Doha: The curtains on the long awaited 2016 MXGP season are set to be raised for the fourth year in succession at the Losail International Circuit this weekend.
Just like previous years the race will take place on Saturday evening at the floodlit venue.
One of the best things about motocross is the fact that the track conditions constantly change. Over the last three years, the soil that makes up the track in Losail pack-down, dry out and become a lot edgier. This caught a lot of riders out last year with the track being unpredictable in places and the night air adding unexpected moisture to the surface despite the incredibly dry climate.
Although the track has been left more or less the same, this year we look forward to seeing if it shapes up differently again and which riders will gel with it and excel.
Over the last three years, spectators have seen three breathtaking and unpredictable rounds of epic racing here in Losail, which has left us on the edge of our seats with a different winner each time in the premier class.
Back in 2013, when MXGP first let loose on the hard packed soil of Qatar, it was Clement Desalle who was victorious. The following year Gautier Paulin rose to the occasion to claim the first red plate on offer, while last year it was well and truly dominated by Max Nagl who was completely untouchable.
This year, once again, making a prediction for the season dominator is a hard task. It’s a gamble.
With that said, the rider to mention first is of course the defending MXGP world champion, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Romain Febvre who put together a downright spectacular rookie season last year. The young Frenchman, who turned twenty-four years old on December 31st, didn’t set the world on fire in his debut appearance in the MXGP class here in Losail where he went 6-7 for sixth overall, but in his defense he had spent a good chunk of the winter period injured.
Meanwhile, another hotshot lining up fresh off of an injury is the eight time FIM Motocross World Champion Antonio Cairoli who will be hungrier than ever to reclaim the title.
Cairoli recently bruised some ribs but on a brighter note it has been announced that TC222 has extended his contract with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing to 2018, which only leads us to believe he is on a solid mission to surpass Stefan Everts’ tally of 10 FIM Motocross World Championship titles and become the most successful motocross rider in the world. That could all start with a solid performance at the opener this weekend at a venue where the Sicilian has never won.
And then there is Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl who flew in completely under the radar last year and ended up being the surprise performer when he waxed everyone in both races where he completely dominated. After his performance of last year, Nagl, who remains on the same team, should be a solid bet for the win.
Another two riders worthy of mention are Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin and Evgeny Bobryshev. Paulin, in particular, has never been off the box here in Qatar over the last three years, and is looking to come out stronger than ever after spending the winter in the United States of America with arguably the highest acclaimed trainer, Aldon Baker.
Desalle’s transition to Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team is another one to look out for. However, he had to undergo surgery a couple of weeks ago on his left arm, so he is a question mark for this weekend.
Agencies
