Samenvatting
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Clement Desalle: "It is a good feeling to start the season with the red plate but it doesn't mean so much because the year is very long. I have always said that when I have fun on my bike, then the results go well and that's really important. I didn't make many mistakes today and my starts were much better than we saw in the pre-season races; that was a good point. I had some difficult moments last season and also coming back from some injuries, but I feel good on the bike now and wasn't pushing too hard. I want to say a big thanks to my team because they made a big job in the last few weeks. It was tough to start the championship a month earlier than usual."
Dean Ferris: “Obviously it’s good to be on the podium and the season could not have started in a better way. In the first moto I got a decent start and I really pushed to stay with the front group but I couldn’t do it. In between motos we spoke with the team and we agreed to change gearing to try and improved the set-up and it worked. I’m sure my lap-times were better in the Superfinal and I didn’t have to push the limit. I was second and there was not much more I could do so I just brought it home. I didn’t think too much about the Superfinal before we came here but I’m glad we got in the gate before the 450s so they couldn’t close us down too much at the start. I’ve raced quite a bit of supercross in Australia so the lights were OK for me. The hardest thing was trying to see areas of traction in the dirt but the lighting was good. I hope when I get a bit more comfortable I can try to get closer to Jeffrey’s speed but the goal right now is to get on the podium every weekend. I was excited out there, battling all those 450s and I’m well aware that Andrew was the last Aussie rider up here and he also did it with Steve (Dixon, Team Manager) so that was nice. I think the Yamaha is definitely the best bike I have ridden for any team that I’ve represented. The guys put in a lot of work to make it the best and that gives me a lot of confidence.”
Gautier Paulin: “The track was very fast today, much easier than during the qualification. I had fun except during the first race when I crashed pretty hard on my head. It took me two laps to recover, and then I had a better feeling and passed Bobryshev on the last lap. In the Superfinal I lost too much time passing slower riders in the early laps, but I passed Bobryshev for third in the last five minutes and even got close to Desalle in second. I’m happy with this third position; it’s a great reward for the team staff who worked hard this winter.”
Tommy Searle: “I struggled a little bit with the track in the first moto; it was a tough race as I didn’t have very good lines and it was difficult to change and find better lines. I took a better start in the Superfinal, found good lines and was happy to already be as fast as the established riders in the class in my first race. My times were pretty fast in this race; I’m right there and my pace is where I need to be.” Jeremy Van Horebeek: “I broke one finger of my hand four weeks ago; normally it would take six weeks to recover but together with the team we decided to come here to race. It was a tough GP for me; I don't have enough power in my hand and that makes it difficult to hold the bike; I scored a few points and will try again in Thailand, but my goal is to be ready for Valkenswaard.”
Kevin Strijbos: "I can be happy to start with sixth. I got a holeshot in the first race and led for the first six laps and Ken de Dycker was pushing me and I was a bit stressed. I made some mistakes and people overtook me but I recovered from that moment to be steady again. I wasn't too happy with how I rode and I gave myself another chance by getting around the first corner in second place in that next moto. I pushed as hard as I could. I would love to be top-five but it was a solid way to start. I think other people had a worse day than me."
Christophe Charlier: “I'm happy with my race and had a good feeling on my bike after we made a couple of changes. I hesitated at the start of the Superfinal and I paid for it because it was very hard against the 450s. Now we'll continue to work and I want that podium in Thailand.”
Evgeny Bobryshev: “It’s been a fairly good day for us. In the first race I got a good start and I was second behind Strijbos. I tried to pass him, but made a mistake, so I slowed for a few laps before pushing again. Ken got me a little later, so I was third for quite a long time, then in the last few laps I wasn’t feeling physically tired, in fact there was definitely more in the tank, but I lost a little concentration. Tony passed me in that time, and when I saw two laps to go I tried to close the gap, but I just couldn’t make their speed. In the last lap Paulin managed to get me, which was really disappointing, but fifth place was a decent start to the year. In the second race I got a good start going full gas to the first turn. I was with the top three guys again, but dropped to fourth and the top guys were just a little quicker than me. I have to be happy with the results, because it’s a strong start to the season for m e after a long time away from racing at the front with those guys. I feel good with the bike and the team, so thanks to everyone for their hard work, and thanks to my wife and new daughter Eva who were watching back home.”
Max Anstie: "I made my life hard work today. I had an easy top-five run going in the first race until that crash. I'm not sure if it was the trip from the U.S. to here or the fact that I've been a bit sick the last few days but I haven't felt 'on it' all weekend. I put in some good times and the bike has been working really well...I just haven't felt sharp. I tried to push through it but ended up making mistakes. It's frustrating because I know I should be up there battling at the front. All we can do it keep trying and look to next weekend."
Xavier Boog: "My weekend wasn't good, I am really disappointed. My goal is much higher. Small things went wrong, the slip yesterday in the qualifying caused unnecessary pain today. I want to improve, so the focus is now in the training. In the first moto I had a bad start and it was difficult to come back. I crashed and that made it worse. I was far behind and had a goggle problem. Overall it was pretty bad! The second time I had a poor place on the gate and again tried to recover. To finish eighth is not a good result but my riding wasn’t too far away. The season is very long and I know that race by race I will get better.”
Alessandro Lupino: “The MX2 race was pretty good; I had a good feeling with the bike and, after starting in the top fifteen, I finished sixth. My start in the Superfinal was good, maybe tenth or twelfth against the 450s, but another rider ran straight into me at the second corner and pushed me out of the track. I came back onto the track in last position and it was tough to find my good rhythm against the 450 riders .”
Valentin Teillet: “It was a great surprise for me to win the qualifying race, but it gave me more confidence for the GP races. I was fourth in the MX2 race when I had a small problem which forced me to go into the pits and when I got back in the race I crashed and had to retire, so I had to go through the Last Chance race to qualify for the Superfinal. That made it a long day. I didn’t have so much time to recover before the last race and I had a very bad position on the grid so I got a bad start which made life difficult against the 450 on this track.”
http://www.mxlarge.com/ne(...)qatar-rider-commentsVolgend weekend Thailand, het is daar 6 uur later.