Team Suzuki Press Office - April 29.
A
week after a positive outing in Bulgaria, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe
was back in action under warm sunshine at Fermo for the Grand Prix of
Italy today as 17,000 spectators saw Harri Kullas take his
factory-backed RM-Z250 to sixth position in the first moto and recover
from an early fall to ride to 14th and leave the rough and rutty venue
with 11th spot overall in the MX2 class.
The Italian hard-pack
of Fermo was defined by many downhill and uphill sections as the steep
hillside layout pushed the demands of the MX2 equipment to the maximum.
Several technical parts of the track and battled-scarred corners helped
vary the difficulty of the course.
Kullas started brightly and
blasted away near the top five in the first 35 minute and 2-lap dash. He
was part of a six rider group vying for third spot at one stage but
settled into an effective rhythm and was satisfied to classify sixth one
week after a similarly-encouraging performance netted the Fin fifth in
Bulgaria. A mistake on a freshly watered track in the opening phases of
the second race meant that the top 10 was a major 'ask' considering the
ground Kullas had lost, but he persevered to reach 14th.
Alongside
him in the awning, Petar Petrov was doing his best to deal with the
physical and technical demands of the racing surface that was becoming
heavier work with the passing laps. The Bulgarian was pretty consistent
once he found his flow and eliminated some of the errors that were
restricting his pace. Thirteenth and 10th still represented his best
joint points-haul of the season so far and he rested in 12th.
Jorge
Zaragoza picked up a superb debut podium result on the RM125 in the
European 125 two-stroke championship at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria last
week but the Spanish teenager was devastated when his Italian run ended
before it had even begun: A slip on just his second lap in practice led
to a cleanly broken right wrist and an estimated recovery period of four
weeks.
There is a chance Zaragoza could be fit in time for
round three of seven in the EMX125 series, which takes place on June
10th at Agueda in Portugal. The MX2 element of the team however has only
a few days respite before freight needs to be prepared and travel
arranged for the South American stint of the Grand Prix calendar. Trips
to Mexico and then Brazil will constitute rounds four and five.
Harri Kullas:
"The
first race was really good and my starts now are much better. Like
Valkenswaard I didn't feel 100% here and a bit like I was running on
'empty'. I was sixth for almost all the race and a couple of guys passed
me near the end but Roelants vanished and I managed to find sixth
again. The speed was OK. I was pushed wide at the second start and I was
lucky I didn't crash. I was thinking that I had to be smart because the
track had been watered but I still went down! I passed some guys and
came to 14th but then had a problem with my goggles and I was
disappointed with that. It was my mistake and it meant I couldn't push
as much as I wanted. Sixth and 14th is not so bad but it could be
better. I still had a great feeling on the bike."
Petar Petrov:
"I
was making mistakes out there and I'm not happy about this but there
are some positives from this GP because I worked hard and my riding
turned out OK. My start wasn't so bad in the first moto but I had to put
my head down to come back to 13th while in the second race I had a
top-10 start, lost some places and then came back to 10th. It was a
similar story in both parts of the day really. The track was a bit weird
and sketchy. The ruts were really hard and you paid for any mistakes.
You had to be calm out there. If you were aggressive then you crashed."
MX2 Moto1:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:06.301; 2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL,
KTM), +0:16.652; 3. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), +0:21.834; 4. Jake
Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:27.065; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki),
+0:34.091; 6. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +0:36.761;
7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:40.763; 8. Christophe Charlier (FRA,
Yamaha), +0:43.712; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:48.831; 10. Nikolaj
Larsen (DEN, Suzuki), +1:03.412. 13. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:23.827.
MX2 Moto2:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:49.655; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR,
Kawasaki), +0:03.234; 3. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), +0:17.454; 4.
Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:28.991; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM),
+0:32.368; 6. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:34.819; 7. Jose
Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:40.922; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +0:57.391; 9.
Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +1:04.357; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe),), +1:16.502; 14. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:24.191.
MX2 Overall result:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Michael Leib (USA,
Yamaha), 40 p.; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Jordi
Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 26 p.; 6.
Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 25 p.; 7. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA,
Kawasaki), 25 p.; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 23 p.; 9. Tommy Searle
(GBR, Kawasaki), 22 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 22 p. 11. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 22 p. 12. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 19 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings
(after 3 of 16 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 144 points; 2.
Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 114 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki),
109 p.; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 85 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR,
Honda), 80 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 78 p.; 7. Dylan Ferrandis
(FRA, Kawasaki), 73 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 69 p.; 9. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 65 p.; 10. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), 61 p. 14. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 43 p.
High-Resolution Images from Fermo MX2: CLICK HERE FOR GALLERY
Aweek after a positive outing in Bulgaria, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe
was back in action under warm sunshine at Fermo for the Grand Prix of
Italy today as 17,000 spectators saw Harri Kullas take his
factory-backed RM-Z250 to sixth position in the first moto and recover
from an early fall to ride to 14th and leave the rough and rutty venue
with 11th spot overall in the MX2 class.
The Italian hard-pack
of Fermo was defined by many downhill and uphill sections as the steep
hillside layout pushed the demands of the MX2 equipment to the maximum.
Several technical parts of the track and battled-scarred corners helped
vary the difficulty of the course.
Kullas started brightly and
blasted away near the top five in the first 35 minute and 2-lap dash. He
was part of a six rider group vying for third spot at one stage but
settled into an effective rhythm and was satisfied to classify sixth one
week after a similarly-encouraging performance netted the Fin fifth in
Bulgaria. A mistake on a freshly watered track in the opening phases of
the second race meant that the top 10 was a major 'ask' considering the
ground Kullas had lost, but he persevered to reach 14th.
Alongside
him in the awning, Petar Petrov was doing his best to deal with the
physical and technical demands of the racing surface that was becoming
heavier work with the passing laps. The Bulgarian was pretty consistent
once he found his flow and eliminated some of the errors that were
restricting his pace. Thirteenth and 10th still represented his best
joint points-haul of the season so far and he rested in 12th.
Jorge
Zaragoza picked up a superb debut podium result on the RM125 in the
European 125 two-stroke championship at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria last
week but the Spanish teenager was devastated when his Italian run ended
before it had even begun: A slip on just his second lap in practice led
to a cleanly broken right wrist and an estimated recovery period of four
weeks.
There is a chance Zaragoza could be fit in time for
round three of seven in the EMX125 series, which takes place on June
10th at Agueda in Portugal. The MX2 element of the team however has only
a few days respite before freight needs to be prepared and travel
arranged for the South American stint of the Grand Prix calendar. Trips
to Mexico and then Brazil will constitute rounds four and five.
Harri Kullas:
"The
first race was really good and my starts now are much better. Like
Valkenswaard I didn't feel 100% here and a bit like I was running on
'empty'. I was sixth for almost all the race and a couple of guys passed
me near the end but Roelants vanished and I managed to find sixth
again. The speed was OK. I was pushed wide at the second start and I was
lucky I didn't crash. I was thinking that I had to be smart because the
track had been watered but I still went down! I passed some guys and
came to 14th but then had a problem with my goggles and I was
disappointed with that. It was my mistake and it meant I couldn't push
as much as I wanted. Sixth and 14th is not so bad but it could be
better. I still had a great feeling on the bike."
Petar Petrov:
"I
was making mistakes out there and I'm not happy about this but there
are some positives from this GP because I worked hard and my riding
turned out OK. My start wasn't so bad in the first moto but I had to put
my head down to come back to 13th while in the second race I had a
top-10 start, lost some places and then came back to 10th. It was a
similar story in both parts of the day really. The track was a bit weird
and sketchy. The ruts were really hard and you paid for any mistakes.
You had to be calm out there. If you were aggressive then you crashed."
MX2 Moto1:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:06.301; 2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL,
KTM), +0:16.652; 3. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), +0:21.834; 4. Jake
Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:27.065; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki),
+0:34.091; 6. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +0:36.761;
7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:40.763; 8. Christophe Charlier (FRA,
Yamaha), +0:43.712; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:48.831; 10. Nikolaj
Larsen (DEN, Suzuki), +1:03.412. 13. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:23.827.
MX2 Moto2:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:49.655; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR,
Kawasaki), +0:03.234; 3. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), +0:17.454; 4.
Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:28.991; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM),
+0:32.368; 6. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:34.819; 7. Jose
Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:40.922; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +0:57.391; 9.
Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +1:04.357; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe),), +1:16.502; 14. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:24.191.
MX2 Overall result:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Michael Leib (USA,
Yamaha), 40 p.; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Jordi
Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 26 p.; 6.
Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 25 p.; 7. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA,
Kawasaki), 25 p.; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 23 p.; 9. Tommy Searle
(GBR, Kawasaki), 22 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 22 p. 11. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 22 p. 12. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 19 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings
(after 3 of 16 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 144 points; 2.
Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 114 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki),
109 p.; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 85 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR,
Honda), 80 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 78 p.; 7. Dylan Ferrandis
(FRA, Kawasaki), 73 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 69 p.; 9. Harri Kullas (FIN, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 65 p.; 10. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), 61 p. 14. Petar Petrov (BUL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 43 p.
High-Resolution Images from Fermo MX2: CLICK HERE FOR GALLERY
4/29/2012 11:24pm
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