Doha: The opening round for the 2015 FIM Motocross World Championship will start this weekend at the Losail MX Track and it will be the third year that this exciting championship is held under floodlights of the Losail MX track.
In this round, all the expectation will be focused on the reigning MXGP Champion and eight-time World Champion, Antonio Cairoli and the American rider Ryan Villopoto, four-time Supercross Champion, who will have a strong battle on the track for the victory.
Other riders of MXGP that will delight the spectators with their riding are Jeremy Van Horebeek, Gautier Paulin and Clement Desalle. In the MX2 class, the French rider Jordi Tixier will defend his title in front of Jeffrey Herling, who dominated the class in 2012 and 2013 but due to an injury he lost the title last year.
In the women class, the Italian rider Kiara Fontanesi will try to clinch his fourth world championship title with the permission of the other tough riders such as Meghan Rutledge, Livia Lancelot and Nathalie Kane.
As in previous seasons, there will be also the National MX Championship.
In the MX1 the Kuwaiti rider Mohammed Jaffar will try to get his first championship in the MX1 as he is leading with 180 points and the second classified is his fellow Meshary Abou Shaibah with 153. Barak Al Jasmi also from Kuwait is heading the MX2 category and also has a lot of options to get the title for first time. Moath Al Ansari is second with 149 points.
Action will start on Friday at 1.35pm with the session of National MX and its first race at 4:00pm. After that, WMX, MX2 and MXGP action will follow and at the end of the day there will be the Qualifying race for MX2 and MXGP at 10:00pm.
On Saturday there will be two races for each class, starting a 6:00pm with the first race for the women, followed by MX2 and MXGP.
The grandstand will be open for free for all the fans and spectators that want to enjoy and live this championship very close.
Nasser Khalifa bin Al Attiyah, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, expressed his happiness at hosting yet another edition of the championship.
‘‘We are delighted to host for the third time the FIM Motocross World Championship and to see the best MX rider from around the world to take part in the Qatar Grand Prix. Also, we are very happy to see the top women riders proving their ability and skills on our world class track. For sure that this opening round of the MXGP will be another success and as we are the only track in the world to have full lighting system, our night race promises to be very exciting for all the fans and spectators” Al Attiyah said.
The Peninsula
Doha: The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team goes into the MXGP/MX2 season with a very strong line-up of factory riders who are fit, motivated and ‘Ready to Race’ in the 2015 season.
The factory team has been a powerful force in the paddock in past seasons and has taken successive word titles in MX1/MXGP since 2010, and in MX2 since 2008.
This makes them natural targets as other teams and riders turn up the heat, hoping to be able to put the brakes on the ‘Orange Army’.
Heading the MXGP lineup is eight-times world champion Antonio Cairoli, World Champion in the senior class since 2009 (and with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing since 2010).
Cairoli, who is known and admired for his riding style, race craft, tactics and consistency has kicked off his season well by securing both the MX1 and Elite class title at Internazionale d’Italia Motocross, the popular and very competitive 3-race pre-season series.
In 2015, Cairoli, a Red Bull athlete, is again on the light and nimble KTM 350 SX-F and naturally has his sights set on securing another title.
“I will try to do as good as I can and to be on the podium every weekend. I love my KTM 350 SX-F and I am looking forward to the Qatar race. I like the conditions there under lights. As always there are a lot of guys that are going to fight for the title this season but I am very motivated. Riding my bike is my life. The fun I have when riding keeps me motivated,” Cairoli said heading into the 2015 season.
Meanwhile the talk around the track in the pre-season has been about the upcoming battle between Cairoli and the American Ryan Villopoto, who is racing MXGP this season after being the dominant rider in the US in recent years. The faceoff between these two great riders is not only highly anticipated; it will also certainly inject more thrills and excitement into the 2015 season.
Returning to racing MXGP after a 2014 that was marred by injury is Belgium’s Ken de Dycker who was looking powerful and very confident, especially at the final round of the Internazionale d’Italia in Ottobiano.
Following corrective surgery at the end of 2014, Ken, also a Red Bull athlete has had a successful preparation for the 2015 season and is happy to be putting his injury problems behind him. He is committed to go for top MXGP results and will continue to rider the KTM 450 SX0-F.
Britain’s Tommy Searle completes the MXGP factory lineup. He raced in the MX2 factory team in 2007-08, finishing second in the championship each time, so his return is a welcome ‘homecoming’. Searle has been impressive in pre-season preparation according to MXGP factory team boss Claudio de Carli who says he has ‘matured as a rider and as a person’. He finished second to Cairoli in the Elite class of the Internazionale d’Italia and is very excited about riding with KTM and on the 350 SX-F.
“I have made a few good races and I have a good feeling with the team and the bike,” Searle said. “With this bike I have now it gives me everything I need to be upfront.”
De Carli says he has good expectations for all of his three MXGP riders. Cairoli’s long time personal manager is confident that he will be fighting for his ninth world title in 2015.
Agencies
