Motorcross Update
�GERMAN GRAND PRIX RACE�
Mickael Pichon: Wins in a row: 7, World Championships: 2, Pichon does it again
Mickael Pichon finally ended the 2002 250cc World Championship chase yesterday in Gaildorf, Germany. The factory Suzuki rider clinched his seventh Grand Prix victory in a row and nine from ten rounds so far this season. Like in 2001, the Frenchman dashed away to win a hot and humid race and sealed his second consecutive title in the quarter-litre classification.
From the start Alessio Chiodi grabbed the holeshot and was followed by Johnny Aubert and Pichon. The Italian lost the lead to Pichon after making a small mistake and rapidly dropped down the order as the back wheel of his Yamaha got caught up in the fabric fencing at the side of the circuit.
Johnny Aubert was producing his best ride of the year on the private Yamaha in the runner-up spot and stayed within 5 seconds of Pichon until the last lap when he slowed dramatically with signs of machine trouble that was finally diagnosed as a broken rear shock. Pit Beirer and Fred Bolley both overtook the Frenchman before he suffered a sickening crash three corners from the flag as his ailing bike bottomed-out on a steep drop-down. Aubert landed heavily over the bars and the sight of the ambulance hurrying to his attention took the shiny gloss off Pichon's celebrations with his team in the foreground. Luckily, Aubert was later given the all clear after only being winded and dazed.
Beirer gratefully accepted second to the noisy adulation of his home fans and Bolley came through for third. A subdued Josh Coppins was fourth with Jussi Vehvilainen taking his best finish of the season in fifth.
With his seventh consecutive success Pichon stands two races away from the record for most GP wins in a row. He already has that accolade for the 250 class but will have to earn victories in the Czech Republic and Russia to overhaul Joel Smets tally of 8 achieved in the 500 series during the 2000 season.
"I feel very loose and relaxed now after waking up a bit tense this morning," the World Champion remarked. "I felt more confident today than I did last year. I had a big points lead then but it was the first time for me and it was really difficult. I had the same experience in the race this morning though when I kept thinking I could hear strange noises on the bike and was praying nothing would go wrong, I was making some errors and ended up really taking my time in that race. The last few laps were tricky but we have done it again and I want to thank my mechanic, my team, my family and everybody; we are doing a great job. I thought last season was pretty perfect and it would be impossible to do better, but we have so far and I'm really happy."
Joel Smets carved his way past seven riders and comprehensively beat Stefan Everts to win his second GP in a row and complete a two week spree of victory. After his emphatic triumph in Belgium a fortnight ago then success in British and Belgian national Championships, Smets added the GP of Germany to the tally of trophies with an aggressive and dominant ride as he revelled in the role of being the fastest 500cc rider around the Gaildorf circuit.
The KTM man took four laps to barge his way past Yves Demaria and Javier Garcia Vico to arrive in second from a first lap position of 8th. He then embarked on a seven lap crusade to shut down the 5 second gap built up by Stefan Everts and overtook his rival on the last jump of the course. Within half of a circulation Smets had pulled away from the Yamaha rider and Champion-in-waiting as Everts conceded a full 25 point prize in favour of a safe and valuable haul of 22.
A collision between Vico and Demaria while the pair were battling for third saw the former come off the worse as Demaria gained the last place on the podium and Vico dropped to seventh. Brian Jorgensen grabbed a fantastic fourth on the Husqvarna 450 ahead of Marnicq Bervoets and Jussi Vehvilainen.
Everts now leads the standings by 40 points from Marnicq Bervoets. Smets moves up to third, ahead of Vico, thanks to his fifth win of the year and trails by 44 points.
Mickael Maschio crossed the line first in the 125cc GP to take his third win of the season. In the most exciting race of the day Maschio charged from fourth place to pass early leader Steve Ramon and then Patrick Caps who headed the field for most of the moto. The top three (also the trio fighting it out at the top of the Championship) produced an exciting display, none more so than Maschio who eased his factory Kawasaki past Caps with only four laps remaining after closing down a four second gap.
Ben Townley had another race to forget as he tangled with team-mate Tyla Rattray, Erik Eggens and Philippe Dupasquier in a royal KTM pile-up on the fourth corner. A broken throttle cable forced a swift retirement and Eggens did not last much longer either. Dupasquier came back to ninth; effectively erasing his Championship hopes. Stephen Sword had a good race for his highest finish of the year so far in fourth place. Alex Puzar was fifth.
Maschio now leads the standings once again but by a single point from Caps, while Ramon is eight behind.
