Matteo Boncinelli recorded his third FIM Flat Track World Championship victory in tough conditions at the Hungarian Round in Debrecen.
The Italian bounced back from an underwhelming eleventh place finish in Pardubice a week earlier in perfect fashion, dropping just a single point during the qualifying heats and then powering through to win Final Four of the 2022 campaign.
Boncinelli’s closest title rival, Gerard Bailo, had cut his points deficit to just one at the Czech Round and looked set to move into the series lead after claiming the holeshot. But Boncinelli set a new fastest lap of the race while forcing his way through to the front on Lap Seven and led comfortably from there, effectively carrying out a six-point swing and extending his advantage to four overall.
The meeting was characterised by tricky track conditions at the Perényi Pál Speedway Stadium that followed heavy rain just before the start; getting track position and avoiding incident was the order of the day, particularly during the heat stages. But there were several who benefitted; in fact no less than six riders put in their best results of the season so far. Argentina’s Matias Lorenzato won Heats Twelve and Thirteen to qualify for his first Final of the season, while Tim Greig claimed his first points of the campaign and only a mechanical failure prior to the Last Chance Qualifier cost him more. And Boncinelli looked unperturbed as he roared to three straight wins, only dropping a single point from the outside of the back row in his final heat, and that was comfortably enough to see him through to the Final as top seed.
Daniele Moschini, winner just a week ago in the Czech Republic, struggled with conditions in his final two programmed rides and dropped out in the Last Chance Qualifier, which puts an end to realistic title hopes for him. Moschini has now dropped to fourth in the Standings behind Ervin Krajčovič, who was undoubtedly the star of the show in the Final; the Czech, runner-up at his home Round, won Heats Nine and Fifteen to qualify as second seed. But it was an error into Turn One that forced him to provide the best of the day’s action; he recovered to sixth place in just four laps. Krajčovič’s biggest challenge was the sizeable margin he had to recover to catch and pass Markus Jell for fourth; once clear of the German he utilised the same move a lap later to snatch a well-earned place on the podium ahead of Daniele Tonelli, the Italian nonetheless recording his best result of the 2022 season to date.
The Championship now moves on to the traditional season finale at the Bisalta Motor Park in Boves, with the TT Circuit set for its first international event since redevelopment. Competition for the title will be fierce between Boncinelli and Bailo who have had little to separate them all season long, while just a single point now covers three riders in the battle for bronze.
FIM/Alex Raby