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A wonderful first race for 2016 ICGP season
JOHANN ZARCO rode along ICGP at Paul Ricard circuit !!!
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Fantastic ICGP season start under Paul Ricard circuit's sun and an equally radiating atmosphere, great program, as well as a display of wonderful bikes in the boxes and on track: enough to please any enthusiast, many of whom rushed in for this week end.
1st try outs and the hierarchy is already established.
Guy Bertin on team Mester's Kawasaki takes first place in front of the Champion George Hogton-Rusling and Jean Paul Lecointe who returns to the ICGP.
For the occasion Werner Reuberger, winner of the 2014 ICGP championship 250cc category comes back, but this time in 350cc and takes fourth position on the starting line, in front of Bernard Fau and Foureau Guillaume, a new ICGP rider who already shows promise as a forerunner. Following him are Hantony Hart and Chris Knight.
In 250cc it's Colin Sleigh who takes the lead in front of Marc Auboiron, Paolo Piccinini and Stefan Tennstadt.
For the new YC250 category (Yamaha Classic) dedicated to Yamaha TZ from 1984 to 1990 it's André Gouin who takes first place in front of the old German GP rider Haral Merkl and Vincent Levieux.
A full grid to which is added, at his request, the biking World Champion title holder Johann Zarco on a Suzuki RG. An immense honour for the series and a presence who fills riders and spectators alike with awe and joy, it's a recognition of all the work that has been done and the level of quality that's been reached at the ICGP which makes all of us proud.
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Race 1:
350cc: Great start for Guy Bertin in front of George Hogton-Rustling and Antony Hart followed like a shadow by Bernard Fauet, Jean Paul Lecointe, Werner Reuberger, Guillaume Foureau and Robert Burns follow.
Guy will manage to contain the repeated assaults of George Hogton-Rusling who will overtake him one lap from the end but Guy takes back the initiative and wins the first race of the season.
250cc: Colin Sleigh starts in front followed by Stefan Tenstadt and Paolo Piccinini on his Kawasaki KR, Bernard Tabarly who started low on the grid is on a roll and carries himself to the Podium.
Stefan Tennstadt makes a nice comeback and leaves Colin Sleigh in the wind.
YC250: André Gouin goes first followed by Vincent Levieux and Harald Merkl, Stuart Thomas completes the group in fourth position. This will be the same order they'll pass the finish line in for this category.
Race 2:
350cc: It's Bertin again who makes the best start in front of Hogton-Rusling with Hart, Lecointe and Fau right behind. At the 3rd lap Hogton-Rusling falls because of a water leak on his bike clearing the way for Hart and Lecointe.
At the last turn the red flag flies high because of Leon Jeacock's fall, the ranking will be established at the 5th lap because all the pilots hadn't finished the 6th lap, which allows Jeacock to be a part of it.
250cc: Colin Sleigh takes the lead using the vacuum left by the 350cc, he manages to take a rythm that Tennstadt won't be able to follow, the results of the second race becoming the reverse of the first one, leaving the two riders with the same amount of points in the provisional ranking, behind it's Marc Auboiron this time who climbs to the podium, stealing the place under Tabarly devanced by 3 seconds at the finish.
YC250: This time it's Vincent Levieux who ends up first before André Gouin and, once more, Haral Merkl, Stuart Thomas takes 4th and Jean Pierre Pauselli 5th place respectively.
Fabulous week end under Marseille's sun and a great source of pride to have had Johann Zarco as a guest of honour during this first race of the season.
A great aknowledgement to the ICGP, joining the 80's Grand Prix to today's MotoGP.
This race will remain forever engraved as a magical moment in the mind of all the riders present on the grid.
Next ICGP meeting on Assen's circuit the 3rd, 4th and 5th of June.
Race results:
 350cc Podium |
350cc Race 1 :
350cc Race 2 :
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250cc Race 1 :
250cc Race 2 :
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YC250 Race 1 :
YC250 Race 2 :
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250cc Podium |