Read what a host of MXGP riders had to say about their weekend at the MXGP of Lombok.
MXGP
Jeffrey Herlings: “Very happy. The KTM kept being so strong, so I have to give it up to the guys and the whole Red Bull KTM team; Pit, Roberts and the crew at home. 1-1-1 for the first time this year so I’m very pleased. Tim was pushing today. This is a good way to head back to Europe and I feel like we are getting better and better.”
Tim Gajser: “I felt much more comfortable this weekend and I think that showed in my riding. Getting three holeshots is a great accomplishment for me and for the team and I must thank all of them for all the work they do. I am very happy to be heading back to Europe with the red-plate and to be fit, healthy and still feeling like I’m riding well. Now we have Loket, which isn’t my best track but I always get a lot of support and I’m excited to see all my Slovenian fans. And also, a big thank you to the hospitality shown by all the Indonesian fans and supporters who really add so much to this race and I hope to see you all again next year.”
Calvin Vlaanderen: “What a weekend and trip it’s been. I’m so, so happy to back things up from last weekend and be on the podium again. I put together two good races and I had to work hard for it in Race One. I could see Jorge Prado fading a little, so I put in a late-race change and got him. Then in Race Two, I put in some quick laps at the start and although I couldn’t quite hang with the leaders, I did create a nice gap behind me. So, 3-3 for third and another podium, so I’m really happy.”
Jorge Prado: “The second round here in Lombok is done – it has been a difficult weekend for me. I didn’t have the best feeling from the start of the weekend. P6 in practice and then P4 gate pick from the qualy race. On Sunday I made some fast passes, but I felt my starts could have been better. I didn’t have enough pace to run with the guys up front. I was losing alot of energy for both motos. Fourth overall is not what I wanted – but I gave 100%, and now I’m looking forward to Loket!”
Jeremy Seewer: “I’m quite disappointed with the final result; my pace was OK but many things happened. The track was better in this direction but it was difficult to make passes as everyone at the front had a similar pace. I got blocked straight out of the gate in race two and the first lap was quite aggressive but I came to fourth until the second lap when my rear wheel slid out on a slippery patch, then I suddenly got grip again and ran off the track. I didn’t crash but I lost some positions. I was faster and, if I could have passed Jorge and then Valentin, I could have been fourth.”
Andrea Bonacorsi: “This GP was pretty tough. I had good starts, close to the top five, so that made things a little easier. But this weekend, the heat really got to me, so it made things difficult. But now, we can head back to Europe, regroup, and get ready for Loket in a couple of weeks.”
Mattia Guadagnini: “Despite the challenges, I’m proud of the progress we made this weekend and securing another top ten finish. The first race went well, and although the crash in the second moto was frustrating, I managed to fight back and make up several places. Crashes are part of racing, but I’m focused on building speed and aiming for even better results in the next one at Loket.”
MX2
Lucas Coenen: “The second moto was way easier than the first moto. The temperatures have been really high – and I felt like people were really suffering with it. I cooled down pretty well in the break between the two races. I just tried to do my own thing in the second moto, pushing where I needed to, but trying to control the pace. I feel really good about this result, and I’m looking forward to keeping on going at this level!”
Mikkel Haarup: “That’s the second round in Indonesia done and it feels great to be back on the podium! I battled hard for every position in both motos to go 4-3 for third overall so yeah, it’s been a great trip for myself and the team. The team did an amazing job with the bikes, and everything went perfectly so I want to say a huge thanks to everyone involved and now we look forward to heading home before the next GP.”
Simon Längenfelder: “The conditions have been super tough, and I’m happy to get this result. I was giving it my all to keep Kay behind me in the final moto. To be honest my energy was just finished at the end of the race. My mechanics wrote ‘podium if you finish’ – so I just went for it. I made it! I’m super happy with the holeshots too – it’s a great way to finish here in Indonesia!”
Andrea Adamo: “We had some ups and downs this weekend. I was pretty fast in the first moto but crashed and my rhythm was not the best. I was fast from the beginning in the second race but I was a bit aggressive with my teammate. I should have waited. I think it was a racing incident and from that I charged strongly to get back to P2. I’m happy to finish the weekend like that but we need to be a bit more consistent and not make those mistakes, which penalised us today. Two weeks and then to Loket.”
Kay de Wolf: “It was a tough day – I really struggled with finding a good flow out on track. I made some mistakes, which I can only blame myself for. But still, I came away from this Indonesian trip with gaining one point overall in the championship; so it’s important to focus on the positive. I still have the Red Plate, and I’m looking ahead to Loket now; and I’m focused on two weeks of hard training to prepare for this. Let’s go!”
Liam Everts: “A consistent top five. I think the second moto was one of my better ones. A bad start in the first. It was good to pass Simon at the end of the second one but still not in positions where I want to be. Happy to go home now!”
Camden McLellan: “This weekend was another building one for me and it went pretty well. Saturday was a bit tough with a crash though, and then my starts today weren’t the best. But it’s been a solid weekend and physically I felt strong. It’s nice to be back at the races with the team and I’m really enjoying being back out there competing. Now we’ll head home, continue to put the work in, and focus on the next GP in Loket. That’s one of my favourite tracks so I’m really excited to head there with the team in two weeks.”
Sacha Coenen: “This weekend we were fast but too many mistakes, so we will work on that when we get back home. Also, on my feeling with the bike to find some more improvements. I’m already looking forward to Loket. I really enjoyed this experience in Indonesia. It didn’t finish the way I wanted but, then, I always want to win!”
Rick Elzinga: “Today I was trying to find my flow from Saturday, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen. My starts this weekend were good though so that’s a really big positive. Around halfway through Race One my left foot hit the radiator shroud and it came loose, so it was really difficult to ride. Before Race Two I was able to have a quick nap and I ended up getting my best result during this trip to Indonesia. I had a good start, around seventh, dropped back a little bit but then changed back to seventh. We’ll now head back to Europe, keep working, and then head to Czech Republic for the next one.”
Karlis Reisulis: “My speed was there this weekend and I ended up one point from the top 10 so I can be happy with my riding. The beginning of both races was great and felt I could go for the top 10, but my lines weren’t the best, so my rhythm was missing. I was fighting around the top six in Race One, but those guys are a lot more experienced than me, so it was a tough GP but a good one for learning. Overall, I can be happy with my weekend.”
Ferruccio Zanchi: “I’m definitely not happy with doing the same mistake again, and giving myself too much work in both races. I need to work on this in future races because it is making things much more difficult than they need to be and I’m not able to get the results I think my speed deserves. Still, I came through this week, and now know what to expect from Indonesia and I believe this will help me become a better rider. A big thank you to the team and I can’t wait for the next GP in Loket.”
Image: Kawasaki MXGP / Full Spectrum
