Valkenswaard Report - Monster Energy Yamaha - MX2
Wednesday 27 April: Two Yamahas in Dutch GP MX2 top five.
The ever-changing and swirling sand of Valkenswaard
presented a

difficult and technical challenge for the Grand Prix of the
Netherlands and the second round of fifteen in the FIM MX2-GP World
Championship.
Under day-long sunshine and the glare of 35,000
holiday-making spectators, Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas
Arnaud
Tonus finished 4th overall while Monster Energy Yamahas
Gautier Paulin
(pictured right) defied odds to earn an excellent 5th.
Track conditions and an unusually intense climate
created an energy-sapping racing environment for the MX2-GP riders.
Paulin, steering the prototype fuel-injected YZ250FM, had to take
painkillers to erase discomfort of a suspected twisted torso muscle from
Saturday. The Frenchman could barely complete the warm-up session but
bravely entered the two motos and produced an exceptional set of rides
to 5th and 6th; at one stage he battle for third spot in the first race.
While Paulin exceeded expectations Arnaud Tonus was
also displaying yet more improved speed and skill in the sand. The Swiss
fought back from a so-so start in Moto 1 to find his way to fourth and
was only two circulations from an overall podium finish deep into Moto 2
until fatigue caused a small slip and he was pipped to the line and a
trophy by Tommy Searle.
Monster Energy Yamahas
Harri Kullas had a consistent
day with two seventh positions and the same overall ranking and was one
place higher in the event standings than American
Zach Osborne on the
YZ250F who had to recover from a poor start in Moto2 to climb to eighth.
Kullas team-mate
Christophe Charlier was eleventh. The Frenchman, who
underwent laser therapy on a broken bone in his right hand crashed
exiting the first corner of Moto1 but started brilliantly in Moto 2 and
ran as high as third before feeling the pace and dropping back to tenth.
Gautier Paulin:
"The track was tough and very hard physically. I
didnt start so well but I got some good points today and did the best
job I could. We will see a little bit what has been the problem now and
hope to be fully ready to go for America."
Arnaud Tonus:
(pictured above) "It seems like I feel good on the sand now! It was
two tough motos but the first one was great and to finish fourth on the
sand was really good for me. I pushed really hard to fight back and did
the same in the second moto. When I reached third in front of Tommy that
was great but I started to feel tired and made a small mistake that led
to a crash. Im disappointed that I missed the podium but the results
were good."

Harri Kullas:
(pictured above - a trick of the telephoto lens)
"First race I was able to catch Aubin and then had a
really good battle with Roelants to win seventh place. I wasn't so tired
and could push hard in the last laps. I had a great start in the second
moto and when Herlings crashed on the first lap I was second. I found my
rhythm and Tonus and Searle were really fast. I concentrated on my
speed and focussed on attacking Paulin in the last laps. I was close but
made a mistake with four laps to go and he had a few more seconds on
me, so it was really hard to go for sixth. I had a virus after Bulgaria
and it took some time to get healthy again, nevertheless this was a
consistent race and I hope we can have a good GP at Glen Helen."
Zach Osborne:
"It was a pretty good result considering my past
history on the sand. It was nothing brilliant but it was a solid day of
riding. For me this was the hard one out of the way until we get to
Lommel. We can keep on trucking and build some momentum going into
America. My fitness is really good and in that second race I must have
passed twenty guys. Overall this is something solid to lean on. My sand
riding is getting better and I know more about what I need for my set-up
on the bike now."
Tonus, Paulin and Osborne are fourth, fifth and
sixth in the championship table respectively and are within seven points
of each other. Kullas is ninth with Charlier eleventh.
The MX2 series will recommence with the U.S. Grand
Prix at Glen Helen in southern California on May 15th.
Copy and photos courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.