Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP take the positives from Mantova 2

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP take the positives from Mantova 2 Created: 2020-09-30

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP returned to the sandy circuit of Mantova earlier today, Wednesday, as the tenth round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship was held at the Italian circuit. The team missed Arnaud Tonus, who was forced to withdraw after suffering a minor concussion at the first Mantova race. Jeremy Seewer and Gautier Paulin represented the Yamaha outfit at the Grand Prix of Citta di Mantova.

Jeremy Seewer was second in time practice on Wednesday morning and then jumped straight into that position in the first moto. Seewer stalked the race leader for the duration, often posting quicker lap times along the way, but came up just short at the conclusion of the stint. The runner-up spot set him up well heading into the second moto. Seewer was hindered by a poor start and two crashes in that race, but still rode very smart to salvage a ninth at the chequered flag and twelve valuable points. Fifth was his ranking in the overall classification – he still sits third in the championship standings.

Gautier Paulin also had an up-and-down day at the Grand Prix of Citta di Mantova, as he battled up from a poor start to secure tenth in the first encounter. The second race was where he really shined – he charged out of the gate on his YZ450FM and immediately started to battle for a position on the moto podium. After showcasing his strong pace throughout the stint, he crossed the finish in second place and just two seconds adrift of the leader. Sixth overall was where he ended up on the day, which helped him move up to eighth in the standings. A couple of points separate him from the rider in seventh.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team have an extra to rest now, as attention turns to the eleventh round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship on Sunday. The Grand Prix of Europe will be held on the same Mantova layout.

Jeremy Seewer: “It was a tough day. It started well with good pace in second position, but then we are here now. I seem to be struggling in the second moto lately. I think I know where it is coming from, but this point is hard to improve in one day. I will try to do better on Sunday. I had quite a sketchy crash in the waves, but I am not hurt or sore. I am perfectly well and that’s of course positive. My bike went over the fence and I lost quite a bit of time. That is just racing, the limit is always close. Head up, we have another one on Sunday and still many races to come. I am just happy I didn’t DNF – that’s the main thing for now.”

Gautier Paulin: “In time practice I had the third best lap time and this gave me a good gate pick. In moto one, I had a totally bad start. I spun on the gate and then I had to come from really far back to tenth. I was not really happy with the way my suspension was working and the track was a lot different, so we made some changes for moto two. I then had a good start and was able to ride with the guys up front from the beginning. I didn’t really expect to pass, I was just enjoying the moment and enjoying my riding. At one moment I really decided to push and I think I had the best lap time of the moto. My flow was good and I ended up really close to the guys up front. It was an amazing ride. I really enjoyed it. I feel strong physically. I just missed moto one, but step-by-step we will put everything together.”

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