In by far the toughest conditions of the year so far for the riders in Round 5 of the 2012 FIM World MX Championship, the lap times were much slower than what we're used to, but the action was just as exciting as Raptor Titanium sponsored riders won every race in both categories and considerably tightened up the points standings.
MX2
It was looking set to be another dominating performance from Jeff Herlings on the Factory KTM in the MX2 class after setting a blistering fastest lap time in qualifying and winning the qualifying race ahead of race day on Sunday, but the weather proved to be a great equalizer in one of the muddiest events seen in years at the Beta Carrero track in Brazil.
The first MX2 race saw the field engulfed in the sticky red clay making it almost impossible to read the numbers or even distinguish which riders were which. Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Tommy Searle of the Floride Pro Circuit Monster Energy Kawasaki team got a good start, but the strength-sapping track conditions soon meant that Monster Energy Yamaha's Christophe Charlier was right on his back wheel after a few laps, with Herling's team-mate Jeremy Van Horebeek keeping pace on his Factory KTM. Searle eventually had to pull out of the race temporarily as he needed to change his gloves after coming off the bike, but the decision proved to be a wise one as from then on he seized control of the race, quickly passing back Van Horebeek and Charlier and opening out a sizeable lead to take the victory. Max Anstie on the Garibaldi Honda battled to a well deserved 4th place and then Searle's team-mate and fellow Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Joel Roelants rounded out the top five.
The second MX2 moto was a similar story for Tommy Searle as he got a great start, just being denied the holeshot by KTM DIGA racing's Jose Butron who led the first portion of the race, taking full advantage of the slippy conditions which weren't as bad as the first race but still testing for even the most accomplished riders. Butron held on for the first few laps, however Searle soon got past on lap 3 and stretched out a good advantage as the rest of the pack acclimatized to the deepening ruts. Herlings struggled to catch Butron and spent a huge chunk of the race getting past Roelants to take 3rd place, and eventually had to settle for that due to too many costly mistakes in the thick Brazilian quagmire.
MX2 Overall Results
1. T Searle 1/1 KAW
2. C Charlier 2/5 YAM
3. J Butron 8/2 KTM
4. J v Horebeek KTM
5. J Roelants KTM
6. Max Anstie HON
7. J Herlings 12/3 KTM
8. J Nicholls KTM
9. Alessandro Lupino HUSQ
10. Harri Kullas SUZ
MX2 Points Standings (After 5 rounds)
Jeffrey Herlings 223
Tommy Searle 203
J v Horebeek 189
Joel Roelants 152
Max Anstie 137
Jordi Tixier 128
Jake Nicholls 120
D Ferrandis 107
Al Lupino 103
Harri Kullas 99
MX1
It was a perfect example of how to ride the conditions from Raptor Titanium's Christophe Pourcel on the CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki as he took a commanding lead early on in the first race and was not threatened at all as the rest of the field struggled in the mud. Behind Pourcel was Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Dean Ferris getting a fantastic start on his Ice1 Racing Kawasaki, but soon succumbed to the conditions and made a mistake, gifting second place to the last round in Mexico's overall 2nd place finisher David Philippaerts on the Monster Energy Kawasaki who went on to take 2nd place in the first moto ahead of Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Gautier Paulin in 3rd on his Factory Kawasaki Racing Team machine. Christophe Pourcel won the race by over a minute and a half ahead of Philipaerts while points stands leader Tony Cairoli on his Factory KTM battled to finish 8th. Raptor Titanium sponsored riders in the top ten included HM Plant KTM's Kevin Strijbos in 5th, Monster Energy Cosworth Yamaha's Shaun Simpson in 7th and KTM STR's Mattis Karro got a great result in 10th.
MX1 moto 2 turned out to be a classic after another great start from Christophe Pourcel who managed to take an early lead again, however wasn't able to keep hold of it this time as the drying track conditions meant the rest of the pack were able to go much faster and a mistake from Pourcel midway through the race handed the lead to fellow Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Xavier Boog of Kawasaki Racing Team. This was far from the end though, as a rampant Clement Desalle charged throughout the race to try and clinch the victory after successfully passing Pourcel as well who seemed to be fading slightly reminiscent of last week's second race in Mexico. Boog held out for the race win, his first of his career and Raptor Titanium sponsored rider Kevin Strijbos had a storming race through the mud as he managed to pass Pourcel as well to get 3rd in moto 2 and 3rd overall for the GP! Pourcel took the overall GP win with a 1st and 4th place and now sits 31 points behind his main championship rival going into his home GP at France in two week's time.
MX1 Overall Results
MX1 Overall Results
1. C Pourcel 1/4 KAW
2. D Philippaerts 2/6 YAM
3. K Strijbos 5/3 KTM
4. Gautier Paulin 3/5 KAW
5. R Goncalves HON
6. X Boog 16/1 KAW
7. Clem Desalle 13/2 SUZ
8. Tony Cairoli 8/9 KTM
9. E Bobryshev HON
10. S Simpson YAM
MX1 Points Standings
Tony Cairoli 203
Clement Desalle 179
Christophe Pourcel 172
Gautier Paulin 170
Ken d Dycker 154
D Philippaerts 142
Kevin Strijbos 139
Xavier Boog 129
Rui Goncalves 110
Tanel Leok 107
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