For the second year in succession Yamaha have conquered the Grand Prix of Bulgaria. Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team’s Josh Coppins has won the second round of the FIM MX1-GP World Championship at a sunny Sevlievo to celebrate his first success since the 2008 German Grand Prix and place the YZ450FM on the top step of the podium in Eastern Europe for the second time in a row after David Philippaerts’ victory twelve months ago.
After the mud-bath that opened the series last weekend in Italy the teams and riders encountered vastly different weather conditions with sunshine and warm temperatures baking the Bulgarian hard-pack. The circuit offered a fast layout with bumps and ruts being carved into the terrain as the motos wore on through the weekend.
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New Zealander Coppins scored two runner-up positions through two entertaining and tense motos. The 31 year old chased Ken De Dycker hard in the first race and although he stayed within two seconds of the Belgian for most of the duration he could not get close enough to force a pass. In Moto2 he pushed ahead and led a Grand Prix for the first time since Teutschenthal last June but was powerless to resist Jonathan Barragan’s superior speed as the Spaniard burst through for the chequered flag. Coppins rode well and consistently, fighting off the close attention of team-mate David Philippaerts and Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Antonio Cairoli in the final two laps.
World Champion Philippaerts missed a gear on the exit of the gate in Moto1 and rallied to fifth position by the finish. The Italian made no such mistake at the beginning of the next race and pushed ahead to challenge Coppins, and at the same time fend off Cairoli, to seal third. The 25 year old was 4th overall.
Cairoli rode superbly after being knocked from his YZ450F on the first lap of the opening race. The Sicilian forged an effective rhythm to return to sixth. Later in the day he again showed excellent ability to overtake in tight situations - further signs that he is mastering the intricacies of the MX1 machine - and recorded a season-best result of fourth for sixth position overall.
Just behind, in seventh, was Italian Grand Prix winner and De Carli team-mate Tanel Leok. The Estonian was still not fully fit after struggling through the last ten days with tonsillitis and an ear infection. He posted results of sixth place both times for his final ranking.
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The MX1-GP standings now show Coppins just one point behind leader Ken De Dycker with Philippaerts in sixth and 12 points adrift of first place. Yamaha are in control of the manufacturer’s standings by 7 points.
The World Championship continues its intense opening spell and the third GP in as many weeks will take place for the first time ever in the history of the series in Istanbul for the Grand Prix of Turkey next weekend.
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