The qualifying races provided some amazing competition at the scenic new venue of Lugo for the MXGP of Galicia, the Spanish GP, round six of the world series.
In front of a loud and enthusiastic crowd that turned out mainly to cheer for their home-town hero, the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing star Jorge Prado did not let his supporters down, with a stunning victory that involved passes on two of his main rivals.
That was after the first world championship chequered flag at this circuit was waved for Thibault Benistant of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, but it was so nearly a very different story.
In a fascinating morning of action on a circuit that only local boy and reigning MXGP World Champion Prado had any prior knowledge of, the world’s fastest motocross riders were soon cutting their lap times down to get the best possible gate pick.
Some riders took their time to gradually reduce their lap times as they learnt the circuit, but the pack looked close on the timing charts in both classes heading into the afternoon’s RAM Qualifying Races. And all of them were able to come out in full attack mode when the gate dropped.
World championship leader Tim Gajser put down his marker for Team HRC Honda with the fastest time in free practice, with Prado in second. Then in timed practice it was the turn of Dutchman Jeffrey Herlings to show his hand for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, flying to the pole position lap, only half a tenth of a second ahead of Gajser.
Herlings used the inside gate to good effect and led into the first corner, but Gajser cut a stunning line out of turn two to grab the lead.
The Dutchman was not rolling over, however, and made a brilliant pass to take it back, before the Slovenian used a big, 450-only triple jump into the wave section to retake the advantage that Herlings would not get to take back.
Meanwhile, Prado had been battling with the fast-starting Calvin Vlaanderen, who had fought the Spaniard back to keep third for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP.
A decisive move on the second lap allowed Prado to clear Vlaanderen and chase down Herlings, and Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre followed him through immediately.
From there, Prado built his momentum with the crowd urging him on through every twist of the throttle.
Five laps later, he drove past the KTM talisman to take second, and Febvre would also get past Herlings a lap later. With the fastest lap of the race, Prado closed in on Gajser, and squeezed into the lead just after crossing the finish line to start lap seven.
From there, the lead positions were set until a small mistake from Febvre three laps from the end allowed Herlings to regain third, as Vlaanderen recovered to claim fifth ahead of the Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jeremy Seewer.
The result for Prado, a race where he moved forward better than at any time before in this Championship, was probably more important than just the one-point gain over Gajser, and the series lead is now just 13 points for the Slovenian heading into Sunday’s main Grand Prix races (Monday morning NZ time).
Jorge Prado: “It wasn’t too bad of a start but I think I was around 4th or 5th in the first two laps and there were good battles with some of the guys too but once I made few passes and got to Jeffrey I knew I had to pass straight away.
“I was checking out the rhythm see how he went. As soon as I saw that they slowed down a bit I made my attacks. I got to Gajser after, made the pass and controlled the race so yeah, I really enjoyed the ride.”
Photo courtesy Juan Pablo Acevedo
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QUALIFYING RESULTS AND STANDINGS:
MXGP – Qualifying Race – Classification:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 23:56.718; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:00.631; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:07.465; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:13.756; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:14.672; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:15.933; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +0:32.929; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:36.028; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Honda), +0:43.118; 10. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), +0:43.829.
MXGP – World Championship Classification:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 261 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 248 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 227 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 206 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 194 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 162 p.; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 157 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 149 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 108 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 95 p.
MX2 – Qualifying Race – Classification:
1. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), 24:15.094; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:11.495; 3. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:13.108; 4. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +0:15.460; 5. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:20.181; 6. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:24.142; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:26.524; 8. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:31.410; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:34.755; 10. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GASGAS), +0:36.321.
MX2 – World Championship Classification:
1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 250 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 222 p.; 3. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 195 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 188 p.; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 180 p.; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 168 p.; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 164 p.; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 154 p.; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 126 p.; 10. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 112 p.