Jimmy Albertson Honda CRF450R -
Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
Preview - MX1 World Championship, Round 8 Teutschenthal Germany
Jimmy Albertson returns this weekend in Teutschenthal, with a new guest team mate Australian rider Dean Ferris
MX Honda Racing Martin rider Jimmy Albertson makes his much anticipated return this weekend for Round 8 of the MX1 World Championship in Teutschenthal, Germany. The plucky Missourian was badly hurt after a high-speed crash in Glen Helen, USA three weeks ago. Despite missing the French GP in St Jean d’Angely, Jimmy was back in training this week and has been getting some hours on the bike ahead of this weekend’s GP at the challenging and technical Teutschenthal track. Albertson has regained fitness but more importantly has revitalised his will to win and is looking for a strong result to mark his return aboard the CRF450R.
He will be joined in the Martin squad this weekend by a new team mate, Dean Ferris, making a guest appearance in the MX1 World Championship for Round 8 of the series. The 19 year-old from Lismore Australia is accustomed to riding the Honda CRF450R, having competed on this machinery in the Australian National Championship, achieving impressive results. The step up to World Championship level marks his second foray on to the European racing scene in less than a week. Ferris headed to Kester last weekend for Round 2 of the Belgian Championship, where he lined up against some of the brightest stars of the MX1 World Championship, including LS Motors Honda riders Davide Guarneri and Tanel Leok. An overall result of just outside the top 10 signifies that he is not just in Europe for a holiday; he means business and has an eye on a full-time World Championship ride next year. Honda Martin resident rider Jimmy Albertson, in his rookie year in the World Championship, is relishing such in-team opposition having been the solo MX1 rider in the Martin team throughout the first half of the season. He will be looking to assert his authority over his younger team-mate and position himself as top MX Honda Racing Martin rider.
LS Motors Honda riders Davide Guarneri and Tanel Leok continued their impressive form last weekend in the Belgian Championship and made ideal preparation for the return to World Championship competition this weekend. Still on a high from a season’s best finish in St Jean d’Angely, Guarneri won the first moto in Kester and stood on the podium in the second to finish 2nd overall. Team mate Leok finished equal on points overall with 3rd place man and former Honda rider Kevin Strijbos. Now almost completely recovered from Tonsillitis, Leok will be hoping to capture the same form that saw him take the overall win in Bellpuig last month and looking to close the gap on his team mate Guarneri who is becoming more accomplished with each performance.
CAS Honda riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Gareth Swanepoel also enjoyed ideal preparation for this weekend’s GP at Round 4 of the British MX Championship in Lyng. The powerful Russian, Bobryshev, took all three race wins in a dominant performance that saw him shake off the memory of a disappointing performance last time out in France. His team mate, South African Gareth Swanepoel, also showed strongly. Three visits to the podium earned him 2nd overall and a freeze out of the two top steps of the podium for CAS Honda. Both will be looking to carry this impressive form onto the world stage this weekend.
A full complement of six Honda MX1 riders will line up in the gate this weekend in what promises to be a close-fought weekend’s racing. Historically the MX Honda Racing Martin team enjoys Teutschenthal, having won four times in recent years at this venue. Martin riders Albertson and Ferris will be looking to continue this winning tradition but will no doubt face stiff opposition from in-form LS Motors Honda riders Guarneri and Leok and the always threatening Bobryshev and Swanepoel of CAS Honda. The battle to finish top Honda rider and take the overall spoils is sure to be intense.
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Dean Ferris Honda CRF450R -
Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
Davide Guarneri Honda CRF450R -
Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
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 Jimmy Albertson:
“I rode for the first time on Sunday and it went great! I am more than ready to get back on the GP scene. Being at home in the US the last two weeks has been so great but I am ready to get back to the races. I have some unfinished business. I have been riding my road bike a lot to regain strength and fitness. It has been so hot here that it is really good to train in the heat! It was 37 degrees and 88 % humidity yesterday, it was tough but I’m feeling good! I just can’t wait to get back to business!”
Dean Ferris:
"I am excited that Honda Martin has given me this opportunity to race the factory Honda bike this weekend in Germany. This will be an experience of a life time and I intend to make the most of it. Riding the factory Honda will set me on a level playing ground with the GP riders and will give me a great opportunity to judge my speed against the world's top riders. My goal is to race in Europe in 2011 and having a GP under my belt will add to my experience and hopefully I can prove I have what it takes to be a GP contender in the future. I am also going to take this learning experience back to Australia and use it to give myself a good shot at the Australian title."
Lorenzo Resta, Team Manager, MX Honda Racing Martin:
"It is a pleasure for us to supply a factory CRF450R to Dean, our target is to promote the globalization of the Motocross World Championship and we see the involvement of a rider such as Dean as integral to this. We will in future work closer and closer with other Honda partners in the world, from Europe to Japan, from America to Australia and continue to embrace the global appeal of the MX World Championship.”
Davide Guarneri:
“I won the qualifying race and the first moto in Kester and got 2nd overall. Especially the first race was nice because I had a battle with Steve (Ramon) and Tanel (Leok) for the lead. So that was a good experience, also because I remain second in the MX Pro Series behind Ramon. Riding on such a great old-school track was a nice way to prepare for the German GP. For me Teutschenthal is a bit special because that’s where I had my first podium finish (2005) and I hope to go one better this time.”
Tanel Leok:
“Last week was good in Belgium; I was third equal on points with Strijbos. For sure it could have been a little better, but I crashed in the opening moto when I was leading and finished third. In the second moto the track had changed and I found it tough to pass. Even more important than the result was the fact that I’m almost completely recovered from tonsillitis that I had picked up after Glen Helen. I took it easy lately, but even after the Kester race I felt quite fresh so that’s positive for Teutschenthal."
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For all media enquiries, please contact
Tom Hobbs in the Honda Motor Europe Press Office www.hondaproracing.com |
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