Team HRC leave the MXGP of Spain with fifth and sixth overall

“It was a good consistent weekend for Bobby. He made reasonable starts and kept his nose clean through the first few corners, which were a bit hectic at this track, and rode very consistently. That’s exactly the request from us to Bobby – get over your injuries, rebuild your confidence and start getting the results again, which clearly he’s doing and he’s becoming the podium threat that we expect him to be.

“I think Gautier was generally disappointed with his weekend. From the starts he was mid-pack around the first turn, which wasn’t the best scenario for him to be in because there was a lot going on. Unfortunately in turn two in the second race, one of the riders had to sit it upright as Gautier was turning in and put him down, so from then it was a big job to come through from the back of the field. The track was so difficult to even gain any time on anyone, let alone make passes, but once again the lap speed was very good and with a top-three start it would have been a top-three finish, but it was made very difficult for him today.”

“It’s been really hot this weekend and the track is not my compound so it’s been a tough weekend. Here it’s really tight and hard places so I was struggling a bit with the speed. But anyway, in the first race I had a bad jump so I was really in the back but squeezed between some riders to be in ninth. Then I managed to come through to sixth, but then there was a gap already so I couldn’t do any more so I just paced myself to stay in sixth.

“The second race went pretty well though. I was good in the first few corners so I made some places and was fifth. Then after a few laps I moved into fourth and then could stay there until the end. I was trying to move forward, but I couldn’t get on well with this track and for me it was difficult to find one second a lap and keep it without making some mistakes so I was just controlling the pace behind me. For sure I wanted to get to the podium but I’m really happy I had consistent races and all day with the bike. We have done some changes since yesterday so big thanks to the team and we’re getting there.”

“In the second corner I got hit by Waters in race two. I don’t know what he did, but he had like a high-side crash and hit me really hard and I went to the ground. I wasn’t so far from the good position so I’m so frustrated by that. It’s pretty much the same scenario as in Thailand where we have good qualifying but on Sunday we just couldn’t finalise it.

“It was a little more technical in race two because it was getting more rough so there was more difference between riders. I was riding one second off the pace of the leaders even when passing riders as I was coming from the back so I think this was really not too bad. The feeling is there, I don’t need to prove anything, just we need to start at the front on a track like this where once you’re at the back it’s almost impossible to come through the field. I did my best but I couldn’t fight with the riders I want to fight with, at the front. I’m not happy about my Sunday and when I know I could do something here, it’s pretty frustrating.”