PATUREL JOINS LUPINO IN 2019

Gebben Van Venrooy Kawasaki enters the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship in 2019 with increased input from Kawasaki Europe and an exciting twin-spearhead of Alessandro Lupino and Benoit Paturel. And the team will be an Official Kawasaki MXGP team for 2019.

Lupino, a twenty-seven year old from Viterbo in the rolling countryside north of Rome, joined the Dutch team last winter and this summer he has enjoyed his most successful season since moving to the premier MXGP class in 2014. The ex-world junior champion is currently eleventh in the series standings with no less than twelve double-figure scorelines already to his credit this season. One of the most amiable characters in the paddock Alessandro gelled quickly with the hard-working enthusiastic team crew and they will enter their second season together confident of yet further progress after extending his contract for a further two years.

Paturel, the French newcomer to the team from Lyon and still only twenty-three years old, has had an unfortunate first season in the MXGP class, beset by contractual difficulties and illness, but the 2016 MX2 bronze medallist is eager to get his career back on track as he joins the highly-professional Gebben Van Venrooy team for his first season racing the new Kawasaki KX450F.

Young Dutchman Marcel Conijn will contest the European rounds of the MX2 World Championship for the team.

Alessandro Lupino: « We have done a good job this year with the team; nobody expects that but we trust each other so it was easy to decide to stay together for two more years. We have a good working relationship and the team improve the package every month. I’m also happy to welcome Benoit Paturel as my teammate. We know each other well and for sure it will be good for both of us to work and train together this winter. I will go training in the sand this winter, even if it’s raining; that’s the only way to make the next step. after the MX of Nations we’ll start testing the new Kawasaki and then I will take a holiday with the family to regroup before starting my preparation for 2019.

Benoit Paturel: « It’s great to sign with this team after such a bad season for me; this team trust in me and I want to show them what I can do on a 450. I like the team spirit, and I’m sure we’ll do a good job together. At the moment I’m still recovering from glandular fever, but I’m feeling better every week and I can’t wait to test the new Kawasaki. I know the Kawasaki already as I raced several seasons with Bud, and with Gebben I will race the Dutch championship as well as the GPs; it will be the best possible training on all types of track.”

Emile Gebben (team co-owner): « We’re growing up and we want to improve every year, so to sign Benoit alongside Alessandro was a great opportunity to get even more top ten results, or even better! As a private team it’s a big step forward, and we already showed this year with Alessandro and Maxime what we can do. Our goal is to be a regular contender in the top ten of MXGP, and I believe that our riders will be able to do that.”

Text/Bilder: Gebben Van Venrooy