<\/strong>\u201cThe track wasn\u2019t super technical, but it was hard tonight. And my starts weren\u2019t where they needed to be, so I gave myself some work and had to make some passes. With the races being so short you had to make a plan on the fly and pass when you could, and it got a bit close. But I was strong in the whoops and tried to stay low over the jumps. I had to push hard tonight, and we\u2019ve got some areas where we want to get better.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Second place Savatgy added, <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m second tonight but honestly, I wasn\u2019t the second-best guy today. But I\u2019m on the podium, that\u2019s the goal, I want to be here every round. We\u2019ve got some things to work on and improve going forward but, I was second overall last year, and I want to make sure I\u2019m in that top three every round.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friese commented, <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m happy with where I was tonight. The injury I\u2019ve had is like a year injury and I\u2019m seven months in. The goal was always to come back better and continue to improve. I had an issue with the footpegs but, I believe I\u2019ve got the best bike on the grid. I\u2019ll continue to heal and get closer to Ken [Roczen]. I\u2019ve got to make it hard for him but beat him tonight, I\u2019ve shown he\u2019s beatable and I\u2019ll only get better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was decided on a \u2018best of three\u2019 in the SX2 mains, with defending champion and 2022 vice-champion Anstie resuming their rivalry from last season, trading main event wins. Sadly, for the Brit, Anstie was unable to deliver the overall for the home crowd, taking a brace of seconds on his Firepower Polyflor Honda to McElrath\u2019s double victory aboard his Rick Ware Racing Yamaha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brazilian Lopes showed he\u2019s going to be a force in this year\u2019s championship, finishing third overall for FXR Club MX despite dislocating his shoulder in the warm-up. Mixing it at the sharp end of the mains, he was twice third before a crash in the final race cost him another rostrum finish. He managed to salvage fourth – finishing behind Mitchell Oldenburg – to take third overall in the British GP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “He wants to win a championship and he wants me to do that for him. I said this is what I need, and he\u2019s made it happen. The Yamaha feels like my bike. I\u2019ve ridden lots of bikes, but the Yamaha suits me, it feels good, and it\u2019s good of Rick to trust us as riders to deliver. I\u2019m happy with tonight and it\u2019s a good start to the season.\u201d<\/p>\nShane McElrath | 2023 British GP Winner<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Anstie said afterwards, <\/strong>\u201cIt was tough tonight. I\u2019ve raced at home before and I know the vibe, but as well as the racing we\u2019ve been pulled into different directions and lots of obligations, but it\u2019s one of those, it comes with the territory and it\u2019s a positive because it\u2019s good for the sport; it\u2019ll be the same for Kenny [Roczen] in Germany and it\u2019s good for the fans to be able to support their guy. Hopefully we put on a show. It was close out there with Shane [McElrath], obviously I wanted to win and we\u2019ll go again in Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lopes said of his first WSX podium, <\/strong>\u201cTo be here on the podium is incredible. I made the decision to do World Supercross after the US series. I turned down offers to race in America this summer to be here because I like racing with my team, and I want to be the Ayrton Senna of supercross to Brazil. It also gives me time to spend at home with my family, otherwise I\u2019d spend the whole year in the US. So, I\u2019m grateful for this opportunity and very happy to be on the podium.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Watch the full replay of round 01 British GP or catch the highlights on WSX.tv<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A thrilling British Grand Prix kicked off the 2023 World Supercross Championship, with both reigning champions launching their title defences in the best possible way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[38,57,30],"tags":[25,28,29],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Ken Roczen | 2023 British GP Winner<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Wsx](\"https:\/\/wsxp2.u.thrivex.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/WSX_RiderStandings_AfterRound01_WEB_1200-1056x1200.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
For more information on the championship, visit WSXChampionship.com<\/a> to find out more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n