Doha: The fifth and last round of the Losail MX Championship (LMX) kicked off at the Losail MX Track here yesterday. In the MX1 race, British rider Jake Preston came out as the winner ahead of Dennis Stapleton and Teddy Gautier respectively.
Both QMMF Team Moto2 riders, Anthony West and Julian Simon, also took part in this round of the LMX and they got great results.
Spanish rider Julian Simon finished in fourth place in the MX1 race and Anthony West ended uo in sixth position. It was Simon’s first appearance at the Losail track and he was very happy with the result.
“I am very happy to race here in the Losail MX with a new KTM bike and thanks to QMMF for this opportunity. I love motocross as I started my career with motocross and to be here during the MXGP is very exciting. For the new season of Moto2, I hope to make a good result and I will give the maximum in the track to get good results. This is my first season with the QMMF Racing team and I am very happy with the team and I hope to have a good performance in the opening round of the season here in Qatar,” Simon said.
Australian Moto2 rider West had a problem in the start but he was happy with the result. “I love motocross and I did it before only in practice, no racing; so I was a little nervous at the beginning and missed the start. Everybody was gone by the time I left and I made some small mistakes during the race but I am happy with the result, considering this is my first time. It is fun to watch the world championship riders and race in the same track as them. We have another race tomorrow and I looking forward to it,” West said.
In the MX2 category, Kuwati rider and championship leader Barak Al Jasmi came out on top. Moath Al Ansari, also from Kuwait, and Saeed Al Shenqiti, from UAE, finished in second and third place respectively.
Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President and FIM Deputy President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah expressed his happiness regarding the opening round of the 2015 FIM Motocross Championship season.
“I am very happy to open the season of the 2015 FIM Motocross Championship here in Qatar and for sure it will be another exciting weekend under the floodlights of the Losail MX Track,” he said.
“I am glad to have the Moto2 riders, West and Simon, also riding in the Losail MX Championship today and they put up a great performance in the race. This is practice for the beginning of the season of Moto2 here in Qatar. As FIM Deputy President, I am happy to see the improvement in track safety with the launch of the race control and CCTV system. It adds big value to the motocross family,” Al Attiyah said.
Tomorrow the second race for the Losail MX Championship will begin at 3.40pm. The Motocross World Championship, races will be being tomorrow at 6.10pm with the Women MX, then the MX2 races will be held at 7.10pm and the MXGP will be at 8.10pm.
Youthstream President Giuseppe Luongo, FIM Europe President Wolfgang SRB, FIM/CMS Director Tony Skillington and Al Attiyah posed with all the MXGP, MX2 and WMX riders on the podium of the Losail MX track before action began yesterday.
There was also a group photo with all the women riders together with FIM Women’s Commission representatives Velia Hargreaves and Marielou Cruz.
Hargreaves is also the FIM Latin America Women’s Commission Director. “It is very important that women participate in motor sport, not only as riders but also as officials, technicians and media-persons. Latin America has put a lot of effort behind women in motocross and we can see now the results with a higher level of competition and more talented riders such as Stefany Serrao,” Hargreaves said.
Latin-American Motocross Women’s Champion Stefany Serrao, of Brazil, is participating in the Women’s MX Championship as a wild card. “I cannot begin to describe how amazing this moment is for me, incredible experience! I am so excited for this and I will give it all I can on the track. I have to thank FIM Latin America for their support to be here today, together with the QMMF. It is great to have more female participation in motorsport as this is one more step forward and hope more female riders will join us in future events,” she said.
THE PENINSULA
