MANTOVA (ITALY), 17 May 2008 – The opening day of the Lovemytime Grand Prix of Italy was a wet one, with tomorrow also expected to be wet.
Though the rain could not prevent Marc de Reuver from taking his first pole of 2008, while home rider Tony Cairoli and Tommy Searle won the hard fought qualifying heats of this fifth GP.
 Marc de Reuver enjoying his first Lovemytime Pole Position Award of 2008 |
MX1
Martin Honda’s Marc de Reuver put in another astonishing performance after his fifth overall in Bulgaria; the Dutchman took his first pole of the season, marking also the first pole position for Honda since the manufacturer came back to MXGP’s with a factory involvement.
Yamaha Monster Motocross’ David Philippaerts took a superb second after heading the time sheets for part of the section; the MX1 series leader was right ahead of runner up Steve Ramon of Teka Suzuki WMX1, who was just 50 thousandths of a second away from the Italian. At the end of the day Philippaerts also announced a new sponsorship deal with the GP’s title sponsor Lovemytime.
 David Philippaerts is on route for his second consecutive GP win after Bulgaria |
A solid Clement Desalle of Suzuki Inotec was fourth ahead of Kawasaki Racing’s Tanel Leok and Ken de Dycker. The latter jumped up to sixth with a few minutes to go, placing himself ahead of the winner of the latest three Lovemytime Pole Position Awards Sebastien Pourcel.
Bike problems made it a difficult opening day for Joshua Coppins, who ended sixteenth fastest.
Top five: 1. Marc de Reuver (NED, Honda), 1:54.015; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:00.602; 3. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.254; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:02.488; 5. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), +0:02.577
MX2
Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Tony Cairoli and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle were the protagonists of this opening day as they both won their Lovemytime Qualifying Award today at Mantova. A superb Stephen Sword of Molson Kawasaki took a solid second from Cairoli, with Suzuki Inotec’s Xavier Boog ending the top three. In moto two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray ended second to Searle but left KTM UK’s Shaun Simpson behind, with the result reminding of the recent Bulgarian GP podium. Home rider and Spanish GP winner Davide Guarneri crashed in heat one and damaged the ligaments of his right knee. He will not ride on Sunday.
 Tony Cairoli won both heats at Mantova last year |
MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 1
Cairoli took the lead at the third lap after a solid Sword tried to ran away from the rest of the field; eventually Cairoli was the one to make it, leaving the British behind with a gap of more than eight seconds. Boog worked his way up throughout the heat, ending third from countrymen Aubin and Frossard. Celebrating his 23rd birthday today, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rui Goncalves had an awful celebration as he crashed at lap one and had to work his way up from last to eighth.
Top five: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 24:30.567; ; 2. Stephen Sword (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:08.723; 3. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:10.133; 4. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:10.807; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:22.633
 Stephen Sword lead the opening laps of qualifying heat one |
MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 2
Taking an early lead, Searle was successful to keep it throughout the entire moto despite team mate Rattray tried to close in several times to keep up a possible qualifying heat wins record of five out of five. Though the South African ended second ahead of Simpson, who cruised in third for all the 11 laps. Riding ill, home rider Monni grasped a well deserved fourth place with Eggens rounding off the top five.
Top five: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 24:21.418; ; 2. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), +0:06.534; 3. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:10.870; 4. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +0:27.623; 5. Erik Eggens (NED, Suzuki), +0:28.811
 Tommy Searle will start from second on tomorrow’s grid |
NEWS OF THE DAY: MAGLIA AZZURRA
By tradition the Italian Motocross Team’s jersey, the well known Maglia Azzurra, was presented today for the first time before the event everyone is looking forward to: the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations, to take place in Donington Park (Great Britain) on September 28. This year’s news is that the jersey’s design was found through a design challenge which involved lots of Italian fans. The eventual winner’s project was used to make the jersey and the lucky designer will head to Donington with the Italian team this forthcoming September.
 Presenting the Maglia Azzurra: (from left to right) FMI’s Marketing Responsible Alfredo Mastropasqua; Team Italy’s coach Andrea Bartolini; Alex Salvini; Maglia Azzurra design contest winner Stefano Galassi; Tony Cairolittab |
NEWS OF THE DAY: RED BULL ENERGY STATION OPENS DOORS TO MOTOCROSS MEDIA
The very well known Red Bull Energy Station, which is present to each Motocross Grand Prix, is now a very popular meeting point in the paddock. Today the media following the Championship had the possibility to enjoy a visit to the structure, being very welcomed by the Red Bull crew, offering an aperitif and a buffet to end a pleasant evening.
 The media enjoying a relaxing evening at the Red Bull Energy Station |
CIRCUITO INTERNAZIONALE CITTÀ DI MANTOVA-TAZIO NUVOLARI AND MANTOVA
The track is named after car racing legend Tazio Nuvolari, as the driver was born and lived in Mantova. It was inaugurated in 1982 after a lot of work was put in to build it in cooperation with former Motocross World Champion Michele Rinaldi, now the head of the Yamaha Monster Motocross’ team. The ground is a mix between the natural soil (30%) and the sand (70%), which makes it one of the few sandy circuits in the Italian peninsula. Last year Coppins (MX1) and Cairoli (MX2) took the overalls with two double wins each at the end of a sunny event, while this year the weather forecast predicts rain for the entire weekend.
The city of Mantova is named after the Latin word “Mantua”, which refers to an Etruscan god. The city itself has 46.372 inhabitants spread on an area of 63,9 square metres. Mantova is in the centre of the Pianura Padana, the widest flatland in Italy; it is famous for having been the base of the very important Italian dynasty Gonzaga, who ruled the city for four centuries since 1328. Palazzo Ducale was actually built by the Gonzaga and it is still one of the most famous spots to watch once in Mantova, together with the Palazzo Te, the Torre dell’Orologio and the Basilica di Sant’Andrea. Mantova is one of the key cities for the Italian culture, as the poet Virgil and Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna lived there.
THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
Sunday May 18: KTM Trophy Warm Up at 8:30 am; Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; KTM Trophy Race 2 at 10:25 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).
The Grand Prix will be broadcast live on:
• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET
• SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET
• SPORT ITALIA 24 (Italy, Digital Terrestrial): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• SPORT TV (Portugal): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET
• VRT (Belgium): MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 CET
• GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): MX1 Race 1 at 11:00 GMT
• MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• RADIO DEEJAY (Italy, www.deejay.it): Youthstream’s Women World Championship Manager Stefy Bau on air at 15:00 CET
The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:
• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Monday May 19; MX2 Class at 17:00 CET
• MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 15:30 CET
• SPORT ITALIA (Italy): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 16:30, MX1 Race 1 at 00:00 and Race 2 at 01:00 CET
• SPORT TV (Portugal): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 17:00 CET
• VRT (Belgium): Sunday May 18; MX1 Race 2 Summary at 18:30 CET
• EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday May 18; MX1 Race 2 at 18:00 and 00:00. Monday May 19; MX2 Class at 18:15. Tuesday May 20; MX2 Class at 06:00 GMT.
• AMERICA ONE SPORTS (USA): Second Tuesday after the GP; MX2 Race 2 at 21:00; MX1 Race 2 at 22:00 USA Eastern Time
• GAORA: MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET
LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
FMI-Federazione Motociclistica Italiana
DBO
Lovemytime
Information, photos and results are online at www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.
MediaZone Moto is the leading global online broadcaster of Motocross and SuperMoto events. Fans worldwide can watch the thrills from this and every race of the 2008 FIM Motocross & SuperMoto World Championships LIVE and On Demand exclusively at www.MediaZoneMoto.com.
Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.
