Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP celebrated its best Grand Prix yet at the fourth round of the FIM MXGP World Championship in Trentino, Italy, after Gautier Paulin secured a place on the third-step of the podium for the second time this season, while Arnaud Tonus put a pair of fourths together for fourth overall. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer rounded out the top-ten after a tough weekend.
In the opening race it was the phenomenal torque and horsepower of Yamaha’s popular YZ450F that got both Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP riders Paulin and Tonus off to fantastic starts. The duo went bar-to-bar around turn-one, but it was Paulin who took the early advantage and quickly passed two riders to move into third. Paulin instantly pulled a comfortable gap and never looked back, while Tonus fought hard for fourth.
The second and final race of the weekend was almost a carbon copy of Race 1. Both riders started inside the top-four and remained unchallenged for the entire 30-minute plus 2-lap duration of the race. As a result, Paulin stood on the third-step of the podium for the second time in three-weeks, and reclaimed third position in the MXGP Championship Standings. He now has a 22-point buffer over the rider in fourth.
Tonus has gained an abundance of momentum in the championship chase following his 4 – 4 scorecard in Trentino. The 27-year-old has broken the top-ten. He is in tenth position, 8-points shy of the rider in ninth.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer had a more eventful weekend. The Swiss star had to find new lines on the slick and edgy clay circuit of Pietramurata as he did his best to recover from a poor start. After a thrilling charge through the pack from outside of the top-15, the 24 year-old was able to cross the finish line in eighth.
In the second and final race of the day, the number ’91’ was placed inside the top-ten on the opening lap until he was hit from behind by another rider and thrown from his bike. He suffered from a nasty cut on his right arm and a sore left knee. He continued and defied the pain to salvage 14th place for tenth position in the Grand Prix overall.
Seewer has retained seventh position in the MXGP Championship Classification, and looks to come back strong at the next Grand Prix, which will take place in five-weeks time in Mantova, Italy on the weekend of May 12th.
Arnaud Tonus
4rd MXGP Overall, 10th MXGP Championship Standings
“It’s hard to explain how I feel after the struggle I have been faced with over the last week. It’s pretty unbelievable. I am so happy I was able to fight through it and find some inside strength. I didn’t tell anyone I was unwell because I didn’t want it to affect me mentally. 4 – 4 this weekend is absolutely amazing after the struggle, so I am just very thankful to the team who have stuck behind me through my hardest times, so I can not thank them enough. It has given me a lot of motivation going into the next races.”
Jeremy Seewer
10th MXGP Overall, 7th MXGP Championship Standings
“It was a tough weekend for me. I struggled a bit with the track. I really like it here, I just seem to struggle, I don’t know what it is. Today I felt pretty good with eighth after wheel-spin on the start and having to come from so far behind. I had a much better start in the second moto but had a big crash on the first lap. Lucky I managed to come away with some points. My focus for the next couple of weeks is to come back stronger in Mantova.”
Gautier Paulin
3rd MXGP Overall, 3rd MXGP Championship Standings