Round number nine of the FIM Motocross World Championships got underway in Teutschenthal for the Grand Prix of Germany today with the MX2 and MX1 qualifying heats. The first qualifier of the day featured the MX2 riders, and with the local German motocross hero on the line, winning would prove impossible for anyone not named Ken Roczen. Ken had already finished on pole in seven of the first eight rounds, so it was a no-brainer to pick Ken to finish on pole for the eighth time at home in Germany.
At the drop of the gate , though, it was all about Ken’s Teka/Red Bull/KTM teammate Jeffrey Herlings. Last week, Herlings stated he would be working on his starts before Germany, and it looked like that work quickly paid dividends for the “Flying Dutchman.” Herlings would lead for the first half of the race before being stalked and passed by the German on the number 94 machine for the lead. From there, Ken would use his untouchable speed to run away from his teammate for his eighth Lovemytime Pole Position Award in nine tries for 2011. Herlings crossed the line in second position 4.1 seconds behind Roczen.
Finishing behind the two KTM teenagers in Saturday’s qualifier was CLS/Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Tommy Searle, Monster Energy/Yamaha’s Gautier Paulin and Bike-it/Cosworth/Yamaha’s Arnaud Tonus. The three of them were some twenty-one seconds off the lead, but within four seconds of each other. Searle and Paulin had a good late-race fight, but after Searle got around Paulin, a mistake by Paulin would solidly secure the third spot on the grid for the number 100. Paulin and Tonus finished behind Searle and secured the fourth and fifth pick on the grid for Sundays motos.
Check out the full qualifying results >>
In MX1, one of the major stories of the day was the return of Frenchman Christophe Pourcel to the Grand Pix scene. After a two and a half year absence in the United States, Christophe was making his return for the CLS/Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team aboard Ben Townley‘s vacant 450. With Christophe’s uninspiring performances in the first two rounds of the AMA Motocross Championship aboard the Motoconcepts Yamaha 450, there was a lot of speculation about how fit he might be entering his first GP.
When the gate fell on the MX1 qualifier, a man that no one questions grabbed the holeshot on his Teka/Red Bull/KTM. Italian hero Antonio Cairoli has been incredibly fast and consistent over the last few rounds, and he would prove too fast for everyone else in qualifying. Keeping Cairoli honest for most of the Saturday qualifier was the big Russian on the Honda World 450, Evgeny Bobryshev. After a solid second overall last week in Sweden, Bobryshev is overflowing with confidence, and he showed that in keeping Cairoli in sight for most of the race today. In the end, though, Evgeny would settle in for a second place finish eight seconds behind the red plate of Antonio Cairoli. Antonio Cairoli was awarded his third straight “Lovemytime Pole Position Award” for 2011.
Finishing third and fourth were the Monster Energy/Yamaha teammates David Philippaerts and Steven Frossard. Frossard ran third for much of the race, but Philippaerts–who started back in fifth–would make his way up to third by race end. Behind the two Yamaha’s, finishing fifth and sixth, were Honda World’s Rui Goncalves and the man surrounded by controversy, Christophe Pourcel. Rui started the heat in fourth and fell back one position, while Pourcel started seventh and went forward one. Overall for Christophe, it was a solid first race back to the GPs and a great race to build on. The long-time Kawasaki pilot looked very much at home aboard his Pro Circuit Kawasaki.
Check out the full qualifying results >>
