The MXGP of Switzerland presented by iXS has started in the best way with the RAM Qualifying Races ruled by Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Pradoonce again in MXGP while in MX2 it was Monster Energy Yamaha MX2’s Thibault Benistant.
Waiting four long years to come back to Switzerland, the riders did not waste any time to get into full gears on the brand-new track of Frauenfeld. The return to hard pack has been really competitive today as we already saw many exciting battles throughout both races in MXGP and MX2.
Alongside the FIM Motocross World Championship races, we also witnessed the first races of the WMX and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing’s classes which were domintated by Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan and Yamaha Europe MJC’s Janis Martin Reisulis
Following the RAM Qualifying Races, many fans were able to join and cheers for the stars at the Paddock Show that hosted the winners of the qualifications Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant and Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado along with special guests Jeremy Seewer, Kevin Brumann and MX2 Red Plate holder Jago Geerts.
Aware of sounding incredibly repetitive, the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race was once again dominated by Jorge Prado for his third consecutive qualifying win. However, it was not an easy day for the Spaniard as following a good start he found himself 2nd for the majority of the race in-between Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre leading the way and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings 3rd. After a first lap where the three men where all together trying to get the lead from each other, we saw Febvre taking the edge on Prado to lead the way at the end of the first lap while Herlings would stay a bit behind in third.
Staying patient, a couple of seconds of Febvre, Prado would finally find a way to pounce on the very last lap in great fashion and over a couple of turns to take the lead off the Frenchman. Febvre who looked like he was going to win his first RAM Qualifying Race could not contain Prado and settled for 2nd.
Herlings kept a strong pace all throughout the race to confidently keep an important 3rd place, synonym of 8 points for the Championship. He had to keep at bay during the whole race the duo Monster Energy Yamaha factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux and SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery’s Alberto Forato, 4th and 5th respectively after lap 1. Forato looked very comfortable on this track as he was in touching distance of Renaux all way through and finally made a move to get to 4th with 3 laps to go and would not lose this advantage. Forato ended 4th and Renaux 5th.
One of the story of the day was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer who didn’t have a quick start and found himself 10th on lap 1. The home rider quickly got to 8th on lap 2 but fell down while trying to chase Alessandro Lupino 7th at that time, moving down to13th. Lupino made few mistakes later on to finish 15th. However Seewer, probably helped by the immense support from the Swiss fans came back on the chase and steadily moved up through the ranking order overtaking the likes of Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini, De Baets Yamaha MX-Team’s Benoit Paturel, his teammate Glenn Coldenhoff who finished 10th, and fellow countryman Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Valentin Guillod who rode strongly to end up at a promising 8thplace. Seewer found himself 7th on the last lap to overtake another good performer, Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha’s Calvin Vlaanderen. Seewer finished a sensational comeback on his home ground with the 6th place, in front of Vlaanderen 7th.
Another really good rebound was the one of Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez who found himself 17 after lap 1 to steadily move up to 9th place showing along the way the qualities that made him a GP winner in Argentina.
Jorge Prado: “It was a good day of racing. I had a very good start but then I lost the lead and got a bit tense over a couple of laps. After I took my time behind Romain as it was difficult to get very close but on the last lap, I knew I had the place so I went for it so I’m super happy. I had a great rhythm and it’s another important win!”
In MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, we saw the established order changing with the win of Thibault Benistant. The first lap saw TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team’s Jan Pancar take the lead in front of Roan Van de Moosdijk of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing and Benistant. Pancar could not hold the lead for long. Benistant overtook Van de Moosdijk in the first lap to clock the fastest lap and put pressure on Pancar and pass him in lap 2. Benistant kept the lead until the end displaying a very strong and confident performance.
For Pancar, it was not the same story as he moved down the table to get to 8th on lap 8 and keep this place until the end but the Slovenian rode the whole race in the top 10 to get 3 important points counting for the Championship. Van de Moosdijk who was 2nd between lap 4 and 6 was not able to keep this position first against his teammate Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and then the Red Plate holder Jago Geerts from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MX2 Team. De Wolf in the end finished 2nd while Geerts 3rd. Van de Moosdijk ended at a good 4th place.
Behind them, RedBull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo was the best of the rest as he climbed from the 9th place on lap 1 to 5th on lap 8 as he passed Pancar on lap 4 and WZ Racing’s Mikkel Haarup on lap 7 for 5th to keep this place until the end. Haarup displayed some quick pace in the first half of the race going to 4th on lap 5 but slowed down in the second to move down to 7th in the end.
Finishing 6th between them was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Liam Everts who started poorly to get 13th after lap 1. But the Belgian showed his qualities on this compact track to steadily take the better of many riders in front him.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga rode consistently within the top 10. The Rookie rider shows that he has the pace as he finished 8th while David Braceras also showed his quality going from 12th in lap 1 to 8th between lap 6 and 7 although he had to settle to 10th taking the last point of the day.
Simon Laengenfelder did not get to the points as the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing rider could not do better than 12th while Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen crashed early on the race and had to give up on lap 4. Both riders missed on important points for the Championships and will get ready to make up for it on Monday.
Thibault Benistant: “It was my first win of the season in qualification and I’m very happy. I made few passes in the first few laps and I felt good on the bike and the track. I hope I can do the same on Monday.”
Words: Press Release | Photo: MXGP
