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World championship motocross ace Josh Coppins says he’s disappointed with his 10th qualifying place for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Europe in Belgium.
Just hundredths of a second off the fastest lap of his championship-leading Suzuki teammate Mickael Pichon in morning practice, Coppins buried his top qualifying spot in the deep sand of Spa Francorchamps.
“It was just one of those sessions,” said the 24-year-old Kiwi expat. “I knew at the time it wasn’t going well.
“This is a track where you need to set your fast time early in the qual, but as it happened I didn’t get going quick till half way through and by then the circuit was getting badly cut up.”
Coppins still gets a reasonable pick at the starting gate for this sixth round of the title chase, staged on a hillside overlooking the pits of the famous Formula One car circuit deep in the Ardennes.
With brilliant weather welcoming fans, Coppins’ legendary fitness is expected to be a factor as the racers tire during a hot 45-minute ride.
He needs a big ride to climb from a lowly fifth equal in the championship after bad luck dogged his early season.
Pichon, the ebullient but erratic Suzuki factory star, was the only rider to break two minutes for a qualifying lap. He headed reigning two-time world champion and fellow Frenchman Fred Bolley.
Another French rider, Yves Demaria, is set to lose third place in the championship this weekend after breaking his shoulder in qualifying.
Meanwhile Ben Townley, the Taupo-born 16-year-old in his first season in the 125 class, sat out his qualifying session with a serious burn.
The injury, from a fall in a non-championship race weekend, covers much of his buttocks.
“I went out in practice but it was just impossible to ride” said the youngster who has caused a minor sensation with his early season performances.
“I haven’t been able to sit down all week and when I hopped on the bike for the first time I was almost seeing stars.
“It’s tough to have to miss a GP but injuries are part of the game.”
The GP races are held Sunday afternoon (overnight Sunday / Monday New Zealand time) at Spa, the legendary circuit nestled deep in the forests in eastern Belgium near the German border.
World 250 Championship points after five events: Pichon 120, Gordon Crockard (Ireland) Honda 76, Yves Demaria (France) Yamaha 54, Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha 51, Coppins and Pit Beirer (Germany) Yamaha 43.
