EMX125

intu-Xanadù - ARROYOMOLINOS (Spain) 16 October – Round five of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship has concluded in Arroyomolinos as Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC went on to take the overall victory at the Spanish round of the series.

The European 125cc category delivered some interesting races for the huge crowd of Spanish fans that filled the grandstands around the intu-Xanadù Arroyomolinos circuit.

In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat, it was Julius Mikula who got into an early lead ahead of Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii, Scott Smulders of No Fear / Jumbo BT Racing Team and Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC. Meanwhile the series leader Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM started in around 23^rd position.

Nicolas Duhamel of Team VHR KTM Racing started well in fourth ahead of Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL. Smulders was looking to take over the lead as Duhamel got into second.

Mikula then led Duhamle, Smulders and Edgar Canet from RFME GasGas MX Junior Team, as Van Erp got around Bobby Bruce of ASA United GasGas Racing Team for fifth. Lucas Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also got around Bruce, as the Brit dropped down to sixth.

The action within the top 10 was extremely close, as riders traded positions and battled intensely. Meanwhile further down the field, Lata ran into some troubles just as he was getting back within the top 10 and as a result fell to 32^nd.

Duhamel was another rider to crash, which allowed Canet to get all over the back wheel of Mikula and challenge the Czech rider for the lead. As Canet took over first position, Mikula came under more pressure from Van Erp who moved into second and set his sights on the win. It took three laps for Van Erp to make a pass for the lead.

Lucas Coenen picked up his pace as he started to make good passes to move up the order. The Belgian then caught up with Bruce and was able to get around him for third. It took a few laps, but Coenen also caught up with Canet and took second from the Spaniard with four laps remaining.

Van Erp went on to win the race ahead of Coenen and Canet.

In race two, it was Pablo Gutierrez who took the holeshot from Nicolo Turaglio, Lata and Smulders. Lata was keen on making up for the 18^th place finish in race one as he was quick to get around Turaglio and move into second.

Bruce and Karssemakers started the race in ninth and 10^th, while Sacha Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also started well in fourth. His brother Lucas Coenen was inside the top 10 too, but later crashed and dropped way down the order.

Gutierrez continued to lead Lata by 5.153 seconds, as Smulders dropped a few positions and then later made a mistake which allowed Bruce to move up to sixth. The GasGas rider then picked up another position as Van Erp went off track. Xavier Cazal from Team VHR KTM Racing was the next right in his sights, and he was able to also pass him and get into fourth place.

As Lata took the lead, further down the order, Lucas Coenen began his comeback as he got himself into 14^th place, while his brother Sacha Coenen was getting in the mix with Lata and Gutierrez, gaining ground on both riders ahead. The Kawasaki rider was on track for his first podium finish, but his day ended in a DNF.

Lata then got ahead by 4.458 seconds over Gutierrez as Bruce picked up his pace and caught up with the Spanish rider. He needed to push hard but ultimately was able to get the job done to finish the race second behind Lata who was the race winner.

With a 1-4 result, Van Erp bagged himself his second overall victory of the season, with Bruce placing second overall and Lucas Coenen securing his third consecutive podium after coming back to eighth place in the second race.

Despite not finishing on the podium, Lata still leads the championship with an 11-point advantage over Bruce. Karssemakers is third just five points behind.

Ivano Van Erp: “It’s unbelievable. Two not-so-good starts. I came from 10th in the first one, I think. I was then able to take the lead after 15 minutes, which was very nice. In the second race, I believe I was 7th or 8th at the start, and I came from behind but also made a small mistake. I had to keep going and I saw on the pit board after 20 minutes that I had the overall, so I kept my focus and won the overall again. I train a lot, so I believe I can do it again. It’s a great feeling. I hope to get three great races in Trentino, we head there, and we’ll see what it brings. Thank you to everyone, my fans, family and sponsors”.

Bobby Bruce: “It was good. I did not have a great start and had a bike issue which has been the same the whole season, but it was good for me to make some chances for the second race, and I felt like I could come alive again. The track was good, it was quite technical, so you had to give it your all in every lap. It was a nice and solid day and looking forward to the next round. My plan is just to keep doing what I’m doing really. I felt like last round we lost a lot of points but came back strong this round. We’ll just keep doing what we do and hopefully it pays off."

Lucas Coenen: “Today was a difficult day. The start was bad. First one I was behind and could not really make my way up. The second race was also not a good start. I was sixth and had a small crash which took me back to eighth place. I was a little bit disappointed, but we stay focused. It’s getting better now. Three podiums in a row. It feels good to be in that position. I know where I can be and I will keep working towards my goal”.

Valerio Lata: “Yes, it was difficult day. I had a crash in the first race and finished 20th. But then I had a good start in the second race and finished first. Looking forward to the triple header in Trentino. Thank you everyone”.

Main Photo: Ivano Van Erp

Bottom Photos: 1. Valerio Lata 2. Bobby Bruce passing Manuel Carreras Lopez

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), 30:03.821; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:00.331; 3. Edgar Canet (ESP, GASGAS), +0:13.031; 4. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GASGAS), +0:13.752; 5. Scott Smulders (NED, Husqvarna), +0:17.668; 6. Sacha Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:23.094; 7. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:32.755; 8. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:37.720; 9. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), +0:40.624; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:42.388;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 30:22.851; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GASGAS), +0:04.076; 3. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP, GASGAS), +0:05.811; 4. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +0:08.470; 5. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:13.294; 6. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), +0:17.194; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:19.290; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:21.832; 9. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:33.120; 10. Scott Smulders (NED, Husqvarna), +0:35.725;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 40 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 35 p.; 4. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP, GAS), 29 p.; 5. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 29 p.; 6. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 27 p.; 9. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 25 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 174 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 163 p.; 3. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 158 p.; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 119 p.; 5. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 117 p.; 6. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 115 p.; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KAW), 110 p.; 8. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 106 p.; 9. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 101 p.; 10. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 95 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 203 points; 2. GASGAS, 193 p.; 3. Yamaha, 178 p.; 4. Kawasaki/BUD, 170 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 161 p.; 6. Fantic, 148 p.; 7. Kawasaki/KTM, 5 p.;

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: 08:55 MXE Free/Time Practice, 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 11:35 MXE Race 1, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 14:35 MXE Race 2, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Spain

The FIM Motocross World Championship continues this weekend with the 13th round of the series taking place in intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos!

Timetable and Entry lists for the MXGP of Spain are available for download at the links below:

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 13 October 2021 – This weekend, round 13 of the FIM Motocross World Championship heads to intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos for the MXGP of Spain.

Following the success of its debut in 2020, the intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos circuit will once again host the fastest riders in the world as we continue this intense season of racing.

Based just 23km from downtown Madrid, the venue is located next to intu Xanadú, one of the biggest commercial centres in Europe. The Madrid region offers many famous historical tourist attractions, such as castles, gastronomy, art and of course shopping, along with the good weather and high quality of life.

The circuit itself, is hardpack on a clay terrain. The track features a good combination between long and high jumps, along with different kind of corners. Deep ruts are expected this weekend, with many corners filled with different lines for the riders to choose from.

Racing alongside the MXGP and MX2 categories this weekend will also be the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing.

In WMX, Bike IT MTX Kawasaki rider Courtney Duncan will look to maintain the championship lead over Kiara Fontanesi who secured her first overall victory of the season at the previous round in Turkey where she went 1-1. With the confidence of a perfect score, Fontanesi will be a big threat but no doubt the other ladies will rise to the challenge too.

Meanwhile in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category, MRT Racing Team KTM rider Valerio Lata will aim for two solid races in order to stay ahead of his closest championship rival Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL who is just 17 points behind.

The MXGP title fight remains tight knit as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings is back in the lead after taking back the red plate in France last weekend.  Since making his return from injury, Herlings has maintained a healthy seven GP podium streak, four of which have been overall victories. This weekend the Bullet will race in Arroyomolinos for the first time, and it will be interesting to see how he will adapt to the new venue and whether he can add another overall win.

While Herlings may be the championship leader once again, the advantage that he has over Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre is slim. The Frenchman is just six points adrift, which means that there is a chance that we could see the red plate back on a Kawasaki for the first time since Gautier Paulin secured the championship lead at the MXGP of Qatar in 2014.

Then there’s Team HRC’s Tim Gajser who lost the red plate in Riola Sardo as he was recovering from injury, then got it back in Germany and then lost it again in France but still remains just 10 points behind. Gajser struggled to find his rhythm in Lacapelle Marival but still managed to podium and of course his focus for the upcoming GP will be to take some good points and get back into the swing of things.

The Spanish Grand Prix will be an important one for the next rider in the championship standings, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado, who will look to put his best foot forward at his home Grand Prix and deliver some top results. Of course, this will be no easy task as the young Spaniard is recovering from the crash in Germany which resulted in him needing stitches in his armpit.

Also struggling in the last few GPs has been Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli who is getting back up to speed since his crash at the MXGP of Sardegna. The Italian has lost a big of ground in the title chase but with 300 points still up for grabs, he’s still not out of contention just yet.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer has been getting back to where he belongs in the last few races as the Swiss has been consistently fighting inside the top 5. In fact, Seewer was tied on points with Gajser for the podium in France, so the MXGP of Spain could see him finally get back on the podium, since his last one was in Loket earlier this season. Meanwhile his teammates Ben Watson and Glenn Coldenhoff will look for more positive results in the upcoming races.

Also looking for positive results will be Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis and Thomas Kjer Olsen. Olsen placed seventh overall in France, while Jasikonis was further down the field in 12^th place. Olsen finished third on the podium last season in Spain, in the MX2 category, so it will be interesting to see whether he can manage the same in MXGP.

The upcoming race will not only be the home race of Prado but also of Jose Burton from JD Gunnex KTM Racing Team who will no doubt want to put on his best performance for the home crowds. Another Spanish rider that will line up in Arroyomolinos is Joan Cros who will make a wildcard appearance.

2020 MXGP of Spain – MXGP Top 3:

1.Jorge Prado

2.Tim Gajser

3.Romain Febvre

Main Photo: MXGP Start from 2020

Bottom Photos: 1. Jeffrey Herlings 2. Jorge Prado

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 460 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 454 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 450 p.; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 398 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 387 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 344 p.; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 321 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 284 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 215 p.; 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 201 p.;

In MX2, the championship is pretty much in control of Maxime Renaux from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing who leads the standings with a 91-point advantage over his teammate Jago Geerts. Geerts has struggled with making small mistakes this season which as a result has cost him vital championship points, but hopefully this weekend he can put that behind him and repeat his success of the Spanish GP in 2020 and get back on the podium.

Sitting in a not so distant third is Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini who finally got himself back on the podium in France. There’s still 300 points up for grabs which means the title is far from being decided and at this point in the series, anything can happen.

In the last few Grand Prix’s we have seen Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle bring his A game and dominate the majority of the races as he has been on the podium for the last five consecutive races, four of which have been overall victories. And while he may not be in the fight for the title, as he currently sits fourth in the championship, more than 100 points behind Renaux, this doesn’t mean that he’s completely out of a chance and either way still has the opportunity to go for the silver or bronze medal.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton put together two solid races in Lacapelle Marival and finished the weekend fourth overall, just five points shy of the podium. The Aussie has had some positive results this season and has finished close within a podium spot on several occasions. Meanwhile his teammate Kay De Wolf had a hard weekend in France and will no doubt be looking to bounce back.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer also had a couple of good races since his podium finish in Germany and will no doubt want to repeat this success at the upcoming GP. F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Roan Van De Moosdijk and Mikkel Haarup were another pair that battled well inside the top 10 and we hope to see more of the same this weekend.

But of course, this weekend will be a special one for Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports, as it will be his home Grand Prix in Spain. No bout the Honda rider will want to put on a good performance but will need to take it easy as he continues his return from a shoulder injury that he picked up in Riola Sardo.

2020 MXGP of Spain – MX2 Top 3:

1.Tom Vialle

2.Jago Geerts

3.Thomas Kjer Olsen

Main Photo: MX2 Start from 2020

Bottom Photos: 1. Maxime Renaux 2. Ruben Fernandez      

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 488 points; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 397 p.; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 393 p.; 4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 372 p.; 5. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 359 p.; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 336 p.; 7. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 333 p.; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 313 p.; 9. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 262 p.; 10. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, KAW), 223 p.;

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: 09:30 MXE Time Practice, 09:50 WMX Free Practice, 10:20 EMX125 Free Practice, 11:30 WMX Qualifying Practice, 12:05 EMX125 Qualifying Practice, 12:50 MXE Race 1, 13:30 WMX Race 1, 14:20 EMX125 Race 1, 15:30 WMX Race 2, 16:25 EMX125 Race 2, 17:20 MXE Race 2.

SUNDAY: 08:55 MXE Free/Time Practice, 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 11:35 MXE Race 1, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 14:35 MXE Race 2, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Spain

LACAPELLE MARIVAL (France) 9 October 2021 – Day one of race action in Lacapelle Marival has concluded with Riley Racing’s Haakon Fredriksen and MRT Racing Team KTM’s Valerio Lata taking overall victories in EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing at the round of France.

The first day of the French Grand Prix did not disappoint as a large crowd of fans gathered at the Georges Filhol circuit to support the home riders.

The first EMX250 race of the day saw SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Kevin Horgmo who took the holeshot ahead of Jeremy Sydow of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing, Riley Racing’s Haakon Fredriksen and Tom Guyon of Team VHR KTM Racing Team.

Championship leader Nicholas Lapucci of Fantic Factory Racing Maddii was unlucky in the first lap as he got caught up behind some riders and started way down the order in around 19^th place.

There was a change for the lead as Horgmo crashed and so did Sydow. Fredriksen was the new race leader with Guyon second, Cornelius Toendel of Riley Racing third and Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Andrea Bonacorsi in fourth.

At one stage Toendel was the fastest rider on track as he set his sights on catching Guyon for second position. Once he was able to catch him the pair then had a nice battle, trading places a couple of times before the Norwegian was able to make a pass stick.

Fredriksen then led the race by 5.066 seconds over Toendel and Bonacorsi caught onto the back of Guyon once again as he searched for a way past the home rider. Eventually he was able to get it done.

Further down the order, Lapucci was struggling to make a comeback as he was stuck in 17^th. Eventually he came back to 12^th.

Though as the chequered flag fell, it was Fredriksen who took his first race win of the season ahead of Bonacorsi who managed to get past Toendel, who finished third.

In race two, Lapucci was not messing around as he got out in front from the very beginning. The Italian took the holeshot ahead of Guyon, Fredriksen and Emil Weckman from Honda Racing Assomotor.

Horgmo started the race in seventh ahead of Liam Everts of KTM Liamski.

Guyon then came under attack from Fredriksen who was keen to repeat his success of race one as Horgmo made up two spots and moved into fifth. But then Bonacorsi was able to get past the Norwegian, pushing him back to sixth.

Lapucci then led Fredriksen by 3.933 seconds, as Weckman came under attack by Bonacorsi who was pushing hard to get fourth place. And not long after he did just that. A couple of laps later the Fin then came under more pressure as Horgmo, Everts and Rick Elzinga of TBS Conversions Racing Team all line up behind him.

Horgmo went through first as Everts followed. Weckman dropped to seventh. Everts then got Horgmo as did Elzinga, with the GasGas rider dropping back down to seventh position.

Lapucci extended his lead to 7.445 as Bonacorsi started to close in on Guyon. In the end the Italian was able to find his way through.

In the final few laps there was no change in the top five, as Lapucci secured his eighth race win of the season, with Fredriksen second and Bonacorsi third. Despite winning the race, Lapucci failed to mount the podium as Fredriksen took the overall win, with Bonacorsi second and Guyon third overall at his home round.

Lapucci still leads the championship by 36 points heading into the final four rounds in Italy.

Haakon Fredriksen: “This year has been a big struggle, so it is really nice to have the overall today. I had two good starts and two solid races which was good enough for the overall, so I am really happy. Of course, it’s a big confidence boost to know that I am also here competing on hard pack because I have been a little bit off the speed in the past. Now it seems that I have figured it out, so it’s a big confidence boost”.

Andrea Bonacorsi: “I am really happy about my day. I am getting in the rhythm with the top guys and I am really happy about it. I was also happy with the pole. Now we have four more races and I feel stronger with time and believe I can do it. We will see in the next races. Four races in Italy will help with the presence of the fans. It will be nice”.

Tom Guyon: “It was really nice to be back on the box in my home round. It’s true, I was unlucky in the beginning of the season with the injury. I broke my collar bone and my arms. But I was able to get back step by step and I hope to be back on the box in Italy. I like the track in Trentino, especially the fact that it is hard pack. I think it will be possible for me to win over there”.

Nicholas Lapucci: “Today was pretty hard for me. I am pretty bummed about the first race. I had a bad start and crashed halfway through. I couldn’t come back like I wanted to. But yeah, we turned things around in the second race. I had a good start, got the Holeshot and kept my rhythm going to bring it home. Now let’s see what Trentino has to offer. We started pretty good with Maddii there in Trentino last year. Now let’s keep it going this way. I just think about the race. Today I am not so happy about how things turned out, but I am happy when I see the red plate and I will keep working hard to hold onto it until the end”.

Main Photo: EMX250 Start

Bottom Photos: 1. Haakon Fredriksen 2. Tom Guyon

EMX250 - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, Yamaha), 29:49.827; 2. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:08.755; 3. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Yamaha), +0:11.792; 4. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +0:14.981; 5. Emil Weckman (FIN, Honda), +0:20.388; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GASGAS), +0:26.864; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +0:34.868; 8. Guillem Farres (ESP, GASGAS), +0:35.699; 9. Yago Martinez (ESP, KTM), +0:43.770; 10. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:44.237;

EMX250 - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Fantic), 30:23.969; 2. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, Yamaha), +0:06.411; 3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:14.194; 4. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +0:16.131; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:20.960; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GASGAS), +0:33.856; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, GASGAS), +0:38.130; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +0:40.231; 9. Maxime Grau (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:40.346; 10. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Yamaha), +0:42.316;

EMX250 - Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, YAM), 47 points; 2. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 42 p.; 3. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, FAN), 34 p.; 5. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, YAM), 31 p.; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GAS), 30 p.; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Guillem Farres (ESP, GAS), 27 p.; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), 27 p.; 10. Emil Weckman (FIN, HON), 26 p.;

EMX250 - Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, FAN), 271 points; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GAS), 235 p.; 3. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), 208 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 161 p.; 5. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 154 p.; 6. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, YAM), 128 p.; 7. Yago Martinez (ESP, KTM), 128 p.; 8. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, YAM), 103 p.; 9. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 98 p.; 10. Dave Kooiker (NED, YAM), 77 p.;

EMX250 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Fantic, 271 points; 2. KTM, 239 p.; 3. GASGAS, 235 p.; 4. Yamaha, 218 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 154 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 85 p.; 7. Honda, 72 p.; 8. TM, 17 p.;

In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat it was Marc-Antoine Rossi of Tech32 Racing Team who was flying out of the gate and led the race from early on. Ferruccio Zanchi from Yamaha Europe EMX125 was second, followed by Sacha Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing and Bobby Bruce of ASA United GasGas Racing. Meanwhile the championship leader Valerio Lata from MRT Racing Team KTM started the race down in sixth position.

Coenen then went down, while Bruce set the fastest lap of the race as he started to close in on Zanchi, passing him not long after. The gap between Bruce and Rossi was 2.549 at that point in the race.

Meanwhile Lata had Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL and Juliu Mikula just ahead of him and needed to be smart to make up those positions fast.

Bruce then took over the lead, but it did not last long as the Brit crashed out. This allowed Rossi back in the driving seat, as the Frenchman was encouraged by the enthusiastic home fans.

Lata then got Karssemakers to move into fourth, while Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 fought way down the order in 25^th after hitting the gate in the beginning of the race.

The second 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing rider Lucas Coenen was also fighting his way up the order as he got around Mikula to take seventh. A couple of laps later Coenen picked up two more spots which put him fifth and that’s where he finished the heat.

In the end, it was Rossi who took his first ever race win in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category, crossing the line 8.282 seconds ahead of Lata and Bruce who managed to come back to third.

In the second heat it was Zanchi with the holeshot ahead of Lata, Van Erp and Sacha Coenen. Despite having a much better start in race two, Van Erp once again found himself in trouble, as he went down on the opening lap.

While at the top end of the field, by the end of the opening lap Zanchi already had a 5.050 second lead over Lata who was quick to set some fast laps to chase down the Yamaha rider for the win.

Once again, Sacha Coenen might have had issues in the first few laps as he started well but was not showing inside the top 20, while his brother Lucas was climbing up the field.

Zanchi continued to lead Lata, Bruce, Karssemakers and Lucas Coenen, as Van Erp made a good comeback to 13^th with 15 minutes plus two laps left.

Lucas Coenen then went after Karssemakers for fourth, as Karssemakers worked hard to defend his position, while Lata started to work away at the 5 second lead that Zanchi held.

Some laps later, Coenen was finally able to find a way past Karssemakers who did not make it easy for the Kawasaki rider, as Bruce went down and out of third position.

As two laps remained, it was Lata’s final chance to chase down Zanchi and while he was doing that, Coenen was able to close in and apply the pressure onto the series leader. Eventually it was Zanchi with the race win as Lata held on to second place, with Coenen finishing third.

With 2-2 result in the race, Valerio Lata stood on the top step of the podium for the first time in EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category, while Marc-Antoine Rossi celebrated his first EMX podium on home soil ahead of Lucas Coenen who secured his second consecutive podium with third overall.

Heading into the next round in Spain, Lata leads the championship by 17 points ahead of Karssemakers and Bruce.

Valerio Lata: “It was a good day. I am very happy. The track was though, but I had a good second race. I had the first victory in the European Championship this year. I want to thank everyone, my family, team, sponsors and see you next week in Spain”.

Marc-Antoine Rossi: “It was a good day for me. I took the first race win. However, the second race was difficult, but the track was great. I want to thank my team, my coach and family”.

Lucas Coenen: “It was a little bit difficult in the beginning of the day. I was off to a bad start at the first race but felt good later on and worked my way to fifth place. I tried to pass Kay but it was difficult. The second race was also a tough one because I tried to pass but the riders in front of me were also fast. I couldn’t finish any better than third, but it was enough for a second podium. It feels good because the two first rounds were not good for me. I made a lot of mistakes but it’s better now”.

Main Photo: EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Podium

Bottom Photos: 1. Valerio Lata 2. Marc-Antoine Rossi

EMX125 - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 30:43.598; 2. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), +0:08.282; 3. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GASGAS), +0:10.820; 4. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:14.861; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:16.483; 6. Elias Escandell (ESP, GASGAS), +0:21.921; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:26.229; 8. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:29.193; 9. Andrea Viano (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:35.819; 10. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), +0:37.163;

EMX125 - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Yamaha), 29:14.734; 2. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), +0:01.225; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:02.150; 4. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GASGAS), +0:10.057; 5. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:12.733; 6. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +0:23.778; 7. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), +0:25.313; 8. Scott Smulders (NED, Husqvarna), +0:39.293; 9. Alexis Fueri (FRA, Fantic), +0:42.213; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:44.038;

EMX125 - Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 44 points; 2. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 39 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 36 p.; 4. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 34 p.; 5. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 27 p.; 6. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GAS), 27 p.; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 25 p.; 8. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 24 p.; 9. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 20 p.; 10. Elias Escandell (ESP, GAS), 20 p.;

EMX125 – Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 146 points; 2. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 129 p.; 3. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 123 p.; 4. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 101 p.; 5. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 95 p.; 6. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KAW), 95 p.; 7. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GAS), 95 p.; 8. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 88 p.; 9. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 88 p.; 10. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 84 p.;

EMX125 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 164 points; 2. GASGAS, 151 p.; 3. Fantic, 138 p.; 4. Yamaha, 135 p.; 5. Kawasaki/BUD, 135 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 129 p.; 7. Kawasaki/KTM, 5 p.;

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: 08:55 MXE Free/Time Practice, 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 11:25 MXE Race 1, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 14:25 MXE Race 2, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

All the photos from the MXGP of France will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

MXGP OF FRANCE QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1620

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 17° C

Weather conditions: Sunny

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of France

TEUTSCHENTHAL (Germany) 2 October 2021 – Rounds three and five of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX250 have concluded in Teutschenthal with Team Yamaha Europe MJC’s Ivano Van Erp and Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Nicholas Lapucci taking overall victories in their respective classes.

While Lapucci extended his championship lead by 32 points over SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Kevin Horgmo in the EMX250 class, in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category we saw a brand-new championship leader as Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Haakon Osterhagen did not take part in the races due to a broken leg he picked up in late August, which allowed MRT Racing Team KTM’s Valerio Lata to take the red plate.

The first EMX250 gate drop saw Lapucci lead the way as he took the holeshot and got himself ahead of the rest of the field from early on. Jeremy Sydow of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing was right there in second followed by Horgmo, Camden McLellan of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Maxime Grau.

Horgmo then got himself into second, as Sydow dropped from second to fourth in a single lap as McLellan also went through. Horgmo was looking to keep things close and not let Lapucci run away with it, as Rick Elzinga of TBS Conversions Racing Team joined in on the battle after making some good passes on the opening laps.

Liam Everts of Liamski KTM was one of the riders to go down as he dropped down to 22^nd, while Eddie Jay Wade of Team VRT Nordpesca Holland went out of the race in the early stages of the race as he rode back to pitlane.

Back with the leaders, Elzinga was able to find a way through past Horgmo on lap five as the top three remained within 2.727 seconds.

Then it was on between Lapucci and Elzinga, as the Dutchman actively searched for every advantage over the Fantic rider. He made several attempts to pass but Lapucci was quick to react, keeping his 250 2-stroke out in front.

This fight for the win carried out until the chequered flag fell, with Lapucci securing the win as Elzinga crossed the line second just 2.511 seconds behind with Horgmo third and Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Andrea Bonacorsi having a great ride to finish the race fourth.

In race two, it was once again Lapucci with the holeshot ahead of Horgmo and Sydow. Elzinga once again started further down the field but was already up in fifth position by the end of the opening lap.

Tom Guyon of Team VHR KTM Racing started the race much better than the opening race where he hit the gate. This time he was up in third as Lapucci and Horgmo battled for the race win.

Elzinga was pushing to get with the leaders but ended up on the ground and dropped back down to sixth place as Everts started to chase him down.

Haakon Fredriksen of Riley Racing got himself into third after passing Guyon. Though the focus was on the leaders as just 1.2 seconds separated Lapucci and Horgmo, as the Norwegian tried his best to find a way through. The gap then came down to just 0.640 seconds, but Horgmo could do nothing about it.

Bonacorsi then got himself into fourth after taking the position from Guyon, as the Frenchman dropped further down the field. Fredriksen was then forced out of the race as he pushed his bike back to pitlane, while Elzinga was searching to get around Everts for fifth.

In the end, a mistake from Horgmo cost him the chance to keep fighting for the win as Lapucci secured a 1-1 result, with Horgmo crossing the line second and Bonacorsi finishing third.

With two race wins, Lapucci took to the top step of the podium, while Horgmo occupied the second step and Bonacorsi making his first EMX250 appearance with third overall.

As it stands, Lapucci continues to lead the championship as we head into round six in France, while Horgmo remains 32 points behind.

Nicholas Lapucci: “I think today was a nice one. I was feeling a lot of pain on my foot. I was not sure I was going to be here because it is really painful and big. I have no words to describe how I feel now because a 1-1 is really good given those conditions. I felt relieved when Kevin made a mistake because I could breathe a little bit. Overall, it was fun, and I am really happy with the outcome. My mindset is still the same. I take it race by race. I still don’t think about the championship, all I want is to do my best in all the races. Of course, I will think more about the championship towards the last races but for the moment I stay focused on each race”.

Kevin Horgmo: “Yeah for sure, in the first race I was also pushing hard but I did not have such a good flow like in the second race. Then I made a mistake and Rick passed me. So, I finished third, which was also okay. In the second race, I felt good from the beginning. I had some good lines and I saw that in some places I was faster than Nicholas. I was close once or twice then one small mistake led to a gap of 5-6 seconds. At that point, it was impossible to catch up. So, I was taking it easy afterwards. Overall, I am really happy with how I could push hard”.

Andrea Bonacorsi: “It was really nice to get my first podium in the second half of the season here in Teutschenthal. The first part was a little bad for me due to some problems, but now we are back stronger than ever. First race and first podium from that second half let’s say. We’re really happy and I want to thank all of my team who are really putting a lot of effort in everything. This podium is for them for sure”.  

Main Photo: EMX250 Start

Bottom Photos: 1. Nicholas Lapucci 2. Kevin Horgmo

EMX250 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Fantic), 30:19.845; 2. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +0:02.511; 3. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GASGAS), +0:07.743; 4. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:17.382; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:25.843; 6. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, Yamaha), +0:31.897; 7. Jeremy Sydow (GER, Yamaha), +0:35.938; 8. Guillem Farres (ESP, GASGAS), +0:37.909; 9. Maximilian Spies (GER, Fantic), +0:43.368; 10. Maxime Grau (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:47.360;

EMX250 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Fantic), 30:27.058; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GASGAS), +0:08.620; 3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:15.396; 4. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +0:23.113; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:31.121; 6. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +0:34.990; 7. Yago Martinez (ESP, KTM), +0:39.407; 8. Maximilian Spies (GER, Fantic), +0:42.565; 9. Jeremy Sydow (GER, Yamaha), +0:46.721; 10. Guillem Farres (ESP, GASGAS), +0:52.382;

EMX250 – Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, FAN), 50 points; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GAS), 42 p.; 3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), 37 p.; 5. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Jeremy Sydow (GER, YAM), 26 p.; 8. Maximilian Spies (GER, FAN), 25 p.; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, HUS), 25 p.; 10. Guillem Farres (ESP, GAS), 24 p.;

EMX250 – Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, FAN), 237 points; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, GAS), 205 p.; 3. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), 181 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 134 p.; 5. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 112 p.; 6. Yago Martinez (ESP, KTM), 111 p.; 7. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, YAM), 97 p.; 8. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 85 p.; 9. Dave Kooiker (NED, YAM), 77 p.; 10. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, HUS), 63 p.;

EMX250 – Manufacturers Top 10 Classification: 1. Fantic, 237 points; 2. GASGAS, 205 p.; 3. KTM, 203 p.; 4. Yamaha, 171 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 136 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 72 p.; 7. Honda, 46 p.; 8. TM, 17 p.;

In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat it was 9mm Energy Drink Bud Racing’s Sacha Coenen who led Cas Valk of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL, Van Erp and Lata as a few riders got tangled up in the first corner.

Coenen immediately stretched out his lead to a couple of seconds as Van Erp kept close in second with Lata hanging back in third and watching the battle right in front of him.

Bobby Bruce of ASA United GasGas Racing was making his way up the order as he chased Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL.

Then there was drama at the front of the field as Coenen crashed out of the lead. He did get going again but was down in 17^th position. Van Erp inherited and was quick to edge out by 3.629 seconds over Valk and Lata.

Bruce was then finally able to get around Karssemakers for sixth place, while Lata was able to get around Valk to move into second place. The Italian then started to push for the lead as he got all over the back of the Yamaha of Van Erp.

In the final few laps of the race, we saw Lata trying everything to get around Van Erp and after several failed attempts he was forced to settle for second as Van Erp took his first ever EMX125 Presented By FMF Racing race victory.

In race two, it was once again Sacha Coenen who got the holeshot and was ahead of Ferruccio Zanchi of Team Yamaha Europe MJC, Valk and Lata.

Lata then went down out of fourth and re-joined the race down in 17^th position. Several laps later the Italian crashed once again and eventually finished the race in 13^th.

Back with the leader, Coenen was leading Zanchi, Bruce, Van Erp, Valk and Andrea Viano. Viano was having a great ride in sixth, though not long after crashed out of the position.

Then we saw another Coenen, this time Lucas Coenen of 9mm Energy Drink Bud Racing making his way up the ranks as he started to apply the pressure onto Valk, with the Kawasaki rider eventually taking fifth place from the Husqvarna rider. He then set his sights on more, as he was looking to pass Van Erp, who was pushed onto the back of Bruce.

Meanwhile at the front of the lead Sacha Coenen had a 13 second lead over Zanchi. Zanchi then dropped several positions as Bruce moved into second. Van Erp and Coenen followed.

On lap eight we saw Lucas Coenen take third from Van Erp and then he started to push to catch Bruce. With two laps to go Sacha Coenen had a comfortable lead over Bruce who was being pushed by Lucas Coenen, but the Brit managed to hold on to the position.

Sacha Coenen finally took a race win, with Bruce second and Lucas Coenen third.

In terms of the podium, Van Erp took to the top step of the podium with a 1-4 results, while Bruce finished second with a 3-2 result with Lucas Coenen celebrating his first podium finish with third overall.

With Osterhagen not taking part in the race, Valerio Lata has taken over the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship lead, with Bruce just 3 points behind him as we head into round four in France next weekend.

Ivano Van Erp: “The last two months have been really difficult times for me. I also broke my wrist a few weeks ago, so I am happy that I could be here and get the first overall. I would like to thank my team and everyone who has supported me”.

Bobby Bruce: “We’re not really focusing on the championship too much right now. We’re only 3 rounds in. So, we will just keep taking it race by race and see where we end up. But I feel like we’re in a good position. The team and my trainer Brian are really putting in a lot of hard work, so I am happy where we are at and hopefully, we can keep progressing and get on the top step”.

Lucas Coenen: “It was a good day for me. I was not off to a good start, but I could fight back to fourth, I think. It was a good race. The gap between me and Bobby was not so big. Second race, I also did not have a good start, but I made a pass and almost got around Bobby, but I couldn’t. So, I finished third overall, which is also good and enough to make it on the podium. So, I am really happy”.

Valerio Lata: “I had a good start in the first race and was able to finish second. Second race was not good. I was off to a good start but then I crashed twice. Now we are looking forward to the end of the season with the red plate. Finally, I want to thank my team, my family and sponsors”.

Main Photo: EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Start

Bottom Photos: 1. Ivano Van Erp 2. Lucas Coenen

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), 30:49.071; 2. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), +0:03.098; 3. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GASGAS), +0:24.818; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:28.036; 5. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:33.240; 6. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:36.439; 7. Alexis Fueri (FRA, Fantic), +0:38.864; 8. Cas Valk (NED, Husqvarna), +0:43.014; 9. Edgar Canet (ESP, GASGAS), +0:45.938; 10. Andrea Viano (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:47.476;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), 29:09.474; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GASGAS), +0:08.262; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Kawasaki/BUD), +0:09.174; 4. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +0:26.328; 5. Alexis Fueri (FRA, Fantic), +0:31.001; 6. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:41.552; 7. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GASGAS), +0:46.390; 8. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), +0:48.515; 9. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:53.088; 10. Cas Valk (NED, Husqvarna), +0:58.115;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 42 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 38 p.; 4. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KAW), 31 p.; 5. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 31 p.; 6. Alexis Fueri (FRA, FAN), 30 p.; 7. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 30 p.; 8. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 27 p.; 9. Cas Valk (NED, HUS), 24 p.; 10. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GAS), 23 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 102 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 99 p.; 3. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 95 p.; 4. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 95 p.; 5. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KAW), 77 p.; 6. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 74 p.; 7. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 69 p.; 8. Raul Sanchez (ESP, GAS), 68 p.; 9. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 54 p.; 10. Andrea Rossi (ITA, KTM), 51 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Fantic, 125 points; 2. KTM, 117 p.; 3. GASGAS, 113 p.; 4. Kawasaki/BUD, 99 p.; 5. Yamaha, 96 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 95 p.; 7. Kawasaki/KTM, 5 p.;

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: 08:55 MXE Free/Time Practice, 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 11:25 MXE Race 1, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 14:25 MXE Race 2, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

All the photos from the MXGP of Germany will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

MXGP OF GERMANY QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1590

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 23° C

Weather conditions: Partly Cloudy

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM Europe

MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 29 September 2021 – With the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to shift the focus back to the FIM Motocross World Championship as the title chase heats up.

For the 11^th round of the series, MXGP finally heads back to Teutschenthal, Germany for the first time since 2019, after COVID-19 restrictions prevent the Grand Prix from going ahead last season. But with that now behind us, it’s time to enjoy the MXGP of Germany. 

The hardpack track of Teutschenthal has been part of the FIM Motocross World Championship since the 70’s and first hosted a 250cc Grand Prix in 1971 which was then won by the six-time world champion Joël Robert. Since then, the German venue has hosted a Grand Prix 24 times, with this year being the 25^th.

Alongside the main MXGP and MX2 action, this weekend’s races will also see the rounds three and five of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX250 championships as Fantic Factory Team Maddii riders Haakon Osterhagen and Nicholas Lapucci will look to maintain a healthy lead over their closest championship rivals Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM (EMX125) and SM Action Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo (EMX250) while this weekend will also host a round of the Junior e-motocross Series after the success of the first appointment taking place last weekend in Mantova. 

In MXGP, we have reached a crucial point in the championship chase, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings will enter the German Grand Prix with the red plate. The Dutchman has just a one-point advantage over Team HRC’s Tim Gajser who lost the championship lead in Riola Sardo after two tough races. As it turns out, the Slovenian was in fact struggling with a collarbone injury, but now with a couple of weeks of rest, there is no doubt that the factory Honda rider will be able to claw back vital points to keep the title battle tight. Last time around in 2019, Gajser went on to win both races in Teutschenthal, so there’s no doubt he will want to do the same this time too. 

Another rider that will be looking to do the same is Antonio Cairoli of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing who also lost points in Sardinia. The 9-time world champion was forced to sit out the MXGP of Sardegna due to a big crash in time practice, which was heart breaking for the Italian. Cairoli will now enter the German Grand Prix off the back of a historic victory at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations with Team Italy, a title that Cairoli had not won before. And with the extra confidence and motivation boost from this incredible victory, there is no doubt that Cairoli will be more motivated than ever to go after that 10^th world title for his final season of GP racing.

Currently sitting third in the MXGP standings is Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre who finally returned to the podium in Sardinia, finishing third overall. Now the focus for the Frenchman is to stay consistent and keep things close as he is just four points behind Herlings with eight rounds to go.  

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado is next in the championship. He is currently on 359 points, 12 points down on the leader. This is just the second season for the Spaniard in the MXGP class but he’s constantly showing that he has what it takes to run with the leaders, as the stats show that he has led laps than anyone else this season so far. He also has four GP podiums and two race wins under his belt, so it will be interesting to see what results he can deliver this weekend.

In this second half of the season, it would be great to see Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, Glenn Coldenhoff and Ben Watson battling further up the field, with the trio showing good potential so far. Both Coldenhoff and Watson had some good battles in Mantova this past weekend at the Monster Energy FIM MXoN, with Watson winning the overall in MXGP, which will no doubt be a huge confidence boost and with that hopefully he can deliver similar results in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Meanwhile, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis will enter the races in Germany more motivated than ever after their strong performances at the Monster Energy FIM MXoN. Olsen won the MXoN race 1, while Jasikonis battled well inside the top 5, so there is no doubt that the pair will want to bring these results to MXGP.

This upcoming weekend will see the home race of JM Honda Racing’s Henry Jacobi along with the likes of KTM Kosak Team’s Tom Koch, Tim Koch, Stefan Ekerold and Mike Stender of SHR Motorsports.

2019 MXGP of Germany – MXGP Top 3:

1. Tim Gajser

2. Arnaud Tonus

3. Gautier Paulin

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 371 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 370 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 367 p.; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 359 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 326 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 280 p.; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 254 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 234 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 185 p.; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 171 p.;

MXGP - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 473 points; 2. Honda, 379 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 372 p.; 4. Yamaha, 323 p.; 5. GASGAS, 292 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 187 p.;

Main Photo: MX2 Start from 2019

Bottom Photos: 1. Jeffrey Herlings 2. Tim Gajser

In MX2, the title chase is a little different as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux currently has full control of that. He is 71 points ahead of his closest rival Mattia Guadagnini of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, but of course anything can happen with eight rounds to go, so the Frenchman cannot afford to relax.

For Guadagnini, the next races will be important as he will need to deliver on some positive results. Looking back on his strong performances on the hard pack, in Matterley Basin, Maggiora and Loket, this weekend could be an occasion that we see him back on the podium again.

But if we put the title chase aside, there is no doubt that this weekend we will see another classic battle between Renaux and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle. While Vialle might be out of the running for the championship this season due to an injury which saw him miss several GPs, this doesn’t mean that he won’t continue to challenge for Grand Prix wins and podiums. In the last three GPs we’ve seen the KTM rider take three consecutive GP victories and this weekend will be another opportunity to add to that, as the hardpack will suit the Frenchman.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant are currently third and fourth in the championship standings and both have a chance to go for some top results this weekend. While Geerts expected to be fighting at the front in Sardinia, the reality was different as crashes once again cost him vital positions and points, so a more consistent day will be much needed. Meanwhile Benistant could have a chance to go for another race win as he did in Maggiora and Loket. Benistant has made only one podium appearance this season but this weekend maybe we could see him add another.

Some strong results can also be expected of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf as the pair have delivered plenty of positive results and several podiums this season so far. de Wolf added another top three finish in Sardinia as he placed third overall, making it three podiums in his rookie season already, which is quite impressive.

F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Mathys Boisrame will once again aim to go for a podium spot this weekend after he finished third overall in Teutschenthal back in 2019. While he didn’t have the best weekend in Mantova for the Monster Energy FIM MXoN, there is no doubt he will be keen on putting this behind him and get some positive results under his belt.

Simon Längenfelder of DIGA PROCROSS GASGAS FACTORY RACING as well as Nico Greutmann, Marnique Appelt of Raths Motorsports, Paul Haberland of KMP HONDA RACING and Noah Ludwig will line up in Teutschenthal for their home Grand Prix as they will chase top results on home soil.

2019 MXGP of Germany – MX2 Top 3:

1. Jorge Prado

2. Tom Vialle

3. Mathys Boisrame

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 403 points; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 332 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 325 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 290 p.; 5. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 290 p.; 6. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 277 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 273 p.; 8. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 263 p.; 9. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 251 p.; 10. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, KAW), 223 p.;

MX2 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Yamaha, 446 points; 2. KTM, 436 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 336 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 308 p.; 5. Honda, 261 p.; 6. GASGAS, 236 p.; 7. TM, 4 p.;

Photos: 1. Tom Vialle 2. Mattia Guadagnini

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: 08:15 EMX125 Group 1 Free Practice, 08:40 EMX125 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:05 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:30 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 10:00 EMX125 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 10:35 EMX125 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 11:10 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 11:45 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 13:10 EMX125 Race 1, 14:00 EMX250 Race 1, 15:10 EMX125 Race 2, 16:05 EMX250 Race 2.

SUNDAY: 08:55 MXE Free/Time Practice, 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 11:25 MXE Race 1, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 14:25 MXE Race 2, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

Tickets for the MXGP of Germany are still available HERE!

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal