We are of course at Gaildorf for the first time since 2005 and the last winner here was Red Bull Teka KTM Team Manger Stefan Everts who went 1-1 on the factory Yamaha. Everts stands on the edge of another title double haul for the Austrians with their 350SX-F and 250 SX-F with Tony Cairoli able to confirm his third MX1 crown in succession and second in ‘orange’ potentially after the first moto and Ken Roczen set to end a 43 year drought for Germany with the MX2 championship….if he can bear the pressure of his home event an intense spotlight from media, fans and his team with KTM inviting almost 500 guests to Gaildorf (with their own grandstand).
Transfers have been a little slow in being confirmed for 2012 even if most works teams are locked down for next year. We’re just missing a few official announcements. There could be one from Monster Energy Yamaha this weekend with a new rider steering the factory YZ250FM after the departure of Gautier Paulin, who joins Xavier Boog on the KX450F in the official Kawasaki Racing Team for his maiden MX1 term.
It seems the Gariboldi team will be using red machinery for 2012 for what will be their third GP season and are hoping to snare Max Anstie and possibly an AMA racer. If true then it will be Honda’s first real dedicated effort at the MX2 category with the CRF250R. This leaves half of the six rider Monster Energy Yamaha team still to be ratified and also confirms all the rumours about Anstie departing the CLS Kawasaki Pro Circuit squad. The word in Gaildorf is that the British teenager is out of ‘green’ for 2012 after his position in the French set-up has allegedly become ‘unsupportable’. Anstie, arguably the rookie of the year with six fourth positions so far this campaign, has no shortage of offers in the GP paddock and there are at least three teams that want his signature.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 should be able to declare some plans in the coming weeks but team owner Sylvain Geboers has hinted towards the Belgians having a continued agreement with Clement Desalle. Kevin Strijbos is currently riding Steve Ramon’s RM-Z450 with the former world champion making a slow recovery from his serious Lommel accident but Tanel Leok has been heavily connected with the second seat next to Desalle.
What of Christophe Pourcel? Talk surrounding the Frenchman seems to point to him returning to America as he has previously stated in past press conferences. There is an interesting development regarding the French Motocross of Nations team through with gossip centred on the ex-world champ replacing Marvin Musquin (and Gautier Paulin using his 2011 YZ250FM race-bike in MX2) after the KTM rider’s injury problems in the USA and inability to get back up to speed in the AMA 250 class.
Honda World Motocross’ Evgeny Bobryshev will make a shock return to racing after having a second opinion on his injured neck by an eminent specialist who, after careful consideration, gave the exciting Russian the all-clear to climb back on the works CRF450R. ‘Bobby’ will be racing this weekend, while MX2 riders Harri Kullas (rumoured to be on the market in 2012) and Valentin Teillet (still to be confirmed by Suzuki) are also both on the injury roster.
Alex Lupino looks set to carry on riding with the factory Husqvarna team under the control of Ilario Ricci while American Michael Leib [ooops, amended copy here] is actually back in the grand prix paddock and will see out the final two races for the Italians before deciding whether to return home or attempt a third year in Europe…
Gaildorf looks nicely chiselled and prepped for its Grand Prix reawakening and with a good forecast hopefully we wont see any of the mud baths of previous editions. The track is being run in reverse with the start-gate now flowing into a fast right kink that filters past the pits.
