Ben Watson’s race debut on the Beta MRT Racing Team at the opening round of the Italian Motocross Championship in Ponte Egola ended with a painful face injury that needed medical attention.

Watson was fifth in qualifying and in the first race finished ninth despite the fact that a stone to the face in the early laps slowed him down considerably. H needed medication and preferred not to start in the final race.

Watson said: “In qualifying everything went well even though the track was icy and extremely challenging. Fifth place in my group helped me to get a good position at the gate in the races. In the first heat I got off to a good start but lost a few positions in the long straight. Unfortunately I took a big blow to the face which did not allow me to ride my best and to line up at the start of the final race. Despite everything I was able to improve my feeling with the bike in race trim and I know what I need to work on ahead of the championship debut in Argentina.”

Jeremy Seewer took the overall MX1 win from Tim Gajser and Maxime Renaux after Gajser got stuck mid-pack in the first moto, then tailed Seewer over the line in the second.

Simon Langenfelder took the MX2 overall from Thibault Benistant, Ansrea Adamo, Cornelius Tondel and Liam Everts.