The Grand Prix of Bulgaria, at the award-winning Sevlievo circuit, will initiate the 2010 FIM Motocross World Championship this weekend and both Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 and Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 teams begin their quest for title success in the two classes as well as the Women's category.
The first of 15 rounds (seven for women) will see Clement Desalle and Steve Ramon take to the track in earnest on the works RM-Z450s while Ken Roczen and Arnaud Tonus hope to continue Suzuki's positive trajectory of progression and results in the MX2 class with the 2010 RM-Z250. Larissa Papenmeier, the 2009 Women's World Championship runner-up, will also steer a Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 machine.
Sevlievo is widely acknowledged within the paddock and Grand Prix circles as one of the best locations on the calendar for the purpose-built facilities for teams, spectators, organisation and media. It won FIM awards for Best Organisation in 2006 and 2007. The track itself, set three kilometres outside of the small industrial town, is a wide and quick layout with several long and steep uphill and downhill sections. The dirt normally provides a hard-pack test and the lap-times are usually very tight among the leading riders. It first hosted a Grand Prix in 2003 and has been ever-present on the calendar since 2006. Last year it entertained the second round of the FIM series.
Bulgaria witnesses a return to the 'yellow-camp' for 20-year-old Belgian Desalle who has competed three of his four years so far in the MX1 World Championship with RM-Z technology. The 2009 Belgian Champion, who won two Grands Prix and took seven podiums on his way to third place in the 2009 contest, has been adjusting to life as a factory rider since joining the Rockstar Teka WMX1 squad during the winter.
"I feel good and although things can always be a bit better I am working on improving step-by-step without trying to put pressure on myself," he said. "I feel good on the bike and we will continue to adjust small things but I am happy with the set-up. Sevlievo is a good place to start the championship; anywhere would be good for me! You have to be ready to perform at every GP and I will try to do my best, as always. The track itself is nice; it has one of the better infrastructures, and the course is cool; some nice jumps, plenty of uphill and downhills. It is fast but at the same time quite technical."
Team-mate Ramon will start his fifth World Championship with the team and in that time the 30 year old has finished 3rd, 1st, 2nd and 10th. The Belgian is now one of the oldest and most experienced racers in the MX1 category and will be looking to erase the memory of 2009 in which a neck fracture at round four caused him to miss the majority of the season. Ramon was 3rd in 2006 and 2007 in Bulgaria and has not dropped out of the top-10 at the venue while in Suzuki colours. "The pre-season went really well and I feel confident with my riding, physical condition and how we have the bike,'" he said. "I like Sevlievo, it is a nice track to ride but it is quick, so everyone is tight together and it can be hard to make up time. You have to be up there from the start. People will be nervous at this race and trying to see the speed of the others; personally I am really looking forward to it and I want to be on the podium. I want a victory but if I come away from this first race with a trophy then I will be happy."
Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 open 2010 with a genuine title contender in their ranks since the exceptional explosion of Ken Roczen as a Grand Prix rider from round five of the 2009 calendar (when the German teenager reached the permissible age of 15 years in order to compete). Roczen was the third highest point-scorer from his debut in Portugal until the end of the season and celebratttttted an emotional home victory at Teutschenthal. The flamboyant youngster has been in top form during pre-season races, owning two events in the UK, one in Germany and another in France on the 2010 RM-Z250.
Roczen will make his first Grand Prix appearance at Sevlievo but is no stranger to the Bulgarian dirt having entered junior world championship events at the venue. "I have raced there before two times and it is a pretty good track with some decent grip," he remarked. "It is the first Grand Prix so I want to start in the right way and take as many points as possible but the goal will also be to have a lot of fun!"
Roczen will be joined by 18 year old Arnaud Tonus who will throw the RM-Z250 around a Grand Prix course for the first time this weekend. The Swiss notched three podium results during a pre-season in which he integrated with the German squad and also acclimatised to his new motorcycle. Tonus' admirable riding style and maturity mean that Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 has two of the most watchable teenagers in the MX2 field; which, for 2010, now sees the age limit of 23 years come into force. "My objective will be to start the season in a good way and finish in the top 10 of each race in Bulgaria and then be consistent and try to improve every weekend," he said. "I like the track in Sevlievo; they prepare the ground well and it's nice to race there. The track is pretty fast so it will be quite close amongst the riders, so the start will be really important."
The first race in the 2010 FIM Women's World Championship also takes place this weekend and German Larissa Papenmeier will wear the number '2' plate on her Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 RM-Z. The 20 year old starts her third season as a Suzuki rider and will come to Bulgaria ruing a slight hand injury but nevertheless hoping to launch her bid for the third-ever Women's crown.
Early weather forecasts predict bright conditions for the weekend with some showers on Saturday but clear sunshine for race day. Live timing from the Grand Prix can be seen on the official website motocrossmx1.com and free live coverage can be watched on freecaster.tv
