KTM MX teams head for France for seventh round of Championships

The KTM Red Bull Racing Team heads for France this weekend hoping for solid performances that might give them a view of the circuit from the top of the podium on Sunday. 

Both the MX1 and MX2 riders have been performing consistently during the season but now need to put in that extra effort to try to close the gap on runaway leaders in both classes.

Italian David Philippaerts scored his maiden MX GP victory in Germany and followed that up with two fourth places in the two motos in Sugo, Japan, just missing the podium. David has the potential, the talent and the confidence of team boss Stefan Everts and now has to get it all together for a huge push forward in the remaining rounds.  Since Japan, David has been taking it easy with light training at home in Italy and is now in France training together with KTM teammates Jonathan Barragan and Tyla Rattray ahead of this weekend's race.

"I like the track in France and I am looking forward to being there," David said.

Barragan has not been idle in between the races. Despite a still injured shoulder, particularly painful after a crash in Japan, Barragan headed off to the sixth round of the Spanish National Championships in San Esteban de Gormaz and helped by a protective brace for the injury, managed to secure victory.

"Although the fall in Japan did not have any serious consequences I was still not sure if I would be able to race in the nationals," the Madrid rider said. "I was on the verge of leaving and saving my strength for France when we found a protector for the shoulder and I decided to race." Barragan leads his national championships with two rounds to go and his success is an important confidence booster ahead of the French GP. Jonathan is looking forward to the race in France this weekend, which offers very similar conditions to what he's used to in Spain. "It will be hot and we'll be riding on a bard track," he said. "I like that."

Philippaerts is fifth in the world championship standings and Barragan is five points behind him in seventh place. With still nine rounds to go in the championships both KTM riders can certainly improve on their positions. Josh Coppins from New Zealand remains the man to beat in MX1. Consistently on the podium since the season began, Coppins is currently the runaway leader.

In the MX 2 category both South African Tyla Rattray and teenager Tommy Searle of Britain are also faced with a runaway leader in their class in the form of Italian Antonio Cairoli, but with Tyla in third overall and Tommy in fourth, they are still in a position to put pressure on the leaders.

Tyla's performance in Japan was very promising. He was second in the first moto and was chasing the leader in the second when he caught a bump with his front wheel and went over the handlebars. The full minute it took him to get his bike restarted and cross the line left him with a sizable bump on the head and fifth place for fourth overall. Nevertheless Tyla reported that in Japan he had felt fast and comfortable on the bike and was confident that the team was heading in the right direction. The Durban-born rider returns to the circuit at St. Jean d'Angely safe in the knowledge that he scored his second GP victory here in 2004. "I decided I needed to take it easy after the crash in Japan but now I feel very good and positive about the race," he said. "I have good memories of the circuit here."

Young Tommy Searle was also busy with his national championships, registering a third and second last weekend to still lead the MX2 standings by 8 points. Searle, who turns 18 on June 13, will be racing for the first time on the French circuit.

GP riders return to the Circuit du Puy de Poursay at St. Jean d.Angely, situated in the south of France after a break in 2006. Reshaping of some of the obstacles now offer riders new lines and the track will be softer than before because sand has been added to the existing soil.