Toni Bou lived up to his reputation with a victory on the second day of the Australian Grand Prix in Mount Tarrengower as the rider from the Repsol Honda Team becomes the new leader of the World Championship.
After pressure from the riders yesterday, the race authorities had changed certain parts of the course, modifying more than half of the 14 sections and raising the level of difficulty compared to that of the previous day.
Toni Bou soon set about demonstrating his extraordinary riding skills chalking up the lowest marks in each of the three laps. Team HRC rider cruised to victory today displaying an extraordinary level, commiting only one error on the whole course which saw him pick up five marks in the penultimate sector of the first lap. Bou thus raises his number of world championship victories to 58.
After yesterday’s triumph, Takahisa Fujinami, suffering the stress of leading the event, made various errors from which he was unable to pull back. The Japanese Repsol Honda Team finished in sixth place, but holds second overall position in the championship.
Next stop is the Japanese GP, 26 and 27 April, where last year Bou dominated the first day, and Fujinami the second.
I’m a lot happier than yesterday, of course. It was a lot better. They had changed various sections. We thought it would have been much more difficult, but it wasn’t really that complicated. I made just one mistake in section 13 of the first lap, but after I was able to take control of the race, although Adam was putting in a great race and there was very little in it. In this GP I picked up some important points for the World Championship.
It was a totally different race from yesterday's. The other way round. The trial had some sections more difficult and I had a couple of mistakes in sections 2 and 3. I was getting wound up because I was unable to make it up some steps and I thought that I would end up with the scorecard full of marks. I finished the first lap with 25 points, and I told myself I could make it back in the final two laps, but it didn't turn out that way. Sixth today and second in the championship isn't bad. On the whole it's pretty good. Next race is Japan, at home for Honda and HRC. Maybe there will be more pressure, but I'd like to win just like last year.