Welcome to GP Reel, this new session brought to you the lastest updates from every GP. This time straight from Frauenfeld, Switzerland, where the third round of the MXGP series is taking place right now. Also, you can follow all the results sheets RIGHT HERE
MORNING REPORT:
Finally! The MXGP World Championship is back after a weekend off with the third round taking place on the track of Frauenfeld. Same location, but a new-brand track for all the riders and fans as Paul Malin shows us in this Track Walk.
Another thing to know about this GP is the fact that the races will be taking place on Monday due to the Easter week. So, it will be a full day off for all the riders after the Qualifying Day conclude. So far in the MXGP class, Ruben Fernandez and Jeffrey Herlings had been the winners of each first round. Fernandez won his first-ever career GP at the season opener in Argentina, and then Jeffrey Herlings took his 100th GP victory in Riola Sardo. However, Jorge Prado owns the Red Plate by 7 points over Herlings. The Spaniard has been pretty fast winning back-to-back RAM Qualifying races and the first motos, but he ended up third overall both times. Maybe this time he gathered all the pieces to finally won his first overall of the season in order to extend the points leads. It wouldn’t be an easy task for the GasGas Factory Rider. Herlings seems pretty confident, while riders like Fernandez, Maxime Renaux, and Romain Febvre will try to take redemption. Of course, local hero Jeremy Seewer is also hungry after two rough GPs.
In the MX2 class, Jago Geerts is the man to beat after back-to-back GP wins. So far Kay de Wolf has been the only rider to beat him in the first moto in Riola Sardo, but we will see if the Dutchman can translate that speed into the hard pack of Frauenfeld, a type of soil where riders like Thibault Benistant or Andrea Adamo could be shine.
On the other hand, it was a pretty busy week for Mikkel Haarup, who recently parted ways with DRT Kawasaki to move to WZ KTM, making his debut today. Speaking of debuts, American Jack Chambers took the slot in DRT Kawasaki and today will mark the first-ever GP race of his career.
FREE PRACTICE:
Riders had their first contact with the new track of Frauenfeld as the free practice gets underway. As we can see, the track itself is highlighted by the lack of big jumps with a lot of corners instead.
As usual, MX2 class was the first to get into the track, and at the end of the session, it was GasGas Factory rider Simon Langenfelder who got the fastest time with a 1:33.983 followed closely by the Belgian duo of Lucas Coenen (+293) and Red Plate holder Jago Geerts (+598). Norwegian Kevin Horgmo was fourth over his countryman Cornelius Toendel who rounded the top 5. Meanwhile, rookie Jack Chambers end in sixteenth position in his first contact with the DRT Kawasaki bike.
In the MXGP class, Jeremy Seewer hold the fastest lap until the last minutes, but it was Jeffrey Herlings who ended up on top with a 1:35.396 over Seewer`s 1:35.607. Jorge Prado was a few of a second behind them (+472) while Alberto Forato and Romain Febvre rounded the top 5. Overall, FP didn´t say so much so far. We will see what happens in Time Practice.
TIME PRACTICE:
MX2: For the second time this season, Kay de Wolf set the best lap time before heading into the RAM Qualifying race. The Nestaan Factory Husqvarna rider shows he had the speed on a hard-pack type soil too. Anyway, it wasn´t an easy session for him, as Thibault Benistant was there all the time pushing and almost got the pole just by +232 of difference. Jago Geerts and Simon Langenfelder follow them with similar lap times, while Lucas Coenen rounded the top five with more than a second of deficit. Behind the top 5 came Elzinga, Pancar, Adamo, Toendel, and Roan van de Moosdijk closing the top 10.
MXGP: Hometown hero Jeremy Seewer starts his home GP in good form grabbing the pole position over Jorge Prado by almost a second of advantage. No doubt this is a big boost of confidence for the Swiss rider heading to the RAM Qualifying race. Another who grew up on confidence was Alberto Forato, the friendly Italian from SM Action took third place over Jeffrey Herlings and Maxime Renaux.
The Wildcard group was stacked with former GP riders and some fast profiles who usually dominate their national championships. Conrad Mewse set the best time over Finland Jere Haavisto and German Maximilian Spies in second and third place respectively. Rounded the top five was GP returnee and hometown hero Arnaud Tonus with Paul Haberland closing the top 5. Nicholas Lapucci came in sixth.
QUALIFYING RACES:
MX2: Rain starts to drop moments ago before the MX2 Qualifying race. It wasn´t much, but enough to make the track a little bit slippery. As the gate dropped, it was Jan Pancar who took the early lead over Thibault Benistant and Roan Van de Moosdijk. The Slovenian rider did a great job leading the first two laps, but he couldn´t keep the peace at the front, and then drop positions lap by lap in order to finish eight. Instead, Thibault Benistant moves at the front and start building a comfortable gap en route to his first Qualifying race win of the season.
Behind the Frenchman, Kay de Wolf and Jago Geerts climbed to second and third spots respectively, fighting back and forth until the very last corner. De Wolf made a mistake right before the finish line, but he could save the second spot. Now, he and Benistant are matched in the points standings both with 96 heading to Monday’s races. Geerts keeps the red plate with 125 points.
Roan Van de Moosdijk went fourth. Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM duo of Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts pushed hard in the finals stages to take fifth and sixth. Behind them came Mikkel Haarup, Jan Pancar, Rick Elzinga and, David Braceras. All of them earned valuables points for championship standings. On the other hand, Simon Langenfelder suffered a big crash and ended up 12, while Lucas Coenen not finished due to a crash.
MXGP: Jorge Prado continues unbeatable. This time the Spaniard took the early lead but was immediately passed by Romain Febvre.The Frenchman from Kawasaki starts to build a gap over the GasGas Factory Rider. Behind them, Jeffrey Herlings and Maxime Renaux battled each other for the third spot. At the same time, Alberto Forato moved quickly into P5 and keep in touch with the group ahead of him.
Deep down, poleman Jeremy Seewer had a gate issue and start really from behind. Even worse, he had a crash moments later. Fernandez had a rough start too. So, both had to start behind the top 15.
The battle around the top 5 was intense but without any aggressive moves from any of the riders. In the late stages of the race, it seemed like Febvre had it all under control, however, Prado starts to push harder and made a late charge pass and stole the first position with a lap to go, taking Febvre by surprise. Herlings arrived third, and Renaux lost the fourth spot over Forato due to a mistake.
Meanwhile, Seewer was a man on a mission as he ended up sixth after the early issues. Behind him went Vlaanderen, Guillod, Fernandez, and Coldenhoff in the top 10.
HIGHLIGHTS:
