Benoit Paturel – Runner-up

Frenchman Benoit Paturel, who finished third in last year’s MX2 championship, is a solid threat for this year’s MX2 world title. Last year, Paturel scored three podium finishes, before winning the Monster Energy FIM MXoN with team France.

The 2017 season has started well for the Kemea Yamaha Official MX2 Team rider as he finished with a runner-up place at the opening Grand Prix of the season in Qatar, last weekend.

“I felt really good,” Paturel said. “It’s nice to start the season like this. Now I want to stay consistent all year, that is important. The track was difficult, I liked the track, a lot of ruts and some places were slippery, but it was good.”

While it was Red Bull KTM Factory rider Pauls Jonass who would win the GP in Qatar, Paturel feels that there was nothing in it, just a little luck here and there, maybe a better start, and he could have beaten the Latvian.

“I think he pushed harder than me, he pushed hard for staying on the front and I couldn’t pass. It was a nice race. Passing on the track was difficult, it was really difficult. There was just one good line, and the track was difficult for finding a way around. I tried to win, but Pauls was better. When I would go off the good line, to try and pass him, I would make mistakes a loss ground. Then get it back, but I just couldn’t find a way around him.”

What Paturel is looking forward to, is to continuing to fight with Jonass. He knows that their speed is similar, and it might end up being mental strength that brings him a GP win, or a world title. What he does know going into round two in Indonesia this weekend, he will once again try to stay controlled and find that little bit extra speed to win.

“In qualification and both Saturday moto’s I finished close to him. It’s a long season and I think we will have good battles and the more consistent over the year in the championship. I am looking forward to racing him again this weekend in Indonesia.”

So with just a handful of days to go before the Frenchman lines up again against the Latvian, we can hope they put on the same type of show they produced in Qatar. The 2017 MX2 championship is looking like it might bring us a lot of close racing this year, and for sure these two will be involved in a lot of it.

Author:

Geoff Meyer