Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 is currently in Brazil preparing for the fifth Grand Prix of the 2012 FIM Motocross World Championship, where the second event in South America will take place at a new venue for the Belgian crew and the GP stars with Beto Carrero hosting the race from within the confines of a theme park.
Clement Desalle will be hoping for more roller-coaster-style excitement as the Belgian came within one point of his first victory this season at Mexico last Sunday. His decent haul of points with his third podium finish of the year moved him up into second place in the standings. After a race meeting held more than 1600m metres above sea level the series moves to a vastly-different scenario with Beto Carrero located close to the coastline and roughly 100k north of the city of Florianopolis. The presentable track has been victim to a varied climate and plenty of showers over the past week but the distinctive red soil should see some sunshine and 20 degree temperatures over Saturday and Sunday according to the long-term forecast.
"I'm looking forward to getting there and seeing the track," said Desalle who won the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2009. "It is the most important thing for us; the riders. In my opinion if we like it and can have fun with it, then it can only be a positive weekend. I heard that it has been raining there recently but the weather can change. I remember in 2009 it was raining all week and then again a lot on Saturday that we couldn't do the qualification. On Sunday it changed and it was a nice event. We had to work a bit more with the bike in Mexico because of the altitude but we should be back to a normal setting for Beto Carrero."
Tanel Leok marked his best result yet with the factory RM-Z450 with fifth position in Guadalajara and now the Estonian is looking to kick his campaign into a higher gear with his injured left leg finally coming back to full strength. "We've been washing and travelling," the former GP winner said. "I haven't been able to run with my leg in the state is has been but my trainer said I could try between these races so I'll attempt some light exercise and hope there is a half decent gym in the hotel!"
With the RM-Z450s set to come out of the crates for the second time in seven days on Friday for technical control, the team will be hoping to get to work immediately for the fourth visit to Brazil by the FIM series. Afterwards a trip back to Europe precedes a free weekend before a tough run across France, Portugal and Belgium in successive weeks.
MX1 World Championship Standings (after 4 of 16 rounds): 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 178 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 149 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 134 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 131 p.; 5. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 129 p.; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 105 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 103 p.; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 99 p.; 9. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 92 p.; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 79 p.
