Buildbase Honda’s Nico Aubin was the fastest pilot at round four of the ACU Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Milton MX Park this weekend. The track was groomed perfectly and despite heavy overnight rain, the track was watered continually until the start of practice on Sunday morning.
The ground was primed for racing and once the MX2 riders had cleared the lines, the MX1 class took to the circuit.
Aubin made no mistakes in qualifying, setting the bar high with a fast lap – at least three seconds faster than any of the competition.
The sun almost shone for the first MX1 moto as Tanel leok jumped into the lead and held it for the entire moto, though Aubin fought hard from fourth on lap one and slowly but surely began to gather in the cruising Route 77 Energy Honda rider.
Three laps from home, Aubin was right on Leok’s back wheel and he made a move on turn one, only to be blocked and any advantage lost. Leok finished first, Aubin second and a distant Jonathan Barragan third. Buildbase Honda teammate Steve Ramon had a comfortable ride finishing a much needed fifth.
With Series leader Tommy Searle absent, second placed Leok saw his opportunity to steal more valuable points and in moto two did exactly this once again. This outing Barragan and Whatley duelled for second and third place finishing eventually with Barragan taking the advantage.
Aubin battled from a terrible start and one of the last riders round turn one to claw his way to fourth spot for several laps only to fall foul of one of the endless ruts. He crashed and, as the rut was so deep, he couldn’t kick-start the bike, finishing an eventual and disappointing 19th, with Ramon equally disappointed in 16th.
For moto three the rain began to fall and the track had deteriorated. Deep, long ruts dictated the track lines and ice-like take-off ramps made the jumps treacherous. Aubin decided not to go out for his sighting lap and while all the other riders came back plastered in mud, the cool Frenchman stole the advantage – taking the holey and the moto win.
Barragan and a battling Whatley came home second and third though an unfortunate Leok retired at the halfway stage pushing his bike back to the pits and in doing so, opened up the Championship.
