What a better way to start the MXGP of Trentino than with some intense battles for the RAM Qualifying Races which in the end were won firmly by Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre in MXGP and Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelderin MX2.
In a beautiful first day racing in the stunning circuit of Pietramurata the competition was ferocious and we can only expect another epic day on Sunday as riders already showed great form today.
Alongside the FIM Motocross World Championship races, we also witnessed the first races of the EMX250 and EMX125 presented by FMF Racing in which Andrea Bonacorsi and Janis Martin Reisulis won in the respective classes.
Following the RAM Qualifying Races, the public in the paddock were able to come and see the stars at the Paddock Show that hosted the winners of the qualifications Simon Laengenfelder and Romain Febvre plus Jorge Prado, Alessandro Lupino, Alberto Forato, Mattia Guadagnini, Andrea Adamo and Andrea Bonacorsi and the great special guest Antonio Cairoli.
For the first time this season in the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race, someone other than Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado clinched the win with Romain Febvre who dominantly led from start to finish. The Frenchman looked very quick and tidy on his bike all way throughout the race winning with a 15 seconds gap in front of Monster Energy Yamaha factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux. Renaux started 3rd behind his teammate Monster Energy Yamaha factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer but quickly managed to pass him to get to 2nd and keep that place until the end.
For Seewer it was another story as the Swiss got a very good start and kept his 3rd place until lap 8 but had to concede to a solid Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez. Fernandez would go on to stay 3rd until the end while Seewer finished 4th but had to battle towards the end with the other good performer of the day and countryman Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Valentin Guillod. Guillod who found himself 8th on lap 1 successively overtook Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini and JM Honda Racing’s Brent Van doninck to get 6th on lap 3 behind Prado. He then benefitted from Prado’s mistake on lap 5 to get to 4th where he finished.
Van Doninck 4th on lap 1 after an excellent start had to conceded few spots along the way but settled for a very good 6th place. Guadagnini who was 8th on lap 4 got overtaken by Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings on lap 5 and 6. He found himself 9th after Prado’s mistake and never gave up as he finally managed to re-take his 8th spot to Coldenhoff on the last lap. Coldenhoff who went up to 7th during lap 6 and 7 had to settled for 9th in the end.
Prado who got an unusual less-than-perfect start, found himself 6th on lap 1 but looked very sharp as he passed Van doninck for 5th on lap 3 and was looking to charge on Fernandez. However, the Red Plate holder made a mistake on lap 5 to moved down to 10th. He settled there in the end to take 1 point which stops his perfect record in RAM Qualifying Races so far.
After an average start, 12th after one lap, Herlings showed all his well-known qualities as he powered through the race to overtake 5 times and get himself to an honourable 7th position and gaining some points on Prado along the way.
Romain Febvre: “I feel very good and we found something on the bike that is working very well. I Finally get in front from start which makes it easier and I managed to keep on my pace so I cannot wait for tomorrow”
In MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, Simon Laengenfelder showed an amazing control as similarly to Febvre in MXGP, he flew to victory leading from the start and never got worried by riders behind him to win his first RAM Qualifying Race.
Behind him teammates from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team, Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant followed each other the whole race. While we thought that Geerts would stay 2nd the whole way, it was without counting on Benistant’s determination and technique. The Frenchman got closer and closer to Geerts. Under pressure, Geerts would fall in the last lap and see Benistant pass him to finish 2nd of the race. RedBull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo also passed Geerts to finish 3rd. Adamo was on a mission today as he breathed pass few riders to go from 6th on lap 1 to 3rd. Geerts settled in the for 4th.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Liam Everts showed good consistency. He found himself 5th on lap 1 and got overtaken by Adamo on lap 3 to moved down to 6th. But the Belgian went on to stay close to Roan Van de Moosdijk of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5th at that time. After few attempts he finally got back to 5th as he passed van de Moosdijk on lap 10 to stay there until the end. Van de Moosdijk 6th for the last 3 laps had to pick up his pace to stay in front of his two teammates, Lucas Coenen and Kay de Wolf. While Coenen kept his 7th position all race long,
De Wolf on the other side made a great climb from the 13th position after lap 1 to methodically pass five riders including WZ Racing Team’s Mikkel Haarup (14th in the end), Cornelius Tøndel (11th in the end) and F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo on lap 10 to get to 8th in the end. Horgmo had a pretty quiet but solid race as stayed 8th through the race until De Wolf passed him to end up 9th in the end.
The other rider that had do fight his way up was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga. Following a poor start, Elzinga who was 18th after the first lap rode an amazing race to get into the points and finish 10th in the end. It also showed that the rookie does not give up and is always up to battle his way up.
Simon Laengenfelder: “I finally get to be in front after the first turn and I get 10 points so I am very happy. The track is a little bit harder and more technical and I really think I like it! “
Words: Press Release | Photo: MXGP
