A wet Grand Prix of Brazil at the highly impressive Beto Carrero facility saw 42,000 spectators over the weekend enjoy a competitive and atmospheric fifth round of the 2012 FIM Motocross World Championship in the sixteen race campaign.

Christophe Pourcel claimed victory in the MX1 class, but Honda World Motocross Team’s Rui Goncalves guided his factory CRF450R through the thick mud to fifth position overall.

The distinctive red Brazilian dirt had been well watered through changeable conditions, but the relentless showers through Saturday night and most of raceday meant the two thirty-five minute and two lap motos became a test of attrition and luck. Even more emphasis was placed on a decent start to avoid any mid-pack melee and the waves of dirt and water thrown up by thirty racers in the gate.

Goncalves suffered a crash after making an excellent start in front of the packed grandstands for the first moto, but afterwards was able to exercise his careful and precise technique and set about regaining a slew of positions to cross the finish line in a well-earned fourth position. The second race took place on drier terrain, but the mud was still heavy and slippery and the ruts deeper and more technical. The Portuguese had to deal with cramps in his right leg – a consequence of the tendon damage he is slowly recovering from – but was able to see out the distance and pass the checkered flag in eighth spot.

Evgeny Bobryshev was able to wheel the ‘777’ machine into the start gate only seven days after missing the Mexican round with Bronchitis. The recently married twenty-four year old Russian was not fully fit and this showed with his fatigue in the final stages of both motos. ‘Bobby’ was still able to get himself back on the leaderboard with results of ninth and tenth for ninth overall in the final MX1 classification for the day.

LS Honda’s Jonathan Barragan spent a portion of both motos rescuing his CRF450R from the muddy surface. The Spaniard hit the ground numerous times in the slimy first outing, but persisted to the finish line with twelfth spot. A more cautious approach in the second sprint allowed the former Grand Prix winner to improve his standing by one position and he left Beto Carrero with twelfth in the MX1 listing.

In the MX2 class Max Anstie was again flying the red flag for Gariboldi Esta Honda and the CRF250R. The young Briton looked to have pulled a masterstroke in the first moto by opting for a sand scoop Pirelli profile that gave the teenager the holeshot. A steady run to fourth position in the wetter of the two motos validated his choice of rubber, but the tyre didn’t quite produce the same effect in terms of traction for the drier second outing and Anstie rode to seventh for sixth overall.

With Bobryshev missing out on proceedings in Mexico the Russian has now replenished his points tally and occupies eleventh position in the MX1 standings, two places and just eighteen points behind Goncalves. Barragan is thirteenth while Anstie keeps fifth place in MX2.

Round six of the 2012 FIM Motocross World Championship will take place at St Jean D’Angely in two weeks time for the Grand Prix of France.

Rui Goncalves:
Race Result: 4th / 8th - Championship position: 9th

“It was a special race with the weather not helping the track conditions. It was really wet and heavy out there with deep ruts and stuff. The first moto I had a good start and was second, but then I made a mistake in front of the pits and lost the front and went down. It was really difficult to get the bike up and get going again. It took me some laps to get the rhythm and then I managed to make some positions. I was happy to finish fourth. They fixed some parts of the track for the second moto, but it was drying out with big ruts in many places. I didn’t make a start like the first race and started to get some cramp in my right leg where I have the injury. I couldn’t put my leg out in the corners and Tony [Cairoli] was pushing very hard behind me. I had to deal with it and when I made my self relax and ride smoother I started going faster and moved up. Fourth and eighth is OK and I want to thank the team for all their effort and the belief they have in me, and also Honda Brazil for all their support this weekend. I will aim for better results but this is a good starting point.”

Evgeny Bobryshev:
Race Result: 9th / 10th - Championship position: 11th

“It was a difficult comeback, but it is what I expected after missing many weeks of training. I’ve been sick recently and wasn’t 100%. I had good starts and I cannot complain about that. I was in the top five and not doing too badly, but in the last ten minutes of both races I was losing my concentration and focus. Maybe it is to do with the antibiotics. I was losing positions and missing the lines, hitting the really muddy parts. I’m really disappointed to go backwards like that. Anyway I have to look to forward and I have two weeks now where I hope I can train and no more bad luck will come my way.”

Jonathan Barragan:
Race Result: 12th / 11th - Championship position: 13th

“I crashed a lot today. I think seven or eight times in the first moto. It seemed like everyone was falling over because it was really difficult. In the second race I started second or third, but then Cairoli crashed in front of me. I tried to go over him, but I ended up on the ground again. I restarted last and made it up to eleventh. It was a hard track and a hard day. It was a shame because the circuit here is spectacular and I think the best of the year; just the rain came and the races turned out like they did. Apart from that I have to give Beto Carrero a ‘10’.”

Max Anstie:
MX2 Race Result: 4th / 7th - Championship position: 5th

“The circuit here is amazing, it was just a shame that it rained. It would have been a different GP, almost like a little supercross track! The ball game was changed completely last night when the sky started emptying. The first moto was just about who could ride in the ruts and stay straight and keep going. It was about who could stay on. I brought home a fourth in the first race. I couldn’t see anyone! In the second race I think I made a slight mistake with my tyres because I used a sand profile in the first moto and the scoop worked really well in the slop, but on the drier and stickier mud of the second race I was sliding around a bit more. I was in fifth at one stage, but almost landed on a lapped rider and ran off the track. I was sixth until the last lap when my helmet felt like it weighed twenty kilos and Van Horebeek passed me right at the end. I was trying to bring the bike home and not make mistakes. The important thing was to score and it was easy today to crash and lose a lot of points. I’ve been working a lot more with the factory guys and Paolo Martin and now hopefully when we get back to Europe we can try some new stuff and maybe get a few more ‘horses’ rammed in the bike for France.”

2012 FIM MX1 / MX2 World Motocross Championship
Round 05: Beto Carrero – Brazil