Teenage Anst' as Max finishes third
By TMX Archives on 13th Sep 07
WITH seven victories Britain's Max Anstie won the most motos in this year's Europen 85cc Motocross Championship but severe concussion and a pointless day three weeks ago cost the 14-year-old from Newbury the series title.
That honour went to 15-year-old French rider Jason Clermont on a HondaCRF150 four-stroke in a desperately close finish with Aleksander Tonkovafter the German-based Russian swept both motos of the final round atthe Faenza GP track.
Consolation for Anstie came as he pulled back the four points he neededon Dutch kid Jeffrey Herlings to clinch bronze, whilst only a secondmoto trip over a berm cost Tom Kelly a series top ten ranking.
Tonkov (14), who had also seen his title chances wilt dramatically witha blown motor at San Severino a fortnight earlier, led the opening 20minute plus two lap moto all the way to keep his hopes alive, butClermont was riding defensively in a series which has seen a change ofleadership almost every round.
His pre-race 14 point lead was effectively increased by ten asHerlings, his closest rival, made a complete hash of the start andcould make little progress from his initial 19th place. By the finishthe 12-year-old was still only 15th and, with Clermont holding offcompatriot Jordi Tixier for second, it was all over for the son of 80sstar Peter.
EUROPEAN 85cc MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Final Round - Faenza, ITALY
Final Standings: 1 Jason Clermont (F) Honda 295 points, 2 AleksanderTonkov (Rus) Suzuki 287, 3 Max ANSTIE (GB) Kawasaki 269, 4 JeffreyHerlings (NL) Suzuki 269, 5 Petar Petrov (BG) Yamaha 213, 6 Giacomo DelSegato (I) Honda 201, 7 Giacomo Redondi (I) Honda 199, 8 Andre Park(EW) Suzuki 170, 9 Donny Bastemejer (NL) Honda 130, 10 Jens Getteman(B) Yamaha 128, 11 Tom KELLY (GB) Suzuki 117, 12 Jordi Tixier (F) KTM115.
For full story and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, September 14, 2007.