Antonio Cairoli and Christophe Pourcel ready for a hard fought Grand Prix
What is expected to be the hottest Motocross Grand Prix of the season took off today under a bright sun. The opening day of the Grand Prix Città di Faenza saw Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM) clinch his first pole position of the season, while Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki) and Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha) won their qualifying heat and will start next to each other once again. MX1
A surprising but fast Jonathan Barragan of KTM Red Bull put in a flying lap on a track he barely knows, with today being his first ride on the newly modified Monte Coralli track. The Spaniard is psyched up for tomorrow’s race, but Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki) of GPKR looked solid too. After having tasted the pole during the session, Seb brought the bike home with the second quickest time.  Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM) / Photo by: Jörg Domanowski / realmx.comSteve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki) of Suzuki was actually the first man to snatch the pole from Pourcel, but his try was not fast enough, and the Belgian eventually dropped down to third after having tried a last minute flying lap, followed by team mate Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki) - 11th fastest.
wedish GP winner Ken De Dycker (BEL, Honda) of CAS Honda made it to the top five and was fourth fastest at the end of the day, followed by team mate Mike Brown (USA, Honda). Recently announced Team Italy member Alex Salvini (ITA, Yamaha) clocked a satisfactory sixth fastest laptime, ahead of Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), Julien Bill (SUI, Honda), David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM) and Manuel Priem (BEL, TM), rounding off the top ten.
Marc de Reuver (NED, Yamaha) sat out of the time practice and will skip tomorrow’s race because of his recent injury from Sweden.
Qualifying Class MX1:- Barragan, Jonathan (ESP, KTM). 1:43.838
- Pourcel, Sebastien (FRA, Kawasaki). 1:43.853
- Ramon, Steve (BEL, Suzuki). 1:44.046
- de Dycker, Ken (BEL, Honda). 1:44.144
- Brown, Mike (USA, Honda). 1:44.344
- Salvini, Alex (ITA, Yamaha). 1:44.536
- Coppins, Joshua (NZL, Yamaha). 1:44.573
- Bill, Julien (SUI, Honda). 1:44.635
- Philippaerts, David (ITA, KTM). 1:44.803
- Priem, Manuel (BEL, TM). 1:45.091
- Strijbos, Kevin (BEL, Suzuki). 1:45.224
- Crockard, Gordon (IRL, Honda). 1:45.635
- Leok, Tanel (EST, Kawasaki). 1:45.796
- Mackenzie, Billy (GBR, Kawasaki). 1:45.835
- Desalle, Clement (BEL, Suzuki). 1:46.153
- Chiodi, Alessio (ITA, Aprilia). 1:46.203
- Melotte, Cedric (BEL, Aprilia). 1:46.224
- Nemeth, Kornel (HUN, Suzuki). 1:46.412
- Noble, James (GBR, Honda). 1:46.484
- Beggi, Cristian (ITA, WRM). 1:46.612
- Renet, Pierre A. (FRA, Honda). 1:46.865
- Bradshaw, Neville (RSA, Honda). 1:46.995
- Leonce, Loic (FRA, Yamaha). 1:47.061
- van Daele, Marvin (BEL, Honda). 1:47.079
- Coulon, Cyrille (FRA, Honda). 1:47.221
- Leok, Aigar (EST, Yamaha). 1:47.245
- Freibergs, Lauris (LAT, Yamaha). 1:47.401
- Stevanini, Christian (ITA, Yamaha). 1:47.404
- Theybers, Danny (BEL, Suzuki). 1:47.640
- Graham, Bradley (USA, Kawasaki). 1:47.736
MX2
Christophe Pourcel of GPKR seems close to get his revenge on Antonio Cairoli, as the defending Champion will start from pole tomorrow. Italian Cairoli of Yamaha De Carli will line up right next to him, in what will be another breathtaking start, such as in the Bulgarian Grand Prix. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM) and Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha) also rode strong in their qualifying heats, both finishing second.
MX2 Qualifying Race 1
Christophe Pourcel dominated the qualifying heat despite having a very strong Kenneth Gundersen (NOR, Yamaha) behind his back for the first six laps. Tyla Rattray came back up from the bottom of the top five to secure a useful second place by lap seven. The South African could not catch a too far Pourcel by that time, and just rode strong to avoid Gundersen’s comeback. The Norwegian brought the third place home, ahead of British Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), who battled with countryman Carl Nunn (GBR, Yamaha) for the fourth position.
 Start MX2 1st Qualifying Race / Photo by: Jörg Domanowski / realmx.comOnce Searle passed, he never got rid of Nunn, with the latter arriving to the chequered flag in fifth place. A surprising Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), who came here after having won the latest European Championship MX2 round in Mladina-Croatia, brought the bike home in sixth place, ahead of Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, KTM).
Wyatt Avis (RSA, KTM) crashed and injured himself, now the South African has a broken left hand.
Qualifying Class MX2 1st Race:- Pourcel, Christophe (FRA, Kawasaki)
- Rattray, Tyla (RSA, KTM)
- Gundersen, Kenneth (NOR, Yamaha)
- Searle, Tommy (GBR, KTM)
- Nunn, Carl (GBR, Yamaha)
- Paulin, Gautier (FRA, Honda)
- van Horebeek, Jeremy (BEL, KTM)
- Schiffer, Marcus (GER, KTM)
- Boissiere, Anthony (FRA, Kawasaki)
- Church, Tom (GBR, Kawasaki)
- Bonini, Matteo (ITA, Yamaha)
- Boog, Xavier (FRA, Yamaha)
MX2 Qualifying Race 2
The final qualifying heat was another lonely race for leader Antonio Cairoli, who made it to the chequered flag with a seven second advantage over Davide Guarneri. Guarneri cruised in second for the entire moto, as Pascal Leuret (FRA, Honda) experienced a little bit more of action to clinch the third place.
Leuret fought with a strong Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), with the latter arriving fourth ahead of Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha). Aubin had a bad start but recovered from the bottom of the top ten, in his furious race, Aubin also clocked the moto’s fastest lap, at the twelfth circulation. European Championship contender Marvin Musquin (FRA, Kawasaki) qualified for tomorrow’s race thanks to a decent seventh place behind Matti Seistola (FIN, Honda).
Stephen Sword (GBR, Kawasaki) finally qualified for this GP, as he clocked the second fastest laptime in the last chance qualifying practice. The last GP he raced was Portugal 2006.
Qualifying Class MX2 2nd Race:- Cairoli, Antonio (ITA, Yamaha)
- Guarneri, Davide (ITA, Yamaha)
- Leuret, Pascal (FRA, Honda)
- Swanepoel, Gareth (RSA, Kawasaki)
- Aubin, Nicolas (FRA, Yamaha)
- Seistola, Matti (FIN, Honda)
- Musquin, Marvin (FRA, Kawasaki)
- Dougan, Jason (GBR, Suzuki)
- Goncalves, Rui (POR, KTM)
- Nicholls, Jake (GBR, Suzuki)
- Norlen, Marcus (SWE, Suzuki)
- Bobkovs, Aigars (LAT, KTM)
MX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice:- Aranda, Gregory (FRA, Kawasaki). 1:47.196
- Sword, Stephen (GBR, Kawasaki). 1:47.678
- Campano, Carlos (ESP, Yamaha). 1:47.808
- Simpson, Shaun (GBR, Kawasaki). 1:47.925
- Tarroux, Jeremy (FRA, KTM). 1:47.976
- Verbruggen, Dennis (BEL, Yamaha). 1:48.183
News od the day: KTM and Team Italy
KTM Red Bull Racing Team announced via KTM’s Off Road Director Pit Beirer that in 2008 both Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle will stay with the factory team in the MX2 class. Both riders have Title ambitions, as director Stefan Everts said; the Belgian will actually continue to work for the team within the next two yea
 Tyla Rattray, Tommy Searle, Pit Beirer and Stefan Everts
Photo by: Jörg Domanowski / realmx.comThe Italian Team for the FIM Motocross of Nations at Budds Creek on September 23 was announced today by coach Andrea Bartolini; David Philippaerts, Davide Guarneri, Antonio Cairoli and Alex Salvini will all fly to the US on September 10, to ride a ten day test session, at the end of which the three effective riders will be confirmed.
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