A difficult day for Geerts in Mantova
The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team had a difficult day in Mantova, where the tenth round of the FIM World Championship took place. Jago Geerts finished seventh, teammate Ben Watson ninth. With a fifth (Geerts) and an eighth fastest time (Watson) in qualifying, both Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 riders secured a reasonably good starting place in the second of three races in Mantova.
Geerts took a good start in the first heat (fourth) and immediately attacked from the first corner. On the first lap he briefly overtook Renaux, Haarup and Gifting to take the lead. The Belgian immediately opened up a small gap and seemed to have everything under control until he suddenly slipped from the front on the fifth lap. Geerts had to resume in seventh position, just behind teammate Watson, who needed a few laps to find the right speed and rhythm.
Geerts was angry with himself and started to catch up. The Balenaar jumped over Haarup, Watson and Van De Moosdijk, also closed the gap on the top three, but then crashed again. Jago dropped to eighth place and was unable to recover. Watson had now found his second wind. The Briton squeezed out a few fast laps in the final phase and came very close to the top three, but not close enough, and finished fourth.
Aggressive
The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 riders both made a weak start in the second series: Geerts entered the field in eighth place, Watson was even last after a crash in the first corner and therefore faced a mission impossible.
Geerts clearly wanted to put something right after that disappointing first series. He raced through the peloton and served up clever overtaking maneuvers on Van De Moosdijk and Beaton. The Belgian flew and then needed just three laps to close a six-second gap on leader Vialle. Geerts did not want to waste any time and immediately launched an attack on the inside. However, the Frenchman closed the door, Geerts hit his rear wheel and fell to the ground. Instead of taking the lead, Jago had to settle for fifth place in heat two and seventh in the GP.
Watson – a real fighter – made a small slide in the beginning and had to restart from the back. However, the Briton did not give up and crossed the line in thirteenth place. Unfortunately, he was moved back two places after the race for not seeing a yellow flag. Watson therefore finished ninth in the Grand Prix.
#193 Jago Geerts
“We just couldn't find the right setup for the timed practice and the first heat. I didn't feel completely comfortable and crashed twice. We adjusted the setup for the second series. Everyone could see it was a big difference. I felt great, shot to the front and was able to close the gap on Vialle with no effort. I immediately wanted to grab him, but we hit each other and I went down. No, I wasn't too intense. It was just bad luck. Once again. That's quite frustrating. I hope that luck will be on my side soon. The only positive note: my level in the second series. I have to take that speed with me to the next GP.”
#919 Ben Watson
“A day with mixed feelings. I did a decent lap in the timed training, which gave me a reasonably good starting position. Unfortunately my start in the first series was mediocre. I also drove a little too slowly in the beginning. After five laps I finally broke free and was able to move to the front to finish just outside the top three. My second series started disastrously. I crashed in the first corner together with some other riders. I made another slide on the second lap and had to fight back from the back. I was able to come back to place 13. Not a great result in itself, but I was satisfied with the riding itself. That punishment? I have no idea why. I may have missed a yellow flag.”
Marnicq Bervoets
“A disappointing day for all of us. The circuit was dirty and treacherous and we found the right setup, but not for Jago. We adjusted the setup for the second race and you immediately saw that Geerts felt better. He drove to Vialle like it was nothing. He immediately went for the attack, maybe he should have waited a while. But Jago was in a good flow, full of adrenaline. Then it is normal that you want to get past it immediately. But Vialle closed the door and Jago fell flat. Road series win. Watson rode a great first heat. He came from far back, almost in the wheel of the top three. Good looking. In the second heat he continued to fight after that early fall. We see the old Ben again, the good Ben. That feels good.”
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