Julien Bill Seals Best Ever MX1 Finish Aboard Martin Honda
Published by Gary Gas
30 July 2007, 18:20
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A busy finale to the 2007 FIM Motocross World Championship began under grey clouds, low temperatures and rainfall at the Loket circuit as Kevin Strijbos clinched the Grand Prix of Czech Republic; the eleventh round of fifteen in the series and first of five events in six weeks. Julien Bill took the Martin Honda CRF450F to a career-best fifth position overall.
The MX1 podium was headed by Belgian Strijbos for the second time this season as the 21 year old notched his first ever double moto success with two wins in damp conditions. The rostrum was completed by Sebastien Pourcel in second place and David Philippaerts in third spot.
Loket offered a fast and natural layout with the lack of jumps more than compensated by the many elevation changes providing a variety of climbs and descents. The hard but fine and pebbly terrain was slippery and meant that the riders had to exercise caution in the turns. The swift pace of the track placed even more emphasis on the starts.
Martin Honda's Julien Bill, who was fast throughout practice on Saturday, circulated among the protagonists in both 35 minute and 2 lap motos.
The Swiss climbed as high as third place in the first race before being relegated by CAS Honda's Ken De Dycker in the final ten minutes; it was still his best classification in his two year MX1 career. The former MX3 Grand Prix winner started badly in Moto2 - that took place under incessant rain - but fought his way through to seventh and a fifth place finish overall. Bill had tied on points with Tanel Leok in fourth but he lost out due to Leok's better second moto ranking.
CAS Honda's De Dycker chased Philippaerts in the first moto for his sixth top three race finish of the season. His result came after an incredible tussle that involved ten riders and several crashes among the leading group. Josh Coppins did not finish in the top twenty with a technical problem neither did Jonathan Barragan while Steve Ramon hit the deck along with Billy Mackenzie. De Dycker's aspirations of a second podium were dashed after lunch however as his gearbox developed a problem as he tried to recover from an average getaway from the gate.
Team-mate Mike Brown was eleventh overall despite two holeshots and leading both motos in the formative stages. The American veteran struggled with arm-pump in the first race to drop to fifteenth but adjusted better to the wet and rough surface in Moto2 to take tenth place at the flag.
A creditable mention must go to French rider Pierre Renet. The NGS Honda representative took a personal best qualification slot of eighth on Saturday and then grasped a brace of top six starts to finish eighth twice for a career highest MX1 result. He was also the second ranked Honda rider of the day.
Nicolas Aubin owned the MX2 class for the first time with second and first. The podium was completed with Antonio Cairoli in second place and Tommy Searle in third spot. World champion Christophe Pourcel felt sick and was only able to register fifth overall.
Martin Honda's Pascal Leuret crashed heavily during his qualification heat on Saturday but still managed the second quickest time in the Last Chance session despite pain in his back and left ankle as well as needing several stitches to his right elbow. The Frenchman held third in the first moto but faded back to fifth under pressure from Searle and Pourcel. He barely had a chance to make progress in the second race before a fast accident left him concussed with a possible broken wrist, sore shoulder and cut hand, requiring more stitches.
Fellow countryman Gautier Paulin, who has been lighting up the European Championship, again made his presence felt on the international stage just a few weeks after shining at Faenza. In the second moto (after earlier taking fifteenth) the teenager broke into the top ten for the first time with ninth. SRS Honda's Matti Seistola was eleventh overall and his second race finish of sixth was the best by the aggressive Finn this season.
The world championship standings reveal that Cairoli is close to a second title. He leads Pourcel by 122 points with only four races and 200 points left to win. Leuret is fifth and 31 points behind Searle. In MX1 De Dyckeris seventh and Brown eighth.
Round twelve of the world championship will take place in just seven days time with the Grand Prix of Belgium at the historic venue of Namur on August 5. .
Julien Bill, Martin Honda:"This is my best result ever so I am really happy. I had a good start in the first moto and was fighting with the leaders and could stay strong. I was really motivated for the second race but had a bad start which was a shame. I was nineteenth on the first lap but came back to seven. It was good because I showed I had the speed to fight with the best and could overtake quickly. This was a really good GP for us and I hope we might be able to manage a podium before the end of the season."
Ken de Dycker, CAS Honda: "I was happy with my riding in the first moto; third was a decent position and there was a lot going on so it was good to get up there. In the second I could not do much because we had a problem with the gear box."
Mike Brown, CAS Honda
"I had two good starts but the arm-pump was back this weekend and I think it was a combination of the cold weather, a rough track and me not being able to get to grips with it.
I rode tight and was just hanging on. In the second moto I felt better. A couple of guys passed me which I did not worry about. I set my own pace but ended up having a big crash and then just survived to the end. I had mud and water all over my hands and could not even twist the grips! The track was rough and choppy today."
Paolo Martin, Team Owner, Martin Honda
"It was a heavy crash for Pascal. He hit his head quite hard and had no memory of the fall for two hours afterwards. He has a lot of pain in his shoulder and also his wrist. We made some x-rays at the track but we could not confirm if it was broken, there is no dislocation at least so there is no need for an operation. We are pleased with Gautier and Julien. It was a shame for Pascal, especially in the championship but the other two riders did well."
Pierre Renet, NGS Honda
"I'm really happy with today and since we changed the bike last week and I made three good starts in the French Championship I feel that I have stepped up a level. I made my best qualification on Saturday and for the first time ever I started inside the top ten of both motos and once you start well then it is a totally different game. My confidence is good and I hope we can continue in this way."
Gautier Paulin, Martin Honda
"Another great day and experience for me. I am living the dream at the moment and feel very confident with my racing. The team have supported me so much and it is exciting times for all of us. I only hope I can take a few more good results this season and then look to the future."
Results Motocross
MX1 Race 1 (21 laps = 33.306 Km) - Strijbos, Kevin / BEL / Suzuki / 39:56.3
- Philippaerts, David / ITA / KTM / 39:58.5
- de Dycker, Ken / BEL / Honda / 40:00.9
- Bill, Julien / SUI / Honda / 40:02.1
- Leok, Tanel / EST / Kawasaki / 40:03.0
- Pourcel, Sebastien / FRA / Kawasaki / 40:09.5
- Mackenzie, Billy / GBR / Kawasaki / 40:22.7
- Renet, Pierre A. / FRA / Honda / 40:24.8
- Ramon, Steve / BEL / Suzuki / 40:31.1
- de Reuver, Marc / NED / Yamaha / 40:35.1
- Desalle, Clement / BEL / Suzuki / 40:37.6
- van Daele, Marvin / BEL / Honda / 40:40.6
- Leok, Aigar / EST / Yamaha / 40:53.1
- Noble, James / GBR / Honda / 40:54.4
Fastest Lap: LEOK Tanel in 1:50.165 on lap 13
MX1 Race 2 (20 laps = 31.72 Km) - Strijbos, Kevin / BEL / Suzuki / 39:09.725
- Pourcel, Sebastien / FRA / Kawasaki / 39:29.568
- Barragan, Jonathan / ESP / KTM / 39:36.088
- Ramon, Steve / BEL / Suzuki / 39:40.186
- Leok, Tanel / EST / Kawasaki / 39:41.731
- Mackenzie, Billy / GBR / Kawasaki / 39:43.394
- Bill, Julien / SUI / Honda / 39:46.262
- Renet, Pierre A. / FRA / Honda / 40:14.466
- Philippaerts, David / ITA / KTM / 40:19.652
- Brown, Mike / USA / Honda / 40:20.847
- Noble, James / GBR / Honda / 40:22.946
- Priem, Manuel / BEL / TM / 40:30.211
- Salvini, Alex / ITA / Yamaha / 40:32.175
- van Daele, Marvin / BEL / Honda / 40:34.606
- Desalle, Clement / BEL / Suzuki / 40:52.977
Fastest Lap: LEOK Tanel in 1:53.259 on lap 5
MX1 World Motocross Championship Standings - Coppins, J. 445
- Ramon, Steve 368
- Pourcel, S. 322
- Philippaerts, D. 312
- Strijbos, K. 300
- Barragan, J. 292
- de Dycker, Ken 276
- Brown, Mike 272
- Leok, Tanel 272
- Mackenzie, B. 247
- Noble, James 212
- Priem, Manuel 164
- Nemeth, Kornel 153
- de Reuver, M. 147
- Bill, J. 115.
MX2 Race 1 (21 laps = 33.306 Km)
- Cairoli, Antonio / ITA / Yamaha / 40:16.160
- Aubin, Nicolas / FRA / Yamaha / 40:19.658
- Searle, Tommy / GBR / KTM / 40:33.363
- Pourcel, Christophe / FRA / Kawasaki / 40:35.236
- Leuret, Pascal / FRA / Honda / 40:43.900
- Swanepoel, Gareth / RSA / Kawasaki / 40:45.956
- Boog, Xavier / FRA / Yamaha / 40:59.211
- Rattray, Tyla / RSA / KTM / 41:00.004
- Tarroux, Jeremy / FRA / KTM / 41:20.937
- Sword, Stephen / GBR / Kawasaki / 41:23.257
- Monni, Manuel / ITA / Yamaha / 41:24.033
- Bonini, Matteo / ITA / Yamaha / 41:26.265
- Schiffer, Marcus / GER / KTM / 41:35.567
- Barr, Martin / GBR / Yamaha / 41:36.634
- Paulin, Gautier / FRA / Honda / 41:37.142
Fastest Lap: CAIROLI Antonio in 1:51.892 on lap 18
MX2 Race 2 (21 laps = 33.306 Km) - Aubin, Nicolas / FRA / Yamaha / 39:51.021
- Cairoli, Antonio / ITA / Yamaha / 39:51.429
- Searle, Tommy / GBR / KTM / 40:45.340
- Guarneri, Davide / ITA / Yamaha / 40:51.644
- Sword, Stephen / GBR / Kawasaki / 41:02.736
- Seistola, Matti / FIN / Honda / 41:04.935
- Goncalves, Rui / POR / KTM / 41:14.363
- Tarroux, Jeremy / FRA / KTM / 41:16.327
- Paulin, Gautier / FRA / Honda / 41:16.941
- Schiffer, Marcus / GER / KTM / 41:19.656
- Bonini, Matteo / ITA / Yamaha / 41:26.021
- Pourcel, Christophe / FRA / Kawasaki / 41:28.244
- Monni, Manuel / ITA / Yamaha / 41:29.491
- Dougan, Jason / GBR / Suzuki / 41:32.508
- Boissiere, Anthony / FRA / Kawasaki / 41:32.656
Fastest Lap: CAIROLI Antonio in 1:50.871 on lap 7
MX2 World Motocross Championship Standings - 1 Cairoli, A. 533
- Pourcel, C. 411
- Rattray, Tyla 371
- Searle, Tommy 351
- Leuret, Pascal 320
- Swanepoel, G. 265
- Aubin, Nicolas 262
- Seistola, M. 200
- Gundersen, K. 197
- Boissiere, A. 171
- Schiffer, M. 171
- Guarneri, D. 154
- Nunn, Carl 143
- Boog, Xavier 135
- Goncalves, Rui 122
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