Mathis Valin retained the red plate of the series points-leader and extended his lead in the FIM European EMX250 Championship with his second consecutive series victory at Teutschenthal in Germany. He will have again the red plate on his Bud Racing Kawasaki next weekend in Latvia.

In the first race Mathis swept through turn one seventh but was quickly up to fourth and a clever line-choice on lap four saw him sweep around his closest championship rival for third. A simple error accelerating out of a slippery turn cost him two positions on lap six and he was content to retain fifth to the chequered flag. On Sunday he made a neat inside pass for the lead on lap two after rounding turn one third and remained unruffled when challenged for the lead in the sticky conditions to take the chequered flag second. Within minutes of the finish he was awarded the win as a result of a penalty for a rule-infringement by his rival. The moto victory, together with fifth in Saturday afternoon’s first moto, also ensured overall victory – his second consecutive win in the series – and he has extended his lead in the championship to twenty-six points heading to Latvia next weekend.

On Saturday Benjamin Garib joined his teammate in the top-ten off the start to finish ninth, and he persevered in the demanding conditions of race two, avoiding mistakes to push forward from an initial thirteenth to his second ninth-placed finish of the weekend to secure his best result of the season with eighth overall. The Chilean is now sixteenth in the points standings.

Mathis Valin: « On Sunday morning my goal was to have a podium result, but in the end, as Lata got a penalty, I won the GP. For sure I don’t like to win that way, but it’s good for the championship! I showed my speed again this weekend and I did my best as always; the track was rough but I got a better start on Sunday and that was necessary in these conditions. I took the lead, but when Lata passed me I made a couple of mistakes and had to ride more calmly to finish second. Next up is Latvia; I won there last year in the 125s and I like this track so let’s go!”

Benjamin Garib: “I can take a lot of positives from this weekend. My starts have been costing me this year so we’ve been working on that and I finally got top-ten start again this weekend. On Saturday I rode a solid race – no crashes – and I maintained my pace to stay on two wheels when the rain came to finish ninth. The second moto was muddy, and that is not what I am best at, but I made it happen; I was happy with my riding and stayed on two wheels. Latvia is a new track for me but I’m excited after two solid motos this weekend.”

Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin took over the red plate of the series leader in the FIM European EMX250 Championship after completing his dominant weekend at St Jean d’Angely in his native France with a second moto win and his maiden overall victory in the class.

Mathis was in magnificent form all weekend, confirming his talent as he controlled both motos under fluctuating climatic conditions. He had already secured pole position in a dry Timed Practice and he was clearly not phased when track conditions changed dramatically as rain rolled in from the Atlantic. Fourth through turn one in the first race he quickly slipped through to third within a couple of turns, moved second on lap two and took over the lead on lap four. Quickly opening up a six second lead he maintained his composure in the slippery conditions to eventually take victory by ten seconds. On Sunday the track was still heavy and demanding but nothing could distract him from the task at hand. Second through turn one he dived past for the lead already on the second long downhill and, displaying immaculate bike-control and mature race-skills beyond his tender years aboard the incomparable KX250, he controlled the race from the front to claim his first EMX250 career overall win in the class with a perfect weekend. He also claimed the red plate of the championship leader and takes a twenty-three point advantage over second to the next round. Kawasaki now also leads the FIM Manufacturers’ Championship.

In the first race teammate Benjamin Garib made a superb start from fifteenth gate-pick to run seventh on the opening lap but a mistake on lap four in the slippery conditions pushed him down to thirteenth and, covered in greasy mud, the Chilean eventually finished eighteenth. On Sunday he had gated thirteenth but, looking to advance quickly, slipped off on the greasy surface and remounted way back in thirtieth position. Posting similar lap times to the top-six he narrowly missed the points by one position and is now twenty-third in the series points-standings.
This win is a great reward for Mathis and all the staff of the team, who worked hard since last winter. It was nice to have so many partners and friends with us this weekend, who wera able to celebrate with us this great result.

Mathis Valin: “A perfect weekend here in France with two moto wins! It was amazing this weekend, and I didn’t feel any pressure; it was just a GP like any other even if I felt the crowd behind me; there was more public than yesterday and it was cool to race with this support. I am so happy and enjoyed every minute. If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that I would hold the red plate this year I’m not sure I would have believed them as there are some strong guys with a lot of experience in this championship, but it’s cool to get the red plate and now I will try to keep it until the end of the season.”

Mathis Valin took another podium finish on his Bud Racing Kawasaki in the third round of the FIM European EMX250 Championship at a rain-hit Agueda in Portugal to retain second place in the series standings.

Third in the timed practice session on Saturday, Mathis was initially in the top-ten at the start of the first race on Saturday, as heavy rain swept inland from the Atlantic but he was soon displaying grit and determination to push forward to fourth by lap two. With the ruts getting deeper by the lap he finally broke down the defenses of the series points-leader three laps later before immediately moving clear to chase down the rider ahead of him, claiming his eventual second place with three laps remaining. Excellent trackwork overnight had repaired the rain damage from Saturday but the going was still heavy and unpredictable when light drizzle returned as EMX went to the line. Valin was keen to make an early move with a good start in 2nd position but his plans were dealt a blow within half a lap as he cross-rutted and flew over the bars. He remounted quickly in seventh but was clearly shaken by the crash and needed a couple of laps to settle before advancing decisively back to fourth at the finish despite pain in his left leg. His determination was rewarded with his second podium of the campaign and he retains second in the series headed to the next round on home soil in France at St Jean D’Angely on the weekend of May 18-19.

Bud teammate Benjamin Garib had been impressive and got his best result in Qualifying Practice to post seventh-fastest time but the Chilean was soon involved in collisions with other riders which cost him so much time that, rider and bike covered in greasy mud, he had to be content with thirty-first at the finish. On Sunday at race two he joined his teammate in the top-ten off the start, but his hopes of a good placing were soon negated as a second lap crash pushed him down to twenty-sixth; a difficult race saw the Chilean twenty-second at the finish.

Mathis Valin: “It’s nice to be back on the podium even if the second moto was not what I wanted. This year is a learning year for me in the 250 class so to get podiums is great, but without the crash in the second moto I could have done even better. I knew that the start was important due to the track conditions and I got that today but unfortunately during the first lap I had a huge crash and felt a lot of pain in my left leg. I really don’t know how I could manage to come back to fourth as I couldn’t even put my leg out in the left corners! But a return to the podium is a great reward; we have a weekend off now before the French GP so I will have time to take care of my leg.”

Benjamin Garib: “The weekend started well with good times in practice but the first moto yesterday was so muddy; I had problems with vision so I had to stop for fresh goggles and it was impossible to get back in the points from there. I made a decent start in race two but crashed on the second lap. I’m just feeling disappointed at the moment but we will keep working and I’m looking forward to St Jean d’Angely; I like that track so much.”

Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin narrowly missed the podium in round two of the EMX250 Championship at Pietramurata in the Trentino region of northern Italy but the French teenager retained a secure second place in the series standings.

A single slip in each race cost the youngster a second consecutive podium in his rookie season in the class, but he displayed character and determination to regain his composure and charge back up the leaderboard to finish fourth in each moto. He spun out in a loose-surfaced turn on the third lap of Saturday afternoon’s first moto after quickly advancing to fourth; the incident cost him three positions but he responded well to recover fourth place five laps from the close despite discomfort in his leg from the crash. In race two on Sunday morning he found himself squeezed towards the trackside banking heading into the first turn but was again quickly on the move to seventh before tipping over in a tight turn at the start of lap four to surrender two positions. Undaunted by the slip he persevered with decisive passes on consecutive laps mid-moto to make fourth his own four laps from the end. He now trails the championship leader by sixteen points but is seventeen clear of third in the standings.

Bud teammate Benjamin Garib had no joy in Saturday’s first moto as he was involved in a mass collision on the exit from turn one but the Chilean showed his speed and determination in race two as he advanced consequently from a fifteenth-placed start to seventh – with his sights set on fifth – two laps from the finish before a fall pushed him back to eighth at the chequered flag.

Mathis Valin: “ After my crash yesterday I had so much pain in my leg that I could hardly walk when I came back to the team truck and I didn’t sleep so well last night. But today I did my best to get some important points with another fourth-placed finish; in the first part of the race I still had some pain, especially when I was sitting down, but it became less painful mid-moto and I could make some passes. I didn’t really enjoy this track so much but the results show that all the work we did this winter is paying off and overall I’m happy as I’m still second in the standings.”

Benjamin Garib: ” Saturday was not a good way to start the weekend with a crunch at the first corner but my start was better today and I was right on the pack. I could make some good passes but I had a small crash near the end which cost me a couple of places. I enjoyed the track, but it was a new experience and very tricky with the grip; you had to be very careful with line-choice. I’m happy with my riding; I just need to figure out my starts.”

Live the inside GP with us here below:

Mathis Valin was impressive in his first ever 250 European race, as he sensationally raced to a moto victory and second overall on his debut in the European EMX250 Championship in the suburb of Madrid.

On Saturday afternoon Mathis had already shown his potential in the first moto as he charged from sixth on the opening lap to finish third, less than four seconds behind the winner and he was truly in his element in race two on Sunday morning. Gating second he moved confidently into the lead already on the opening lap and controlled the race to the finish in heavy track conditions with deep sticky ruts after extensive overnight track-watering. Quickly breaking away from the chasing pack he showed great maturity to extend his lead to seven seconds by half-distance, coolly maintaining his advantage to the chequered flag. The moto win appeared to the key to overall victory too as he entered the final lap but there was heartbreak as his rival for the top step of the weekend podium was gifted a position three corners from the finish to reverse the overall standings. But, with second overall and a moto win Kawasaki’s class newcomer can look forward with confidence to the next races.

Mathis Valin: “Incredible! Already yesterday I had a good feeling; the track changed a lot throughout the day but that was not a problem as I feel very comfortable on the bike. Then today I had another good start; I took the lead when van Erp crashed and I could made a gap to control the race. I have always enjoyed racing in muddy conditions but to win a moto in my second race on the 250 is incredible! I stayed calm until the chequered flag; I just lost the red plate as Lata gained one position on the last lap but anyway it’s great to be on the podium. We had a good winter with the team and the hard work is paying off, it’s great to offer them this podium and I’m proud of this first moto win.”

Benjamin Garib on the second Bud Racing Kawasaki had to dig deep from midfield starts in both motos from the middle of the gate after a disappointing Timed Practice had left him with sixteenth pick. The Chilean’s frustration was intensified in the first moto as he was dragged down in a multiple-rider pile-up on the opening lap and narrowly missed the points in twenty-second after a tough recovery from the back of the forty-rider pack. Sixteenth in the early stages of race two he advanced to fourteenth by mid-moto and, maintaining his lap times to the finish, grabbed two places on the final lap to finish twelfth.

Benjamin Garib: “I didn’t get the results I wanted this weekend but I will learn from my mistakes; I don’t feel so comfortable in muddy conditions but at least I stayed on two wheels today. My thanks to the team and my mechanics; we will keep pushing and training and look for a return to best form in the French championship race next weekend.”