With the opening round of the FIM Enduro World Championship now successfully completed, the Husqvarna Factory Team by CH Racing is looking forward for round two in San Juan, Argentina.
After two podium results for the team’s Enduro 1 class riders Juha Salminen and Matti Seistola in Chile, both riders are now focused on building on their momentum in Argentina, and going all out to secure yet more podium success. Currently joint second overall in the championship standings with teammate Seistola, eight-time Enduro World Champion Salminen is eager to fight for victory in the softer terrain of Argentina. Collecting a race win in the E2 class in Argentina in 2012, Salminen knows he has what it takes to win this weekend. Fast, confident and confident in his ability, Salminen will be hoping to use this GP to return to his winning ways.
Placing third on day one before ending day two in fourth overall, Seistola was a model of consistency in Chile. Despite a costly crash in the opening extreme test on day one, the Finn fought back to finish on the podium in third. On day two, Seistola looked capable of improving on his previous days result and challenged for victory. Claiming four of the day’s nine special tests wins, Seistola’s only mistake came on the tricky enduro test when a crash robbed him a of a potential win. Like his teammate Salminen, Seistola is hungry to end his South American trip on the top step of the podium.
In the Enduro 2 class, Spain’s Lorenzo Santolino enjoyed top ten results in the highly competitive quarter litre category. Placing eighth on day one before slipping back to ninth on day two, Santolino is focused on claiming what has so far been an elusive top five result in E2.
Making his debut EWC ride in Chile, Enduro Junior rider Matt Phillips quickly adapted to hard life of world enduro and delivered some highly impressive results. Forced to start from the rear of the pack on day one, the 19-year old fought his way through often blinding dust to place fifth overall. With his start position improved for day two, Phillips rapidly improved. Getting his day off to a solid start by posting the fourth fastest time on the opening enduro test, Phillips increased his pace throughout the day to end it on the podium in third overall. Entering the GP of Argentina third overall in the EJ championship standings, the young Australian is hopeful of continued success.
Fabrizio Azzalin – Team Manager: “At last weekend’s GP of Chile Juha, Matti, and Matt all showed very good speed. Things didn’t go exactly to plan for Juha and Matti on day two, but generally it was a great event for us. In Enduro 1 both Juha and Matti were very fast, and showed that they have the speed to win. Having both of them on the podium on day one was a great start to the championship, but both riders want more. On day two both were fighting for the win. The enduro test played a big part in deciding the results and unfortunately Juha and Matti had one bad enduro test each. That was enough to keep them both off the podium after very strong performances on the first and second lap. This weekend they want to fight for the win. Lorenzo didn’t have such a great weekend in the Enduro 2 class but he will push hard to improve his result here in Argentina. In the Enduro Junior class Matt Phillips had a very good GP. Day one was tough because he was at the back of the class in the dust, but on day two he showed a little of what we hope he will produce at all the races now on. He is still learning, but showed that he has good speed and can fight for podium positions.”
Enduro World Championship – Standings after round one
Enduro 1
1. Antoine Meo (KTM) 40pts; 2. Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) 28pts; 3. Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) 28pts…
Enduro 2
1. Alex Salvini (Honda) 35pts; 2. Pela Renet (Husaberg) 33pts; 3. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 32pts; 8. Lorenzo Santolino (Husqvarna) 15pts
Enduro Junior
1. Giacomo Redondi (KTM) 40pts; 2. Daniel McCanney (Gas Gas) 28pts; 3. Matthew Phillips (Husqvarna) 26pts