Red Plate Holders Prado & De Wolf Dominate Qualifying In Spain
It was joy for the Spanish crowd at the first European race of the season as home hero Jorge Prado took his customary holeshot and looked untouchable on his way to a runaway victory in the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race, whilst Kay de Wolf also re-asserted his authority with a decisive early move and withstood further pressure to win in MX2.
The crowd had already been warmed up by a brilliant win for another local hero, Daniela Guillen on her RFME GASGAS MX Junior Team machine, and they made an incredible noise for her as she won the opening race of the season in the WMX Women’s World Motocross Championship. Then the opening EMX250 encounter saw a great scrap that resulted in victory for Beddini GASGAS MX Juniors rider Valerio Lata of Italy.
Fastest in practice by over half a second, it’s clear that defending World Champion and Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team leader Prado was in no mood to be beaten on home ground. The trademark start technique was only nearly matched by Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP man Maxime Renaux, although Team Ship to Cycle Honda’s rookie Kevin Horgmo rushed into turn two in 2nd place! Romain Febvre for Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star Jeffrey Herlings were mired deep in the pack, and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser had to fight past both Horgmo and Fantic Factory Racing rider Glenn Coldenhoff to get to 3rd at the end of the second lap.
Horgmo then crashed out of 5th and his teammate Valentin Guillod got collected in the incident, as did Standing Construct Honda’s lone ranger Pauls Jonass. Although Horgmo did not finish, all three riders are fine for the start of tomorrow’s Grand Prix races.
Nobody was getting anywhere near to Prado, and Gajser passed Renaux for 2nd at around half-distance, facing an impossible task to haul in the #1 plate holder. The charge, as usual, came from Herlings. “The Bullet” had a near-accident in the same corner that claimed Horgmo & co, but found a sweet line in front of the grandstands that was both fast, and kept him on the ground. This he used to great effect, dispatching Kawasaki Racing Team rider Jeremy Seewer with three laps to go, and then Coldenhoff the very next lap to move up to 4th! A late charge on Renaux’s third position only just fell short, but the Dutchman certainly has the speed around the Intu-Xanadú Arroyomolinos circuit, if only he could start with Prado.
The Champion extended his series lead by a point to four over Gajser, and Febvre is still third in the points after fighting back to 8th at the chequered flag. He is also leading the way in the Ram Award Experience that will reward the MXGP rider with the most RAM Qualifying Race wins at the end of season.
Jorge Prado: “What to say, I got a good start! IT was my key to get a holeshot and then lead. I’ve been the fastest all day so i had the speed. I push a bit in the first lap and made a good gap. I really enjoyed the last lap too with the fans and on the triple. It’s great weekend and happy to start this home weekend in Spain with a win so let’s keep it for tomorrow as well”
MXGP – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 24:11.409; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:13.320; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:16.278; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:18.438; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:23.171; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:26.056; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +0:30.645; 8. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:32.224; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:37.607; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +0:50.055
MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 64 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 60 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 54 p.; 4.Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 47 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 46 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 39 p.; 7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 34 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 25 p
The MX2 RAM Qualifying Race was holeshot, once again, by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sacha Coenen, but Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team leader Simon Laengenfelder moved underneath the young Belgian through the third corner, followed by red plate holder De Wolf on the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing machine.
De Wolf wasted no time to rapidly cut under Laengenfelder in the very next corner, and although the German, winner of both GP races here last year, pressured the Dutchman midway through the race, Kay got the hammer down again to pull clear and win by just over three seconds at the flag.
Behind them, Laengenfelder’s teammate Rossi battled past Sacha Coenen early, as F&H Kawasaki rookie Quentin Prugnieres moved Andrea Adamo wide by the Pit Lane, allowing the Champion’s Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Liam Everts through into 5th as he passed them both!
With three laps to go, after Sacha Coenen has been dropped down to 8th, Everts made a forceful move on Rossi to claim 3rd place, a fine return after missing the Argentina opener due to pre-season injury.
A mighty battle ensued behind them, as Rossi, Adamo, Lucas Coenen for Nestaan Husvarna Factory Racing, and Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s Mikkel Haarup all fought over 4th place! Lucas just emerged on top in that battle and Haarup completed a masterful charge through from 10th to claim 5th at the line.
De Wolf celebrated in style and extended his Championship lead to 7 points over Laengenfelder. Tomorrow’s races promise some absolute fireworks as the battle for the title continues!
Kay de Wolf: “It was a good Qualifying! At the start I tried to push a little bit wide but I went quickly up to second and then to first. I’m really happy about my riding and I just controlled it. Tomorrow we’ll have an extra 10 more minutes so an extra 10 minutes where I can show my physicality”
MX2 – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), 24:17.585; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:03.028; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:13.102; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:17.132; 5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:20.915; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:23.941; 7. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GASGAS), +0:26.772; 8. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:29.290; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:38.102; 10. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:51.191
MX2 – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 66 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 59 p.; 3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 44 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 42 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 42 p.; 6. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 37 p.; 7. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GAS), 36 p.; 8. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 31 p.; 9. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 28 p.; 10. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 25 p
MXGP OF SPAIN QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1650m
Type of ground: Hard Pack
Temperature: 21°
Weather conditions: Sunny
TIMETABLE (CET)
SUNDAY: 08:40 EMX250 Race 2, 09:25 MX2 Warm-up, 09:45 MXGP Warm-up, 10:30 WMX Race 2, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.
