Tyla Rattray out to recapture MX2 Red Number Plate in France
Red Bull KTM factory MX2 duo Tommy Searle and Tyla Rattray performed well on a hard and dusty surface at St. Jean D'Angely to be first and third fastest in Qualifying Race Two ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix of France
Searle, who this weekend celebrated his nineteenth birthday was in fighting form clocking 24:24.869, almost three seconds faster than second-placed countryman Stephen Sword of Britain. Rattray, who is committed to recapturing the coveted red number plate of the championship leader said he initially struggled to find his rhythm on an extremely dusty track surface that riders are hoping will be watered down overnight.
Rattray positive
"I have a good feeling for tomorrow," Red Bull KTM's South African rider said. "I'm positive and optimistic. I want a good start and I'll be going for the win." Tyla is just a tantalizing one point behind standings leader Toni Cairoli and plans to turn that situation around in Sunday's race.
Riders battle dusty track
Red Bull KTM teammate Rui Goncalves of Portugal was down the order at ninth after he admitted was "not a good start". "I tried hard to find my rhythm but it was difficult today and there was a lot of dust." Jeremy van Horebeek of the KTM GP Juniors Team Champ was back on the track after missing the British GP with a broken thumb and injured wrist. Wearing a special brace, he rode to eighth fastest in Qualifying Race Two.
Anthony Boissiere of the KTM-supported Team HDI France was third in Qualifying Race one, won by Cairoli.
Results Qualifying Race Two
1. Tommy Searle, Britain, KTM, 24:24.869
2. Stephen Sword, Britain, Kawasaki, 24:27.824
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, KTM 24:31.099
4. Manuel Monni, Italy, Yamaha, 24:38.071
5. Nicolas Aubin, France, Yamaha, 24:46.120
Other KTM
8. Jeremy van Horebeek, Belgium, KTM, 25:02.610
9. Rui Goncalves, Portugal, KTM, 25:05.830
15. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM, 25:35.737
Results Qualifying Race One
1. Antonio Cairoli, Italy, Yamaha, 24:29.759
2. Marvin Musquin, France, Honda, 24:35.070
3. Anthony Boissiere, France, KTM, 24:37.421
4. Xavier Boog, France, Suzuki, 24:45.4615. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki, 24:50.242
Other KTMShaun Simpson, Britain, KTM, 25:17.753
Barragan Fastest in MX1 Time Practice for Grand Prix of France
Jonathan Barragan of KTM-supported Team Silver Action was the fastest MX1 KTM rider in Time Practice Saturday ahead of the Grand Prix of France at St. Jean D'Angely.
The Spaniard was 0.065 seconds off the pace of Saturday's fastest Steve Ramon of Belgium finishing in eighth slot on a dry and dusty track. Kornel Nemeth of the KTM-supported Sarholz team was eleventh and James Noble of the new KTM UK team was twelfth. Max Nagl, factory rider for Red Bull KTM was less fortunate finishing back in fifteenth place, but put in his fastest lap time of towards the end of the session.
"There is less than two seconds between the top 15 riders, so it is not too bad. Normally I like French tracks but it is very dry and dusty here at the moment," he said. "For tomorrow I hope for a good start and let's see what will happen." Nagl, of Germany has been out of sorts condition-wise and will undergo some medical tests during the course of next week.
Meanwhile Barragan, pumped from his victory in the last round will be hoping to pick up a bunch of points on this traditional hard pack surface and sometimes stony track. He hopes to match his winning performance from the last round in Britain when he was third and first in the two motos for overall GP victory.
Results MX1 Time Practice
1. Steve Ramon, Belgium, Suzuki, best lap time 1:46.418
2. Tanel Leok, Estonia, Kawasaki, 1:46.434
3. Ken de Dyker, Belgium, Suzuki, 1:46.813
4. Clement Desalle, Belgium, Suzuki, 1:46.991
5. Bill Julien, Switzerland, Honda, 1:46.996
Other KTM
8. Jonathan Barragan, Spain, KTM, 1:47.170
11. Kornel Nemeth, Hungary, KTM, 1:47.968
12. James Noble, Britain, KTM, 1:48.076
15. Max Nagl, Germany, KTM, 1:48.341
28 Julien Vanni, France, KTM, 1:50.610
-KTM-Sportmotorcycles Mattighofen-
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