British GP - The Lowdown
August 27, 2007
Antonio Cairoli - De Carli Yamaha"Well this is another good day for me. I did not have the speed to make a good qualifying time yesterday but I knew that in the race it would be different. In the first moto I started well and just waited for a little bit behind Mackenzie but I had some arm-pump because I'm not so used to the power of the 450. When I was in the lead Kevin went through and he was faster. I had a small problem with my goggles because the sweat kept dropping onto the lens and I just wanted to make sure of second. I know that my physical condition is good and in the second moto I was again at the front and just did what I normally do in MX2. I did not waste any energy in the first part of the race and pushed when I needed to in order to take the win. I had two different kinds of races today. I found the power the biggest difference with the 450; for one race it is fine but for the whole season it would be hard. With little to no preparation to ride the 450, I prefer my 250 for the moment because I really enjoy that bike and have so much fun." Josh Coppins - Yamaha Motocross Team
"I just could not deal with the pain this weekend. I kept telling the doctor to give me more but I had reached a limit. I was struggling for concentration and at one point I could not even lift my arm to put it on the handlebars or put on my goggles. I knew after the sighting lap in the second moto that it was pretty much over but I tried the start and to see if the race could change something. I was happy with the first moto even if I did ride bad lines. I found myself focussing more on the pain than my riding. I can take some pride out of the fact that I finished and got some points but at the same time I was disappointed. I just want to go to Lierop and try to race like I know I can." Marc de Reuver - Yamaha Motocross Team
"I don't know what is going on. Something in my head is not right and I don't feel comfortable or fast on the bike. I have problems with the handling when I am not in the sand. The track was good but I did not do the second moto because I did not see the point in riding around in last place." Carlo Rinaldi, Team Manager - Yamaha Motocross Team
"It is a disappointing day but it is still not over. It depends on how Josh will recover this week. If those extra days give us a benefit like we hope then the championship is not over. We just hope that this weekend has not added any extra damage or slowed the recovery. Marc's situation is just another disappointment and I do not know what more I can say about it." Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Racing Manager - Yamaha Motor Europe:
"Again Tony has proved that he is an unbelievable talent. We were hoping for a good result and for him to be in front of Steve to help Josh and take some points away but we never expected him to win the GP; a podium would have already been a great result. I can't really find more words to explain it. Today though is a classic case of mixed feelings because it is incredible what Tony did but I feel so upset for Josh. What he managed in the first heat was very brave but he was in so much pain. We have been through a spectrum of emotions today. We won't give up and hopefully in the coming week the bone in his shoulder will continue to heal." Nicolas Aubin - Yamaha Team Ricci
"I managed to win the first moto even with a small, silly crash because I had some good speed and found that I could pass the backmarkers easily. I did find it hard to keep a good rhythm though and Tommy put a lot of pressure on me at his home GP, which I understand. I held on though. The second moto was quite difficult and my start was not good at all whereas Tommy had pulled away with the lead. I am very disappointed because after the first race I really wanted to win this GP. Fifth place was the best I could do." Matteo Bonini - De Carli Yamaha
"I loved the track and felt fast all weekend. I was doing well in the first moto but had a small crash towards the end and lost two positions. I was leading at the start of the second moto and followed Searle until Tarroux had some good speed and passed me. I was third and I knew that if I had not fallen earlier then I would have been on the podium. Anyway after a lot of injuries and problems I am really happy with this result." Kenneth Gundersen - Yamaha Team Ricci
"I somehow started 30th in both motos and just did my best. I feel that my riding is good but I am getting stuck behind slower riders and I lose my rhythm. When I get through then I quickly draw up to the next one. When you have bad starts it is not possible to rise higher. The track was very difficult for passing. I am happy I finished two motos and got some points. I am looking forward to Lierop now and the sand." Davide Guarneri - Yamaha Team Ricci
"I'm really angry and frustrated. I felt OK yesterday but woke this morning with an ache in my groin. I went out to do some laps and thought it was just a stiff muscle but I caught my leg when I put it out on a corner and I had a lot of pain. I tried getting the area on the top of my leg strapped but it was no good." Tanel Leok - Kawasaki
“Not a bad result but I can do better,” he said. “I tweaked my knee a little bit in the first race but I should have really finished fourth. My start was good in the second and I’m happy with that but I had some stomach cramps and I don’t know the reason why. My riding was a bit soft. The track was very good, rough and with bumps, like a track should be.” Billy Mackenzie - Kawasaki
“In the first race I was controlling my arm-pump,” he commented. “I landed off the soft jump and my left hand came away from the bars and I could not get the clutch in time. I had to restart and when I got going again my arms went completely. In the second race I got a good jump and went for third gear and hit neutral. The bike was sat there whining before I could hook again. In the first turn I hit someone’s back wheel and went down and then crashed three times on the first lap trying to pass people. After that I just had to relax and try and pick off riders one by one. I don’t where I got up to and didn’t really care by then; what a bad weekend.” Gareth Swanepoel - Kawasaki
“I didn’t get a good start in that second moto but I was coming through until I got kicked off and over the bars on a landing from a table-top and went down pretty hard,” he recounted. ”I got up but I was in a bad place and I had to wait for everyone to go through before I could pick up the bike. I came through to wherever I could get by the end. I can take some positives from the first race. It was not an awesome ride but OK. Things are going my way recently and I don’t know why that is because I am working so hard.” Tom Church
“It was a really tough day,” he reflected. “I had two really good starts. In the first moto I nearly crashed in the second corner and in the second start I nearly crashed in the first corner because I was hit from behind. I ended up last in both races after about three turns. I fought my hardest but used so much energy trying to pass people. I struggled a little bit with the track and wasn’t that comfortable.” Sébastien Pourcel
‘On Saturday a big stone hit my foot and it was painful during the races but I had to deal with it. I missed both starts today and crashed twice in the first race. In the last laps I was close to Ramon but went off the track and couldn’t pass him. My second start was not better but I had a good rhythm and came back to third behind De Dycker. I tried to pass him but he closed the door, I went on the outside line but lost the front wheel and crashed. It was not a good weekend but I will work hard to be ready for Lierop and contest a podium position for the last round.’ Roger Pourcel
‘It was probably the hardest week of my life as I stayed alongside Christophe in the hospital. Finally on Friday I decided to come in England as Chistophe was feeling better, my wife remained with him and I felt it was also important to be here with Sébastien. On Saturday we had more bad news with the injury of Thierry Godfroid, he was in fourth position when he crashed hard and broke his leg. Sébastien missed both starts today and of course when you don’t start at the front then the race is more difficult. He did not have such a good rhythm in the first race; he wasn’t strong enough in the second part of the track. His performance was much stronger in the second heat, but unfortunately he lost a possible win when he crashed while trying to pass De Dycker. He is now fourth in the standings and we know that the last round will be tough as most of our rivals were born in the sand, but we’ll do our best to reach a good result there, with Sébastien and also Livia Lancelot who has been training on sandy tracks last week. Let’s just hope that we’ll have at least a good weekend in Lierop, after two difficult GPs for us.’ Steve Ramon - Suzuki
"Today was great for the championship but I still really want to win," he said. "With my wrist it is not easy to get on the podium and I have to ride carefully. It has been tough the last few weeks. I know Josh has had problems but I have also not been fit. I have the red plate today though, which was the goal but there is still one GP to go and we are not there yet." Kevin Strijbos
"I had problems with my starts today, especially in the second moto," the 22 year old remarked. "I was eighth or something on the first lap and Tony was already in the lead. I could not find the lines I wanted. I pushed hard but when I got to second the gap was already too big. Tony did a good job. I want to win in Lierop now. Steve has the lead in the championship and I want to help him there. I have proved in the last few races that I have come back to a good level and I think second is even possible in the final standings." Shannon Terreblanche
"I never really found a rhythm on the track, and to be honest, I didn't feel that I had the speed that I should have had. The track was dangerous and slippery, and I never really got on top of it. I was lying in the points both times when I had problems, but what's done is done. I'm looking forward to the GP in Lierop in the deep sand, there I will have some advantage against many of the riders. It's also the home GP for Beursfoon Suzuki, so I'm hoping to do well there." Tommy Searle - Redbull KTM
"It was a perfect day for me. I was not so worried after coming second in the first moto because I put all my efforts into the second heat. "I was struggling today with the lines but I tried to do my best," Searle said. "It was great to win here in Donington in front of my family and friends and it gave me an opportunity to give something back to my fans and all the people who have supported me." Jonathan Barragan
"My hand was quite bad today and for some reason I just didn't have a good day. I felt tired and I was just not able to play with my bike the way I would have liked to" David Philippaerts
"I am good on sand!" Jeremy Tarroux
"I tried to stick with Tommy in the second heat and at one point I even thought I might be able to pass him, but them he pulled away from me" Stefan Everts
"I am very happy for Tommy," he said. "I know the feeling of winning before your home crowd. This has been a very important win today and it will give Tommy a lot of confidence, but it is also good for the whole team who all worked hard to make it possible." Sean Hamblin - Swift Suzuki
“The track is not only spectacular, there are also plenty of places for passing so I am optimistic of a good result in the GP. “I got my usual starts but I was gaining a place a lap until I got to 12th in race one. The pace was high today and there was a long gap to 11th. I managed to close it down but not enough to advance further by the chequered flag. “I got one of my better starts in race two and had a great race to finish 8th. I was actually setting faster lap times than the leaders mid-moto and I was catching Aubin, who had won the first race and was one place ahead of me in this one. It’s a pity my blisters opened up again towards the end of the second race, and in the end I had to settle for that 8th place.” Elliott Banks Browne - Swift Suzuki
“I like the track. I was able to make some good passes in the first couple of laps, but then I settled down to ensure I didn’t throw it away. I have had too many disappointments this year, and the first priority was to ensure I made the main race. Tomorrow should be good. “I had no chance of points after that, but I went out again to take a look at the track and was on the pace of the riders I was racing with.” Mark Chamberlain - Fork-Rent Suzuki
“I’m really pleased with Jason today - it really shows what he can do at this level. We head to Leirop next weekend for the final GP of the season and we are all determined to end the year on a high”.
Elliott gets ready for his MOTO
British riders did themselves proud at Donington
Kevin Strijbos looked determined
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