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MX2, Italian Round , ITALY, 1 October 2018

A fifth for Marshal Weltin in Italy

Marshal Weltin of the F&H Racing Team raced to a career-best fifth-placed moto finish in the final round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Imola in northern Italy.

The American showed tremendous pace in both motos around the artificial track built at the famous tarmac facility which has hosted F1 car GPs and in recent years World Superbike. Even a midfield start in the first moto as he as caught off-guard at the start gate could not destroy his confidence and he tore through the pack from an initial fifteenth to claim fifth at the chequered flag. The second race followed a similar pattern as he chased through to eleventh place before a crash in the waves section cost him any hopes of a further scoreline.
 
Marshal Weltin: “I have some mixed emotions about today; it was a bit of a rollercoaster. The first moto was mega; I came from seventeenth to fifth and felt so aggressive. The second moto I was riding a similar race to moto one but then I made a pretty big mistake. I looped out in the waves and fell down on the tarmac; it really hurt my overall score so I’m not pleased with how I ended the season. The F&H bike was perfect all weekend and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity they have given me. I’m grateful I ended the season healthy with no injuries and now I’m excited to go home and see my family in Michigan for the first time in more than six months.”

F&H teammate Adam Sterry as another making early progress to eleventh place in race one until he aggravated a foot injury which cost him any hope of points. He bravely returned for race to secure seven points for fourteenth place.
 
Adam Sterry: "I was happy with my speed during the early laps of the first moto as I moved forward from fourteenth to eleventh but then I hit my bad foot on the ground again. I was in a lot of pain, couldn't change gear and lost a lot of places. After a rest I was able to finish fourteenth in race two, but now I need to rest my foot for several weeks so that the ligaments can recover and we can start testing for next season."  
 
The Bud Racing Monster Energy Kawasaki duo of Brian Moreau and Pierre Goupillon each got their first taste of GP action as the European EMX250 series they normally contest had been concluded to weeks previously. Moreau completed his GP debut sixteenth from thirteenth and fifteenth-placed moto finishes, whilst Goupillon took seventeenth place in race one.
 
Brian Moreau: “It was a great weekend for me, even if I had to start from the thirty-fourth gate after a problem with the transponder in the qualifying race. It was my first experience of riding a GP and the race format is very different to that in the European series. I got a good start in the first race; I started tenth and finished thirteenth which was not bad. My second start was even better as I was fifth for the first six laps but then I felt tired and lost several positions to finish fifteenth but it was a good experience and will help me for the future."