HRC Honda head to Bulgaria
The 2018 MXGP World Championship is riding at full speed towards the end of the season as the series now heads to Bulgaria for the second of three back-to-back rounds and the seventeenth Grand Prix of the season. Team HRC riders Tim Gajser, Calvin Vlaanderen (MX2) and Todd Waters are looking forward to the new challenge on a spectacular track they have already ridden upon in the past.
All the riders were at Sevlievo the last time an MXGP round was held there back in 2014: Gajser was in his first year with Honda and Gariboldi Racing in MX2, while Todd Waters and Calvin Vlaanderen were riding on different machinery in MXGP and EMX250, respectively. With the racing weekend approaching, everyone hopes that the event will not turn into a mud-fest like four years ago – although the fact of it being held in the middle of summer should make it less likely to happen.
Gajser and Vlaanderen are fully motivated to return to podium ways in their respective categories after a half-disappointing weekend for both riders, who were unable to capitalise after showing great speed aboard their Honda CRF machines. Waters, on the other hand, is looking forward to building on the small steps forward showed a few days ago at Frauenfeld.
Tim Gajser 243
I really look forward to racing at Sevlievo on my Honda CRF450RW. Last time we were there I was racing in MX2, so I can’t wait to enjoy it on the bigger bike – if the weather will be on our side this weekend! The track is amazing, so hopefully we’ll be able to exploit our potential and aim at the podium after the missed chance at Frauenfeld. We are very motivated to do well and to get closer to third place in the standings again.
Calvin Vlaanderen 10
Last time out in Switzerland we did not get the type of overall result we wanted, but surely not for the lack of trying, so it’s good to be back in action so soon. The track at Sevlievo is really cool and there are a lot of elevation changes; I haven’t been there since 2014 and I can’t wait to race there again. it’s going to be a cool event and I hope we’ll be able to get the bike on the box!
Todd Waters 42
I’m really looking forward to the MXGP of Bulgaria. We worked hard last weekend and it was a step in the right direction, as I felt better on the bike: I’m building confidence along with my fitness, so I’m really motivated to improve on my results from Frauenfeld. I raced at Sevlievo back in 2014 but it was a mud race so it does not really count, but I’m happy to go back there!
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
We head to Bulgaria with strong motivation to succeed after a sub-par weekend at Frauenfeld. The riders did their best and so the team, but sometimes things simply don’t work as planned. Still, we were competitive out there and I’m confident we will be at Sevlievo, too. I’m sure the hard-pack surface and flowing nature of the track will bring out the best in them!
Words: HRC Honda
Pic: ShotByBavo
