Hot sunshine coated the Grand Prix of Spain and the seventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship today as Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek finished as runner-up for the third time this season and has now accrued six consecutive podium results on the works YZ450FM. Talavera de la Reina was the site for another solid display by the Belgian in front of 16,000 spectators for the country’s first taste of MXGP since 2011.
The small but sheer slopes of Talavera was a picturesque setting for a narrow, technical and demanding circuit; a course largely intact since the days of being a staple venue for the old 250cc championship. The ground was loose in places and hard-pack in others and the constant flow of the curves meant that overtaking required a considered and sometimes aggressive approach.
Van Horebeek took a confident second position in the qualification Heat on Saturday after refining the set-up of the YZ450FM. JVH then rode towards his sixth podium on the spin with results of second and fourth despite less-than-ideal starts and thanks to his now trademark relentless pace. He was clear of Steven Frossard in the first moto, although unable to catch runaway leader and eventual GP winner Clement Desalle. In the second he had to circulate outside of the top three but endured the heat and an increasingly rougher soil to make sure of the second step. Van Horebeek has now earned more silverware than any other rider in the series and is third in the standings; 28 points in arrears of Antonio Cairoli.
DP19 Yamaha Racing’s David Philippaerts had some set-up issues on Saturday, which forced a lowly gate position for the two 30 minute and 2 lap motos. The Italian however was impressive with his riding. In a static first moto he could do little to catch Shaun Simpson in tenth position and so finished eleventh. A better start in the second race meant he was able to fight for seventh place for his best ranking of the season so far – also claiming seventh in the MXGP standing for the day. Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Rui Gonçalves also had a better second moto and seemed to gel in a more efficient way with the rougher bumps. The Portuguese took a 15-8 scorecard for twelfth at this Grand Prix.
After back-to-back races in Holland and Spain the Grand Prix paddock will break for one week before heading north and to the UK where Matterley Basin – installed on the MXGP calendar since 2011 – will once again entertain the British round.
Jeremy Van Horebeek
“Overall I’m happy; second on the podium and six in a row. What can I say?! About the GP…on Saturday morning I did not feel comfortable but we changed some things on the bike and the team did a great job. I was better in the qualification Heat and ready for the races today. I had an awesome feeling on the track but my starts were not that good and we need to work on this. It was hot today and I like it when the track is hard and slick and you have to look for your lines.”
David Philippaerts
“I’m happy with the results and seventh overall. It is good for me and the team and especially because we really had to work for it. We had problems yesterday but changed things and found a solution. The first moto was OK but the second was much better. We adjusted the settings with the tyres and front suspension and my riding was also improved. I think 6-10 is my position at the moment and we need to focus on that. The next GPs coming are good for me with Matterley, St Jean and Maggiora. I want to stay on this path and we need to!”