It's on the mythical circuit of Rijeka in Croatia on 24 / 26 of june 2011 that took place the 3rd round of ICGP championship.

Picture and text by Mandy Jordan

Round 3 of the ICGP Championship was held at Grobnik – the Croatian ex-GP track just inland from Rijeka. The track was built in 1978 as a replacement for Opatija, which was deemed too dangerous as it hair-pinned it’s way past cliff faces and sheer drops on the Adriatic Coast.

A hot 30 degrees greeted the riders as they arrived to set up camp for the weekend and take advantage of the open practice on the Friday. Friday morning the paddock had an early wake-up call in the shape of the Bora wind, which started with a few gusts during the day, attempts at battening down were made, but when the paddock awoke early on Saturday morning it was to the usual devestation the Bora wind brings, the ICGP new awning was wrecked and halfway across the track, and several of the awnings could be seen collapsed or swept across the paddock !

Qualifying began and In 350cc Ian Simpson put in the best time, with Guy Bertin close behind, Italian Alberto Peruzzi in 3rd, followed by Walter Hoffman and Richard Peers-Jones. In 250cc Yves Hecq is the faster on 1st qualifying, followed by a newcomer Franz-Patrick Dorfner, then Eric Saul qualified 3rd with the Chevallier, and Mickael Wild who seem's to solved his engine problems.

Results of the QP1 :

350cc Class :

1. Ian Simpson (GB)
2. Guy Bertin (FR)
3. Alberto Peruzzi (I)
4. Walter Hoffmann (DE)

250cc Class :

1. Yves Hecq (BE)
2. Rocco Tedesco (I)
3. Eric Saul (FR)
4. Mickael Wild(DE)

2nd Qualifier, Chris Bishop was up in 3rd place following the same two front runners, having had problems with the bike in the first qualifier, and coming in 7th. Fiorini Cimatti who had improved on his 13th position to 8th unfortunately took a tumble and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collar bone, it was not quite so bad, but for him the racing was over for the weekend.

Grant Boxhall having come all the way from Tasmania for two rounds, riding one of Jean_Paul Mestre’s kawasakis, was disappointed in Qualifier 2 when the engine packed up and parts could not be sourced for the races. 9 different countries were being represented in the races, with British, French, German, Italian, Austrian, Brazilian, Australian, Swiss and Danish riders.

The grid positions set from Saturday, both races were to be held on Sunday in the morning and afternoon, not giving the riders and mechanics much chance if anything went wrong with the bikes during the first race. Pole position went to Simpson, then Bertin, Bishop, Hoffman, Peruzzi and Parravano. Saul’s silencer went on the warm-up lap and he rode back down pit-lane.

Results of the QP2 :

350cc Class :

1. Ian Simpson (GB)
2. Guy Bertin (FR)
3. Chris Bishop (GB)
4. Walter Hoffmann (DE)

250cc Class :

1. Yves Hecq (BE)
2. Franz-Patrick Dorfner (A)
3. Eric Saul (FR)
4. Mickael Wild(DE)

Starting grid :

Race 1 and the riders lined up on a dry track with sunny conditions. The lights went out and the riders charged down the straight into the first corner, Bertin leading the way, with Peruzzi, Peers-Jones, Simpson, Bishop and Parravano hot on his heels. The 250’s were headed up by Hecq, Dorfner, Tedesco and Wild.

By Lap 2, Simmo had taken the lead with Bertin 2nd and Bishop 3rd. The three stayed tightly bunched into the corners, until Lap 4 when Simmo and Bertin stretched the lead and Bishop ran his own race several seconds behind the duo. Peers-Jones’s clutch caught fire on lap 3 and he had to retire from 5th place to the side alongside Howarth who had lost his chain on the second lap. Peruzzi’s engine broke on lap 5, Dorfner and Tedesco also dropped out in Lap 1.

Parravano’s clutch packed in on Lap 5, and he was lucky not to have been black flagged for touring, as he rode round waving and getting in the way for the latter laps. Simmo and Bertin continued to battle for the lead with only 2 tenths of a second separating them as they went into each and every turn, and lengthened their lead over Bishop, Hoffman and Michael Wild leading the 250’s. The pace of the race was such that as it reached it’s climax the leaders lapped all bar the fourth placed Hoffman.

Simmo came over the line a fraction ahead of Bertin, with Bishop 20 seconds behind them picking up another podium third. A minute later Hoffman crossed the line, and then Michael Wild first for the 250’s followed closely by Hecq – 2nd, Tabarly and then Auboiron completing the podium for 250’s.

Results of the 1st race :

the 1st race laps by laps :

350cc Class :

1. Ian Simpson (GB)
2. Guy Bertin (FR)
3. Chris Bishop (GB)
4. Walter Hoffmann (DE)

250cc Class :

1. Mickael Wild(DE)
2. Yves Hecq (BE)
3. Bernard Tabarly (FR)
4. Marc Auboiron (FR)

Fettling done and bikes ready, the riders lined up on the track under hot conditions for Race 2. The red lights went out and as the pack headed for the first corner Simmo led the way with a determined Bishop in hot pursuit, Bertin, Parravano and oh my goodness is that Peers-Jones still on the track! Saul was 6th ahead of Peruzzi and Hecq.

Peers-Jones overtook Parravano on the straight, just before the hairpin bend, but as he got there he out-braked himself and ran wide, collided with Parravano and both riders went into the gravel and out of the race. Tedesco joined them in the gravel a little later. Simmo, Bertin and Bishop came round the first corner for Lap 2 with fractions of a second between them, Hoffman a few seconds behind, and then Saul having a very good race on his 250. Salter, Volk and Tabarly circulating as a threesome coming next.

The leading trio changed places constantly, Lap 3 Bertin led into the bend with Simmo and Bishop following, but Lap 4 saw a determined Bishop leading, and he retained the lead for the next 2 laps, whilst the next two changed positions constantly. The three continued to jostle for first place until around three quarter distance when Bertin stretched his lead convincingly, leaving the pair to battle for 2nd. Although the final result was Bertin, Simpson, Bishop, the fastest lap on the race went to Bishop with a 1:38:938, Bertin had a 1:38:943, and Simpson a 1:39 dead.

Saul came in 4th overall, giving him the win on the 250’s, Hoffman next a minute behind the 350 leaders, then Yves Hecq and Michael Wild for 2nd and 3rd 250’s. Nielsen and Dorfner failed to finish in the 250’s, and Howarth despite getting to within sight of the chequered flag lost power on the last lap and chalked up another DNF, alongside Peruzzi, Parravano and Peers-Jones.

Results of the 2nd race :

the 2nd race laps by laps :

350cc Class :

1. Guy Bertin (FR)
2. Ian Simpson (GB)
3. Chris Bishop (GB)
4. Walter Hoffmann (DE)

250cc Class :

1. Eric Saul (FR)
2. Yves Hecq (BE)
3. Mickael Wild(DE)
4. Bernard Tabarly (FR)

Next round of the ICGP Championship is at the newly refurbished and extended Snetterton track in Norfolk in the UK, with the BSBs the weekend after Rijeka. Program is available here