Italian Antonio Cairoli (KTM) surged further in front of the MX1 world championships after another podium-topping display, this time at round four of the series, the Grand Prix of Mexico, overnight.

Belgium’s Clement Desalle (Suzuki) and Frenchman Christophe Pourcel (Kawasaki) looked good early on in race one but ultimately had no answer for the pace of Cairoli.

Cairoli fought through from third position on lap one of the first race to take the lead from Desalle with eight laps to go.

Desalle finished runner-up from Ken De Dycker (KTM) after Pourcel made a pit stop to remove the track side fencing from his rear wheel.

The Monster Energy Yamaha’s of David Philippaerts and Shaun Simpson fell in the wave section on lap one; Simpson dislocated a shoulder, while Philippaerts fought through to tenth.

The second race was won by Philippaerts, who seemed to come from nowhere in the second half of the race to pass Cairoli, who had fallen from third, as well as DeDycker, Pourcel and Desalle, the latter with five laps to go. It was the Monster Energy Yamaha rider’s first win of the season and gave him third overall in the Grand Prix.

“I’m so happy to win that second moto. I’m back!” Philippaerts exclaimed afterwards.

“This is important for me because it was a long time since I last won. Mentally it can be difficult to deal with race crashes and results that you know can be better.

“I’m in great shape and it’s awesome to be back on the podium. I had some bad luck with another crash in the first race. Shaun (Simpson) came across and we clashed together. I had to enter the pits but then restarted last and fought back to tenth. I pushed every lap and it was hard work at this altitude and in this heat but the result was important and it paid off with the podium.”

Desalle finished runner-up in the race and was second overall for the GP, while Cairoli came home in third, which was good enough for the overall GP victory.

RESULTS, GP of Mexico:

MX1 Moto1:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40:53.481; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:07.664; 3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:30.519; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:43.925; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:48.259; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:53.089; 7. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +1:07.005; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:14.736; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +1:19.620; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +1:34.840.

MX1 Moto2:

1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 40:15.650; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.323; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:05.451; 4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:11.445; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:14.190; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:16.658; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:17.784; 8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:18.654; 9. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +0:29.974; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:45.232.

MX1 Overall Result:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 45 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 44 p.; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 36 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 5. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 30 p.; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 27 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), 26 p.; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 25 p.; 10. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 23 p.

MX1 World Championship Standings (after 4 of 16 rounds):

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 178 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 149 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 134 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 131 p.; 5. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 129 p.; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 105 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 103 p.; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 99 p.; 9. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 92 p.; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 79 p.

MX2 Moto1:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:55.196; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:05.894; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:09.001; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:47.159; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:47.666; 6. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:48.714; 7. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +1:00.731; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +1:19.093; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:24.396; 10. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:27.746; 16. Petar Petrov (BUL, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 21. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), -7 lap(s).

MX2 Moto2:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:06.278; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:24.774; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:27.163; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:36.183; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:51.182; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:05.255; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:13.023; 8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:17.628; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +1:25.586; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), +1:30.408; 11. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), +2:03.155; 12. Petar Petrov (BUL, Suzuki), -1 lap(s).

MX2 Overall Result:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 44 p.; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 33 p.; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 30 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 25 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 20 p.; 13. Petar Petrov (BUL, Suzuki), 14 p.; 16. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), 11 p.

MX2 World Championship Standings (after 4 of 16 rounds):

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 194 points; 2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 154 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 153 p.; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 118 p.; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 107 p.; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 105 p.; 7. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 95 p.; 8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 91 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 80 p.; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), 76 p.; 11. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), 61 p.; 12. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 60 p.; 13. Petar Petrov (BUL, Suzuki), 57 p.