Young Dutch talent Gyan Doensen made his long-awaited MX2 debut at the Grand Prix of Lommel, Round 15 of the MXGP World Championship. Facing some of the toughest conditions of the year and struggling with starts, the EMX250 regular still managed to score points in both motos.
Heavy rain on Saturday created brutal conditions on the deep Belgian sand track. Doensen qualified 18th in timed practice, securing 25th gate pick after finishing outside the top 20 in the qualifying race.
In Race 1, a poor start forced Gyan to come through the pack. He showed promising speed early on, moving into the top 20 within four laps and eventually finishing 18th.
Race 2 saw a slightly better start, with Doensen just outside the top 20 after the first few corners. He once again fought hard to score another point, finishing 19th, which earned him 20th overall on the day.
Gyan Doensen: «What an experience! A dream come true to line up for my very first GP! I tried to enjoy every moment, even though I struggled quite a bit. Some laps I felt like a grandpa, and others like half of myself, but that’s racing. Finished P18 and P19, not where I want to be, but it gives me clear things to work on. Time to focus on the weak spots and come back stronger for the rest of the EMX season. Huge thanks to my team and everyone around me who made this possible.”
His team manager Shaun Simpson, who memorably won at Lommel in 2015, reflected on the weekend:
Shaun Simpson: «Going back to Lommel is always special for me. The track was rough, the atmosphere electric, and we even had the usual 2025 rain on Saturday. Gyan soaked it all in. He had strong laps and scored 5 world championship points. With fewer mistakes and better starts, I believe he could’ve been close to the top 15 in both motos.»
Doensen now shifts focus back to the EMX calendar and the ACU British Championship, taking valuable experience from his first taste of the world championship level.
