Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer swept to his second-best Qualifying result of the season in the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship with fourth place at a sticky Maggiora in northern Italy.
After posting fifth-fastest time in Timed Practice around the hillside track rendered extremely demanding by heavy overnight rain overnight KX450-SR power saw the Swiss a clear second into turn one in Qualifying before a shunt from behind momentarily cost him momentum. Quickly regaining his composure he was already back to fourth up the long climb to the top of the track and, setting the fastest lap of the race other than that of the runaway leader, he maintained that position to the chequered flag. With a single dry line around the entire track any attempt to overtake would have been perilous and there were no further changes of position on the leaderboard throughout the race as each of the front-runners held station.
Jeremy Seewer: “It was a solid day; we found ideal settings immediately so I could focus on my riding and race consistent laps. P4 was good and I could have put it together for better if it had not been for an incident at turn one. I had a really good start in second but Jeffrey (Herlings) came into the corner really aggressive from the inside and just parked us; that dropped me a few positions temporarily but I came back quickly. Calvin(Vlaanderen) was trying to pass me at one point but he had no chance. The pitbox were encouraging me to jump one double; it was slightly quicker but you had to go outside in the turn before it and that could have opened up the chance for Calvin. The track was very tricky today; it was so hard underneath but muddy on the surface after the rain. I’m sure tomorrow the track will be better for racing. Last year was also muddy on Saturday, then sunny on Sunday, and I won the GP so let’s hope for a repeat.”
Bike It Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team’s Jack Chambers had no joy in Qualifying for the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship. The almost inevitable collisions through the hectic first three slippery turns saw the American right at the back of the pack at the first timing-split; despite being delayed by further incidents on the third and fifth laps he persevered to finish twentieth with his final four laps each faster than the rider in tenth.
Bike It teammate Bobby Bruce was not in attendance: A decision was made during the week to withdraw the English youngster from the GP as he is still in great pain from the shoulder injury he sustained in Latvia. He will also miss the trip to Indonesia to ensure a complete recovery before his return to GP action at Loket in the Czech Republic on July 20/21.
