Welcome to our new-brand GP Reel session coming to you from the historic track of Agueda, home of round five of the MXGP World Championship. From warm-up session reports to the first and second motos reports of the day, you’ll find it all right here. Updates are posted in chronological order, so be sure to scroll down for the latest info. For more updates follow us on Twitter: @mx1onboard
MORNING REPORT
Yesterday Qualifying Races gives us some interesting storylines to cover. First, the new inverted design of the circuit puts riders to work early in the morning during their Free Practice and Time Practice as well, as riders and mechanics were looking for the right set-up in each session. The track definitely is faster than the original design. In the Qualifying Races, we witnessed some great battles in both MX2 and MXGP races.
Ruben Fernandez won an eventful MXGP Qualy Race over Jeffrey Herlings, while Jorge Prado was forced to flex his muscles due to an early crash making all his way from 11th to 6th. However, runner-up Maxime Renaux was DNF because of a mechanical problem, which allowed Prado to extend his points lead to 22. Now Renaux and Herlings are tied in points, both with 184.
In the MX2 Jago Geerts hasn`t won an overall in the last two GPs. However, he kickstarted this round topping the Qualifying race. Anyway, this class is still wide open and it seems the action for today will be exciting for both classes.
WARM-UP
Riders hit the track before the races. Kevin Horgmo, who was fourteen yesterday in the Qualy Race, set the fastest lap in this session (1:48.772) over time qualifying winner Simon Langenfelder+224, and Qualy Race winner Jago Geerts+324. Rounded the top five with less than a second were Liam Everts+617 and Kay de Wolf+873.
Meanwhile, in the MXGP class, Jeffrey Herlings seems hungry for a win as he tops the board with a lap of 1:47.154, almost the same lap that yesterday gave the pole in Time Practice. Close behind him was Jorge Prado+170. Jeremy Seewer sits third with a deficit of +525, over Maxime Renaux and Romain Febvre who rounded the top five. Qualifying Race winner Ruben Fernandez rode without pressure finishing eight.
MX2 RACE 1
Adrea Adamo started at the front of the pack with his second FOX Holeshot of the season for him. The Italian was under Geerts’s pressure for most of the entire race. On lap 15, Geerts made a pass to take the lead to eventually win the first race of the day. Neestan Husqvarna teammates Kay de Wolf and Roan Van de Moosdijk rode on solid third and fourth places, while Simon Langenfelder rounded the top five after a couple of passes.
Privateer Jan Pancar score his best-race results ending sixth beating Rick Elzinga on his way. Mikkel Haarup, Lucas Coenen, and Emil Weckman flex their muscles to climb to the top ten. Spaniard David Braceras was 11 after a great ride into the top ten for most of the first part of the race. On the other hand, Liam Everts had a bizarre crash that ended in a DNF.
MXGP RACE 1
Jorge Prado grabbed the holeshot and ran away, but during the first laps, he had to manage some pressure in the form of Kawasaki rider Romain Febvre. Then Prado opens the gap. However, in the final laps Febvre and Herlings woked up. Both riders pushed hard, specially Herlings, who reduce a 9 seconds gap to Febvre. In the end, Prado took the win over Febvre, who hold the pace against the fierce speed of Herlings.
Monster Energy Yamaha teammates Glenn Coldenhoff and Jeremy Seewer closed the top five on solid performances, while Mattia Guadagnini was sixth. Spaniard Ruben Fernandez crossed the line in a frustrated seventh place. He had a crash while running in third.
MX2 RACE 2
Jago Geerts completely dominated this second race. From the start to the finish line, the Belgium rider was untouchable. Behind him, Kay de Wolf pushed hard in the final stages of the race to catch Simon Langenfelder for 3rd and then teammate Roan Van de Moosdijk for 2nd place, securing the second spot in the overall result as well. Andrea Adamo rounded the top 5.
Kevin Horgmo and Lucas Coenen climb positions to 6th and 7th respectively. Thibault Benistant, Rick Elzinga and Jan Pancar completed the top ten, while Liam Everts made all his way to 11th after a first-corner crash.
Overall, Geerts won via 1-1, followed by Kay de Wolf (3-2) and Roan Van de Moosdijk (4-3).
MXGP RACE 2
This time Jeffrey Herlings had a great start. He moved from third to first passing Jeremy Seewer and then Ruben Fernandez in the first couple of laps. From there, Herlings focused on opening the gap until the checkered flag. Herlings now become the first double-GP winner of the season and took his 101GP career victory equal Stefan Everts on the all-time wins list.
Romain Febvre 2-3 in motos was enough to capture his second podium of the season as he ended second overall.
Fernandez rode well in solid second place. Meanwhile, Jeremy Seewer was caught by Romain Febvre for third. Jorge Prado couldn´t reply the same start of the first moto, and he has to settle in sixth behind Jeremy Seewer and Calvin Vlaanderen after some scary moments. However, the Spaniard secure the third spot in the overall podium as he stands on the top of the board with 17 points over Herlings.
