World MX: Aussie breakthrough
Dean Ferris has won his first world motocross race as he dominated proceedings in Belgium on August 18, including pole position and two race winsAustralia’s Dean Ferris will remember the 2013 Grand Prix of Belgium for a long time. The 23-year-old not only celebrated his first world motocross victory but dominated the weekend on his Yamaha YZ250F with pole position and wins in both MX2 motos.
In the opening moto of round 15 (of 17), Maxime Desprey aced the holeshot and led for the first three-quarters until Ferris took over the running, eventually winning by 2.250 seconds over Frenchman Jodi Tixier (KTM), with Christophe Charlier (Yamaha) third.
In the final instalment, Ferris confidently strode away after dealing with the early attention of Glen Coldenhoff (KTM). Jose Antonio Butron (KTM) was third.
Ferris is the first Australian win a world motocross race since the late Andrew McFarlane came up trumps in the second race at the 2005 British MX2 round. McFarlane passed away in 2010 after a crash in Broadford (Vic).
“I’ve won a GP now so the ‘monkey is off the back’ and I think the Matterley Basin track up next will be good for me. I am one of four Australians to be on a GP podium and also to win and to be in the record books with (Chad) Reed, McFarlane and (Jeff) Leisk is pretty special.
“At the beginning of the year I had a goal of winning a grand prix. I knew I’d be super-stoked if it happened and I’m pumped that I actually got one.”
“It was a perfect weekend really and it was key to get two good starts here which is what I did,” said Ferris. “The first moto was tough and it took me a long time to get around my team-mate. My goggles were finished and as soon as I passed him I threw them off and that was a relief for me. I clocked out some good lap-times and controlled the race.
“In the second moto I immediately passed Coldenhoff and we jostled for the lead a little bit until I could drop the hammer and make a gap of around seven seconds. I managed that the whole way and nothing crazy happened and I didn’t make any mistakes.
Ferris is sixth in her MX2 standings with two rounds remaining, just 3pts behind Coldenhoff. The MX2 class has already been won by KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings, who crashed during Saturday qualifying and dislocated his shoulder.
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