After a week of rain leading into the event, the hard-packed and stony 'Arco di Trento' circuit that is set in the shadow of the Dolomite Mountains presented extremely challenging conditions. Ruben Fernandez was the best placed in qualifying with the fifth fastest time.
The Spaniard managed to avoid the turn-one chaos in the first EMX250 race of the weekend and wasted no time forcing his way into the top-five before losing two positions due to a small technical issue.
He eventually came home in seventh. With no expectation placed on the rookie Thibault Benistant, it is clear the young Frenchman is quickly finding his feet in the highly competitive EMX250 class.
He was sixth in qualifying and after an average start; he was able to hold his composure for a 17th place finish. Bearing in mind SDM Corse Yamaha EMX250's Gianluca Facchetti is still trying to rebuild his race fitness after spending the entire winter recovering from a knee reconstruction, the small statured Italian proved how fast he can be by setting the seventh fastest time in Qualifying, but only managed to finish 22nd in Race 1, just in front of his hard-fighting teammate Rick Elzinga who passed 17 riders on his way to 23rd.
In Race 2, Facchetti was well placed on the exit of turn-one, but faded back to 17th before the chequered flag was waved. Fernandez stormed forward from ninth place to finish seventh while Benistant inspired with his power-surge from outside of the top-20 to incredibly finish eighth. Elzinga put in a solid performance for 15th place.
Fernandez finished eighth overall and is currently lies sixth in the Championship Standings while Benistant's tenth overall has moved him up to fourteenth in the championship chase. Elzinga was 21st in the overall classification while Facchetti was 24th. They are currently in 26th and 30th in the standings.
Unfortunately SDM Corse Yamaha EMX250's Caleb Grothues did not qualify at the round of Trentino. He has maintained 16th position in the Championship Standings. The next round of the EMX250 Championship will take place in Saint Jean d’Angely on the weekend of May 26th.