Subscription

Car Racing

Motorcycle Racing

Racing in Oz

Shop

2005 WORLD MX

2005 WORLD MX: R5 of 17, May 15, 2005 - TEUTSCHENTHAL, GERMANY

• Grand Prix of Germany
• TRACK: Talkessel (old East German city of Teutschenthal)
• Located near Leipzig
• 1850m long ; off chamber corners; fast straights; angled first corner
• 2004 WINNERS:
• MX1: B. Jorgensen Honda
• MX2: R1 Townley KTM, R2 Sword Kawasaki
• 2003 WINNERS:
• GP CLASS: Mickael Pichon, Suzuki 250 2 ST
• 650 CLASS: Joel Smets, KTM
• 125 CLASS: De Reuver, KTM 125
• 2002 WINNERS:
• 500cc: EVERTS, YAMAHA
• 250cc: GUNDERSEN, KAWASAKI
• 125cc: CAPS, KTM

SCHEDULE:

• Practices: Saturday 9.30 am
• Qualifying: Saturday 2 - 5pm
• Race: Sunday
• MX2 races 12.05 and 3.02 pm
• MX1 races 1.05 pm and 4.05 pm

Double victory for Pichon in Germany

PICHON, WINNER: "I have been waiting for this victory. I trained really hard over the winter and, like all of us, I want to win the Championship. The first few races weren’t so good even if I was consistent. I like Teutschenthal a lot and I was hoping to win this weekend. I was happy that the weather was good today even though I knew the races would still be difficult. The starts were important and I got it right both times. We are working with the guys to get the bike better and better. They are trying really hard and we made a good job this weekend; this is the best I have felt since the beginning of the year. I was able to pull away easily. Stefan closed some time on me in the second moto but I could cut through the backmarkers quickly and control the race.”

• Honda celebrated their first MX1 ‘double’ of the season this afternoon after Mickael Pichon’s clean sweep at Teutschenthal for the Grand Prix of Europe, round five of the 2005 FIM Motocross World Championship. To crown a decent day for the Martin Honda team series-leader Stefan Everts could only finish eleventh in the first moto and the Championship chase has tightened considerably. CAS Honda rider Josh Coppins also mounted the podium in second position.
• Weather conditions had improved in eastern Germany, close to the town of Halle, as the relentless debilitating rain of Saturday gave way to wind and passing clouds; thankfully no further showers. However the effects of the excessive water on the track created a sticky and rough course where the slightest mistake would prove costly. The racing line was fast, narrow and rough and overtaking was again a precious commodity.
• Pichon had secured his fifteenth consecutive pole position on Saturday and has now ruled qualification for a full year. He clocked a time that was just four thousandths of a second faster than KTM’s Ben Townley despite having some problems with the roll-off strip on his goggles.
• 24,000 fans packed the chilly Talkessel circuit and witnessed Pichon enact a perfect set of motos as he hole shoted both races and led from the first corner to the chequered flag. The jump from the start gate was the crucial moment of the day and the twenty-eight year old was faultless on both occasions. The Frenchman was far happier with the handling of his CRF 450R aced his 35th career win. Only Stefan Everts, who crashed in the opening race and could only finish eleventh, could run him close in the second moto but the former 250cc double World Champion was able to manage a comfortable cushion over his main title rival.
• CAS Honda rider Josh Coppins provided one of the highlights of a staid first race by battling with countryman Ben Townley in a fierce contest for third place. The British Champion held the upper-hand for at least half of the 35 minutes and 2 laps distance but a mistake in stalling the engine allowed the KTM to pass and Coppins was left adrift in fourth. Coppins was more pro-active in the second moto and survived a brief skirmish with Suzuki’s Joel Smets on the first lap to again take a lonely fourth behind the escaping figure of KTM’s Steve Ramon.
• RWJ’s James Noble continued his splendid form with seventh place overall. The Briton is currently second in his national series and equalled his highest ever GP race finish with a ranking of fifth in Moto1.
• Pichon’s team-mate Javier Garcia Vico is still suffering from damaged vertebrae in his neck that caused inflammation and prevented the Spaniard from riding. The Martin Honda representative needs to rest and is hopeful of being back in action for the British Grand Prix on June 5th. CAS Honda rider Jussi Vehvilainen was also missing after injuring ankle ligaments during the first moto at Namur last week. Like Vico, the Finn is confident of a GP return at Matchams Park in early June. (HONDA)

RACE RESULTS

MX1, MOTO 1, 17 LAPS

• 1 Mickael Pichon Honda CRF 450R FRA 39' 47.721
  2 J. Smets Suzuki BEL +15.707
  3 B. Townley KTM NZL +29.885
  4 J. Coppins Honda NZL +32.782
  5 J. Noble Honda GBR +41.382
  6 B. Jorgensen Yamaha DNK +42.744
  7 T. Leok Kawasaki EST +43.553
  8 A. Meo Husqvarna FRA +1' 21.421
  9 A. Pyrhonen TM FIN +1' 38.560
  10 M. Van Daele Honda BEL +1' 41.398
  11 S. Everts Yamaha BEL +1' 46.323
  12 D. Theybers Suzuki BEL +1' 47.195
  13 P. Leuret Honda FRA +1' 53.507
  14 J. Barragan KTM ESP +2' 0.806
  15 Y. Atsuta Suzuki JPN +2' 7.955

MX1, MOTO 2, 18 LAPS

• 1 Mickael Pichon Honda CRF 450R FRA 40' 28.596
  2 S. Everts Yamaha BEL +19.476
  3 S. Ramon KTM BEL +31.481
  4 J. Coppins Honda NZL +36.617
  5 T. Leok Kawasaki EST +45.676
  6 K. De Dijcker Honda BEL +47.478
  7 B. Jorgensen Yamaha DNK +55.579
  8 J. Smets Suzuki BEL +1' 1.588
  9 J. Noble Honda GBR +1' 3.102
  10 J. Barragan KTM ESP +1' 24.113
  11 M. Van Daele Honda BEL +1' 28.251
  12 M. Priem Yamaha BEL +1' 29.164
  13 A. Pyrhonen TM FIN +1' 40.877
  14 B. Townley KTM NZL +1' 45.968
  15 N. Kornel Suzuki HUN +1' 47.217

COPPINS, 2nd overall: “It’s good to be back on the podium. The weekend started off a bit slow for me – in the first heat I was not riding so well. Our team boss had a pep talk with me after the first race and told me to get more aggressive. I took his advice and we also made some changes to the bike which worked really well in the second moto. I’m going to take some time off next week and then we leave for Japan on Monday. We plan to visit the Honda museum which I’m really looking forward to.”

COPPINS REPORT: Coppins second in Germany!

• The worst was feared for track conditions after heavy thundershowers during the night threatened to make the German GP another mud-bath. CAS Honda star, Josh Coppins, capitalised on is consistency and the tricky conditions to go 4-4 and place second overall at the ‘Talkessel’ circuit. Riders and spectators were pleased to see bouts of sunshine on Sunday which would help dry out the circuuot and make for a good days racing.
• Coppins lost his good start advantage and second place when he was bumped by Joël Smets shortly after the first turn in race one. He quickly regained his composure and the pressure of fellow Kiwi, Ben Townley, to slot into fourth position. Coppins battled to get past Finnish rider, Antti Pyrhonen, while still having to fend off Townley. Eventually Pyrhonen tired and Lizzard moved into third. A potential podium finish was short lived when Coppins stalled his bike, handing third to his compatriot. “Lizzard” didn’t lose much time in re-starting his motorcycle and gave chase. As time was running out, the CAS Honda, was not gaining on the front runners and crossed the finish line in fourth.
• Race two would be a reverse situation with Coppins rubbing shoulders with Smets this time. Belgian, Steve Ramon, snuck past on the third lap relegating ‘Lizzard’ to fifth however he soon found his rhythm and both he and Ramon reeled in last years GP winner, Brian Jorgensen to move up a position. With ten minutes to go, Coppins was all over Ramon and trying to get by. A minor mistake by Coppins, gave Ramon some breathing room however “Lizzard” was happy to come home in fourth and claim second overall.

YAMAHA RACE REPORT: MX1 : Everts limits the cost of untimely fall

• A difficult circuit and a rare Stefan Everts mistake combined to leave Yamaha without podium today at the Talkessel circuit in Teutschenthal, Eastern Germany, for the Grand Prix of Europe, the fifth stop of seventeen in the 2005 FIM World Championship. Mickael Pichon (Honda) claimed both heats and won the GP ahead of Josh Coppins (Honda). Both Yamaha L&M Motocross riders placed inside the overall top six in a solid if unspectacular day's action. Everts was beaten to the podium by three points behind Joel Smets (Smets) but was smarting at the dent to his World Championship advantage on Pichon that has now shrunk from twenty-seven points to nine.
• 24,000 fans braved low temperatures and light winds to witness a stifled MX1 competition largely determined by the speed of Mickael Pichon who hole-shotted and led both races from start to finish but also by a track that offered a single dry racing line and, once more this season, presented very few opportunities for overtaking. Continual rainfall throughout Saturday's practice and qualifying programme soaked the German mud and created another demanding terrain; the third consecutive Grand Prix that has been affected by adverse weather conditions. Everts started poorly in the first moto and fell in the busy new twisty set of corners after the initial downhill turn designed to slow the circuit down. The World Champion took some time to restart his machine and embarked on a creditable plough through the pack to eventually secure eleventh. His team-mate Brian Jorgensen, who scooped his first ever Grand Prix victory at Teutschenthal twelve months previously, circulated inside the mid top ten and defended sixth place from Tanel Leok (Kawasaki).
• Everts made no mistake in the second race although was not clean enough on the opening lap to hang onto the rear wheel of Pichon who broke free and established a gap that never shrank below five seconds until the final stages despite the best efforts of the Belgian. Jorgensen had been running as high as third but tired in the second half of the sprint and faded back to seventh unable to display the same mastery.
• The sixth round of the World Championship takes place in two weeks at Sugo in Japan, the first Grand Prix to occur in the country since 1995. The Japanese test represents the first of three consecutive meetings, with visits to Great Britain and Italy following hard upon.
• Stefan Everts (L&M Yamaha Team) - fourth overall
  "This is a disappointing day for me and I was expecting a little bit more. In the first race I went down in the third corner and couldn't restart. I was going for a tear-off and the bike just slid away. I was so far behind everybody and the track was so tough for passing. I was completely covered in mud and my gloves were full. The first three laps were really difficult, I finally finished eleventh and that was the best I could do. In the second moto I made a good start from the gate but then I couldn't get the bike into gear and I blew my holeshot there. I was very aggressive on the first lap and tried to get past Pichon and we touched. That was my mistake and my fault. I put the bike into neutral as a result of the collision and that cost me four places. In half a lap I got back to second and I pushed but I was trying too hard and going slower, Mickael was pulling away a second a lap. After a while I relaxed and made some time but only really caught up when we hit the backmarkers; it was too late. I had a big points lead and while I was not expecting to make ground over Pichon at every GP I am angry that I lost so many in one go."
• Brian Jorgensen (L&M Yamaha Team) - sixth overall
  "I started eleventh in the first moto and finished sixth which wasn't too bad because there was only one line. I was trapped behind Pyrhonen for a long time and the guys at the front had gone. In the second moto I started better but there were people all over me and I spent a lot of energy trying to protect my line. I was struggling with the lines and was riding too tense. I was really exhausted at the end which was surprising because I never normally have a problem with my condition but I could not concentrate. It was nice to get some points but I was hoping for more here. The track and conditions were completely different to last year."

YAMAHA RACE REPORT: MX2 : Fabulous weekend for Yamaha in Germany

• The Ricci Racing team complete a memorable hatrick when all three of their riders filled the MX2 podium at a cold and windy Talkessel circuit in Teutschenthal today for the Grand Prix of Europe, the fifth round of the MX2 World Championship. Andrew McFarlane claimed his second win of the season and third career success in front of David Guarneri who scored his maiden moto victory when he hole-shotted and secured the second race. Alessio Chiodi's results of fifth and second allowed him to join his team-mates for a true champagne celebration.
• The Grand Prix was an unprecedented success for Yamaha with three riders in the top four of the first moto, four riders in the top five of the second moto and five riders in the top eight of the overall standings. Antonio Cairoli was second behind McFarlane in the opening race and still leads a Yamaha trio in the World Championship standings. The series standings have narrowed with Cairoli ahead by just one point from Chiodi and McFarlane trailing by nineteen. Yamaha also lead the constructors table by twenty-eight points from Kawasaki.
• McFarlane pulled away from the pack early into Moto1 on a wet and difficult circuit where once again the leading positions around the first turn largely dictated the race order and the Yamaha's proved capable as a hoard of blue machines shot to the front of the field. Antonio Cairoli followed the Australian with Cedric Melotte a distant third; the order of the top three did not change for the entire eighteen laps, merely emphasising the lack of overtaking locations and chances outside of the narrow dry racing line.
• The second MX2 moto was the best of the day as Guarneri (who was seventh in the first race) led McFarlane and Chiodi as Cairoli started further back and lost the podium when he suffered a small crash, finishing sixteenth. Melotte was also in contention but fell out of third and was confused by his pitboard, thinking there was one lap less than there actually was, and dropped to twelfth. The three team-mates engaged in a heated battle with Guarneri resisting the advances of McFarlane, chasing a double win, and then Chiodi using his experience to pip the moto 1 winner to the finish line on the final lap.
• The World Championship now pauses for a rare free weekend before a three week back-to-back trek to Japan, Great Britain and Italy. The Japanese round represents the first visit to the Orient in ten years and will take place at the Sugo circuit near Sendai.
• Andrew McFarlane (Ricci Racing) - overall winner
  "I felt really strong in the first moto and the bike was working exceptionally well, especially the suspension and engine, and that is credit to Yamaha and also Ohlins, but in the second race it was difficult to pass. It was only one line and I had to take some risks to try and overtake lapped riders. It is frustrating on tracks like this and it was unfortunate for me because Davide is not one of the easiest riders to pass! I tried some different things but he was riding very smart. I am happy for him that he won his first Grand Prix moto. Chicco was strong but I did not want to let him through because I wanted to close as many points as possible in the Championship. Anyway I'm happy because I have won my second overall Grand Prix of the year."
• Davide Guarneri (Ricci Racing) - second overall
  "The track was really difficult today and when I got in the front for the second moto I didn't want to make any mistakes. The team and the bike have been fantastic and this result is not such a surprise for me because I worked very hard in the winter. I saw in the Italian Championships that I could run with Antonio and Chicco so I knew with a little bit of luck I could be going for a good Grand Prix result. The four-stroke is great for my style. I had a few injuries last year, to my knee and the ligament in my finger that prevented me from getting the results. To win in this class is never easy because there are so many decent riders but I am always better when there is not so much mud!"
• Alessio Chiodi (Ricci Racing) - third overall
  "In the second moto I felt much better than in the first because it was drier and there was a lot more grip. I could push more than before and tried hard, especially in the last ten minutes, to take the lead but Andrew and Davide were fast. Andrew made a mistake on one jump and I moved through to second. I am really happy to see the whole team on the podium and it has been a great weekend. The only disappointment was that I could not take the red plate today; that would have made things really special for the team."

PREVIEW:

HONDA

• Less than a week after the fourth round of the World Motocross Championship at Namur in Belgium, Honda Racing teams are preparing to head east for the highly anticipated Grand Prix of Germany.
• The high-speed and extremely technical Talkessel circuit in the old East German city of Teutschenthal is one of the most exciting on the Grand Prix calendar. With its hard-packed track and mixture of off-camber corners, fast straights and tricky jumps, the circuit presents a difficult challenge to even the most experienced riders.
• Following two sixth place finishes at Namur, Josh Coppins is ready to do battle in Germany. The CAS Honda campaigner achieved two top six positions at last year’s showdown at the German Grand Prix and goes to the 1.8km circuit in a confident mood. Coppins is currently third in the MX1 championship standings, but is only 14 points behind second-placed rider, Mickael Pichon.
  After a superb display at Agueda, where he claimed his first podium of the 2005 world series, Coppins’ CAS Honda team-mate Jussi Vehvilainen suffered an unlucky injury at last week’s Belgian event. The Finn immediately sought medical attention for the damaged ligaments in his ankle but has been advised to rest for a few weeks. Vehvilainen is unable to race at Teutschenthal but will return to the world series for the British Grand Prix at Matchams Park on 5 June.
• Despite not visiting the majority of GP circuits last year due to injury, Cape- Town-based Paul Cooper is making a big impression in the 2005 World MX1 Championship. The Multitek Honda rider is on fighting form this year, after claiming numerous points-scoring finishes and is currently seventh overall.
• RWJ Honda’s James Noble put on a strong performance at the fourth round of the series at Namur. A good start secured him eighth position in race one and although he suffered arm pump ahead of race two, the Brit managed to finish in a respectable 13th place. He heads to Germany three points behind Cooper, in eighth position overall.
• Noble’s RWJ Honda team-mate Erik Eggens was forced to miss round four of the World MX2 Championship due to an injury he sustained in Portugal. Following a period of rest, the Dutchman returns to the series at Teutschenthal, where he hopes to improve his current championship position of 14th.
• Honda Racing Off-road Manager Roger Harvey is optimistic ahead of the German Grand Prix. “Josh [Coppins] is back on form and I am hopeful of some good results,” he said. “He did well at the circuit last year – the hard track surface suits his riding style well.
• “Paul Cooper and James Noble are also riding consistently – James in particular is showing signs of improvement all the time. Although it is unfortunate that Jussi [Vehvilainen] will miss the next two rounds of the world series, the most important thing is that he rests his ankle and returns to full fitness.”