24MX Honda Racing’s Xavier Boog and replacement rider Jérémy Delincé both grabbed hard-earned points at the British Grand Prix, round eight of the MXGP World Championship. Boog ended his weekend 15th overall. It was the best the Frenchman could muster after a severe bout of the flu sapped all of his energy. Jérémy Delince, made his MXGP debut in the UK replacing the injured Jens Getteman. It was also the first official race on the CRF450R for the reigning Swiss champion who recorded encouraging 17th and 18th place finished.
Xavier started his British GP with a fine ninth place in free practice but had to settle for 12th in the qualifying race after a bad start and comeback from 23rd. After the rain of Saturday track conditions were nearly perfect on race day. An average start and a decent recovery put the 24MX Honda Racing rider in ninth. Unfortunately Boog made a couple of mistakes and came home 12th. Already feeling a bit weak the multiple French champ felt the effects of a terrible cold in between motos leaving him bed-ridden and in bad shape for the final moto. A good start was not enough to pull him through but a couraguous Boog did all he could to limit the damage and score two championship points.
Delincé took his time to learn about the track but once the 23-year old Belgian started to feel comfortable he made
quite an impression. Fighting with Guarneri for 12th Jérémy went down in the muddy qualifying race but regrouped from last place to finish 23rd. In Sunday’s first moto Delincé steered his bike to 18th. However he started the second moto with fireworks! His 24MX Honda CRF450R was a rocket out of the start gate and he was only beaten to the holeshot by Matiss Karro. When Karro crashed he nearly took the lead. And Jérémy did receive his first taste of riding with MXGP’s leading men circulating in the top-5 for more than five laps. Delincé dropped back to ninth but after stalling the engine and being passed by a “freight train” of chasing riders his focus turned to salvaging as many points as possible. True to form Jérémy put his head down and started to reel in Greame Irwin but he ran out of time and had to settle for 17th.
Boogie is 10th in the MXGP table and just eight points behind Joël Roelants. 24MX Honda Racing head to round nine of the World Championship at Saint-Jean d’Angely in France next weekend.
Xavier Boog: “There’s not a lot to say about this weekend! Even on Saturday I never felt great on the track. I still managed to get some points on the board in the first race but the second moto was just about survival! Before the last race I didn’t eat or drink, I was shivering constantly and I had to vomit before the start. After the race I was completely empty. I’m really bummed because after the Spanish GP my confidence was really good ant the feeling with the Honda is perfect. So I’m sorry for my fans, to the team and all our sponsors. Now I will do all I can to get healthy again and be ready for my home race, the GP of France.”
Jérémy Delincé: “I’m quite happy about my first MXGP in two years and I really enjoyed racing in Matterly Basin. It took me some time to get used to the high speeds and the big jumps but every time I went out I made some progress. The first moto on Sunday was only so-so because my rhythm was not great and my start was not super either. In the second moto I had a great start and I was able to go with the fastest guys for a couple of laps. It was awesome! Yet I wasn’t riding over my head and I focused on my own race but just like I had in the first moto I stalled the engine and it costed me a lot of time. I’m still learning about the bike obviously but my first impression from the performance in a race is terrific! This gives us a good base to work on for the next GP’s.”
MXGP moto 1
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:06.163; 2. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:03.859; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:13.248; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:19.366; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:27.520; 6. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:40.699; 7. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:42.154; 8. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:53.366; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:12.119; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +1:12.857; 11. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +1:23.706; 12. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), +1:27.199; 13. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +1:29.891; 14. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +1:33.264; 15. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +1:36.692; 16. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), +1:44.471; 17. Nathan Watson (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:54.558; 18. Jeremy Delince (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), -1 lap(s); 19. Graeme Irwin (IRL, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 20. Shane Carless (GBR, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 21. Ryan Houghton (GBR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), -1 lap(s); 23. Priit Ratsep (EST, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 24. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 25. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), -4 lap(s); 26. Alex Snow (GBR, Honda), -4 lap(s); 27. Herjan Brakke (NED, Kawasaki), -7 lap(s)
MXGP moto 2
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 35:00.023; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:17.717; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:31.838; 4. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:35.822; 5. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:42.005; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:43.077; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:54.148; 8. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), +0:59.449; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:01.224; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +1:03.625; 11. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +1:07.511; 12. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +1:09.256; 13. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +1:10.846; 14. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +1:25.537; 15. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +1:34.363; 16. Graeme Irwin (IRL, Suzuki), +1:37.916; 17. Jeremy Delince (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), +1:39.825; 18. Nathan Watson (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:41.914; 19. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda), +1:54.899; 20. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), +1:58.053; 21. Herjan Brakke (NED, Kawasaki), +1:59.253; 22. Ryan Houghton (GBR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 23. Priit Ratsep (EST, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 24. Alex Snow (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 25. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), -11 lap(s); 26. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), -17 lap(s);
MXGP of Great Britain classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 43 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 31 p.; 5. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 31 p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 30 p.; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 22 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 20 p.; 11. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 19 p.; 12. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), 18 p.; 13. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 16 p.; 14. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 13 p.; 15. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), 11 p.; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 11 p.; 17. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 8 p.; 18. Graeme Irwin (IRL, SUZ), 7 p.; 19. Jeremy Delince (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), 7 p.; 20. Nathan Watson (GBR, HUS), 7 p.; 21. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 6 p.; 22. Klemen Gercar (SLO, HON), 1 p.; 23. Shane Carless (GBR, KAW), 1 p.; 24. Herjan Brakke (NED, KAW), 0 p.; 25. Ryan Houghton (GBR, YAM), 0 p.; 26. Priit Ratsep (EST, KAW), 0 p.; 27. Alex Snow (GBR, HON), 0 p.
FIM MXGP standings after 8 rounds
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 351 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 323 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 316 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 250 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 164 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 159 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 153 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), 145 p.; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 136 p.; 12. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 126 p.; 13. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 119 p.; 14. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 118 p.; 15. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 116 p.; 16. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 116 p.; 17. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 107 p.; 18. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), 93 p.; 19. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 83 p.; 20. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 60 p.; 21. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 33 p.; 22. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 28 p.; 23. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 24 p.; 24. Klemen Gercar (SLO, HON), 19 p.; 25. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KAW), 17 p.; 26. Filip Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), 15 p.; 27. Marc de Reuver (NED, HON), 13 p.; 28. Herjan Brakke (NED, KAW), 13 p.; 29. Jens Getteman (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), 11 p.; 30. Augusts Justs (LAT, HUS), 10 p.; 31. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 8 p.; 32. Graeme Irwin (IRL, SUZ), 7 p.; 33. Jeremy Delince (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), 7 p.; 34. Nathan Watson (GBR, HUS), 7 p.; 35. Filip Thuresson (SWE, 24MX Honda Racing), 5 p.; 36. Antonio Balbi (BRA, KAW), 4 p.; 37. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KAW), 3 p.; 38. Arnon Theplib (THA, HON), 2 p.; 39. Amirezza Sabetifar (IRI, YAM), 2 p.; 40. Raul Alvarez (ESP, YAM), 1 p.; 41. Shane Carless (GBR, KAW), 1 p.