What a great home GP for team Bud Racing Monster Energy Kawasaki! In Saint Jean d’Angely Brian Moreau claimed his first ever podium in the 250 European Championship with a second overall, while Pierre Goupillon won his first European heat during the French round of the Championship.
A vast crowd witnessed exciting racing in varying conditions at the hillside Saint Jean D’Angely track, only 300km from Bud headquarters in Hossegor. On Saturday morning Brian and Pierre dominate their practice session, posting the first and second fastest lap time in their group to get a good gate for the races. The first race on Saturday evening was run in glorious sunshine, but overnight rain made conditions tricky for race two when both Bud teamsters excelled. Brian Moreau held a strong second place for five laps in the opening moto before selecting neutral and crashing but the youngster showed character as he recovered to regain fifth place on the final lap of the race. Again starting well in the muddy second moto he quickly advanced to the third place which would ensure his overall podium success and again showed character and maturity in difficult conditions to rebound after temporarily losing the place with a fall.
Philippe Goupillon also reached a career landmark as he raced to his first moto success in the series in the second moto. An incident when another rider crashed into him at the start of the first moto cost him all hopes of overall success but he too showed strength and maturity to quickly take over the lead in the muddy race two and maintain it to the end of the gruelling race.
Brian Moreau: « It’s so nice to get my first European podium on a 250 so close home and in front of a huge crowd. It was not an easy weekend as the track was muddy this morning after it rained a lot in the night, and it was important to avoid mistakes. I crashed one time and Boisrame passed me, but I passed him back to finish third and secure this podium. The first race could have been better as I was second for a long time until I hit a neutral in a corner and crashed. I have been searching since the beginning of the season to put two solid races together on the same weekend. Now I have achieved it and there was no better place to do it than my home GP. »
Pierre Goupillon: « Yesterday I had a good feeling with the track and posted the second fastest time in my group, but at the start of the first race another rider hit me and I couldn’t avoid a crash. I knew that my speed was good and I knew that with a good start everything was possible in the second race. I got a great start and soon took the lead. It’s important to be in front in the mud so you can choose your lines; I made a gap and didn’t make any mistakes, even when Clarke was pushing behind me, to win my first ever race in a European series. »
