KTM out for podiums and points in Italy
By TMX Archives on 4th May 07
The KTM Red Bull Racing Team will be chasing Motocross World Championship points and podiums at the 51st edition of the Italian GP on the Circuito Internazionale Citt di Mantova this weekend.
While the KTM MX1 duo of Jonathan Barragan and David Philippaerts and the MX2 team of Tyla Rattray and young Tommy Searle are all in the top eight afterthree GPs so far this season, they all want to consolidate and score goodresults this weekend.
Team boss Stefan Everts is very positive. "We have been working and traininghard to correct mistakes we made in the earlier races and to improve overall, "Everts said. The 10-times world champion now at the head of the KTM MX factoryteam said his foursome are all mentally strong and very focused. "Our engineershave been working hard on improvements to Tyla's bike. They have done a verygood job and Tyla likes it a lot,” Everts said. "My goal in MX2 is to win a GPwith Tyla and also, in time, with Tommy.”
The sand at Mantova should also suit Tyla. The South African is third in thestandings despite some misfortune at the Portugal GP. He has been training hardin Belgium, together with Everts and Barragan, who is still not completelyrecovered from a shoulder injury that has hampered him in the last two GPs.
Everts also has high hopes for David Philippaerts, fresh from his maiden MX1podium in Portugal. He will have the support of his home crowd and the sandyconditions on the 1650 m long track should suit him. "David has a good mentalapproach and is very confident after his podium in Portugal. He has the skillsand he has the bike to do well,” the team boss acknowledged.
"After Portugal I went to Belgium to train with Stefan and then to Italy so Icould get acclimatized and get used to the conditions. The training was good andI am happy with my bike. I like Mantova and I am looking forward to theweekend's races,” Philippaert s said.
Meanwhile, the junior member of the KTM squad, 17-year-old Tommy Searle hasmade his presence felt with a 4-2 result in the first two MX2 GPs and iscurrently fifth in the standings. He has been training at home in the UK betweenthe races and his steady improvement from race to race is raising the team'sexpectations about what they might expect from him in the near future. Tommy isalso itching for success. "I like the conditions here in Mantova. I want to havefun riding and I am hoping for a podium.”
KTM factory-supported privateer, Max Nagl, a winner at Mantova in apre-season international is coming to Italy hoping to be able to compete. TheGerman crashed in Portugal, broke his collarbone and subsequently underwentsurgery.
Weather too, may be a factor. Rain is forecast for the entire weekend although local wisdom says that the central plains area of northern Italy often hangsonto its sunshine. Mantova in the province of Lombardy is situated in the flatplains of central northern Italy. The track is set in 11 hectares of undulatinghills shaped like an arena making it possible for spectators to have excellentvantage points to see almost the entire race.