Two weeks after his first GP win, Sébastien Pourcel claimed another podium with a second place in the Czech Republic for the eleventh round of the MX1 world championship. His brother Christophe had a tougher weekend as he was ill, and finished fifth in the MX2 class.
Sébastien had a strong qualifying session and earned his second pole position of the season on Saturday followed by Tanel Leok from KRT. Sébastien had a great start from the gate in the first race but in the first corner he touched Ramon’s wheel and crashed. Remounting last he came back to sixth at mid-race but then couldn’t overtake Leok. The track was more slippery for the next heat as the rain came down upon Loket, but Pourcel got a good start in second position behind Brown. He followed the American for five laps and then passed him for the lead, but once more Strijbos was faster than anyone on this layout. The Belgian took first place half way through and Sébastien secured second position and the runner-up step of the rostrum. Second of the GP he is still third in the standings and scored more points than his two main rivals Coppins and Ramon.
Third in his qualifying race on Saturday, Christophe Pourcel struggled in Loket with his starts as he never came around the first corner in the top ten of any race. This did not help him on this track as overtaking is far from simple on the greasy and stony surface. Eleventh at the beginning of the opening heat he came back to fourth just behind Searle but couldn’t pass the British rider. His second race was harder as he was eighteenth after one lap; sick and tired he finished twelfth and got fifth position in the GP overall behind Molson’s Stephen Sword.
Christophe Pourcel
‘I was sick this weekend. I don’t know what happened but before the first race I went twice to the toilets and had pain in my stomach. Thirty minutes prior to the start I wasn’t sure if I could race, but I tried and once I was on the bike it was better. My jumps from the line were not so bad but I twice missed a good opportunity. In the first race I came back to fourth but it was more difficult in the second. I had more pain, and couldn’t focus on my riding. I’m happy that Nicolas Aubin beat Cairoli and won the GP, we raced together since our days with the 80cc and he is a good friend.’
Sébastien Pourcel
‘I think that it was difficult to do better than I did today, especially with the crash at the start of the opening race. I came back from last to sixth, but when I was behind Leok I couln’t found a place to pass him and took a bad rhythm. The second race was more difficult as the track was slippery with the rain, and in some sections my lines were not so good. I knew that Strijbos was faster so I let him pass and checked his lines and took some of them but it wasn’t possible to overtake him as there’s mainly one line on this track. I’m happy; it’s another podium on a track that I don’t like so much. I didn’t feel comfortable here but now even in these conditions I can perform well and that’s important.’
Gregory Aranda
‘It was a bad weekend for me. I had a poor rhythm and was unable to go fast during the practice sessions. I qualified through the last chance and today was a little bit better but I crashed in both races. I think that I will stop practicing and racing the National series with a 450, I need to train more with the 250 to get some good results in this class before the end of the GP season.’
Patrick Geladé
‘It was a tough weekend for Christophe who was sick. He probably got cold this week with this strange weather for July. Yesterday in qualification he didn’t feel so well but got a third place. Today was worse as he vomited twice before the first heat and couldn’t eat between the races. He did his best in these conditions to secure twenty-seven points, and increased the gap over Rattray. Gregory Aranda had also a bad weekend. He went through the last chance and then didn’t obtain any good result on Sunday. Happily for the team Sébastien is in great shape and collected another podium with a great performance after his crash at the start of the first race. He was unhappy when he came back to the truck as third position was possible, but for me his race was fantastic. He confirmed his potential in the second race; he was clever and let Strijbos pass to secure his second place.’
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