Team HRC set for MXGP season swansong
This weekend’s MXGP of Leon, Mexico, marks the penultimate round of the 2015 MXGP season, and is the first of a back-to-back overseas pairing that brings the championship to a close.
Despite the World Championship already having been decided, Gautier Paulin and Evgeny Bobryshev will be looking to consolidate their second and third places respectively in the standings. Separated themselves by 37 points, Bobby also has a 62-point gap to fourth place, with 100 points left for the taking.
What’s more, with a recent strong run of form, Honda are now just 19-points from second overall in the Manufacturers’ Championship, and at just 37 from the lead, this title is still very much to play for.
At this point in the season, Bobby and Gautier also hold the joint top number of fastest laps. After 16 Grands Prix, the Team HRC duo have set the pace at three races each.
Held in Leon, Guanajuato, the event will see the competition return to a hard pack track after the last three races in the sand. It was a happy hunting ground for Team HRC last year too, taking the qualifying win, the first moto win and second overall. In addition, it was a resurgent Gautier who last year took the overall Grand Prix victory, so it is a venue the Frenchman enjoys too.
Action gets underway on Saturday 12 September with the qualifying race at 1650hrs local time, and the first of the two races starts on Sunday 13th at 1300hrs local.
Roger Harvey
“We’re at the final hurdle of the championship now, the last two races of the season, so the goal is absolutely to consolidate second and third position in the World Championship, and in doing so continue to fight for the Manufacturers’ title. We’ll have to see what the weather is likely to bring this weekend in Mexico, as the forecast is for heavy storms which will be hard on the track. We know the bike goes well here though, and after the last three races it makes a change to be going back to the hard pack again, so we’ll see what Sunday’s two races bring.”
Gautier Paulin 21
“I like the track in Mexico so I’m looking forward to going there again. I won there overall last year so it’s a good place for me, but still anything can happen and we have to see how this weekend goes. The weather could make things difficult, but otherwise we go there to just ride and do the best we can.”
Evgeny Bobryshev 777
“I missed the race last year and when I first went the track was new so still a little sketchy, but I’m looking forward to it this time. My goal from the weekend is just to focus on third place in the championship and making sure we keep that. It’s been a good season for me so far, so I just want to keep heading in that direction.”
Location Information
Parque Ecológico Metropolitano de León, Mexico - View in Google Maps
