Muc-Off sponsored Utag Yamaha WINS World MX2 GP Round 3

April 2009

It was a severe, rich and enjoyable case of Turkish delight for the British Utag Yamaha.com team at Hezarfen, Istanbul for the third Grand Prix of the 2009 FIM Motocross World Champion as Zach Osborne became the first ever American winner of an MX2 GP and gave the crew their first major piece of silverware since 2006.

The teenager rode to 3rd and 1st positions through cold winds blowing across from the Marama Sea and in front of 30,000 spectators in the inaugural visit of the world championship to the country. Osborne became the first American rider to taste Grand Prix victory this century and the first non-French victor in the MX2 series this season. His is also the sixth rider to sample maiden GP success in the team helmed by Steve Dixon.

The weekend started well for the team with Osborne immediately on the pace around the difficult course that varied in grip and the consistency of the terrain. The American was fastest in both practice sessions and then completed a perfect Saturday with victory and pole position in the qualification heat; it was his second pole of a fledgling MX2 GP career, the first obtained in Ireland last August.

In the motos he benefitted from the inside gate position and two bright jumps away from the gate to be the main protagonists in the two 35 minute and 2 lap sprints. He nestled into a safe third position in Moto1 and had to fight hard to repel the interest of Bulgarian GP winner Marvin Musquin in Moto2 to claim his second career chequered flag. Osborne scaled the top step of the podium after only eight Grand Prix appearances.

Thanks to his achievement Osborne has risen to 5th in the world championship standings and is 40 points away from first position and just 10 points from 3rd.

Zach
“I am really happy with the way things went all weekend and I am so pumped with this result,” he said. “No-one had ridden this track, so we were all on a level field and I enjoyed it. I made a few mistakes in the second moto but nobody is perfect and I got the job done! My goal was to get on the podium in the first few rounds and this was a little bit better than we expected. I have to say a big thank you to the team for all their hard work.”

Steve
“I am really happy for Zach, the mechanics, the sponsors and everybody who has worked hard over the winter.Without the support of sponsors we would not be here today. We started this job back in October and two of the guys not here to enjoy the moment is Ashley Kane who played a huge part in getting Zach here last year and one of our mechanics Ben who spent many months with Zach and Mel in Americaand that is where the base for this result began. Also we must acknowledge Michele Rinaldi and the YRRD group who linked up with our staff and provided an engine that would allow Zach to ride the way he does and deliver the goods. I hope we can go on and build on this result.”

After three Grand Prix in succession, a weekend break now lies ahead for the team before they have to travel to Valkenswaard in Holland for the Grand Prix of Benelux and the fourth stop on the FIM world championship calendar.

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