Yamaha GP MX1: Excellent Philippaerts 2nd at Bellpuig

Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team's David Philippaerts scored his second podium result of the season and his best result of 2009 so far with second position at a sunny, hot and crowded Bellpuig circuit for the Grand Prix of Catalunya and the sixth round of the FIM MX1-GP World Championship. The defending number one defied pain and discomfort with the left index finger he broke only one week ago to steer his YZ450FM to two third positions in front of 20,000 spectators. There were actually two Yamaha's present in the top three as Yamaha Red Bull De Carli's Antonio Cairoli finished third overall and won the second moto to grab his sixth chequered flag from the last eight sprints.

Hard-pack, dusty and increasingly rough, the Bellpuig terrain was a major contrast to the 2008 event in which the Grand Prix was washed out with a deluge of rain. Yamaha were able to celebrate a double pole position (the second this season) on a very warm Saturday thanks to Cairoli's second qualification heat win of the year and Davide Guarneri starting well to lead home the MX2 field. Saturday was a positive day for Cairoli as he was fastest in both practice sessions and then completed a perfect set with the chequered flag for first pick in the gate for Sunday.

The first moto took place in the hottest conditions of the year and Philippaerts capitalised on a good start to push and hound Clement Desalle for second position for virtually the entire race. The 25 year old underwent three days of treatment in the UK prior to the GP. The team also adjusted the clutch lever and added some extra protection to the bars. Cairoli had collided with Billy Mackenzie on the second lap and although he flew back from eighteenth to fourth (in spite of a leaking fuel tank, picked up in the fall) he then tried to overtake Josh Coppins and hit the ground again in a small error of judgement. The Sicilian and world championship leader crossed the line in eighth and with a set of sore ribs.

In the second moto Philippaerts was again a protagonist and worked hard in third position to catch and pass Mackenzie. Cairoli followed his countryman until the closing stages when he pulled ahead and then pursued leader Max Nagl. A mistake by the German allowed '222' to get close to his back wheel and he moved into the lead on the penultimate lap to make the bottom step of the rostrum; his fourth consecutive trophy this year and also increase his championship lead by 11 points.

Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team's Josh Coppins was sixth overall with finishes of fourth and eighth. The New Zealander was proactive at the start of the motos but did not have the speed or extra energy to be able to push and affect the leaders.

Cairoli's team-mate, Tanel Leok, had a difficult day. The Estonian made a mistake and crashed on the first lap and was halted from restarting by many riders clipping both the rider and the bike as they filtered past. Well down the field he recovered to eighth by the end. Two more errors and some brake trouble in Moto2 could only mean thirteenth at the end of the afternoon for a ranking of tenth overall.

Four Yamahas lie in the first six positions in the world championship standings and the brand also heads the Manufacturer's table by 48 points. Cairoli holds the red plate with an advantage of 36 points from Bellpuig winner Jonathan Barragan. Coppins is fourth and 56 from the top spot, Philippaerts is fifth and trails his team-mate by one point while Leok is sixth.

Round seven of the world championship will take place in two weeks time at the purpose-built track draped across the side of the Mallory Park road racing facility in England for the British Grand Prix.

David Philippaerts, Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team, 2nd:

"I did not expect this because my thumb gave me a lot of problems yesterday, but today I could ride well and quite easily and I am really happy for the result; it is a bit of a surprise. I did not do any training since Portugal, only treatment, so I felt a bit tired towards the end of the second moto but obviously I am really pleased with two third positions. My doctor believes that I should be almost back to normal for the next Grand Prix."

Antonio Cairoli, Yamaha Red Bull De Carli, 3rd:

"In the first moto I made two mistakes and when I crashed with Josh it was my fault because I was going for his line and just caught his back wheel. With Mackenzie the first time I think it was a normal pass but he cut the line and we both went down. My fuel tank was actually damaged after that so I was going easy on the gas because I did not want to run out before the end of the race. I still could make the best lap-time and the moment with Josh was a shame, it also hurt some of my ribs although the pain was not so bad by the start of the second race. I lost some time at the beginning of the second moto but I found the right lines and even copied a few from Jonathan when he overtook me for a while! I felt really good, and when I saw Nagl make a mistake I pushed hard for the win."

Josh Coppins, Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team, 6th:

"I had some good starts and my riding was not too bad but I did not have much power today; I did the best I could do. I am not sure what the problem is at the moment but I felt tired and struggled in the second moto. There is not much more I can really say."

Tanel Leok, Yamaha Red Bull De Carli, 10th:

"A bad day. I felt good and the speed was fine but I was getting things wrong. In the second moto I hit someone's back wheel and he spun out so I was stuck behind him and was really far back, I crashed again and then had a stone jamming the rear brake so after two laps without a brake I stopped to take it out. I fell again later after that, I tried too hard to get back near the front and was making mistakes; it was not my day."

Circuit Length: 1630

Crowd: 20,000

Weather: Sunshine

Last Years Winner: Steve Ramon