World MX Contenders to race Hawk International this weekend

All roads lead to Shropshire in England this weekend, Sunday 10th Feb, when HIMX promote the Hawk International Motocross at Hawkstone Park which has attracted a stunning line up of top Grand Prix and British riders.

Heading the field are current MX2 World Champion Jeffrey Herlings aboard his Red Bull KTM and Britain's No 1 rider Tommy Searle who finished second to Herlings after a season long battle in 2012.

For 2013, 18 year old Herlings stays in the MX2 class to defend his crown and his main opposition may come from his French team mate Jordi Tixier who also lines up on Sunday.

For Searle it is different as the age restriction in MX2 means he moves up to the MX1 class and will make his 2013 racing debut on the 450cc CLS Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki at Hawskstone Park.

Rockstar Suzuki MX1 and MX2 bring a strong trio of Belgian riders with Clement Desalle and Kevin Strijbos on the 450cc machines and Julien Lieber aboard the 250cc bike.

World number two Desalle won the MX1 class last year so will be looking for a similar result this time while British MX1 Champion Strijbos cleaned up at Mantova two weeks ago and will be a real threat.

Super stylish Frenchman Gautier Paulin heads the Kawasaki factory team and will be looking for a good start to his season as he tries to improve on his third place finish in last year's World Championship.

Newcomer to the Kawasaki team is Belgian Jeremy Van Horebeek who also like Searle moves into the MX1 class having finished the 2012 MX2 season in third place.

Formula 1 racing driver Kimi Raikkonnen`s Ice1 Racing also make the trip and will be represented by Frenchman Xavier Boog and Portuguese rider Rui Goncalves both of whom finished top ten in MX1 last year.