Traduzione by Ryan Introvigne e Riccardo Rosa Salva

Proseguiamo con le ultime due gare della stagione e con il campionato più bello di sempre, i commenti dei piloti dopo il GP Americano a Charlotte Motor Speedway sono arrivati, un bellissimo GP in una pista artificiale e molto molto veloce che ha messo in crisi gli europei…., bagarre sia nella 250 che nella 450 che hanno regalato la giusta componente d’adrenalina e consegnato i titoli nelle rispettive classi!
Buona lettura!

PODIO PILOTI MXGP

ELI TOMAC: E’ stata una giornata fantastica. Già nelle prove ho fatto dei buoni giri puliti, ed ho fatto quello che dovevo fare in entrambe le manche. La pista era un misto tra motocross e Monster Cup, ed è stata una sfida differente il poter correre con piloti che normalmente vedo solo una volta all’anno al MXON. Le condizioni non erano facili in entrambe le gare, nella prima avevamo il sole negli occhi, mentre nella seconda era difficile vedere i canali con le luci artificiali, ho rischiato di cadere due volte in due giri, era una pista dove era difficile stare in piedi.

TIM GAJSER: E’ incredibile, non riesco ancora a crederci. La scorsa settimana ad Assen ero demoralizzato per le due gare orribili che avevo fatto. Ho dovuto resettare tutto e credere in me stesso in questi giorni.Abbiamo avuto una grande stagione, voglio ringraziare la Honda, HRC, il team, la mia famiglia, mio padre..abbiamo lavorato così duramente per tutta la nostra vita e ora abbiamo raggiunto il risultato più alto in assoluto, per due anni consecutivi. Tutti i fans sono stati fantastici quest’anno, ho avuto un grande supporto. E’ un onore rappresentare questo sport in Slovenia. Iniziare la stagione in Qatar con due vittorie è stato esaltante, ma solo dal GP di Spagna ho iniziato a pensare di potercela fare. Dalla Spagna a Mantova abbiamo vinto 7 manche su 8 e da quel momento mi son convinto che se avessi guidato così fino alla fine, sarei potuto diventare Campione del Mondo. Devo ringraziare il team perchè la moto è stata perfetta e per andare forte devi essere una cosa sola con lei. Sono come seconde fidanzate per noi le nostre CRF! Non è facile realizzare tutto ciò adesso ma domattina quando mi sveglierò forse mi sembrerà tutto più reale. Ogni sogno può diventare realtà se ci credi veramente e lavori duramente per raggiungerlo, e oggi un altro sogno si è avverato per me.

JEREMY VAN HOREBEEK: Il podio mi mancava da molto tempo ed ho lavorato molto duramente col Team per ottenerlo nuovamente. Hanno fatto un grande lavoro per preparare la moto ed i pezzi del puzzle pian piano stanno iniziando a mettersi a posto. Le mie partenze continuano a migliorare dopo tutte le cose che abbiamo provato e sono molto contento. Questo podio lo dedico al Team.

PODIO PILOTI MX2

COOPER WEBB: Ho avuto una partenza terribile nella seconda manche ed ero molto indietro, ma son riuscito ad effettuare sorpassi. Stavo per accontentarmi del terzo posto ma il pubblico mi spingeva così non ho potuto fare altro che dare tutto quello che avevo, sono contento di aver vinto la mia ultima gara in 250.

JEFFREY HERLINGS: Sono super super contento, specialmente dopo essere passato attraverso un femore rotto, un’anca lussata, due clavicole rotte e aver quasi perso il mignolo. E’ il titolo numero 3 e spero che ne arriveranno molti altri. I due piloti americani più forti erano qui, Webb e Forkner. Webb è campione National e l’ho battuto nella prima manche mentre lui mi ha battuto nella seconda. Penso che la competizione sia più forte in America, ma abbiamo vinto il titolo ed è ciò che conta. Amo la pista di Glen Helen e dovrebbe essere meglio che questa. Come sempre, cercheremo di fare il nostro meglio.

AUSTIN FORKNER: Sono sorpreso anche io di me stesso.Davvero non sapevo cosa aspettarmi, anche la partenza era differente, qui ci dobbiamo preparare noi il cancelletto. Ho fatto il miglior tempo nelle cronometrate e son partito davanti in gara1. Quell’errore mi è costato la vittoria, mentre in gara due loro erano più veloci. Noi americani partiamo subito forte, mentre i piloti dei GP sono più forti a fine gara. Ero molto stanco alla fine, ma è stato abbastanza speciale oggi.

COMMENTI ALTRI PILOTI:

Antonio Cairoli: “E’ stata una settimana difficile, già dal lunedì dopo Assen ho cominciato ad avere problemi di gola e affaticamento, poi in volo per l’America non mi sono sentito bene. Una volta arrivato a Charlotte ho preso dei medicinali che purtroppo non hanno sortito l’effetto sperato. Venerdì ho capito che la cosa era più seria del previsto e sabato mattina sono arrivato in pista debilitato con qualche linea di febbre. Nelle prime libere le cose sono andate bene ed ho pensato di potercela fare, invece non è andata così; dopo un turno di qualifica difficile, ho avuto problemi ad azzeccare le due partenze e questo, su una pista così veloce non mi ha aiutato. In gara uno una scivolata mi ha fatto perdere posizioni e non sono riuscito a rimontare, mentre in gara due ho solo cercato di arrivare al traguardo, stringendo i denti per fare più punti possibili e salvaguardare la seconda posizione nel Mondiale, ma la febbre mi ha rallentato al punto che pensavo di dovermi ritirare. Per fortuna ce l’ho fatta ed ora sarà importante cercare di recuperare durante questa settimana prima del GP di Glen Helen. Voglio congratularmi con Tim Gajser per aver vinto meritatamente il Mondiale MXGP 2016″

Romain Febvre: “Non siamo molto abituati a correre al buio ma mi piace, è come in Qatar. In alcune curve è un po’ troppo buio ma è così per tutti. La pista era molto veloce e per questo la velocità era molto elevata.. perchè tutti sanno andare veloce quando il terreno è liscio.  I miei risultati non sono stati buoni e sono deluso. Spero di fare meglio il prossimo weekend a Glen Helen.”

Clement Desalle: “Ancora una volta le partenze erano molto importanti qui dato che la pista era molto veloce. Era difficile fare la differenza, difficile superare e mi sarebbero bastate solo delle partenze migliori per lottare per il podio. Nella prima gara ho guadagnato una posizione a tre giri dalla fine, nella seconda invece era difficile a causa della poca luce sulla pista, sono partito bene ma poi alla prima curva sono scivolato all’esterno e ho perso alcune posizioni, dopodiché è stato impossibile recuperare. “

Evgeny Bobryshev: “Oggi mi sono davvero divertito, la pista era bellissimma e guidare la nuova CRF 2017 è stato fantastico. Nella prima gara avevo ancora bisogno di capire la nuova moto in condizioni di gara e per questo ci è voluto un po’ di tempo per abituarmi bene.. ma nella seconda gara è andata molto meglio. Sono partito bene e sono rimasto in quarta posizione per tutta la gara spingendo per raggiungere il terzo. Ma avevamo la stessa velocità e per questo purtroppo non sono riuscito a sorpassare, ma sicuramente oggi con la nuova moto avevamo il passo del podio. Mi sento davvero bene sulla moto, mi diverto molto a guidarla e sento che ci sono molti altri risultati positivi in arrivo.”

Gautier Paulin: “É stata davvero un bell’evento e davvero una pista molto bella qui a Charlotte e mi sono divertito molto a girare. Dopo la pioggia hanno fatto un gran lavoro e oggi le condizioni della pista erano buone. Sfortunatamente però oggi ho fatto due brutte partenze che mi hanno reso la vita difficile. Ho guidato bene ma non sono contento delle mie partenze. La pista era molto tecnica e scorrevole e penso che con due buone partenze sarei potuto essere tra i primi. Nella seconda manche mi sono anche storto la caviglia malamente ed è per questo che ho dovuto fermarmi. Ero all’interno di una curva quando mi si è incastrato il piede nel fango e per questo ho perso l’anteriore e quando sono caduto mi sono storto la caviglia. Il Team mi ha già trattato stasera e mi sento molto meglio ma in un primo momento faceva malissimo e non riuscivo a continuare.”

Valentin Guillod: “Nella prima gara ero settimo quando ho fatto una piccolo caduta in una curva. Non andavo veloce ma dopo che mi sono rialzato non riuscivo a respirare e un giro e mezzo dopo era come se qualcuno mi avesse messo un coltello nella schiena. Non avevo più aria e sono caduto ancora e ho dovuto fermarmi. Non sono contento ma potrebbe andare peggio. Avrei potuto rompermi un braccio.. grazie ai fisioterapisti sono riuscito a prende parte alla seconda e questo è stato un bene per me e per il team.”

Alvin Östlund: “Nella seconda gara sono partito meglio ed ero anche più veloce. Questa è la pista più veloce su cui ho mai corso.. i rettilinei sono lunghi, le curve sono veloci e i salti sono molto grandi.”

Jeremy Seewer: “Davvero tanta sfortuna… sono andato abbastanza bene nelle prove cronometrate e mi sentivo bene sulla moto che abbiamo dovuto regolare un po’ perché la pista era super veloce. Mi sentivo bene ma oggi Jeffrey e quei due Americani erano un po’ su un altro livello.. nella prima curva della prima manche un sasso ha colpito il mio disco anteriore e ho fatto tutta la gara senza freno. Mi sono quasi fermato ma poi ho deciso di dare tutto me stesso e ho comunque finito nono limitando i danni. Nella seconda manche sono riuscito a tenere il ritmo e stare vicino alla testa per un bel po’ ma poi ho avuto un piccolo problema con la moto che arrancava un po’.. non mi ha dato molto fastidio ma ho dovuto abbassare un pò il ritmo. Quinto è un buon risultato, mi piacerebbe essere più vicino ai primi ma oggi ho limitato i danni.”

Brent Van doninck: “Qui le partenze non sono come in Europa e ai GP non si vede mai niente del genere. Nella seconda gara ho fatto una buona partenza e per me questo è stato ottimo. Non andiamo neanche così veloci (in Europa) ed è stato un bel cambiamento vedere queste velocità. Questa è la nostra seconda gara notturna dopo il Qatar ed è strano girare in una pista prima alla luce del giorno e poi sotto i lampioni.”

Thomas Covington: “È stato un ottimo GP e sono felice del mio quarto posto finale. È bello correre davanti ai tuoi amici e alla tua famiglia, e anche i tifosi sono stati stupendi. La pista era davvero velocissima, con pochi elementi tecnici a rallentarti, di modo che non era facile sorpassare. In Gara1 sono partito male, ma ho realizzato subito qualche sorpasso salendo abbastanza rapidamente al quarto posto, per poi correre il resto della manche in solitudine. In Gara2 sono partito meglio e stavo lottando con Seewer per il terzo posto, per poi concludere di nuovo quarto. Nel complesso la moto si è comportata ottimamente, e la mia guida è stata fluida per tutto i giorno. Non vedo l’ora di correre il GP conclusivo a Glen Helen: conosco molto bene la pista, quindi spero di poter essere nella top 3.”

Max Anstie: “Anche stavolta ho fatto del mio meglio, ma si vede che non era giornata. Dopo la cancellazione della manche di qualificazione, sapevamo che tutti avrebbero spinto subito al massimo nelle due manche finali. Sono partito bene in Gara1, seguendo da vicino Forkner, ma dopo un paio di curve ho perso l’anteriore e sono stato sbalzato di sella. Mi sono ripreso e ho guidato forte, risalendo al sesto posto. La mia partenza in Gara2 non è stata un granché, e mentre lottavo nel gruppo sono stato preso da forti dolori di stomaco. Credo di essere stato spossato dallo sforzo di Gara1. Ora ci concentreremo sul prossimo weekend, e spero di chiudere la stagione con un bel risultato a Glen Helen.”

Max Nagl: “È stato un weekend difficile per noi. Il programma del venerdì è stato cancellato per la pioggia, e tutto è stato concentrato al sabato. In Gara1 sono partito benissimo, rimanendo quinto per un paio di giri. Era difficile realizzare sorpassi su questa pista. A cinque minuti dal termine sono caduto e ho perso qualche posizione, chiudendo decimo. In Gara2 sono partito ancora meglio, riuscendo a realizzare l’holeshot. Ho fatto del mio meglio per restare con i primi, ma i ragazzi là davanti avevano davvero un passo velocissimo, per cui ho chiuso nono per un nono posto di giornata. Domani voleremo a Glen Helen e lì avremo un po’ di tempo in più per mettere a punto le cose in vista del GP. Il mio obiettivo è di lottare per la top 3, in modo da mantenere il mio terzo posto in campionato.”

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Eli Tomac: “It was an awesome day. Already in practice I got some clean laps in, and did what I needed to in both motos. The race track was a kind of mixture between motocross and the Monster Cup, and it was a different challenge to be racing the guys I normally only see once a year at the Nations. Conditions weren’t easy in either race; we had the sun in our eyes in the first race and it was tough to see the ruts under the floodlights in race two. I almost tipped over on two laps in race two; it was a tough track to stay on.”

Cooper Webb: “I had a terrible start (in the second moto), I was way back, and made passes. I was going to settle for third, but the crowd pulled for me, and I couldn’t settle. I gave it everything, my last 250 race and I had a terrible start and just kept coming and got the win.”

Jeffrey Herlings: “I am super, super happy, especially after everything we’ve been going through with a broken femur, a dislocated hip, two broken collarbones and almost losing my little finger. It’s number three and hopefully many more to come.” Asked to comment about racing against leading Americans, he added: “The two strongest guys from America Webb and Forkner were here. Webb is the national champion and I beat him straight up in the first race and then he beat me in the second. I think the competition is stronger in the US, but we won the championship and that’s what it’s all about.” Speaking about the final round next weekend: “I like the track at Glenn Helen and it should be better than this track. Like always, we will do our best to make it happen.”

Tim Gajser: “It feels amazing. It’s unbelievable to have won this title – I still cannot really take it all in. Last weekend in Assen we had a horrible weekend and two horrible races, and I was getting down. I had to regroup in these last few days and keep really believing in myself. We have had an amazing season, and I was saying to myself ‘we cannot finish the season like this.’ We had to finish it like we have been for most of the season – get back on track, and to win the title here and stand back on the podium again here in Charlotte is just perfect. I want to thank so much Honda, HRC, the team, my family, my Dad – we’ve been working so hard for this for all our lives, and now for the second year in a row we’ve achieved the best possible result – the highest possible win – the World Championship crown. All the fans have been incredible this year – already last year was amazing because we had so much support, but this year it’s been even bigger. We make something with the popularity of this sport in Slovenia, and I’m very proud to be that person who is helping the sport to grow. It’s an honour and a pleasure. Starting the season with two wins in Qatar was of course an amazing start, but it was just the beginning and the season was still very long at that point. Around the time of the Spanish GP was the point where I really thought this could happen this year. From Spain to Mantova we won seven of the eight motos, and I knew then that this was possible – I knew that if I ride like that for the rest of the season we would again be World Champions.  I wanted this so much this year, and I’ve been training harder than ever and we’ve been working as a team harder than ever, and less than a year after our MX2 victory we’re again champions. I must thank Honda and the team so much for everything they’ve done and given me this year. The bike has really been fantastic. It becomes so much a part of you that you really have to click with it and have a good relationship with it. We call our bikes our babies – they’re like second girlfriends! And this year the Honda CRF has just been perfect. I couldn’t ask for better or for more. We believed so hard that we could do it again this year, and I feel so privileged and so fortunate to be in this situation, and after this year I feel better as a rider and better as a person. It hasn’t really sunk in yet all of this. It’s not easy to realise now, but even tomorrow morning when I wake it will already feel more real. Every dream can come true if you really believe in it and really work for it, and today another dream has come true for me.”

Austin Forkner: “I even surprised myself today. I really didn’t know what to expect and even the start was different as we had to prepare our own gate. I set fastest time in practice and took the lead on the opening lap in each moto. That mistake in race one cost me the win and I just handed it to them, but they were inching me in in race two. We Americans go for it from the beginning of the motos, while the GP riders are stronger at the end. I was getting pretty tired at the end, but it was pretty special today.”

Jeremy Van Horebeek: “It’s been a long time, and I’ve worked hard for this together with the team. They’ve done an awesome job to get the bike ready, and the puzzle pieces are coming together. The starts are better and better after all the things they try, and I’m really happy. This one is for the team.”

Antonio Cairoli: “It as been a difficult week, since Monday after the Grand Prix in Assen I started having throat problems and fatigue, then flying to America I did not felt well. Upon my arrival in Charlotte I took drugs which unfortunately have not had the desired effect. Yesterday I realized that my conditions were more serious than expected and this morning I got on the track debilitated with slight fever. In the first free practice, things went well and I thought I could do it, but it did not happen. After a difficult qualifying round of practice, I had problems to get two good starts and that, on a track so fast did not helped me. In race one a crash made me loose some positions that I have not managed to recover, while in race two I just tried to get to the finish. I grate the teeth to end the moto and to make the most points possible and safeguard the second position in the standings, but the fever slowed me and I thought that I had to give up. Luckily I did it to the finish line and it is now important to try to recover during this week before the Grand Prix of Glen Helen. I want to congratulate Tim Gajser for having deservedly won the World MXGP 2016.”

Valentin Guillod: “In the first race I was seventh and I made a really small crash in the corner. Not fast, but after I got up I couldn’t breathe a lap and a half later, it was like somebody had put a knife in my back. No air anymore, and after I crashed again I had to stop. “I’m not happy, but it could be worse. It could have been a broken arm. Thanks to the physio I was able to take the second start and that’s good for me and for the team.”

Kevin Strijbos: “I felt pretty good on that track today but I couldn’t work out the start and the drop-off out of the gate. I was so fast that I was jumping the drop-off and just lost time compared to the other guys. That roost hurt like hell! My speed was good and especially the second moto where I was having fun on the track. I was riding smooth and it was a bit of a shame with the start; if I could have taken a top -six from the gate then I could have stayed at the front easily. Again not really the results I want but where I came from then it wasn’t too bad…you just don’t really see that on the paper.”

Romain Febvre: “We aren’t so used to racing in the dark, but I like it, just like in Qatar. It’s a little dark in some of the corners, but it’s the same for everybody. The track was really fast, and so the speed was very high, because everyone can ride fast on the flat. My results weren’t great, and I’m disappointed. I hope to do better next week at Glen Helen.”

Darian Sanayei: “I like the track here for my first GP. They postponed Friday and we had to ride more than normal on Saturday with the practice sessions and both races; that was a lot more than I was used to this season in the European series. The qualifying session was not perfect, but I learnt the track and knew that I could get a good result with a good start; in the first moto I was eight or ninth in the first corner and came back to sixth until two laps to go when Anstie passed me. Seventh was a pretty good result for my first ever MX2 GP moto, but after this race and riding so much I was already feeling some pain in my back. I get a nice holeshot in the second moto, which was good and from there I just tried to survive; I didn’t feel so good and I got a thirteenth so overall it was not so bad for my first GP.”

Jeremy Seewer: “Really bad luck. I did quite well in Timed Practice and good on the bike, which we adjusted a bit because the track was super-fast. I felt alright but Jeffrey and those two Americans were a little bit on another level today. In the first corner of the first moto a big rock hit my front disc and I had no brake all moto-long. I almost stopped but decided to give my best and still finished ninth and the damage was not so big. In the second moto I could hold the pace near the front for quite a while but then I had a small problem with the bike and it was hesitating slightly. It didn’t bother me too much but I had to drop the pace a little bit. Fifth was a solid result. I would like to be nearer the front but I made the best of it today.”

Clement Desalle: “Once more the starts were very important here as the track was really fast. It was difficult to make the difference, tough to pass and I just missed better starts to fight for the podium. In the first race I earn one position with three laps to go, but in the second one it was difficult as there was not so much lighting on the track; I had a good start but I lost some positions in the first corner when I slid out wide, and then it was impossible to come back.”

Evgeny Bobryshev: “I really enjoyed my day today – the track was great and riding the new 2017 CRF was fantastic. In the first race I needed to understand the bike in a race condition so it took us a little time to get really used to it, but the second race was way better. I had a good start and sat in fourth place for the whole race pushing for third. The speed was the same so I couldn’t make a pass unfortunately, but we definitely had podium pace here with the new bike. I really feel comfortable on the bike and I really enjoy to ride it – I know that there are many more positive results coming.”

Gautier Paulin: “It was a really good venue and a really good track here in Charlotte, and I enjoyed riding it a lot. They did a lot of hard work since the rain yesterday and the condition of the track today was good. Unfortunately though I had two bad starts today which made it hard. My riding was good but I’m not happy with myself about the starts. The track was really technical and had some nice flow, and I think with good starts we could have been in the mix today. In the second moto, I also twisted my ankle badly which is why I had to stop. On the inside of one corner I got my foot stuck in the mud so I lost the front end because of that, and when I crashed it twisted my ankle. The team have worked on it already tonight and it’s feeling better, but at first there was so much pain I couldn’t continue.”

Jordi Tixier: “It was a pretty good weekend with a good qualifying session; at the first start my jump from the gate was not so good but I rode a very good first corner and came out in the top five; then I lost many positions during the first lap, and I only found a good rhythm after ten minutes to come back from eleventh to seventh. My second start was better; I had a good rhythm and was following Clement for twenty minutes but then I felt tired and settled for eighth position. This event was different to the usual GPs, as we had all the programme on one day and raced the second moto in the evening. They did a good job on the track; when we saw how was the track on Thursday and Friday we were not really optimistic but it turned out OK.”

Tommy Searle: “I struggled again with my starts this weekend; the first race was difficult with a bad start and I didn’t feel confident with the sun in our eyes. I was happier with my riding in the second moto, but coming from so far back it’s difficult to get top ten results. I think that the track was better for the second race, as the sun was down. I just made it difficult for myself this weekend with the starts; let’s hope that it will be better next weekend in Glen Helen.”

Bas Vaessen: “Qualifying wasn’t great, just alright. In the first moto I made too many mistakes on the first lap and then had a huge crash and went fully into the pit lane and twisted my back. I had a lot of pain and couldn’t really ride at 100% that moto and just tried to finish. I had physio in between races and some painkillers. In the second moto I wasted too much time behind Prado but once I passed him then my lap-times were good…overall though it wasn’t a great GP. I made many mistakes and need to learn from that.”

Benoit Paturel: “I had a bad start in the second race, but I came back strong, and it was a better result. I’m really happy about the riding, and I did everything I could to get back in. I’ll give everything at Glen Helen for a result. For the championship we will see what happens next week.”

Brent Van doninck: Brent Van doninck: “The starts here aren’t like in Europe, and we don’t see anything like this in the GP. In the second race I had a good start, and for me that was good. “We don’t go quite this fast either, so it was a change to see the speeds. This is our second night race after Qatar, and it’s strange to do a track in sunlight and under the lights.”

Alvin Östlund: “The speed in the second race was better, and so was my start. This was the fastest track I have ever raced on, the straights are long, the corners are fast and the jumps are really big.”

Thomas Covington: “It was a really good GP and I’m happy with fourth overall. It feels nice to race in front of friends and family and the fans were awesome too. The track was really high speed without many things to slow you down, so passing wasn’t easy. I got a bad start in moto one but made some quick passes. I got fourth pretty quickly and rode the rest of the race by myself. I got a better start in moto two and was battling with Seewer for third, before settling for fourth again. Overall, the bike was working great and my riding was smooth throughout the day. I’m now looking forward to the final GP in Glen Helen. I know this track really well, so hopefully I can run up with the top three.“

Max Anstie: “I did my best once again but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. After the cancellation of the qualifying race, we knew everybody would be pushing hard from the get go in the final motos. I got a great start in the opening race, following Forkner in second, but a couple of turns later I lost the front and went over the bars. I got back up and rode really strong to get back to sixth. My start in moto two wasn’t that good and as I was battling through the pack I felt intense stomach pain. I guess I got physically drained from trying too hard in moto one. Our focus now is on the following weekend and I’m hoping to end the season on a high note in Glen Helen.”

Max Nagl: “It was a difficult weekend for us. Everything got cancelled on Friday due to the rain and the whole schedule got squeezed onto Saturday. In the opening moto I got a great jump out of the gate and was hanging on to fifth for a couple of laps. It was pretty hard to make passes on this track. Five minutes before the end of the race I had a crash and lost a few places to finish 10th. My start was even better in moto two and I ended up getting the holeshot. I did my best to stay close to the top but the guys in front had a really fast pace, so I ended up ninth for ninth overall. We’re flying to Glen Helen tomorrow and we’ll have some extra time to do some training before the GP. My goal is to battle for a top three finish there to preserve my third position in the championship.”

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