The Liqui Moly MXGP of Germany started the festivities today inTeutschenthal with the RAM Qualifying Races where Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado dominated the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race while in MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, the winner was Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Roan Van de Moosdijk
The technical circuit of Talkessel did challenge the riders and made them use all their skills to get the best out of their bikes. The competition to get into the points was tough and the public came in number to witness amazing battles throughout both races and showed a lot of support.
Alongside the FIM Motocross World Championship races, the EMX250 and the EMX125 presented by FMF Racing had their first race in Germany with Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Andrea Bonacorsi and 737 Performers GASGAS’s Mathis Valin coming out victorious.
Following the RAM Qualifying Races, the winners of MXGP and MX2 RAM Qualifying Races were invited to the Paddock Show along with MXGP Red Plate holder Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado as well as special guests present for the greatest enjoyment of the fans with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelder, KTM Kosak Team’s Tom Koch and Maximilian Spies, KTM Sarholz Racing Team’s Henry Jacobi, Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Jeremy Van Horebeek.
In MXGP, Jorge Prado had the fastest start and took the lead early on. As he got us used to see in RAM Qualifying Races, the Red Plate holder edged away quickly and managed to increase his lead to secure a 6th RAM Qualifying Race win.
Behind him in the 2nd place seemed to be promised to Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer although the Swiss got caught on the very last lap by Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre who took the better off Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings on lap 6 to get to 3rd. Febvre looked so comfortable on this difficult track that he managed to make a move on Seewer in the very last lap and took the 2nd place. It was short-lived as Seewer stroke back to get back to 2nd while at the same time Febvre crashed. Seewer flew to the checkered flag in 2nd place.
Febvre managed to get back on his bike but finished 5th in the end. He got passed by an excellent SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery MXGP’s Alberto Forato and Herlings. After getting passed by Febvre, Herlings found himself in 4th but made a mistake and lost balance while Forato who showed very fast speed today pounced to capitalise on this mistake. In the end Forato also benefitted from Febvre misfortune to finish 3rdwhile Herlings settled for 4th place.
Spending a somehow pretty quiet but solid race was Team HRC’s Rubén Fernández who managed to cruise from start to finish in 6th position. Behind him Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff showed interesting speed as he went on to make a pass stick on the very consistent Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Valentin Guillod to go 7th. Coldenhoff managed to keep the 7th place until the end while Guillod followed him and finished 8th.
The 9th place was hard-fought by Team Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen who mixed the good with some mistakes and found himself in 12th on lap 3. He did not give up and kept on charging forward and overtook MRT Racing Team Beta’s Alessandro Lupino for 11th on lap 4 and managed to pass Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Mitch Evans for 10th a couple of laps later. He continued and got the best of the surprising Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Jeremy Van Horebeek to get to 9th. Vlaanderen finished 9th in the end.
Evans also passed Van Horebeek for 10th on lap 12 of 13 to finish there. Coming back to fill in for Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Pauls Jonass who is injured, Van Horebeek nearly grabbed 1 point but finished 11thin the end while Lupino finished 12th.
Jorge Prado: “It was a good RAM Qualifying Race, I took the fastest start and then led the whole way. I felt comfortable and I create the gap and then run my laps. I feel good and am super happy to get another win and let’s see how it goes tomorrow”
MXGP – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 25:46.939; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:02.971; 3. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), +0:08.535; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:09.736; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:10.892; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:29.856; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:34.660; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +0:45.544; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:47.707; 10. Mitchell Evans (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:59.406
MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 403 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 385 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 312 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 299 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 282 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 264 p.; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 262 p.; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 203 p.; 9. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 202 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), 199 p
In the MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, we witnessed a frantic race with many events starting by F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo going down on the first turn and retiring from the race. The Red Plate holder Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf also had to retire after 1 lap.
However, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant who took the lead after few turns in front of Roan Van de Moosdijk. Benistant looked comfortable but Van De Moosdijk started to ride really strongly as he set a fastest lap and closing in on Benistant. Van De Moosdijk eventually was too quick and passed Benistant on lap 4 of 12 to keep the lead until the end to win his first RAM Qualifying Race of the season in great fashion.
Benistant 2nd got threatened by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Liam Everts and went down on lap 8 and moved down 5th where he finished in the end. Everts showed consistency as he finished 2nd, continuing on his good form.
The battle for the 3rd place was exciting with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo who battled over few laps. L.Coenen showed incredible speed going 3rd after Benistant’s fall but Adamo looked determined and set the fastest lap of the race to close in on the Belgian. An intense battle ensued to see Adamo cut short in his attempt to find an opening by L.Coenen. On lap 10, Adamo got the best drive on a jump and managed to move 3rd but made a mistake a couple of turns later to see L.Coenen regaining the 3rd place. However, on lap 11 Adamo made the pass stick this time and finished 3rd in the end while L.Coenen 4th.
WZ RACING TEAM’s Mikkel Haarup made a good comeback going from the 10th place on lap 1 to 6th in the end in front of his teammate WZ Racing Team’s Oriol Oliver 7th. It was the usual performance that we are now accustomed to see by TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team’s Jan Pancar who finished 8th in front of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga who signed a very encouraging comeback after his injury.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sacha Coenen had to settle for the 10th place in the end after making a flying start to take the lead very briefly before moving down to 4th on lap 2. Unfortunately he could not maintain his pace and made a couple of mistakes to move down to 10th on lap 11.
The return of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Jago Geerts to the competition after missing the MXGP of Latvia after his crash in Villars sous Ecot, France saw the Belgian finish 13th. He will definitely build on that to get some important points for the championship on Sunday.
Roan Van De Moosdijk: “It feels great to win my first RAM Qualifying Race. I was behind Benistant for a couple of laps but I thought I was stronger and faster so I wanted to pass and did it and that makes me so happy. It’s looking good for tomorrow. The start here is key and stay calm is the most important thing. I am very happy and want to thanks the team for the hard work”
MX2 – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Husqvarna), 24:11.605; 2. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:00.897; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:09.584; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:10.150; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:31.761; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KTM), +0:34.298; 7. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:34.574; 8. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:37.781; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:40.688; 10. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:41.256
MX2 – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 367 points; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 363 p.; 3. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 354 p.; 4. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 319 p.; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 313 p.; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 282 p.; 7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 259 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 232 p.; 9. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 230 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 163 p
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