Sun, sand…but definitely no vacation time for MXGP at Lommel as the treacherously bumpy terrain in northern Belgium was the setting for a rough and tough fourteenth round of the 2015 FIM MXGP World Championship. Around the shifting lumps, rutsand lines, Monster Energy Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki’s Max Anstie casually dished out an utter masterclass of technique and physical prowess to conquer the sand for his second Lommel win in two years. The 22 year old Brit accomplished his second triumph of the season in style with Pole and two moto chequered flags to put his ability and supremacy in the terrain beyond dispute.
“In all honesty I hadn’t ridden here since the GP last year,” Anstie, who has aced five motos from the last six, said. “I know how I want to feel in the sand so it was not too much of a big deal but we had a little search through the settings. The fans out there were awesome today and kept us going because it was a very physically demanding track. A good day and I enjoyed it.”
Anstie, currently leading the British series as well, first trod the top step of the podium this year two rounds ago in Latvia and is now 46 points from the red plate as MX2 championship leader. “Latvia was really nice to go 1-1 for the first time and was somewhat easier than here,” he said. “I’ve raced twelve weekends in a row so far and to top-it-off with this one was tough and I’m happy to have a couple of weeks off before we go again.”
“The one thing I have learnt from this year is that you don’t have to win every race. You just have to be there,” he added. “The world championship is wide open and you have to be there every weekend and not throw things away. My goal now is to keep focussing on myself and keep consistent.”
Joining him on the podium was Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Petar Petrov. It was the Bulgarian’s very first champagne spray in Grand Prix after six years since he entered the world championship as a fifteen year old. It was also the first time an athlete from his country had made the top three in three decades. Third member of the team, Thomas Covington recovered from a first moto DNF (as a result of a crash and a blocked radiator) to finish a decent tenth in the second race. “I have never ridden anything like that,” he said. “Taking tenth here feels like a podium for me!”
World Champion Jordi Tixier had an inconsistent day to a 7-12 scorecard and is just six points and one position in front of Anstie in the championship table.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray took a decent seventh place in the second MXGP moto which equals his second-best finish of the season so far while interim teammate Steven Frossard was not able to compete due to inflammation in his right knee after minor surgery last week. The Frenchman will be back in the KX450F saddle for round fifteen.
Ryan Villopoto was back in MXGP for the first time since round five and in his first major public appearance since announcing his retirement last month. The American was still a popular draw for fans surrounding the Monster Energy Kawasaki team and those flocking to the Monster rig for autographs and a chance to meet the Grand Prix athletes.
August for many people does actually mean holidays – and some proper beach sand – and MXGP gets a two-week ‘pause’ now before back-to-back events in Italy (Mantova) and Holland (Assen). Valuable recovery time for some, a process of counting the hours and dusting off the training laps for others. With eight motos and 200 points left to win the series is winding down and the fate of MX2 and MXGP will start to narrow before the last hurrah overseas in Mexico and the USA in September.