The Grand Prix of Brazil at the impressive stadium setting of Beto Carrero saw Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe's Max Anstie ride to 11th position overall in cool and rainy conditions in front of 45,000 spectators.
The seventh round of 17 in the FIM Motocross World Championship represented the last overseas trip for the series and the last airing of the Superfinal format that mixed the top 20 MX1 and MX2 riders together for the second moto.
Anstie flew to Brazil after a week training and riding at his ranch in Hemet, California and was determined to take his factory-backed RM-Z250 as close to the podium as possible around the compact and twisty red terrain. The layout did not facilitate easy overtaking and occasional showers kept the ground slick and then tacky in places.
In the opening MX2 race Anstie struggled to get an effective rhythm and also find the urgency he needed around the course, and this set the tone for a tough day of work. The Brit rode to 14th and then managed to squeeze inside the top 20 of the Superfinal.
The team now has a respite from international and national race duty. The Grand Prix of France at Ernee on June 9th will be followed directly by the round in Italy and at the mythical Maggiora circuit.
Max Anstie:
"It was a difficult weekend and we struggled. I think we had a good setting and set-up and I came into the weekend with good form but I didn't have the power to push. I wasn't tired but just not 'firing'. We go back to the States for a week and I have some time to sort everything out before coming back to Europe and focus 100% for France. I felt more normal in the Superfinal because I was able to pass guys but still we have problems with the starts and we have worked on a few things but it is at the point now where I'm not sure how much practice we can do! We have all been working really hard and it is time now to sit back in the next three weeks and then let the results come. We just need a little bit of luck on our side."
*Other global Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe News: Romanian Crisztian Tompa won the fourth round of the European 85cc series on home turf in Zarnesti on his RM85.
MX2 Moto1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:08.386; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:11.680; 3. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:16.551; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:23.711; 5. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), +0:30.415; 6. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:32.337; 7. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +0:37.039; 8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:42.374; 9. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:44.771; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:47.844. 14. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:21.423.
Superfinal classification: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40:49.230; 2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:02.830; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:25.606; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:31.078; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:41.121; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:44.766; 7. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:45.861; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:50.619; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:03.885; 10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:09.255; 11. Shaun Simpson (GBR, TM), +1:19.992; 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:22.240; 13. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +1:23.261; 14. Joel Roelants (BEL, Yamaha), +1:26.011; 15. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:28.973; 16. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +1:34.001; 17. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:43.495; 18. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +1:44.522; 19. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:44.590; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +2:00.261.
MX2 Overall result: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 31 p.; 5. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 30 p.; 6. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 27 p.; 7. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 26 p.; 8. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 25 p.; 9. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), 25 p.; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 25 p.; 11. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 22 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 7 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 347 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 257 p.; 3. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 218 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 214 p.; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 198 p.; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 182 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 172 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 150 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 148 p.; 10. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 138 p.
Brazil MX2 Images Gallery: CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS
The seventh round of 17 in the FIM Motocross World Championship represented the last overseas trip for the series and the last airing of the Superfinal format that mixed the top 20 MX1 and MX2 riders together for the second moto.
Anstie flew to Brazil after a week training and riding at his ranch in Hemet, California and was determined to take his factory-backed RM-Z250 as close to the podium as possible around the compact and twisty red terrain. The layout did not facilitate easy overtaking and occasional showers kept the ground slick and then tacky in places.
In the opening MX2 race Anstie struggled to get an effective rhythm and also find the urgency he needed around the course, and this set the tone for a tough day of work. The Brit rode to 14th and then managed to squeeze inside the top 20 of the Superfinal.
The team now has a respite from international and national race duty. The Grand Prix of France at Ernee on June 9th will be followed directly by the round in Italy and at the mythical Maggiora circuit.
Max Anstie:
"It was a difficult weekend and we struggled. I think we had a good setting and set-up and I came into the weekend with good form but I didn't have the power to push. I wasn't tired but just not 'firing'. We go back to the States for a week and I have some time to sort everything out before coming back to Europe and focus 100% for France. I felt more normal in the Superfinal because I was able to pass guys but still we have problems with the starts and we have worked on a few things but it is at the point now where I'm not sure how much practice we can do! We have all been working really hard and it is time now to sit back in the next three weeks and then let the results come. We just need a little bit of luck on our side."
*Other global Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe News: Romanian Crisztian Tompa won the fourth round of the European 85cc series on home turf in Zarnesti on his RM85.
MX2 Moto1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:08.386; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:11.680; 3. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:16.551; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:23.711; 5. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), +0:30.415; 6. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:32.337; 7. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +0:37.039; 8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:42.374; 9. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:44.771; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:47.844. 14. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:21.423.
Superfinal classification: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40:49.230; 2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:02.830; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:25.606; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:31.078; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:41.121; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:44.766; 7. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:45.861; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:50.619; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:03.885; 10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:09.255; 11. Shaun Simpson (GBR, TM), +1:19.992; 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:22.240; 13. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +1:23.261; 14. Joel Roelants (BEL, Yamaha), +1:26.011; 15. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:28.973; 16. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +1:34.001; 17. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:43.495; 18. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +1:44.522; 19. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), +1:44.590; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +2:00.261.
MX2 Overall result: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 31 p.; 5. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 30 p.; 6. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 27 p.; 7. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 26 p.; 8. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 25 p.; 9. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), 25 p.; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 25 p.; 11. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 22 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 7 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 347 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 257 p.; 3. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 218 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 214 p.; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 198 p.; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 182 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), 172 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 150 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 148 p.; 10. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 138 p.
Brazil MX2 Images Gallery: CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS
