MXGP Insider No.6: Tixier’s Trouble

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the MXGP Insider, penned by David Bulmer, presented by KTM Australia. 

So the big story recently was the banning of Jordi Tixier for a month, for attacking the Chief Medical Officer/FIM Medical Director at the Thailand GP, causing him to miss the Argentine MXGP this weekend. However, while this should have been a major talking point, it really doesn’t seem to have caused too many ripples in the motocross world. You would have thought that the current world champion being banned would have sent shockwaves through the paddock but really, it hasn’t got too many people agitated. I think the main reason for this is the general viewpoint of Tixier actually being the champ and how he got pretty lucky. Then he started the season really badly anyway with poor results in Qatar and Thailand (before the heat exhaustion) so I think many are almost seeing this as karmic forces at work.

Interestingly, I was actually standing right at pit row during the MX2 free practice session in Thailand where Tixier was stopped from entering the track by an FIM official because he wasn’t wearing a chest protector (Max Anstie had the same thing happen in Qatar), except Anstie didn’t completely disobey the official and ride around him so he could run laps. After the session, Tixier was summoned like a naughty schoolboy to the FIM office where was given a strict warning with regards to future conduct. Then of course he goes and hits a doctor…

Also, through pure coincidence, I was standing in the pitlane when Tim Gajser was given the news he wouldn’t be allowed to compete in the second moto in Thailand either. Obviously he and his father were less than happy with the news but they abided by decision and will hopefully come back swinging in Argentina this weekend.

Speaking of which, it seems everyone is a lot happier with the Patagonian track this weekend than they were at either Qatar or Thailand. Apparently the addition of trees really helps everyone get behind a facility as it gives it some sort of “natural feel”, despite it looking like it has a lot of the typical man-made features that the modern track can’t do without. I think the whole location is playing a major part though and although I won’t be there this weekend, I have spent time in that region and I can attest to the beautiful landscapes all around. Funnily enough just before I wrote this article, I was on Instagram and David Herbreteau had just posted an awesome photo from his hotel. He is Tixier’s replacement for this round on the Kawasaki team and one of the latest in the long line of French talents. He has sick style on a bike which I remember seeing a few years ago when he was on 85s. He’s going to be doing the EMX250 class this year but jumped at the chance to race this round as a replacement and who can blame him? Travelling the world, racing your dirt bike… can’t really beat that.