Belgian Motocross Championship in Lommel

Just in time for the first weekend in March, Luca’s first preparation race of the 2022 season was on the programme. He travelled to Belgium to the deep sand track in Lommel. It was there that many of today’s GP riders became what they are today. The intensive preparation on various sand tracks in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands was to pay off.

The race day began with frosty temperatures in the minus range. Luca was unable to set a fast lap in free practice due to technical problems with his motorbike.

We got the training bike ready for the timed practice. Everything seemed to be going well. Luca rode out onto the track from the pre-start, but the replacement bike also broke down in turn one. It was not possible to continue. At first it seemed to be the bitter end, as Luca was unable to prove that he had completed a lap. However, the Belgian race organisers made provisions in the youth class regulations so that Luca was still eligible to compete in both races. He had to start from last place on the grid, but it was better than going home without a result.

We tried to get one of the bikes running at the same time, over two hours had passed, but the Husqvarna was still on strike. Shortly before Luca had to go to the pre-start, we tried to find the fault on the training bike. The fault was discovered by chance. A faulty petrol tap was simply not allowing any petrol to flow from the tank into the carburettor, so of course the engine couldn’t run.

We went into the pre-start at the last minute, and the delays in the schedule naturally worked in our favour. It was noticeably difficult for Luca to cope with the situation. Never before had there been a race day where there really was complete technical chaos. As a result, Luca had to start the race without proper training on the deep sandy track in Lommel.

The start of the first race was not quite ideal. Small mistakes right at the start were immediately penalised in the sand. In sixth place, Luca came out of the first lap in a three-way battle with an English and a Belgian driver. He had to let the British rider Harry Dale go. Unfortunately, the marshals were not on duty before a jump and Luca collided with a stationary rider, allowing his pursuer from Belgium to pass him. A good eighth place at the end of race one was a solid start.

The start of the second race went a little better. Coming out of lap one in sixth place, Luca battled with Yuel Karnebeek from the Netherlands for fifth place for a long time. The very low sun made it very difficult for the riders, in addition to the rutted track. Towards the end of the race, Luca’s physical disadvantages compared to the older and much taller riders became apparent. On the last lap, he had to give a floor test due to a riding error. Eighth place in the end was nevertheless perfectly acceptable.

Luca finished ninth in the day’s classification. Due to the circumstances of the day with the technical problems, we were all satisfied with the race day. An important experience with a view to the 2022 season.

We have been able to uncover the strengths and weaknesses, so we are working on everything to become even better.

Many thanks to the ADAC Hessen-Thüringen, as well as all sponsors and supporters.