Tim Gajser has, unsurprisingly, been on fire today at the MXGP of Switzerland, setting a scorching pace aboard his CRF450RW around the tight and twisty Frauenfeld track.
After the timed practice session, GT243 was over 1.5seconds faster than the rest of the field as he scrubbed his way over jump after jump, and looked very much the man to beat.
Whilst the day produced no rain, heavy downpours yesterday left the track muddy and deep this morning, which meant that it was heavily rutted as it gradually dried. Off-line however it remained sticky and slow.
As he got boxed in at the start of the race, Gajser emerged from turn one down in ninth and, on a heavily rutted track where line choices were limited, had work to go to get himself back in contention. Work he did though as he climbed his way to fourth and the front of that particular pack by the halfway point, giving himself clear air. With Clement Desalle and Antonio Cairoli already seven seconds up the road, it was attack time.
Powering through, he did enough to catch and pass Desalle for second, but with only half the race remaining couldn’t do anything about Cairoli. The race is sure to be on between the pair for tomorrow’s two motos.
On the #281 CRF250RW, Chihiro Notsuka had his first taste of the Grand Prix scene having made the trip from the Japanese Championship to make his MX2 debut in Switzerland.
Tim Gajser, no.243
“I didn’t have the best start as I got closed and onto more of the mud so was down into ninth. Then on the first lap I had some moments as the pack was riding like zig zags across the track because of the ruts. It took a while to get settled because of that, but I started to find my rhythm and my flow and come back to second. I like the track though, and it was a lot of fun scrubbing so much today – in the waves when I passed Clement I made like three bike lengths on him in that one section, which was really nice! I made seven passes today so I think I found some important lines for tomorrow’s races.”
Chihiro Notsuka, no.281
“I am pleased to have experienced my first day in MX2 today in Switzerland, but it wasn’t so easy. In Japan I have never ridden in such conditions as today with such deep ruts so it was not so easy. The level is so high so it is tough, but I am here to learn and I could do a lot of that today, and I am looking forward to learning more again tomorrow. I am grateful for this opportunity too.”
Giacomo Gariboldi, Team Principal
“We can be happy with today as it gives us a good position for tomorrow, and Tim absolutely made the best of the conditions to find good lines to pass seven riders as he fought back to second, which will help him for tomorrow. His pace is very good around here and he is enjoying the track, so we can be confident for the races. I think it was also a good learning experience for Chihiro in these conditions, and that’s exactly what he’s here to benefit from this weekend.”