thomas Covington (USA, KAW), 86 p.; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 75 p.;
EMX250 European Championship Overall/ Standings (after 1 of 9 rounds): 1. Maxime Desprey (FRA, KAW), 50 points; 2. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, HON), 38 p.; 5. Simone Zecchina (ITA, KAW), 25 p.; 6. Damon Graulus (BEL, YAM), 23 p.; 7. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 23 p.; 8. David Herbreteau (FRA, KAW), 22 p.; 9. Alessandro D'Angelo (ITA, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA, KAW), 20 p.; 11. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 19 p.; 12. Brian Hsu (GER, Rockstar Energy Suzuki). 37p.
