Flip-flops were left in the hotel on Sunday as round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship got under way at MXGP’s most tropical track Beto Carrero, Brazil.
It wouldn’t be a Grand Prix of Brazil without a few drops of rain, which is why when the rain set in during the final laps of MXGP race one, it was somewhat expected.
While the dark clouds continued to loom over the impressive circuit of Beto Carrero, the rain did in fact hold off for the most part of both MXGP and MX2 race two.
Nevertheless thanks to the brief down pour, and the constant drizzle, conditions were left very tricky making versatility a key factor in GP’s result.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli proved why he is the seven-time FIM Motocross World Champion, taking the challenging conditions with a grain of salt to convincingly win both MXGP races and extend his championship lead.
Meanwhile CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus finally lived up to the expectation, taking home his first ever FIM MX2 Grand Prix win as well as claiming the MX2 red plate to lead two points ahead of today’s MX2 runner-up Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff.
MXGP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli was on another level today in Beto Carrero. The extremely talented seven-time FIM Motocross World Champion had the crowd on their feet today as he put in two very inspiring rides, passing many of MXGP’s biggest title threats to win both motos with ease.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle took home second overall in typical super smooth Desalle style with two third-place finishes. The current vice world champion has now moved from fifth in the championship standings to fourth, trailing the early red plate holder Gautier Paulin and Jeremy Van Horebeek by only one point.
Another podium result for Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek thanks to his phenomenal performance in race one where he finished a very comfortable second place behind the champ himself Tony Cairoli. In race two, the Belgian, only on his second year in the MXGP class, recovered from a few errors which saw him wheeling over tough blocks in attempt to get back on the track, managed to make up for his mistakes and finish fourth for third overall.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin made a remarkable recovery in race one after taking the Foxhead Holeshot only to drop the lead due to a crash on the tricky off camber section out the back of the track. After bouncing back to an amazing seventh place in race one, the flying Frenchman kept it on two wheels in race two to finish second for fourth overall.
Rounding out MXGP’s top five this weekend, Team HRC’s Max Nagl spent most of his races ducking roost with bad starts making life difficult. While his speed was there, the determined German struggled to make passes stick meaning he would only finish in fourth and fifth for fifth overall.
After round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Beto Carrero, Brazil, the MXGP points chase from fifth to second is tight. While Cairoli leads by a healthy thirty points, Paulin sits second tied in points with Jeremy Van Horebeek, and both of them are only one point clear of Desalle. Nagl is fifth just one point back from them.
MXGP Race 1 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:20.774; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:15.869; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:20.205; 4. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:23.385; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:38.482; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:40.168; 7. Todd Waters (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:40.489; 8. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +0:42.346; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:48.790; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +0:50.241
MXGP Race 2 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:51.801; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.250; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:08.899; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:12.086; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:17.009; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:20.798; 7. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +0:47.380; 8. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), +0:50.317; 9. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:52.792; 10. Todd Waters (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:55.113
MXGP Overall top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 40 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 37 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 34 p.; 6. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 25 p.; 7. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 25 p.; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 23 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 23 p.; 10. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 19 p.
MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 142 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 112 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 112 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 111 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 110 p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 73 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 68 p.; 8. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 68 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 67 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 61 p.
MXGP Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 142 points; 2. Suzuki, 113 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 112 p.; 4. Yamaha, 112 p.; 5. Honda, 110 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 68 p.; 7. TM, 52 p.;
MX2
It has been a long time coming for CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus, but the day is finally here. Using his smooth, elegant style, the Swiss talent won MX2 race one and finished a comfortable second in race two to claim his first ever MX2 Grand Prix win, making history as the first ever Swiss rider to do so.
As well as winning the MX2 Grand Prix of Brazil, Tonus has claimed the FIM MX2 World Championship red plate, and he is the first rider to do so in more than twenty-five months.
Yesterday’s MX2 top qualifier Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff struggled to find his rhythm in race one admitting: “My plan of attack was to hang back until I found my lines, but when it was time to go, I couldn’t find my rhythm”, meaning the latest MX2 favourite would only come home in fifth.
Fortunately the Dutch sensation redeemed himself in race two when he hammered the throttle early in lap one to take the lead and win seven seconds ahead of race one winner Arnaud Tonus.
Standing on the third step of the podium for the second time in succession BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie struggled to get off the line today, starting both races outside of the top 10. Despite having to slice his way through the pack, the British star managed to come back for a respectable fourth in both motos for third overall.
CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis put in an outstanding performance in race one moving from outside the top five forward to take a remarkable second behind his CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy teammate Arnaud Tonus.
Unfortunately in race two, the flamboyant French rider struggled in the deceivingly slick yet spongy clay, after a crash forced him into the pits for some brief repairs to his KXF250. Although it wasn’t easy, the young up and comer did manage to salvage 10th to take fourth overall here in Beto Carrero.
It was a fantastic day in the office for Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser with his outstanding 11th and third-place results for fifth overall.
The 2012 EMX125 European Champion put in the ride of his life in moto two, tearing up the gnarly circuit of Beto Carrero to take third place, making him the best finishing Slovenian in the history of MX2 racing.
Another European Champion really starting to move forward in MX2, Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod was footing it with the top guys in race one to come home in sixth. Despite a small crash in race two, the rising Swiss star managed to recoup for an impressive seventh place, tying with Gajser for fifth overall.
With the two-time FIM MX2 World Champion, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, sitting this round out, the MX2 championship was turned upside down.
Tonus took his first ever MX2 race victory as well as MX2 Grand Prix victory to write his name in the history books as the first ever Swiss rider to do so. Tonus now leads the MX2 World Championship two points clear of Coldenhoff in second while Ferrandis drops back to third trailing Tonus by five.
Meanwhile Jeffrey Herlings drops back to fourth, 15 points off the lead. Adding insult to injury, it was also the first time in two years that a KTM rider didn’t make it onto the MX2 podium.
MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), 35:30.500; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:13.621; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:15.684; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), +0:16.672; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Suzuki), +0:26.901; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:29.197; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:30.725; 8. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:33.119; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:35.951; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:37.658
MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Suzuki), 36:33.018; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:07.947; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:14.954; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), +0:19.783; 5. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:21.869; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:35.115; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:40.215; 8. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:41.676; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:42.322; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:44.807
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 47 points; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 41 p.; 3. Max Anstie (GBR, YAM), 36 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 33 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 30 p.; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 30 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 29 p.; 9. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 26 p.; 10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 24 p.
MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 112 points; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 110 p.; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 107 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 97 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 96 p.; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 87 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, YAM), 77 p.; 8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 77 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 74 p.; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 63 p
MX2 Manufacturer: 1. Kawasaki, 130 points; 2. KTM, 127 p.; 3. Suzuki, 110 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 102 p.; 5. Yamaha, 94 p.; 6. Honda, 73 p.; 7. TM, 6 p.
