GPKR - Sébastien Pourcel gives Kawasaki its first GP win of the season

After two difficult rounds for the Grand Prix Kawasaki Racing team Sébastien Pourcel claimed the fourth GP win of his career in Agueda, Portugal

After two very wet events there was at last a dry GP in Agueda, a regular venue for the FIM Motocross World Championship. Travelling straight from Spain to Portugal the team members as well as the riders enjoyed the sunny weather even if it was pretty difficult to get used to the high temperatures. As usual in Portugal the organisers did a perfect job preparing the layout.

Sebastien was the fastest rider on Saturday and dominated the two free practice sessions and later the timed practice period to collect his second consecutive pole position. Starting the opening race in fourth place Sébastien moved to second at mid-race distance behind David Philippaerts. After pushing hard during the last 10 minutes to catch the Italian rider, a mistake during the last lap cost him a possible heat win.

Sebastien’s second moto start was not as good as his previous one but he took advantage of his inside position on the start-gate to reach third behind Steve Ramon and Billy MacKenzie. For several laps he battled with the reigning World Champion and finally took second position at mid-race distance. Billy MacKenzie was leading but he crashed during the 14th lap and offered the win to Sébastien who then just controlled his rivals during the last few laps.

Sébastien was the only GPKR racing in this GP as Kevin Strijbos underwent surgery earlier in the week and Alexandre Rouis failed to qualify once more.

Sébastien Pourcel: “It’s great to win here today as I didn’t get any significant results during the first two GPs. Yesterday I was again the fastest rider during the practice sessions and it was important to confirm these performances during the race day. I had two good starts even if I did miss the jump out of the gate in the second moto. After that I didn’t make any mistakes except during the last lap of the first race when I pushed hard to join Philippaerts. I know that I can go faster but I want to be consistent as the championship is long and my goal now is to be in the top five every weekend. For the team it’s a great result, Kevin is injured and it’s mentally good for everyone to celebrate a GP win. I want to dedicate this win – my fourth one with Kawasaki – to M.Hoslet who passed away last week and helped us a lot with his son in Belgium.”

Roger Pourcel: “We’ve all known for a few weeks that we were ready to win some races but we didn’t get any success so far and so we are delighted today. Sebastien put probably too much pressure on his shoulders in the Netherlands and the racing conditions during the first two GPs didn’t help him. Here in Portugal it was different, he confirmed his speed during the qualifying sessions and today on a hard and dry track he was one of the fastest riders. He did the best lap times in each race and with this GP win he offers a great present to the team.

"I’m also happy for Kawasaki who have supported us for 17 years now – we have a very good bike and for sure we’ll offer the brand some other great results. Alex still has some troubles to be agressive on his bike and we will work in this direction. But at the moment he is not fast enough to qualify but I’m sure that it will change soon.”

 

Molson - Sword fights to fourth in Agueda

The Molson Kawasaki team celebrate in Portugal as Stephen Sword’s run of good form continues with the Scotsman scoring fourth place overall while Frenchman Gautier Paulin edges into the top-10

Just one week after the wet, windy and muddy mess of Bellpuig perfect track conditions and hot and sunny weather greets riders, teams and fans alike for round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship at Agueda in Portugal.

With Gareth Swanepoel still on the sidelines as he recovers from wrist surgery it’s up to Molson teamsters Stephen Sword and Gautier Paulin to represent the team in MX2 on their factory KX250F-SRs.

After qualifying well the team’s expectations of good results are high and those expectations are raised when Paulin and Sword enter turn one of moto one at the head of the pack. After being forced wide by Tommy Searle the pair settle inside the top five and are ideally placed for good points scoring rides and neither racer disappoints.

“In the first heat I got a great start between Gautier Paulin and Tommy Searle who was on the inside and kind of pushed us wide,” said Sword. “Antonio Cairoli and Tyla Rattray came past me and I stuck on the back of them for a good while and I was running good lap times – 1:48s – but eventually they were able to break away. I feel like I’m lacking confidence at the moment and it’s costing me probably a second a lap at the moment but that’s gonna come. I finished fourth in the end which I’ve got to be happy with.”

Paulin was also satisfied with his first race in dry conditions this year. “In the first race I took a good start and I rode okay,” claimed Gautier. “In some places I was riding a little bit too slow and I wasn’t jumping the uphill triple so I was losing some time there also. In the last few laps I had a problem with my rear brake – a stone damaged the brake hose – which also didn’t help but I was still able to finish ninth which I’m quite happy with.”

The pace in moto two seemed even hotter than in the opener and Sword had to fight hard for a fifth place finish on a much rougher track than in the first race. “I was fourth at the start of the second race behind Rattray for a good while – the first two had gone – and then I sort of lost contact with him and had Aubin quite close behind me giving me some grief but then I broke him and thought I had a safe fourth until I washed out on a corner over at the back.

“Luckily I kept the engine running and I didn’t lose too much time. Aubin seemed to have a second wind because Tommy crashed and I think he could see him ahead and I knew Rui Goncalves was around six or seven seconds behind so I knew I had a safe fifth and some good points in the bag with fourth overall.

“It was always gonna be hard to get a podium here but fourth is good and I’ve bumped myself up a few places in the championship and I feel now that I’m well on my way to being regularly up at the front.”
Paulin had a tougher time in moto after not getting such a good start but he fought hard and hung tough to finish 11th.

“In moto two I found a good rhythm and was pushing hard – my position in the race wasn’t better but I felt my riding was. The track was rough but my bike was handling perfectly and the power was good also. After today I’m very excited for the rest of the championship and my motivation to do well is at 100 per cent.”

Molson Kawasaki’s satellite MX1 rider Tom Church unfortunately failed to qualify on his KX450F after being bumped out of a qualifying position in the final minute of the timed practice session just one week after scoring his best ever MX1 GP result in Spain. “I’m obviously very disappointed,” said Tom. “Not qualifying for a GP is one of the worst feelings in the world and it’s difficult to describe how I’m feeling right now. All I can do is to put this behind me and concentrate on the future – some of my favourite tracks in the series are coming up and I know I can finish top-10 again like I did last weekend.”

The FIM Motocross World Championship continues in two weeks time with round four at Sevlievo in Bulgaria on May 11.

 

KRT - Leok and Priem battle hard in Portugal

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tanel Leok and Manuel Priem scrap it out at round three of the FIM MX1 World Championship at Agueda

Hot and sunny weather is warmly welcomed for round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship at Agueda in Portugal just one week after the mud and rain of the Spanish GP in Bellpuig. Although the conditions are much better than at round two, KRT riders Tanel Leok and Manuel Priem are still forced to battle hard for every point in two gruelling motos on the very technical Agueda circuit.

A mid-pack start for both riders in moto one means that both Tanel and Manuel have their work cut out. Tanel battles with Julien Bill and Clement Desalle on his way to eighth after seemingly taking some time to find his rhythm. “Today’s races were not so good,” said Tanel. “I was eighth place in the first race and I know I can do much better than that. I’m happy with my riding because I was able to push hard to the end and I was catching people up. With my injury I haven’t been riding a lot, I’m not able to practice so I’ve been going straight to the race and that’s tough you know. I’m fit but in the first few laps I don’t feel so comfortable.”

Priem’s on good form but after pulling through to 10th from a 20th place start he slips off and has it all to do again. “The first race I was running 10th until I made a small crash,” explained Manuel. “When I remounted I was in a group of around eight or nine people and I was ne of the fastest riders in this group but if I left the best line to try to pass someone I’d make a small mistake and end up being passed myself. I made a few mistakes and so this happened a few times and I finished 17th. My riding wasn’t so bad but I was maybe too aggressive for the track conditions – some places had good grip but others were slick and it was easy to spin out.”

Moto two was equally tough for Priem who crashed on lap two and was hit by local wildcard Paulo Goncalves. “In the second race I got a mid-pack start and on the second lap I crashed. I couldn’t start the bike for a while and was half a lap behind but my lap times were good and I battled to the finish to get one point. It was worth it because everyone in the team works very hard for me and so it’s my job to work very hard on the track also.

“I’m happy with my riding in the second race and I feel I rode much better, in the last 10 minutes they were showing me the blue flag because Pourcel was near but he never got any closer. I have mixed feelings about today, my results weren’t so good because I had some bad luck today but I think my riding was pretty good today.”

Although Leok’s result is much better than Priem’s he is much less happy with his riding. “The second race was really bad. I found it hard to pass and I tried hard but in the end I could only finish 10th. Hopefully I can practice more before Bulgaria and do better there.”

The results of today’s races mean that Leok improves his championship position at Priem’s expense as Tanel now sits one place higher in ninth while Manuel slips from eighth to 13th.

The next round of the FIM World Motocross Championship takes place at Sevlievo in Bulgaria on May 11 but before that the full KRT team will be in action on May 4 at Tongeren.

By: Kawasaki PR