As the US tour came to a close in California over the weekend, the FIM crowned two world champions at the GP of Faenza in Italy. Jeffrey Herlings carried a stout lead over Tommy Searle as the headed into the fifteenth round of the season, and by the end of the day the Dutch teen would claim his first MX2 championship with a 1-1 sweep of the day. On home soil, Antonio Cairoli was awarded his sixth title after winning the first moto.
MX2
Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings jumped out to an early lead ahead of rival Tommy Searle, setting the stage for the moto. The Floride/Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racer would stalk Herlings for the duration of the moto but would finish thirty-two seconds down to the Dutch teen. Herlings’ teammate Jeremy van Horebeek would round off the first moto podium. Deep in the field, the battle for fourth place between American Zach Osborne and France’s Jordi Tixier raged on, as the two exchanged passes for the spot until Osborne banked his Monster Energy Utag Yamaha off a berm and rocketed by.
It would be much the same in the second moto, as Herlings took the holeshot and jetted off to another uncontested win, this time by twenty-two seconds. With this victory, Herlings clinched the title with one round left to go. Searle and van Horebeek briefly fought for second place until Searle slipped to the inside of an off-chamber turn on the Belgian and motored away.
MX2 Results
1. Jeffrey Herlings 1-1
2. Tommy Searle 2-2
3. Jeremy van Horebeek 3-3
4. Jordi Tixier 5-4
5. Arnaud Tonus 6-7
MX2 Point Standings
1. Jeffrey Herlings 672pts
2. Tommy Searle 601pts
3. Jeremy van Horebeek 559pts
4. Jake Nicholls 409pts
5. Jordi Tixier 401pts
MX1
CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Sebastien Pourcel led the field as the funneled into the first turn, just ahead of a charging Antonio Cairoli. The Red Bull KTM rider squeezed inside of the elder Pourcel in a tight chicane section to take the lead, and with that rode away to the win and his sixth world title. Pourcel would then be passed by brother Christophe, who tried in vain to close the gap built by the Italian racer, but would be back a massive twenty seconds at the final flag.
Sebastien Pourcel mimicked his first moto start by taking another holeshot, but would again be passed by Cairoli and C. Pourcel. After coming up from third place, Christophe Pourcel closed on Cairoli in the waining moments of the race and was just feet away as the entered the final turn. Cairoli would hold on to take the moto win, but by a mere .744 seconds.
MX1 Results
1. Antonio Cairoli 1-1
2. Christophe Pourcel 2-2
3. Clement Desalle 3-4
4. Gautier Paulin 7-3
5. Ken de Dycker 4-7
MX1 Point Standings
1. Antonio Cairoli 642pts
2. Clement Desalle 554pts
3. Gautier Paulin 502pts
4. Christophe Pourcel 496pts
5. Ken de Dycker 478pts
