Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin takes the red plate of the points-leader in the FIM European EMX250 Championship into the summer break, after a fifth overall at Kegums in Latvia.
Fourth-fastest in time practice Mathis rounded turn one in sixth position before making two decisive passes to advance to fourth by lap five. In the closing stages of the race he surrendered one position to an aggressive pass from a championship rival, to cross the finish line in fifth. On Sunday he took the holeshot in the second race and, even though a slight moment on the opening lap cost him the moto lead he was headed for the overall podium as he controlled his championship rivals for five laps until slipping off in a loose turn. Remounting fifth he then faced a lonely ride to the chequered flag; his brace of fifth-placed moto finishes earnt the same position over the weekend, and he takes a healthy thirteen point lead over his closest rival into the summer break as the next round of the series commences at Lommel in Belgium on July 27/28.
Benjamin Garib continued to show the good rhythm of recent rounds after a difficult start to the series. On Saturday the Chilean moved forward from an initial twelfth to tenth at the chequered flag, and he did even better on Sunday to get his best result of the season. Eighth through the early laps, he made a decisive pass for seventh on lap four, resisting all attacks from behind and pushing for sixth throughout the race to earn sixth overall on the day and move further up the series points standings to thirteenth, just ten points shy of the top-ten.
Next weekend the team will be at Ernée for the final race of the French Elite Championship
Mathis Valin: “It was a tough weekend; not exactly what I was expecting after several good races. But I have to accept the situation; that’s life! Today I got a good start and was fast, but to be honest Valk and Reisulis were faster on this track. I had a good rhythm and was close to them but I crashed and lost a couple of positions; my fault. The track was rough; it’s always like that here and I’m happy to be going home safe and still leading the championship after six rounds. Now we have seven weeks to prepare for the next round in Lommel where the goal will be a podium.”
Benjamin Garib: “We can take many positives from this weekend; top six overall and moving up in the points. The track was different to yesterday after the rain overnight; it was very slippery in some parts and more hardpack in others so it felt strange at first but I got a good start and made it happen. Now we have a break until the next round of the European series but we have the final round of the French Elite at Ernée next weekend and I’m really looking forward to that.”
