Kawasaki Racing Team MX2’s Mathis Valin clinched a career-first GP podium, and also the first for the Kawasaki KX250-SR, in the Czech round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Loket.
Words | Press release
Brimming with confidence after victory in the Qualifying race on Saturday the French teenager once again got a superb jump out of the gate in the first GP moto and cleverly gave himself room entering the first turn to be narrowly edged for the holeshot.
He quickly established himself in third in first-lap traffic and closed down second time-and-again as he maintained his race pace for the full thirty-five minutes but there was little movement on the leaderboard and he had to be satisfied with third at the chequered flag. There were slight drops of moisture in the air as the riders went to the line for race two but the rain held off and Valin streaked out of the gate to claim a first-ever holeshot award for the KX250-SR.
The youngster sprinted two-second clear already on the first lap, stayed in front for nearly five laps and only surrendered second to the more experienced championship points-leader ten minutes from the end of the race. Two third-placed motos earnt third overall for a maiden GP podium in his rookie season. His fifty-point weekend haul has lifted him to eleventh in the series points-standings with the top-ten in sight.
Mathis Valin: «What a great weekend! My first GP moto win yesterday in Qualifying and two thirds for third overall and my first podium today. I had two good starts again today, especially in the second race when I took the holeshot. It was my first experience to lead a GP moto so it was stressful, but I tried to concentrate on my technique and enjoy it. I was a little tired at the end but I hung in there for my first podium so now on to Lommel next weekend; I like the sand so we will prepare for that this week and look for more success.»
