Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tanel Leok takes his first GP podium of 2008 at Teutschental in Germany while teammate Manuel Priem secures eighth overall with another solid ride. The German Grand Prix is always something of an epic race as the fast but technical Teutschental circuit always offers up some of the best racing in the championship season. The 2008 edition was no different and with the Teutschental circuit rougher than ever and the summer sun raising temperatures to around 26 degrees Celsius this event was a brutal scorcher that sorted the men from the boys.
Looking leaner, faster and fitter each and every weekend Tanel Leok’s first podium of the year has been coming for some time now and the German Grand Prix proved to be the race where the Estonian Express stepped back on to the podium.
After battling hard for a fifth place finish in moto one Tanel came out fighting even harder in race two to take third position in the race and third overall – Kawasaki Racing Team’s first GP podium of the year.
“My start wasn’t so good in the first race but I was able to fight up to fifth,” said Tanel. “I got stuck behind Julien Bill and made some mistakes trying to pass him and I slid back to seventh but I caught up to Bill again then I took a really big rock to my side and that was very painful. I kept pushing and pushing but I couldn’t find a way through – I felt like I was so much faster and I thought I could catch the front guys but it wasn’t to be.
“I got a little bit better start in moto two and I had a good first lap even though it was difficult with all the water they had put down. I took some small risks and they worked out well and I was soon in fourth place. It was a hot day today and the track was tough so good physical fitness was important. I was able to get by Nagl and then I caught De Dycker with two laps to go. I made a big mistake and I let him get away a little bit so I thought it’s better to settle for third and to get some good points.
“I’m really happy with the way the season’s going now – I’m finally back to full fitness and I’ve been able to test more and improve the bike so it’s even better. There are some good tracks coming up for me so I think things are going to get better and I’ll be able to climb the championship even further than I have today.”
Much like his KRT teammate Manuel Priem looks like a reformed man too. Now riding much more aggressively than ever before after training hard with the KRT team Manuel’s able to translate mid-pack starts into top-10 finishes.
Moto one sees the likeable ultra-fit Belgian rider start 15th and fight to eighth while moto two results in a ninth place finish after coming through from a shocking 28th place start. Eighth overall on the day Manuel took massive strides towards improving his championship position.
“I started around 15th in moto one and I was riding well,” said Manuel. “I’ve been feeling like I’ve raised my game a little recently and I’m much more focussed and much more aggressive on the bike. I made my way up to eighth even though it’s not easy to pass here and so I was very happy with that.
“In race two I got a very bad start but because they’d watered it so much a lot of guys crashed on the first lap and I was able to come through quite well. I was 14th at the end of lap one after being 28th in turn one. I rode hard all race and got up to ninth at the finish which again I’m happy with.
“I got eighth overall and I really feel like I’m headed in the right direction. I’m very happy with the bike also as well as the team. I’m now up to 11th in the championship and I’ll be looking for top-10 in each moto now so I can progress further up the championship standings.”
The next round of the FIM World Motocross Championship – round nine – takes place next weekend at Uddevalla in Sweden
