The Frenchman battled it out for the overall with new MX1 series leader David Philippaerts of Yamaha Monster Motocross, as the two won one heat each, with Pourcel taking the first step on the podium once he won the final moto.

Philippaerts ended on his second consecutive podium, once again taking second overall, and for the first time this season he was joined on the rostrum by team mate Joshua Coppins.

Philippaerts now holds the red plate for the first time in his career and he is the first Italian to ever lead the MX1 standings, with manufacturer Yamaha having collected its first GP win.

The Portuguese GP unveiled to be a really exciting race, with Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Steve Ramon, CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie, Yamaha Monster Motocross’ David Philippaerts, GPKR’s Sebastien Pourcel and AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan all sitting on the lead during the two motos.

MX1-GP OF PORTUGAL RESULTS Sebastien Pourcel David Philippaerts Joshua Coppins Jonathan Barragan Steve Ramon

MX1 LOVEMYTIME POLE POSITION AWARD WINS Sebastien Pourcel 2 Ken De Dycker 1

MX1 HEAT WINS Ken De Dycker 2 David Philippaerts 1 Sebastien Pourcel 1 Steve Ramon 1

MX1 GRAND PRIX WINS Ken De Dycker 1 Sebastien Pourcel 1 Steve Ramon

MX1 PODIUM POSITIONS Ken De Dycker 2 Steve Ramon 2 David Philippaerts 2 Sebastien Pourcel 1 Joshua Coppins 1 Max Nagl 1

MX1 RED PLATES Ken De Dycker 2 David Philippaerts 1

MX1 LAP RECORD (during race) Ken De Dycker 1 Sebastien Pourcel 1 Joshua Coppins 1

MX1 LAPS LED Ken De Dycker 34 Billy Mankenzie 16 David Philippaerts 15 Steve Ramon 13 Sebastien Pourcel 8 Jonathan Barragan 5

MX1 MANUFACTURER GRAND PRIX WINS Suzuki 2 Yamaha 1

MX2

Two time MX2 World Champion Tony Cairoli of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli eventually took victory number one of 2008, collecting the red plate at the end of the hot Portuguese weekend.

The latest World Championship meeting started with Cairoli and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray collecting the Lovemytime Qualifying Awards, courtesy of their qualifying heat wins.

Rattray holds the record of three qualifying heat wins out of three events, to top the Lovemytime Qualifying Award standings.

Cairoli won the weekend in style, dominating both heats to top the podium, ahead of second overall Rattray and other Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tommy Searle, who enjoyed his first rostrum finish of the season.

The latter was the only rider other than Cairoli to lead the Grand Prix moto’s for five laps, as the remaining 38 were property of Cairoli who clocked also the lap record. The Sicilian handed Yamaha their second consecutive GP win as Ricci Racing Yamaha’s Davide Guarneri won in Spain.

MX2- GP OF PORTUGAL RESULTS Antonio Cairoli Tyla Rattray Tommy Searle Stephen Sword Nicolas Aubin

MX2 LOVEMYTIME QUALIFYING AWARD WINS Tyla Rattray 3 Tommy Searle 1 Antonio Cairoli 1 Anthony Boissiere 1

MX2 HEAT WINS Tyla Rattray 3 Antonio Cairoli 2 39 Davide Guarneri

MX2 GRAND PRIX WINS Tyla Rattray 1 Antonio Cairoli 1 Davide Guarneri 1

MX2 PODIUM POSITIONS Tyla Rattray 2 Antonio Cairoli 2 Tommy Searle 1 Davide Guarneri 1 Manuel Monni 1 Stephen Sword 1 Erik Eggens 1

MX2 RED PLATES Tyla Rattray 2 Antonio Cairoli 1 MX2 LAP RECORD (during race) Tyla Rattray 1 Antonio Cairoli 1 Steven Frossard 1

MX2 LAPS LED Tyla Rattray 40 Antonio Cairoli 38 Davide Guarneri 9 Tommy Searle 8 Joel Roelants 4 Jeremy Van Horebeek 3 Nicolas Aubin 1

MX2 MANUFACTURER GRAND PRIX WINS Yamaha 2 KTM 1

WHAT’S NEXT The FIM Motocross World series will head to the Bulgarian Grand Prix in Sevlievo on May 11th. Bulgaria will also play host to the opening round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship with Yamaha mounted Kiwi Katherine Prumm entering round one as the defending Champion.