Australia’s Dean Ferris has qualified 21st in his first event of the 2012 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship at Sevlievo in Bulgaria overnight.

In the qualifying race won by Red Bull KTM’s reigning world champion Antonio Cairoli, ICE1RACING’s Ferris finished just outside the top 20, less than two months after undergoing elbow surgery.

“It takes a bit to get back to the grooving of the things,” he explained. “I kept riding to around 20th the whole day, but step by step it gets easier, so let’s see what tomorrow brings.

“The track is very nice, it actually reminds me of home.”

Second was Gautier Paulin and third for the start in Sunday’s race will be Christophe Pourcel. ICE1RACING riders were Dean Ferris 21st and Santtu Tiainen 26th.

Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle obtained his first MX2 pole position in Sevlievo. He won ahead of Valentin Teillet and Jake Nicholls.