Fernandez fights through the mud of Portugal for sixth

Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez fought through another muddy day in Portugal to finish sixth in the qualification race, held at the Agueda circuit. After horrendous conditions last year, rain once again hammered to track to make survival the number one priority and for the most-part the #70 was able to avoid making any big mistakes to cross the line just outside the top five.

With red-plate holder Tim Gajser absent due to his shoulder injury, Fernandez was the sole Honda HRC representative in the MXGP class and although this is one of his favourite tracks, he was never quite able to show that during the practice sessions. Slower riders hindered his ability to post a hot-lap in the timed practice and as such, he was only able to line-up with 13^th gate-pick. However, due to the power of the Honda CRF450R, he stormed out of the gate inside the top 10 and set about trying to do his best in what were extremely, wet, muddy and sticky conditions. A couple of quick passes moved him into sixth, which is where he stayed for the majority of the race, before a monsoon hit the track near the end of the race and increased the craziness. Dropping a couple of spots due to a small error, he then fought back to make them up again before the chequered flag, getting five valuable points in the championship standings.

In the MX2 class, Valerio Lata was showing positive signs early-on in the day when the track was still dry, posting second-fastest time in free practice and then fifth in timed practice, things were looking promising for the #18. Unfortunately, before the qualification race, the rain really hit the track hard and the surface changed from loose sand to claggy-mud. Getting a good start initially, things went downhill quickly as he made a mistake before the third corner and remounted in last place. Fighting back to 13^th, wasn’t enough for any points but it does give him a fighting chance for a good start tomorrow in the GP-scoring motos.

It was the opposite scenario for Ferruccio Zanchi as the Italian improved in every session, as the circuit conditions deteriorated. Thirteenth in free practice, improved to 12^th in timed practice before crossing the line in ninth place for the qualification race. It was a good moto for the #73, who showed his mud skills in Cozar earlier in the year when he won a moto, and he once again proved a master on a rutted race-track, moving from 14^th through to ninth over the course of the moto. With those two-points, the Honda HRC duo are now tied on 142 points in the MX2 championship, but both are determined to move further up the rankings, starting tomorrow where once again rain is forecast to hit the Agueda facility.

MX2 Qualification Race
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 26:19.299; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:05.655; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:07.711; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:36.093; 5. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:58.521; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +1:17.065; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +1:18.440; 8. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KTM), +1:19.728; 9. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +1:21.366; 10. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:25.090;… 13. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:53.250;