But another MX1 fresher can be a threat here in Japan, and it is double Japanese GP winner Billy Mackenzie of Kawasaki Europe; Billy needs to make up ground in the points, and so does KTM Red Bull‰Ûªs Jonathan Barragan, who slipped further down after a great opening round in Valkenswaard.
Two of the best Japanese Motocrossers, Yamaha‰Ûªs Akira Narita and HRC‰Ûªs Yoshitaka Atsuta ‰ÛÒ who were also part of the Japanese Motocross of Nations team last year- will be there for an interesting comparison with their colleagues from the World series.
In MX2 Cairoli and Yamaha De Carli have done a great job over the winter, and a five GP victory row is simply an amazing result for this beginning of the season.
Cairoli lost the Title last year from a very motivated Christophe Pourcel, who tried to stop the Italian in the German round but had no success. He brought the bike home with the second place overall, but the GPKR‰Ûªs Frenchman aims higher.
He will head to Sugo with victory intentions, exactly like KTM Red Bull‰Ûªs Tyla Rattray ‰ÛÒwinner here in 2005- who was snatched second in the Championship by Pourcel. Both contenders know that Cairoli is on a mission, but they have a mission too, which is avoiding a Cairoli escape by giving a constant chase for the remaining ten rounds.
This is still a long way to the top of the season, and Martin Honda‰Ûªs Pascal Leuret is aware of that, as he hopes to break into the top three, in what seems to be his best World Championship season ever.
Leuret was on the podium once so far, as KTM Red Bull‰Ûªs Tommy Searle made it twice, but he currently lies fifth in the Championship, six points behind the Frenchman. This will be a fight within the fight, where no mistakes are allowed; Ricci Racing‰Ûªs duo Nicolas Aubin and Kenneth Gundersen are ready to move past the rivals, especially the Norwegian, who clinched his first season top three moto finish in Germany.
Also the third member of the Italian squad Davide Guarneri looked solid in Germany, finishing fifth in his comeback to the GP scene.
Suzuki‰Ûªs Youhei Kojima will race the MX2 class, and will try to enter the top ten after he spent some time training in Europe this winter.
Main Photo: MX1's David Philippaerts will be going for his second win this weekend
