Dhe qualification of the MXGP class turned into a power grab by the HRC Honda riders. Quite unexpectedly – and not undeservedly – Rubèn Fernandez took the ten points ahead of World Championship leader Tim Gajser. Incidentally, there was a spectacle with Romain Febvre who starts as a novice, but finishes as a very great.
After the first lap Fernandez led ahead of Jeffrey Herlings, Tim Gajser. Maxime Renaux and substitute Alessandro Lupino rounded out the top five. It wasn't until the third lap that Gajser got past Herlings, and a little later Renaux also managed to take third place. Everyone expected a walk-over from Gajser, but his teammate parried a few teasing blows. Towards the end Gajser would give up. Eight Renaux had to let Herlings and Lupino close the gap. In the meantime we got Romain Febvre in the picture. He had fallen asleep when the gate fell but came past in twelfth after a lap. He rode a bear race and swallowed up one or more rivals lap after lap. He seemed to be heading towards the top three but after a late fall he finished fifth behind Andrea Bonacorsi. Seewer finished sixth ahead of Herlings and that other Swiss Valentin Guillod. We would have liked to have included the story of two of our compatriots here. Unfortunately. Lucas Coenen had to give up ground and finished tenth, while Jago Geerts lost one place and finished nineteenth.
MXGP qualifying results: 1. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), 24:05.531; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:06.874; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:27.766; 4. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Fantic), +0:31.131; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:32.764; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +0:34.620; 7. Jeffrey herlings (NED, KTM), +0:37.223; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:37.896; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:38.176; 10. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:42.009; 11. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Ducati), +0:43.842; 12. Calvin Flanders (NED, Yamaha), +0:44.747; 13. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:45.943; 14. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:56.580; 15. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +1:05.297; 16. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:07.338; 17. Ben Watson (GBR, Beta), +1:08.940; 18. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:11.699; 19. Iago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +1:16.530; 20. Tom Koch (GER, Beta), +1:18.058; 21. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:20.633; 22. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +1:21.876; 23. Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), +1:29.389; 24. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), +1:32.520; 25. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), +1:32.889; 26. Mark Scheu (GER, Husqvarna), +1:38.286; 27. Federico Tuani (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 28. Cato Nickel (GER, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 29. Romain Pape (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 30. Ramon Keller (SUI, KTM), -1 lap(s); 31. John Adamson (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 32. Nicolas Bender (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 33. Robin Scheiben (SUI, Triumph), -1 lap(s); 34. Loris Freidig (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 35. Nikolaj Skovgaard (DEN, KTM), -1 lap(s); 36. Arvid Luening (SWE, Husqvarna), -4 lap(s); 37. Josh Gilbert (GBR, Honda), -5 lap(s); 38. Xylian Ramella (SUI, Honda), -7 lap(s); 39. Fabian Weilenmann (LIE, KTM), -12 lap(s);
