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Motocross R5 report

A vivacious and attacking performance by Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Vsevolod Brylyakov delivered the team’s first podium finish of the season and the maiden trophy for the twenty year old Russian after ‘18’ climbed the rostrum in third place at a hot Leon for the Grand Prix of Mexico and round five of eighteen in the 2016 FIM Motocross World Championship. MXGP representative Tommy Searle took his KX450F to eighth in the premier class.

Leon was stuffy, rough, quick and technically challenging. The depth of some of the ruts and bumps through the corners and the combination of the tight layout meant extra emphasis was placed on the race starts. The teams also had to modify set-up with the high altitude of the area affecting engine performance.

Searle had a bright start to the meeting with a fast getaway and good early pace in the Qualification Heat on Saturday until he suffered a small technical glitch – a dislodged seat – that forced him to slow his lap-times, thus dropping from second place to sixth. A crash in the first moto on Sunday while fighting amidst the top ten cost him any chance of eighth position but the twenty six year old remounted to ride to twelfth. Tommy was able to battle against factory Yamaha rider Jeremy Van Horebeek and get the better of the Belgian in the second moto for a well-earned sixth place and further signs that the former Grand Prix winner is closing up to podium contention. Tommy is currently tenth in the MXGP points table.

In Mexico it was Searle’s MX2 teammate that took the chance to shine. On the KX250F Brylyakov is building momentum and, like Searle, shone on Saturday with a close run to fourth position. The Russian just missed out on the top three by a few tenths of a second and had showed his hand regarding a good level of competitiveness. Come Sunday and in temperatures around thirty degrees Seva made an excellent start and spent most of the opening moto hounding the rear wheel of Jeremy Seewer for second place, eventually getting the better of the Swiss to make a personal best.

Feeling the nerves surrounding a first possible taste of champagne, Brylyakov made a mistake at the opening of the second moto that almost saw his ambitions lying in the dirt along with his motorcycle. His error and crash dropped him outside of the top ten. The incident prompted a sensational charge to regain six places and his final ranking of sixth by the time of the chequered flag meant Seva was able to pick up a podium sombrero and mark a milestone in his career. His efforts lifted him one place in the MX2 championship standings to seventh.

Round two of the Maxxis British Championship takes place at Canada Heights in Kent next weekend before Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki head into a programme of three Grands Prix back to back with trips to Latvia, Germany and Italy on the slate.