Team Suzuki Press Office – February 1. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 is buoyant today after celebrating victory at Le Touquet in its debut appearance at Europe’s most prestigious beach racing event.
Steve Ramon took a modified 2010 RM-Z450 to the top of the podium after fronting a 1000 rider-entry for just over three hours. The Belgian’s achievement represents a notable victory not only for the decorated former World Champion (who, in 2007, was the first to grasp an FIM MX World title with RM-Z technology) but also Suzuki in their maiden attempt at the French contest.
“We are so pleased to start 2011 in this way,” commented Geboers Racing Promotion General Manager Sylvain Geboers. “Steve rode magnificently but it was a fantastic effort overall by our team and really showed the quality of Suzuki’s off-road machinery and all of our suppliers and partners. The race-bike was the quietest motorcycle both before the event started and also afterwards and this is thanks to our excellent collaboration with Akrapovic and their work with exhaust systems. Steve only had to stop for fuel and a goggle change and we didn’t need to change or adjust anything on the bike – no filters, sprockets, chains or tyres – for three hours and 10 minutes of hard racing in the sand. I think that says a lot in itself. We can now start to prepare for the coming motocross season where Steve and Clement Desalle will again show the World the capabilities of Suzuki’s motocross output.”
Sunday represented an emotional moment for Team Manager Eric Geboers, a former three-time winner of Le Touquet between 1988 and 1990, who was able to taste success from the other side of the fence.
“It was absolutely fantastic to come back here and take a result like this. We not only survived on our first try but we were able to win and in such style with the best technical performance,” the ex multi-Motocross World Champion said. “It was a great effort from the team and of course Steve who already showed that he is in good form and looking fast even at this early stage of the year. I’m especially pleased to put Rockstar Energy on the top of the podium. Le Touquet is a massive spectacle in Europe with huge crowds and an excellent reputation, so to give them this kind of exposure – even before the season has started to warm-up for us – is the best that could have happened. I hope we can come back in 2012 and have just as big an impact.”
Le Touquet is a well-renowned racing ‘festival’ on the north coastline of France and just south of Calais. The meeting is another of France’s great motorsport events – in the tradition of Le Mans 24hr and Bol d’Or endurance race due to rising popularity in its 35-year existence and attendance figures that have been known to reach over a quarter of a million people.
