Sunshine, hard-pack and packed spectators zones: welcome to the Spanish Grand Prix. Talavera de la Reina was the site for round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship and was a stage in which Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki’s Max Anstie rode to fourth overall and was within one lap of grabbing his first bottle of podium champagne this season. 20,000 fans made the journey to the town southwest of Madrid and basked in temperatures that were closer to thirty than the thirteen found two weeks ago for the Grand Prix of Europe in the Netherlands.
Talavera was tight and unforgiving with a layout that continually climbed or dropped around the three shallow hills that comprised the forest setting only a few kilometres from the town centre. Maxxis rider Anstie got immediately down to work on Saturday and pulled off some good lap-times in the MX2 Qualification Heat to move from fifth to second place for his best qualification position of the season.
On Sunday Max started well in the first moto and quickly disposed of Pauls Jonass for second place. He dialled into the back of Jeffrey Herlings and chipped away at the former champion’s lead. It was unusual to see the Dutchman under pressure but Anstie was able to win time by jumping some obstacles that hardly any other rider would contemplate. Herlings also pushed hard and kept finding tenths of a second in certain sections to keep his lead frustratingly just out of touch. Max completed the last few laps safe in the knowledge that he has marked his third top three classification of the year and was poised for the second moto.
Unfortunately the next start was not as effective. Max rallied hard to cross the line for the end of the first lap in twelfth and then spent the next thirty minutes and one lap vying to gain ground. Until Jeffrey Herlings – who had crashed on lap two – overtook him two circulations before the flag for eighth Anstie was looking at third place overall…but frustratingly just missed out by four points to brand-mate Jordi Tixier.
Anstie’s efforts mean that the ‘99’ machine is now tenth in the MX2 standings. He needs 26 points to climb to ninth.
The team will now look to prepare for a busy home round as the championship heads to the UK. With Max looking to take his first podium, the crew will also welcome teenager American rookie Darian Sanayei into the fold on the KX250F while Maxxis Rider Mel Pocock will make a popular return to the GP paddock and will take a four-wheeled lap of the Matterley Basin circuit.
