Comprehensive success for Pirelli in the fifth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship

After the dusty hard-pack found in Mexico the Pirelli Scorpion MX proved to be equally ruthless across the wet and bumpy mud of the Grand Prix of Brazil at Beto Carrero. The combination of MidSoft 32 Mud rear and MidSoft 32 front proved to be ideal for Pirelli’s legion of riders after heavy showers turned the red terrain into a slippery and swampy prospect for raceday and where good traction was highly sought by the GP stars. MX1 belonged to Frenchman Christophe Pourcel who won the first moto by a large 1min 29second advantage and then finished fourth in the second race for his second overall success of the season. In the runner-up slot was David Philippaerts. The Italian was fresh and confident after his triumph in the second Mexican moto last Sunday and rode to two strong finishes of 2nd and 6th (despite a bad start) to walk the second step of the box. Alongside the works Yamaha representative was Kevin Strijbos; the Belgian toasting his first podium since 2007 and first for the British HM Plant KTM UK squad. His effort was achieved thanks to 5th and 3rd positions and his first moto performance was the highlight as the former world championship runner-up fought back from eighteenth spot. It was a race to forget for series leader Antonio Cairoli, who struggled on the loose terrain and suffered crashes in both races to take 8th and 9th. In MX2 Pirelli filled the first two places but were unable to count on category red plate holder Jeffrey Herlings who failed to deal with the Brazilian mud and could only classify 7th. Victory went to his title rival Tommy Searle, who recorded his first double of the season on the Kawasaki and finished ahead of factory Yamaha rider Christophe Charlier, the Frenchman clocking fifth position in the second moto to make sure of his maiden podium appearance. The FIM Motocross World Championship will now head back to Europe and pauses for a week before the Grand Prix of France at St Jean D’Angely on June 3rd.

MX1

Overall Classification

1.   Christophe Pourcel   Kawasaki   Team CP377
2.   David Philippaerts    Yamaha   Team Monster Energy
3.   Kevin Strijbos           KTM   Team HM Plant
4.   Gautier Paulin             Kawasaki   Team KRT
5.   Rui Goncalves             Honda   Team World Motocross

Championship standings:

1.   Antonio Cairoli          KTM   p. 203
2.   Clement Desalle        Suzuki   p. 179
3.   Christophe Pourcel   Kawasaki   p. 172
4.   Gautier Paulin             Kawasaki   p. 170
5.   Ken De Dycker          KTM   p. 154

MX2

Overall Classification

1.   Tommy Searle            Kawasaki   Team Floride
2.   Christophe Charlier    Yamaha   Team Monster Energy
3.   Butron Josè                  KTM   Team Diga Racing
4.   Jeremy V. Horebeek  KTM   Team Red Bull Factory
5.   Joel Roelants             Kawasaki   Team Floride

Championship standings:

1.   Jeffrey Herlings          KTM   p. 223
2.   Jeremy V. Horebeek   KTM   p. 203
3.   Tommy Searle            Kawasaki   p. 189
4.   Joel Roelants             Kawasaki   p. 152
5.   Max Anstie                 Honda   p. 137