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Kiwi motocross star Josh Coppins finds himself in a white-hot atmosphere at the glamour world 250 championship this weekend . the pressure is intense on the rising youngster at his team\'s home grand prix in Belgium.
Just a few points shy of an outstanding third in the title chase as the season nears a close, the Motueka-born expat is also expected to help his Suzuki teammate maintain a championship lead.
And there\'s additional pressure for the pair to fly the flag at this event at Grobbendonk, just by the home base of the Corona-backed Suzuki outfit. The Kiwi and his French teammate Mickael Pichon will be adopted Belgians for the weekend at the 1.778km Kanaaldijk (Canal Dyke) circuit 25km from Antwerp.
Their team manager Sylvain Geboers, himself a top international of the 60s and 70s, is juggling the efforts of his two stars: the youngster continuing the charge which saw him blast into the top ten last year and now the top five, and the established pro who promises to deliver Suzuki\'s first world title for some years.
\"It would be great to see Mickael get the title, he\'s led for most of the season,\" said 23-year-old Coppins this week. \"But at the same time I have to go out with the intention of beating him.\"
\"There\'s only three rounds in the championship after this weekend and I\'m really tight in the points - close to third but still in danger of slipping back to fifth.\"
Now clear of a foot injury which handicapped his previous two rounds, the multi New Zealand champion is expected to make life difficult for German Kawasaki ace Pit Beirer who is just 15 points ahead.
But Coppins needs to continue to outgun top Italian Claudio Federici (Yamaha) who is just 10 points adrift.
\"It\'s as tight as, that\'s championship racing,\" Coppins commented. \"The higher you get in the rankings, the harder it is to claw up one more place.\"
Nevertheless Geboers and the Suzuki team have made it clear they are delighted with Coppins\' showing in his first year as a factory rider, having set the top five as a target when the season started in March. Only a major catastrophe can deny him that now.
The team is more concerned to protect Pichon from the attentions of fellow Frenchman Fred Bolley who is running his Honda all over the yellow Suzuki in a late-season charge just like the one which took him to the title last year.
The two moto legs of the Belgian Grand Prix are held early Monday NZ time.
World championship points:
1.Pichon 317;
2. Bolley, 296;
3. Beirer, 230;
4. Coppins, 215;
5. Federici, 205;
6. Cooper, 163;
7. Crockard, 158;
8. Demaria, 149;
9. Maschio, 119.
