After going second and third in race one, Honda HRC duo Tim Gajser and Ruben Fernandez were primed and ready to fight for the podium spots at the MXGP of Switzerland, however in an unfortunate string of events, both riders’ hopes were dashed, and the pair leave the Frauenfeld circuit extremely dejected with what happened. Words: HRC
In Saturday’s qualification race, Fernandez and Gajser looked in great form, going one-two and giving the whole team a big boost of confidence. However, after taking Easter Sunday off from racing, the Swiss GP resumed today where things took a turn for the worse. In race one, the pair got off to excellent starts, with the Honda CRF450R showing its power as the pair quickly moved into second and third. And on the tight, narrow and technical Frauenfeld circuit, that’s where they crossed the line, with speed and consistency keeping them clear of any major problems or battles.
Excited for race two and the opportunity of podium performances, the pair’s fortunes didn’t hold up as Fernandez was involved in a first turn crash, remounting in last position. Knowing that valuable championship points were at stake, he tried his hardest for the duration of the race, passing an incredible 25 riders in the 30 minutes to cross the line in 12th place in what was an outstanding display from the Spaniard. Unfortunately unbeknownst to him, mid-way through the race, he had been knocked off the track and had to pass through pit-lane, where due to an incident in Trentino, he was more focused on re-joining the track in the correct position, than remembering one of the rules was that he had to come to a complete stop. This caused him to be disqualified, but due to the system in place, he only found out once he had completed the rest of the moto, meaning all his hard-work was for nothing.
Whilst racing, Fernandez was unfortunately passing his stricken teammate Gajser, who had had a crash early-on while trying to pass for the lead. The red-plate holder was thrown from his bike on a high-speed portion of the track, where due to his location, he had to wait a long time for medical assistance. Eventually the doctors got to the Slovenian and were able to take him to the on-site facilities where tests and exams took place to assess the situation. At this stage there is no definitive conclusion, but further tests will be done tomorrow, where Gajser – who still leads the 2025 MXGP Championship by 27 points – will be able to prepare himself for Portugal in two weeks’ time.
Tim Gajser: “Definitely not how I hoped the day would end, especially after the second place in the first moto. I felt like I was doing okay, finding some different lines so I could make my move and try to win the race. I wasn’t too far off the line, but my rear wheel hit a solid mound and just bucked me off the bike. I was sitting off the track for a long time before medics were able to get to me, but eventually we were able to get checked out.”
Gajser then added this on a social post: “I am very frustrated with how it turned out, and can not help but feel it could have been avoided. After initially being treated trackside, I was forced to wait 30 minutes with unknown injuries and in a lot of pain! After finally making it to the medical centre, x-rays were clear but my shoulder was dislocated the whole time. I hope this incident is the last of its kind, as our sport is dangerous enough without additional hazards so close to the track.”
Image: HRC
