ICE1Racing team owned by Kimi Räikkönen has signed Rui Gonçalves for the MX1 season 2013. The Portuguese MX1 rider, who finished his 2012 GP season in tenth, joins the team with his goals set to the top positions of the MX1 GP’s.

“I am looking forward to riding for the ICE1Racing team, it’s been a pleasure to meet everyone. Their goal of working hard and developing the team to be at the top is something I really appreciate. I can’t wait to start riding on my new colors – it’s going to be a new challenge in my career and I’m motivated and ready for it”,commented the team’s newcomer Rui Gonçalves.

ICE1Racing has also sealed a contract together with the motorcycle manufacturer KTM. The World Championship motocross team has worked together with Kawasaki the past two seasons and reaches to the top now with new colors.
“We had two great seasons together with Kawasaki, we want to thank them for their support and good co-operation”, comments the team owner Kimi Räikkönen. “Along with the changes in our team, we were contacted by KTM factory. The new agreement takes us one wanted step forward.”

The Motorsport Manager of KTM Sportmotorcycle, Robert Jonas shares the goals set by Räikkönen.
“We are very happy and proud to welcome Kimi Räikkönen’s MX1 Team “ICE1 Racing” to the KTM family. The team structure has been completely changed for 2013 and we are very confident that ICE1Racing under new team manager Antti Pyrhönen will fight for podiums in MX1 next season. We are also delighted that ICE1Racing reintroduces KTM MX2 Factory rider Rui Gonçalves back into the extended Orange family. The former MX2 vice world champion will be riding alongside teammate Xavier Boog and both will ride the KTM 450SX-F. We are confident that Kimi, a driver who has had a distinguished F1 career and Antti who has a proven career in MX racing will be able to infuse Rui and Xavi with the spirit of Orange and they in turn will make their mark on the coming season.
We wish the ICE1Racing every success with KTM in 2013.”

Rui Gonçalves born on 17.5.1985

Carrer Highlights:
2012 10th MX1 World Championship
2011 6th MX1 World Championship
2010 11th MX1 World Championship
2009 2th MX2 World Championship
2008 5th MX2 World Championship
2007 11th MX2 World Championship
2006 7th MX2 World Championship
2005 10th MX2 World Championship
2004 16th MX2 World Championship
2003 18th MX2 World Championship
2002 24th MX2 World Championship

It’s been a frustrating way to bring to a close a frustrating season for Gonçalves, who sustained a fractured shoulder blade after being struck by another rider following a crash at the Grand Prix of Europe in Faenza, Italy just under two weeks ago. The 27-year-old Portuguese star made an attempt to ride today and although it was possible to complete a few laps around the hardpack German circuit, the pain and lack of power in his arm eventually meant he had to make the difficult decision to sit out of proceedings after pre-qualifying. Gonçalves will now focus on attempting to be fit enough to race for his country at the Motocross of Nations next weekend in Lommel, Belgium.

Rui Gonçalves #999: DNS
“After breaking my shoulder blade in Faenza I had two weeks of giving it everything to be able to come back and race here. I tried hard, as I’m not one of those guys that will give up before trying, so we went out for the first two practices to see if it would be possible to race. To be honest the pain was so high and intense, the different medicines we tried helped, but it just wasn’t enough. I was also losing some power in being able to hold the bike, so we had to make the decision to call it a day. I will try to recover for the Motocross of Nations in Lommel, but it’s disappointing, and there’s not much more I can say; we can’t fight nature and I need to give it time to heal. It’s a difficult way to end the season, but I have no words for that, we did everything we could. I’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone in the team, Honda, my fans, family and all the su pport I have received, as it means a lot to me.”

Gonçalves made some progress to seventh by lap three, but lost those positions in the following three laps and crashed heavily at the highest point of the track on lap seven of the 35-minute plus two-lap moto, before being struck by another rider. The Portuguese star has visited a local hospital and initial X-rays have shown some damage to the shoulder blade.

Gonçalves will try to compete at the final round of the year in Germany in two weeks’ time, but he will now return to Belgium for further diagnosis and treatment.

Lorenzo Resta: Honda World Motocross Team Manager
“The luck has really not been with us again. In neither of the motos did the riders repeat the starts from yesterday, which made it hard work for the races. The track was incredibly difficult, so it was difficult to make up time. Bobryshev came back through from a poor position to the top five, although he couldn’t quite hold on to keep it at the end. Rui crashed, but unfortunately he was hit by another rider, and I guess lucky as it could have been much worse. We will see how his recovery goes, and I hope there is the possibility that he can come for another race with us before the end of the season. Now we will prepare for the final race in Germany in a few weeks.”

In race one Gonçalves slipped back through the order to finish in 14th position while struggling to find a good feeling with the bike, which was altered between motos.

Gonçalves got a superb start, but went down on lap one as an unavoidable Maximilian Nagl crashed right in front of him. Coming from the back of the pack the 27-year-old Portuguese rider came through in the super-rough, gnarly conditions to take a very commendable eighth position and 10th overall.

Rui Gonçalves #999: 10th overall

“It’s been a tough weekend overall for me. We had some bike issues yesterday, which put me on the outside of the gate. We put some different settings into the bike today and in the first moto it wasn’t great for me. I got a good start, but I couldn’t get on with the bike like normal, so we ended up where we did. I was for sure not happy about that. In the second race I got a decent start into third but Max (Nagl) crashed in front of me in the first lap and I was right behind, so I couldn’t avoid him. I hit him and went down, so I was a long way behind the pack. On the first lap I managed to get back through a few positions, but I knew it would be really tough to get up front. I kept pushing and managed to take eighth, but I was close to (Clement) Desalle on the last lap. I was pretty happy with how I was rid ing, but I was frustrated with how the weekend turned out because it could have been a lot easier if things went more smoothly. I did my best, the team worked hard to resolve our issues, which I’m grateful for. Thanks to all my family and supporters; there’s two to go, so I’ll keep working hard to try and bring the good results home.”

After both riders picked up injuries yesterday with Bobryshev tweaking a knee ligament and Gonçalves having a partial shoulder dislocation, today was expected to be difficult with the addition of the hot and humid conditions that made the racing super tough.

The opening moto of the day was certainly one to forget as both riders fell on lap one with Gonçalves being hit by another rider in the third turn, while Bobryshev lost the front and crashed at the highest point of the track. The Honda World Motocross riders mounted dead last, and put on a strong showing around the gnarly Winchester circuit, although Bobryshev was forced to retire from the top 15 due to an unusual problem with his seat. Gonçalves came back through to 14^th place.

The second race brought better luck for the Honda pilots, with Gonçalves gating into the top three and Bobryshev taking up sixth place. Gonçalves was attacking hard early in the moto, but the shoulder injury from yesterday began to make it tough halfway through the 35-minute plus two lap moto and the Portuguese star went on to finish in an eventual sixth place.

Teammate Bobryshev put on a fighting display with some of the fastest lap times on track during the mid-part of the moto, which elevated the 24-year-old Russian star to finish in a strong fourth position.

Both races were won by Antonio Cairoli and the world motocross championship circus now has one weekend off before the next event in Lierop, The Netherlands.

Rui Gonçalves #999: 9^th overall

“In the first moto I didn’t have such a bad start, but in the second turn I got taken out and went down pretty hard with the bike landing on me. Everything was quite bent and it took me some time before I got going, so everyone was well over half a lap ahead of me. I put my head down, as I had to push really hard to close the gap, and I managed to get to 14^th. It’s not the result I work for, but considering the circumstances it wasn’t so bad. I’ve also been struggling with the shoulder I damaged yesterday morning, as it was bad luck again and I had to go through the pain again. I had no power sometimes with the hand, which was coming off the bars. I got a good start to the second one, but halfway through the moto I started to get cramps in my back because of the shoulder. Hopefully time will heal it over the next few weeks and by Lierop I hope it will be fine . I was fast all weekend, so I was looking for something better, but at least we took sixth. We have a lot of positives to take away and we will keep the focus for the next race, so thanks to the team, my mechanic and all that have supported me.”

Button Text ]]> http://ruigoncalves.com/rg/highs-and-lows-for-rui-in-british-gp/feed/ 0 http://ruigoncalves.com/rg/loket-gp-gallery/ http://ruigoncalves.com/rg/loket-gp-gallery/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:54:18 +0000 Rodrigo Castro http://ruigoncalves.com/rg/?p=1133

In the opening moto of today it was Evgeny Bobryshev who got a fairly good start from his outside gate position, which he was forced to accept after retiring from yesterday’s qualifying race with a damaged radiator, while Gonçalves got caught up in the pack after missing the start and gated outside the top 20.

Gonçalves rode hard throughout to work his way back to 11th place, despite the track being incredibly difficult for making passes, and maintained his position while fending off Tanel Leok.

In moto two Gonçalves stormed out of the gate into sixth position at the end of lap one aboard his factory CRF 450R. In the intense heat the Portuguese star made a pass on lap two for fifth place, which he retained with some strong riding until the chequered flag, setting his fastest laps in the final stages, for seventh overall.

The races were won by Antonio Cairoli, and the Honda World Motocross team has a week off before heading to the Honda Xtreme Academy training school for young Honda riders in the UK prior to the Grand Prix of Great Britain on the 18th and 19th of August in Matterly Basin.

Rui Gonçalves #999: 7th overall
“It was a positive weekend. I was riding well and I felt good all weekend. In the first moto I messed up my start. (Davide) Guarneri was next to me and he moved before the gate dropped, so I moved as well and I almost hit the gate. I started pretty much behind everyone, and I wasn’t in the top 20. I made my way through to 11th, but it was really difficult to pass. I got close to the top 10, but it was even harder to pass them. I was pretty happy with how I was riding, and my lap times were good, which was important for the second moto. I had a good rest between motos, and in the second one I had a good start, a good pace and a good rhythm. The guys behind me were pushing, but I didn’t give up; I kept pushing and in the end I came close to the pack ahead of me. Fifth was okay, and it’s a shame for the first moto, as the overall could have been a different story, but it’s been a positive weekend. I’m happy to be here again after two good races in Latvia and Russia. We will keep focussed until the last round, and I’d like to thank the team, everyone behind me, and everyone who still believes in me.”