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James Bushell powered
to a superb start-to-finish
victory in Moto 1 and
despite a big crash after the
start of Moto 2.
rom Porto Cesareo the UIM-ABP tour switched
coastlines and headed north east to Vieste for the
Grand Prix of the Mediterranean.
James Bushell powered to a superb start-to-finish
victory inMoto 1 and despite a big crash after the
start of Moto 2 forced him back into the pits to
repair his damaged Ski, went back out and fought
his way from last to finish in 11th and salvage five
points, to snatch overall victory from [Moto2]
winner Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq. Third place overall
went to Estonia’s Anton Pankratov.
After the disappointment of breaking down last
time out, Bushell took revenge, launching from
the start to jump pole-sitter Abdulrazzaq and lead
into the first turn from Christophe Agostinho,
Abdulrazzaq and Lars Akerblom.
The front four ran line astern for four laps when
Abdulrazzaq stopped and was eventually towed
off the circuit. Bushell was able to control the
pace of his race from the front and despite easing
off in the latter stages took his first win of the year
by over 20 seconds
Agostinho enjoyed his best result on the UIM-
ABP tour with second, Akerblom taking a third
consecutive third place finish.
New Zealand’s Carl Lampe was enjoying a strong
outing and running in fourthwhen hisMoto ended
on lap 9 of 16 with a broken driveshaft, gifting
fourth place to Estonia’s Anton Panratov, with
Markus Schick and Patrice Pellier completing the
top six.
In Moto 2 the expected head-to-head between
pole sitter Bushell and Abdulrazzaq in P2 was
short-lived with Bushell’s race compromised on
the run to the first when he collided violently with
Akerblom, the coming together forcing Bushell
to pit, Akerblom dropping to 11th his race then
coming to a premature end on lap 6.
At the front it was France’s Agostinho who coped
with the conditions best, but his race ended on lap
4, with Abdulrazzaq hitting the front and running
out a comfortable winner.
After breaking down in Moto1 Jeremy Perez
turned things around producing a battling
performance fighting his way up from ninth to
finish in second place, with New Zealander Carl
Lampe enjoying his best outing in only his second
Grand Prix on the UIM-ABP tour, coming home in
third.
France’s Patrice Pellier finished in fourth ahead
of Anton Pankratov, with Johan Johanson
completing the top six.
In Ski, Mickael Poret celebrated his first Moto
win in over a year and a first Grand Prix title
since lifting his first world championship in 2010
following the dramatic disqualification of Quinten
Bossche in Moto2.
Bossche produced a brilliant performance in
Moto 1 to take victory with defending champion
Jeremy Poret following the young Belgian to the
chequered flag for the second time in two outings,
Mickael Poret taking third.
Despite starting from pole Bossche dropped
places immediately and trailed the Poret brothers
off the start.
Behind the leader a titanic battle developed with
Bossche closing down and attacking Mickael
Poret, eventually making the successful pass on
lap five.
Two laps later he moved in on and passed race
leader Jeremy Poret and going onto to take his
second win of the year by 5.54s.
Morgan Poret ran all but the final metres of
F
30
n° 3August | 2017