Geerts ends his career in MX2 with victory
Jago Geerts has won the Great Britain Grand Prix in Matterley Basin. The Belgian, who will switch to the MXGP in 2024, said a fond farewell to the MX2. In addition to the GP victory, Geerts also won the silver medal in the World Championship. Also a punishment: the fourth constructors' title in a row for Yamaha.
The FIM World Championship stopped for the 19th and final round of 2023 in Matterley Basin, the beautiful course near Winchester in Great Britain. Second place in the World Cup was still at stake for Jago Geerts. He started the last Grand Prix with a four-point lead over Längenfelder and Everts.
Not a good reaction from the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory trio at the starting gate in the first race. Yet Benistant and Geerts – after a good first corner – entered the field in third and fourth. Elzinga followed in eleventh place. Thibault and Jago quickly jumped over Adamo and chased leader Längenfelder. The Yamaha duo were initially unable to close the gap – a maximum of four seconds. Only in the final phase did they drive towards the German. They reached Längenfelder, but no more. So Benistant second, Geerts third. Elzinga – who has been struggling with a shoulder injury for some time – rode a fairly lonely series in ninth place.
New lines
Geerts started the very last series three points behind Längenfelder. While teammate Elzinga took a cannon start (second), Benistant and Geerts were buried in 9th and 10th place. Elzinga could not hold on at the front and had to restart at the back after a fall. Ultimately, the Dutchman finished sixteenth. Benistant was able to move up a few spots and crossed the line in sixth place.
And Geerts? That made for a great spectacle. After three laps he was already in third position and put intense pressure on Adamo and leader de Wolf. The Belgian searched and found new lines. In lap 11, after some good preparatory work, he made a nice inside pass past Adamo. Iago had now really got the hang of it. One lap later, leader De Wolf also had to suffer. The Dutchman tried to hold on, but Geerts did not budge. Series victory, GP victory (number eight in 2023, number 24 already in his career) and the silver medal in the World Championship! Plus the constructors' title for Yamaha. A very nice loot.
Impressive statistics
The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team can once again look back on a fantastic season. Geerts (8) and Benistant (2) collected ten GP victories. A record for the team, because one more than in 2021. Despite many injuries, Geerts finished second in the World Championship and Benistant and Elzinga still entered the top 10. Yamaha took the constructors' world title again. The fourth time in a row in the MX2.
“Those are impressive statistics,” said team boss Hans Corvers. “I especially think it's great for Jago that he was able to end his MX2 career with a GP victory. He can move to MXGP with his head held high. Of course it is unfortunate that we miss out on the world title. Especially the way. This weekend's second series sums it all up. Jago drove from 10 to 1. He simply ate his competitors. Geerts has ridden 15 of the 19 GPs. He won eight of them. That's more than 50 percent. He was simply the best this year, but unfortunately injuries decided otherwise.”
#93 Jago Geerts
“GP victory and second in the World Championship: this is a very nice way to end my career in MX2. In the first series it took a long time before I really got loose. A little too late, so I just couldn't get to Benistant and Längenfelder. In the second series I rode a lot better from the start. Had to, because my start was dramatic. Tenth or so. Luckily I had found a few new, good lines. And so I was still able to drive to the front. Nice. Just like that second place in the World Cup. Okay, I was aiming for the world title. But after everything I have experienced this year, to still finish second: that is quite special.”
#198 Thibault Benistant
“I don't really have much to say. The world championship did not end as I had hoped. I would have really liked to end the season on the podium. For myself, for the team. Unfortunately... My first series was very good, but in the second series I just couldn't get enough steam after that mediocre start. I now finish ninth in the world championship. Not exactly what I had in mind at the beginning of the year. But injuries have thrown a spanner in the works. It was not easy to get back to the Czech Republic after that crash. It took much longer than expected.”
#44 Rick Elzinga
“It was a difficult weekend for me. Last Wednesday I dislocated my shoulder again during training. But I gritted my teeth. Obviously I couldn't go all out because of that shoulder, although the riding itself was quite okay. Too bad about that early fall in the second series. Especially because I got off to a great start then. I now finish tenth in the World Championship. Not bad at all, with all the setbacks I had to deal with this year. I learned a lot, I also worked on many things with the team. I have to reap the benefits of that next season. But first get that shoulder fixed. Probably with surgery.”
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
Gallery: Yamaha
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