Interesting MX2 qualifying in GP Ernee!
After a sunny start to the day, it became cooler and overcast in the afternoon. Yet the French home crowd for the MX2 was traditionally warmed by strong performances from their own pilots! Maxime Desprey (Dixon Yamaha) won the qualifying race after all.
For the Red Bull-KTM men, the Quali became an exercise to quickly forget. In the initial phase, Jordi Tixier misjudged a jump and was hit back fiercely. Just when Herlings, who started in the sub-top, had systematically emerged and taken over the lead from Desprey, things went wrong. Jeffrey landed quite hard and suffered some damage to his motorcycle. With a surprisingly strong Jason Clermont, replacement for Valentin Teillet at Bud Racing Kawasaki, his teammate Dylan Ferrandis in fourth and Christophe Charlier in fifth, the French were well represented. A driven Dean Ferris saw his chance in the final phase, increased the pressure on Desprey and outpaced his teammate in the final lap. The first pole of the season for the friendly Australian!
Ferrandis, following Ferris's example, did the same with Clermont. Alexander Tonkov saw a nice series rewarded with sixth place. Season revelation Glenn Coldenhoff has to settle for 9th place behind the starting gate tomorrow. The Bullit starts from an unfavorable 27th place. Kevin Fors, like Kemea leader Petar Petrov, had a decent start. The former Belgian MX2 champion qualified 12th, his best result so far on Saturday.
MX2 qualifying race
1. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 25:45.524; 2. Maxime Desprey (FRA, Yamaha), +0:00.820; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:01.722; 4. Jason Clermont (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:10.827; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:12.634; 6. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:24.350; 7. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:27.056; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:28.862; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:29.720; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:31.382; 11. Romain Febvre (FRA, KTM), +0:41.509; 12. Kevin Fors (BEL, Yamaha), +0:44.599; 13. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:45.477; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:45.941; 15. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN, Honda), +0:50.460; 16. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), +0:54.580; 17. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), +0:58.107; 18. Harry Kullas (FIN, Honda), +0:59.531; 19. Steven Lenoir (FRA, KTM), +1:02.349; 20. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), +1:16.049; 21. Even Heibye (NOR, KTM), +1:20.028; 22. James Decotis (USA, Kawasaki), +1:29.047; 23. Priit Ratsep (EST, KTM), +1:31.974; 24. Lewis Tombs (GBR, Honda), +1:39.253; 25. Roberts Justs (LAT, Honda), +1:40.388; 26. Nicholas Dercourt (FRA, Yamaha), +1:41.240; 27. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +2:10.687; 28. Giacomo Del Segato (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Viacheslav Golovkin (US, KTM), -1 lap(s); 30. Elliott Banks-Browne (GBR, KTM), -5 lap(s); 31. Mathias Plessers (BEL, Honda), -5 lap(s); 32. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, TM), -9 lap(s);
Photo: Bavo Swijgers
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