Valentin Teillet of Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki during the MX2 qualifying race of the 2013 FIM Motocross World Championship Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail Motocross Track yesterday. RIGHT: Riders of MX2 class at the first corner during the qualifying race.
DOHA: Italian motocross giant Antonio Cairoli and Frenchman Valentin Teillet yesterday won the new season’s first qualifying races for today’s inaugural Grand Prix Qatar.
Cairoli - who rides Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - finished ahead of Belgian Clement Desalle and Russia’s Evgeny Bobryshev to write his name in history books by winning the first ever MX1 qualifying race at Losail MX Track.
Kicking up a storm at the Losail MX Track, the Italian finished the qualifying with a time of 24mins 59:438secs while Suzuki rider Desalle ended 8.846secs slower.
Bobryshev, who was riding a Honda, was 11.734secs adrift of Cairoli.
Earlier, Teillet, riding for Kawasaki, yesterday launched the new season by winning the first MX2 qualifying session of the opening round of the 2013 MX1 Motocross World Championship.
Today’s Grand Prix of Qatar will be the first time that a MX1 Motocross World Championship round is held in the Middle East.
“I am very happy to start the season like this,” Cairoli said at a press conference. “We have started the season like the way we finished last year,” the Italian said.
“For me and my team, this is the first time we are riding in the dark. It is not easier to get used to it but the track is good,” he added.
“The racing conditions are perfect and I am happy that I had a good time today. I hope I can do a similar job in the race (today),” Cairoli added.
The Italian was delighted to have received ‘tips’ about Losail International Circuit from MotoGP giant Valentino Rossi of Italy.
“It has been four days for me in Qatar. I have enjoyed my time as (a) tourist,” Cairoli said. “I hope I get to come here more often. I was speaking to Valentino Rossi today.
“He said he wanted to come and watch the race but he has to travel.
“He told me that the place is nice. And that the circuit is very good,” the Italian added.
Earlier, Teillet finished the MX2 session ahead of KTM duo Dutchman Glenn Coldenhoff and Spaniard Jose Butron to take the chequered flag at the newly-built Losail MX Track.
Max Anstie of Britain and Frenchman Jordi Tixier finished in fourth and fifth spots respectively.
Teillet, who led from start to finish in the qualifying, emerged fast among a group of 31 riders tackling the 1.6km track built by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF).
Teillet clocked a time of 23:52.982 in the qualifying race. Coldenhoff was 14.179secs adrift of Telliet while Butron was third with a time of 24:09.465.
“Actually this is a surprise for me. I didn’t expect to be this good,” Teillet said afterwards. “The track for very good. We have worked a lot before coming here,” he added.
“I’m ready to fight for podium finishes. So we will see how things are in the rest of the season. We are showing good form right now. I am getting used to the conditions and hopefully we will do well (today),” Teillet said.
Prior to the qualifying session, Red Bull KTM riders Jeffrey Herlings and Cairoli controlled the first practice for today’s race.
THE PENINSULA
