Un difficile weekend Suédois

Après une courte pause le Championnat du Monde de Motocross reprenait ce weekend and la première de trois épreuves consécutives dans les pays Nordiques. Le team Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki n’a pas obtenu les résultats escomptés en Suède, là ou Dylan Ferrandis avait conquis l’an dernier son premier podium en GP. Les fortes pluies de la semaine avaient déjà bien détrempé le circuit d’Uddevalla, mais une série d’averses aggrava encore la situation samedi et c’est sur une piste glissante et boueuse que se déroulèrent les qualifications. Par chance le soleil fit son retour dimanche, et grâce au bon travail des organisateurs les courses purent se disputer dans de bonnes conditions. Dylan Ferrandis a été assez malchanceux en Suède, un problème de tear-offs l’obligeant à s’arrêter dès le début de la manche qualificative. Reparti dernier il reviendra dix septième derrière son équipier, n’obtenant pas une bonne place sur la grille de départ. Il ne fut pas plus chanceux en première manche, puisqu’une pierre endommagea sa roue arrière alors qu’il occupait la septième place après un bon départ. Sa seconde envolée ne fut pas aussi bonne, et même s’il parvint à trouver des solutions pour remonter dans le top dix il dut se contenter de la dixième place. Cette mauvaise journée lui fait perdre une place au championnat, ou il est désormais onzième. Son équipier Jason Clermont eut lui plus de difficultés à s’adapter à ce terrain qu’il découvrait, les conditions météo changeant constamment le samedi ne l’aidant pas dans sa tâche. Qualifié seizième il se classera vingt troisième de la première manche après une chute, et devra se contenter de la seizième place en seconde manche sur un circuit où doubler n’était pas évident.

Dylan Ferrandis: « Je ne me suis pas qualifié très bien, car j’ai du m’arrêter au cours du premier tour pour enlever un tear-off de mes lunettes maculées de boue ; la piste était mono trajectoire avec la boue, et je n’ai pas pu revenir mieux que dix septième. J’ai bien négocié mon premier départ, je me suis retrouvé septième et j’étais confiant jusqu’à ce que je sente que quelque chose n’allait pas sur la moto ; j’ai arrêté de sauter les sauts, et en rentrant au box on a découvert qu’une pierre avait endommagé la roue arrière. Mon second départ ne fut malheureusement pas aussi bon que le premier, et je n’ai pu revenir que dixième, un résultat qui ne correspond pas à mes attentes. »

Jason Clermont: « Ce fut un weekend difficile pour moi ; je me suis qualifié seizième, mais je n’ai réussi aucun de mes départs. En première manche j’étais dans les points quand j’ai chuté, en seconde j’ai vraiment eu du mal pour doubler et je dois me contenter d’une seizième place. »

A double win for team Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki

The penultimate round of the French Elite Motocross championship was a great one for team Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki, who dominates both classes. Winner of the MX2 classification Dylan Ferrandis is strongly leading the ‘Internationaux de France’ while Greg Aranda claimed his first double win this season in the MX1 class.

Nobody was able to ride with the Bud riders this weekend, as Dylan and Greg didn’t let anything to their rivals. Best lap time during the practice session, holeshot and all the heat wins were for Greg and Dylan in Saint Jean d’Angely!

Fastest rider in the timed practice period, Dylan Ferrandis had a quiet MX2 race. He grabbed the holeshot and then controls Benoit Paturel, taking even more advantage when they joined the lapped riders to win the heat twenty seconds ahead his rival. Very confident before the super final he had some strong moves after the start to come in fourth place; he passed Paturel for third, and then reduced the gap with Fabien Izoird on a 450. He passed him after mid race to finish runner up behind Aranda and best MX2 rider.

Back to his best form and pole position in the MX1 class, Gregory Aranda had dreaming starts in both races, MX1 heat and super final. Leading the race in the first corner Greg posted some fast laps to secure his leadership; in the MX1 race Soubeyras who was second crashed, so Greg could save some energy for the super final; once more leader in the first corner he had no opposition in this race and scored his first double win this season. A great reward after his injuries earlier this season, and an encouraging performance for the coming Euro Supercross season.

Dylan Ferrandis: “My goal this weekend was to get a top 3 and score as many points as possible and after my MX2 win I had a great super final. I was next to Aranda on the grid and I came fourth in the first corner, but there was some confusion in the first uphill and I lost some positions. I came back second behind Greg, that’s a great result on the track against the 450. I keep the red plate and now the goal is to have it after the last round in three weeks, in Gaillac. It’s great for the mental to score such good results after my disappointment in second moto in Portugal, it’s a boost for the World Championship and I hope that we’ll have good racing conditions in Brazil next week-end.”

Gregory Aranda: “ It’s a perfect day for me with the pole position, two holeshot and two heat wins. I think that I’m back to the level I had last year, and I will continue to train and work to get even more. I didn’t took any risks today, for sure when you get two holeshot it’s easier; in the first race I had some arms pumped, and in the second one I didn’t want to crash as I wanted to win both heats. It’s great to win after such a difficult period; I didn’t know what to expect after the last injury, and I had to work hard to be back; two weeks after my injury I had only one goal, to be back on my bike and I want to thanks team Rockstar Bud Kawasaki and my mechanic for their support.”

Valentin Teillet out for several weeks

Since his crash during the French Elite in Romagné, Valentin suffered from his right shoulder but all exams were not revealing any serious damage and Valentin tried hard to keep fighting for the top world championships spots, he even got a podium moto result at the last GP in Bulgaria 2 weeks ago but always with complaining from dolors on his shoulder.

New additionnals exams revealed some damages and Valentin will not race for several weeks because he will need surgery but he stay very motivated to come back asap before the end of the MX2 GP championship and make a good Supercross season and defend his European title.

The team decided to offer a new team mate to Dylan Ferrandis and we will replace Valentin immediatly from this week-end at Portugal GP by the young rider named Jason Clermont who is currently 2nd in the french elite 450 series.
It will be a real chance for Jason to show his potential worldwide and proof that he can be a good GP rider and secure a GP ride for the future.
He already rode few GP’s in 2009 when he was only 16th years old and he was too young at this time, hope that his second chance in the GP circuit will be the good one for him.
Jason was European 85cc champion in 2007 and won 125cc European Championship in Teutchenthal 2010.

Thank you for your support and keep you updated begin next week after Portugal GP.

Dylan Ferrandis leads the “Internationaux of France”

Livia Lancelot leads the French Women series

It’s a great performance that Dylan Ferrandis reached this weekend in Villars sous Ecot, as he won the MX2 class but also took the leadership of the “Internationaux of France”. The Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki rider is leading both the MX2 class and the overall classification of the French Elite series, a position that has never been reached by a MX2 rider!

On Saturday evening most of the riders were expecting a tough weekend, as the rain never stopped falling during 36 hours in Villars sous Ecot, home of the fourth round of the series. It was the first time since 2009 that a major Motocross was organised there, and when the riders went on the track on Sunday morning all were surprised to ride on a perfect track. The ground was soft but not too wet, and after the first practice session the track was technical with many long and deep ruts. Fastest rider in his qualifying group, Dylan Ferrandis grabbed the holeshot in the MX2 race and led the entire period; racing just behind him during most of the race Benoit Paturel was a strong opponent, but he crashed in one of the last circulations and Dylan won the race followed by Steven Lenoir and Paturel. Two hours later the best MX2 riders joined the MX1 guys for the super final; the powerful 450 got a better start, but on such a technical track the best MX2 riders had the opportunity to shine, even if some long uphills were in favour of the 450. Eighth after the opening lap, Dylan was in second position after ten minutes and did a very convincing race even if he couldn’t resist to the 450′s power of Nicolas Aubin and Jason Clermont. Fourth overall and first MX2 rider, Dylan won the MX2 classification of the day, consolidates his MX2 leadership and got the red plate as leader of the French Elite series!

Unfortunately Valentin Teillet could’nt ride as he had new exams after Bulgaria, which revealed some damages in his shoulder.

Fourth of the MX1 race on his 450 Bud Kawasaki, Gregory Aranda is back on the bike and he also got a perfect start in the super final and was battling for the lead when he crashed; then after another crash in a downhill he retired but the speed is coming back and it’s good for the preparation of the supercross season who iw his main goal this year.

Other good news came from Livia Lancelot, who again won three heats in the French women championship. With this fourth consecutive triple win, Livia who missed the first round of the series is now leading the classification.

Dylan Ferrandis: “ That’s great to increase my leadership in the MX2 series, but that’s even better to lead the overall classification in front of the MX1 riders! Today was great, we couldn’t believe that the track would be so nice to ride with all this rain on Friday and Saturday. In the super final it was impossible to keep Aubin and Clermont behind me; there was a double jump in an uphill where the 450 had a strong advantage, and both passed me there. But I’m pleased with my results, and I hope that next weekend in Portugal I will be riding as well as here.”