This forthcoming weekend the Talkessel race track in Teutschenthal will host the German Grand Prix, being the eighth meeting in the fifteen round calendar.
David Philippaerts continues to lead the MX1 points standings at his second year in the category while a surprising Tommy Searle is on top of the MX2 Championship courtesy of St. Jean’s win.
The Women’s Motocross World Championship riders will race the penultimate round of the series in Germany with Kiwi Katherine Prumm holding the red plate.
MX1
After visiting St. Jean –the venue of his maiden MX2 win- two weeks ago, Yamaha Monster Motocross’ David Philippaerts heads to Teutschenthal seeking better fortunes in the venue where he took his maiden MX1 GP win last year.
As France was a tough weekend for the Championship leader, GPKR’s Sebastien Pourcel won both motos to claim the second GP win of 2008 and move up to fourth in the Championship. Philippaerts’ team mate Joshua Coppins mounted on the second step of the podium.
The Kiwi was third in Germany last year, behind Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Steve Ramon who took his first season’s pole in France but had a difficult weekend overall as he crashed while leading the opening moto. Though defending Champion Ramon collected important points again to keep the runner up spot in the standings, six points behind Philippaerts.
Taking another podium in France, AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan is working his way up through the points standings, where he currently sits in sixth ahead of Max Nagl.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s German will enjoy the support of his home crowd at Teutschenthal and will try to repeat Mantova’s heat win to collect the second podium of the season after he opened the 2008 GP campaign in Valkenswaard with a third overall.
Coming out of France, Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Ken de Dycker rounds off the top five, just 31 points adrift the leader.
MX2
Taking victory in both heats at St. Jean, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle collected his first double heat win and left France with his first career red plate. Now the Brit leads the standings with a four point advantage over runner up and team mate Tyla Rattray.
The South African took the second step on the podium in France while previous Championship leader Tony Cairoli of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli dropped down to third because of a broken fuel tank following a start crash in heat one – the Sicilian eventually did not finish the heat.
Winner of both heats in Germany last year, Cairoli will try to close the 20 point gap from Searle and snatch the red plate.
Ricci Racing Yamaha’s Nicolas Aubin and KTM UK’s Shaun Simpson round off the top five ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rui Goncalves and Molson Kawasaki’s Stephen Sword. The latter crashed in heat two at St. Jean, separating the AC joint of his right shoulder, and he is now doubtful for Germany.
Taking fourth overall at home in France, Suzuki Inotec’s Xavier Boog will ride the team’s home Grand Prix this weekend while French countryman Anthony Boissiere of KTM HDI MX is full of confidence after his second career podium from France.
Having taken part only to the Dutch Grand Prix because of a shoulder injury, Suzuki Swift Motocross’ Pascal Leuret will come back to action this weekend while Suzuki fellow rider Matiss Karro will ride his first GP for the Beursfoon Suzuki MX squad.
TALKESSEL AND TEUTSCHENTHAL
The Talkessel race track in Teutschenthal is one of the most important courses in the country; this hard pack circuit underwent a few changes last year, with the ground becoming slightly softer as sand was added to the hard base. The twisty layout features many undulations which make it very spectacular from a racing point of view. Last year some showers affected the whole Sunday, when Philippaerts and Cairoli won the MX1 and MX2 Grand Prix’s respectively.
Teutschenthal is a small town located in the heart of Germany, actually in the State of Saxony-Anhalt which hosts part of the river Elbe’s course, the low mountains of Harz and the fertile Magdeburger plain. Germany’s capital Berlin is only 200 kilometres South as the closest main city is Leipzig, less than an hour drive away.
THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
Saturday June 28: Women’s World Championship Free Practice 1 at 9:00 am; MX2 Free Practice at 10:00 am; MX1 Free Practice 1 at 11:00 am; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice at 12:00 am; Women’s World Championship Free Practice 2 at 1:15 pm; MX1 Free Practice 2 at 2:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 1 at 3:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 2 at 3:45 pm; MX1 Time Practice at 4:30 pm; MX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice at 5:15 pm; Women’s World Championship Time Practice at 6:00 pm (local time).
Sunday June 29: Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).
Information, photos and results are online at http://www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.
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- Daniele RIZZI -
