Nothing brings out the sweetness of two-stroke racing like a heavily elevated high-speed circuit, which is what set the stage for round four of the European EMX 125 Championship this weekend in Saint Jean d’Angely.
As the lads had their 125cc motorcycles completely pinned in the hunt for EMX125 round of France glory, it was Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu who reigned supreme.
In race one yesterday Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes took the advantage off the start but was quickly passed by Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu. With Hsu going on to check out for his first win of the season, Pootjes had deemed war with French wonder TMX Competition’s Dan Houzet. After dicing the position a few times throughout the race, Pootjes wound up the victor forcing the fan favorite to settle for third.
The word ‘intense’ doesn’t do the EMX125 race any justice. It was so much more especially with two young French sensations Team Yamaha MJC’s David Herbreteau and JPM Racing’s Julien Lebeau starting the race in first and second with the EMX125 championship points leader Davy Pootjes in third.
While race one winner Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu was buried way back of the pack, the kids up front were throwing the hearts on the table in a battle for the lead. French star Herbreteau was literally banging bars with fellow Frenchman Lebeau before Lebeau would take over the lead on lap two. Following Lebeau through Pootjes also barged past Herbreteau but only held second briefly before casing the double under the Ipone bridge and going over the bars.
With Pootjes being dropped back to eighth, yesterday’s third place finisher TMX Competition’s Dan Houzet moved up to join the battle for the lead. As the race approached midway, the then race leader Lebeau started to crack, making a series of tiny mistakes and dropping back to sixth.
Meanwhile the 2012 85cc Junior World Champion Hsu was putting in the ride of his life, on a clear mission to win this round. After picking off more than fifteen riders over the course of the race and setting the fastest lap time, the German soon found himself astonishingly inside the top three.
Coming into the closing stages of the race, Herbreteau was showing some love for his home fans as he went on to take his second race win of the season. While the other French sensation Houzet held on for second, with the most impressive performance of the race going to Hsu who came home for third. The early challenger for the lead and red plate holder Pootjes managed to recover for fourth with Mafi MX Team’s Alvin Ostlund rounding out the top five.
After the results of both race one and two, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu took a well deserved victory here at the European Championship EMX125 round of France. TMX Competition’s Dan Houzet raised the second French flag on the podium in second with the championship leader Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes rounding out the top three.
EMX125 Race 1: 1. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), 29:50.046; 2. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:01.230; 3. Dan Houzet (FRA, KTM), +0:20.849; 4. Alvin Ostlund (SWE, Yamaha), +0:23.852; 5. Anthony Bourdon (FRA, KTM), +1:08.451; 6. Julien Lebeau (FRA, Yamaha), +1:14.506; 7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +1:15.901; 8. Lucas Imbert (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:25.865; 9. Max Engelen (NED, KTM), +1:26.323; 10. Adrien Malaval (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:26.523
EMX125 Race 2: 1. David Herbreteau (FRA, Yamaha), 30:30.247; 2. Dan Houzet (FRA, KTM), +0:02.475; 3. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), +0:04.398; 4. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:21.264; 5. Alvin Ostlund (SWE, Yamaha), +0:26.895; 6. Julien Lebeau (FRA, Yamaha), +0:43.886; 7. Ivan Petrov (BUL, KTM), +0:47.689; 8. Tomass Sileika (LAT, KTM), +0:48.724; 9. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), +0:54.165; 10. Lorenzo Ravera (ITA, TM), +0:57.145
EMX125 Overall: 1. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 45 points; 2. Dan Houzet (FRA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Alvin Ostlund (SWE, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Julien Lebeau (FRA, YAM), 30 p.; 6. David Herbreteau (FRA, YAM), 25 p.; 7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 22 p.; 8. Joakin Furbetta (ITA, KTM), 19 p.; 9. Thomas Marini (SMR, KTM), 19 p.; 10. Max Engelen (NED, KTM), 18 p.
EMX125 Championship Standings: 1. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 185 points; 2. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 128 p.; 3. Alvin Ostlund (SWE, YAM), 125 p.; 4. David Herbreteau (FRA, YAM), 110 p.; 5. Tomass Sileika (LAT, KTM), 95 p.; 6. Dan Houzet (FRA, KTM), 90 p.; 7. Joakin Furbetta (ITA, KTM), 85 p.; 8. Michael Ivanov (BUL, KTM), 73 p.; 9. Thomas Marini (SMR, KTM), 60 p.; 10. Filippo Zonta (ITA, KTM), 55 p.
Click here to obtain the complete results.
All the photos of the MXGP of France will be available here