BUSHELL TAKES OVERALL VICTORY – ABDULRAZZAQ WINS MOTO2


Sunday, 11 June, VIESTE (Italy): James Bushell took overall victory in Runabout GP1 in the UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix of the Mediterranean, despite a big crash after the start forced him back into the pits to repair his damaged Ski.



The British rider went back out and fought his way from last to finish in 11th and salvage five points, to snatch overall victory from Moto2 winner Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq. Third place overall went to Estonia’s Anton Pankratov. 
 
The expected head-to-head between pole sitter and Moto1 winner Bushell and Abdulrazzaq in P2 was short-lived with Bushell’s race compromised on the run to the first turn when he collided violently with Sweden’s Lars Akerblom, the coming together forcing Bushell to pit, Akerblom dropping to 11th his race then coming to a premature end on lap 6. “What do I have to do,” said Bushell. “It all went wrong just after the start when Lars took off on a wave and landed on me which ripped my seat off. I came in to try to secure it but in such rough conditions the quick fix didn’t really work. It was almost impossible, trying to ride and keep hold of my seat. So I just tried to get round and do enough to get into the points.”
 
At the front it was France’s Christophe Agostinho who coped with the conditions best, but his race ended on lap 4, with Abdulrazzaq hitting the front and running out a comfortable winner.
 
After breaking down in Moto1 Jeremy Perez turned things around producing a battling performance fighting his way up from ninth to finish in second place, with New Zealander Carl Lampe enjoying his best outing in only his second Grand Prix on the UIM-ABP tour, coming home in third.  
 
France’s Patrice Pellier finished in fourth ahead of Anton Pankratov, the Estonian riders fifth place earning him a podium place with third place overall, with Johan Johanson completing the top six.