Tim Gajser wins MX2 GP in Trentino
Slovenian Tim Gajser took his very first Grand Prix victory of his career in Italian Trentino and also put Honda back on the highest podium step. For Honda it was already since 2009 that they took a Grand Prix victory in the MX2 with Marvin Musquin. Jeffrey Herlings came second and thus strengthened his leading position in the standings.
Herlings rules in the first series…
Jordi Tixier took the holeshot ahead of Anstie, Justs and Herlings. The reigning world champion Tixier could only enjoy the lead for two laps before Jeffrey Herlings was already there. Of our compatriots, Lieber was the best placed in eighth place and we just got Getteman and Van Doninck into the top fifteen. At the front, Herlings increasingly distanced himself from Tixier, who was in turn joined by Tim Gajser. Just before the halfway point of the race, the HRC rider passed Tixier into second place. Jens Getteman, who was in twelfth place, made a mistake and had to go to the pits, only to disappear completely from the race a little later. At the front, Herlings rode unthreatened to victory ahead of Gajser and it was still a matter of looking forward to third place, where Tixier was just able to keep Anstie behind him. Our best compatriot was Julien Lieber with tenth place, just ahead of Brent Van Doninck who finished eleventh. Finally, Kevin Fors finished twenty-fifth.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Classification
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:14.247; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:15.868; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.967; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:21.346; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.219; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:31.955; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:45.882; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:48.126; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:55.332; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:59.371; 11. Brent Vandoninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:03.199; 12. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:10.562; 13. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Honda), +1:11.416; 14. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), +1:16.087; 15. Roberts Justs (LAT, KTM), +1:16.418; 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:17.116; 17. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), +1:26.190; 18. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:26.526; 19. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), +1:51.514; 20. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, Honda), +1:59.194; 21. Thomas Covington (USA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 22. Michael Ivanov (BUL, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 23. Simon Mallet (FRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 24. Davide Bonini (ITA, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 25. Kevin Fors (BEL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 26. Yannis Irsuti (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 27. Karel Kutsar (EST, KTM), -1 lap(s); 28. Artem Guryev (RUS, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Anton Lundgren (SWE, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 30. Francesco Ciola (ITA, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 31. Christopher Valente (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 32. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS, KTM), -1 lap(s); 33. Jens Getteman (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s);
Gajser withstands the pressure from Herlings and wins…
It was once again Jordi Tixier who quickly cleared the starting gate ahead of Tonkov, Paturel and Gajser. Who did not fare so well was the winner of the first series Jeffrey Herlings, who was just outside the top ten. This was of course the opportunity for Tim Gajser who immediately took the lead on the first lap. Herlings had no choice but to give chase. Just before halfway through the race, Herlings was already in second place, but the difference with leader Gajser had already increased to nine seconds. So it became a man to man fight in the second half of the race. Lap by lap, Herlings chipped away at his deficit, but Gajser also felt Herlings coming and started to increase the pace a bit. So Herlings had to wait until the final laps to almost catch up with the HRC rider. But in the last lap Herlings made a mistake exiting the corner and Gajser was given free rein to drive to his very first GP victory. On the Belgian side we were able to record another strong performance from Brent van Doninck who took an excellent tenth place just ahead of Julien Lieber. Jens Getteman had to stop the fight early and Kevin fell just outside the points in this second series.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Classification
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:27.396; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:16.199; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.041; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:44.825; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.962; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:53.212; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:58.979; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +1:03.117; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:09.210; 10. Brent Vandoninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:12.304; 11. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +1:25.117; 12. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +1:32.493; 13. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:59.174; 14. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 15. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 16. Thomas Covington (USA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 17. Roberts Justs (LAT, KTM), -1 lap(s); 18. Anton Lundgren (SWE, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 19. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 20. Simon Mallet (FRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. Kevin Fors (BEL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Michael Ivanov (BUL, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 24. Yannis Irsuti (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 25. Karel Kutsar (EST, KTM), -1 lap(s); 26. Artem Guryev (RUS, KTM), -1 lap(s); 27. Christopher Valente (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 28. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Francesco Ciola (ITA, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 30. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Honda), -5 lap(s); 31. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), -14 lap(s); 32. Davide Bonini (ITA, Husqvarna), -15 lap(s); 33. Jens Getteman (BEL, Honda), -17 lap(s);
MX2 – GP Classification
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, CAW), 40 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, CAW), 34 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, CAW), 32 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 29 p.; 7. Valentine Guillod (SUI, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 21 p.; 11. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 21 p.; 12. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 15 p.; 13. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 13 p.; 14. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 13 p.; 15. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, HOUSE), 13 p.; 16. Roberts Justs (LAT, KTM), 10 p.; 17. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 9 p.; 18. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, HON), 8 p.; 19. Thomas Covington (USA, COW), 5 p.; 20. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 4 p.; 21. Anton Lundgren (SWE, HUS), 3 p.; 22. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, HON), 3 p.; 23. Simon Mallet (FRA, HON), 1 p.;
MX2 – World Championship Classification
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 172; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, CAW), 159 p.; 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 133 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 126 p.; 5. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 101 p.; 6. Valentine Guillod (SUI, YAM), 101 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 99 p.; 8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, HOUSE), 95 p.; 9. Thomas Covington (USA, COW), 86 p.; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, CAW), 75 p.; 11. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 70 p.; 12. Max Anstie (GBR, CAW), 67 p.; 13. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 60 p.; 14. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 57 p.; 15. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 45 p.; 16. Roberts Justs (LAT, KTM), 44 p.; 17. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, HON), 42 p.; 18. Mel Pocock (GBR, CAW), 36 p.; 19. Jens Getteman (BEL, HON), 36 p.; 20. Brent Van Doninck (BELL, YAM), 33 p.; 21. Anton Lundgren (SWE, HUS), 26 p.; 22. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 20 p.; 23. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 19 p.; 24. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS, KTM), 17 p.; 25. Gota Otsuka (JPN, HON), 10 p.; 26. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 9 p.; 27. Artem Guryev (RUS, KTM), 7 p.; 28. David Herbreteau (FRA, COW), 6 p.; 29. Gradie Featherstone (GBR, SUZ), 5 p.; 30. Christopher Valente (SUI, HUS), 4 p.; 31. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, HON), 3 p.; 32. Damon Graulus (BEL, YAM), 2 p.; 33. Thanarat Penjan (GOOD, HON), 1 p.; 34. Simon Mallet (FRA, HON), 1 p.; 35. John Paul Luzzardi (ARG, HON), 1 p.;
Text: @Kris…
Photo: CDS
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