Jorge Prado wins in China and takes the red plate

Jorge Prado has won the Grand Prix of China. He beat Romain Febvre and Jeffrey Herlings in the final standings. Prado also becomes the new leader in the intermediate standings. Tim Gajser lost a lot of points due to a double crash in the first series and is now seven points behind.

First series

The holeshot went to Jeremy Seewer who will move to Ducati next year. In turn two, World Championship leader Tim Gajser teased the rear wheel of Coldenhoff and went to the Chinese plain. After Seewer followed Ruben Fernandez and Jorge Prado. Jeffrey Herlings started in P6.

Fernandez quickly took the lead while Prado also got alongside the Swiss. In his rush for the top ten, Gajser went down again when he passed Bonacorsi. On lap four, Herlings got past Glenn Coldenhoff to take fifth place from his compatriot.

Febvre then took over P3 from Jeremy Seewer and then rode to the rear wheel of Jorge Prado in no time. On lap eight the Frenchman was able to pass Prado and took over second place from the Spaniard. Tim Gajser rode halfway in twelfth place and still had a lot of work to do to make up places.

With ten minutes left on the clock, a strong Romain Febvre passed leader Fernandez. Jorge Prado also succeeded. At the back, a small drama unfolded because Tim Gajser, while driving in P12, lost three places and dived into the pits shortly afterwards with a technical problem. His left footrest was bent by the early crash. He was able to resume the race but had to watch as Jorge Prado took over the lead in the World Championship standings.

Second series

Jorge Prado led the field ahead of Valentin Guillod and Tim Gajser. The latter immediately raced to P2 and dove into the wheel of the Spaniard. Ruben Fernandez was also at the front and rode in P3. An early crash with four riders claimed several victims, causing Jeremy Seewer and Maxime Renaux to disappear from the race.

Romain Febvre was now fourth with Jan Pancar and Jeffrey Herlings in his wake. On lap 9 Febvre was able to pass Fernandez and took over P3 from the HRC driver. Jeffrey Herlings then did the same and became fourth. At the front Tim Gajser kept leader Jorge Prado in his sights. After his disastrous first race the Slovenian would have liked to make up some points.

With two laps to go, Prado had a small lead of three seconds on Tim Gajser. The Spaniard wins the second race and also the GP. Gajser's big loss of points in the first race means that the final in two weeks will be very exciting because the difference between Prado and Gajser is only seven points.

MXGP Race 1

1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), 34:32.847; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:05.726; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:08.376; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:10.859; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:14.259; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:16.664; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:19.004; 8. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:21.709; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:23.781; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:28.471; 11. Alberto Forato (ITA, Honda), +0:51.056; 12. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:56.853; 13. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:01.226; 14. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +1:05.051; 15. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:26.305; 16. Kirk Gibbs (AUS, GASGAS), +1:32.239; 17. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), -2 lap(s); 18. Yang Pu (CHN, Yamaha), -4 lap(s); 19. Jun Kai Wang (CHN, Honda), -6 lap(s); 20. Todd Waters (AUS, Husqvarna), -12 lap(s); 21. He Rong Zhe (CHN, Yamaha), -12 lap(s);

MXGP Race 2

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 34:32.163; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:02.891; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:28.957; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:39.634; 5. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:42.345; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:43.523; 7. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:47.062; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:50.251; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:52.963; 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:56.487; 11. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:42.754; 12. Kirk Gibbs (AUS, GASGAS), +1:56.511; 13. Todd Waters (AUS, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 14. Valentine Guillod (SUI, Honda), -2 lap(s); 15. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), -4 lap(s); 16. Yang Pu (CHN, Yamaha), -5 lap(s); 17. Jun Kai Wang (CHN, Honda), -6 lap(s); 18. He Rong Zhe (CHN, Yamaha), -7 lap(s); 19. Alberto Forato (ITA, Honda), -11 lap(s); 20. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), -19 lap(s); 21. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), -19 lap(s);

MXGP Overalls

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 47 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 45 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 33 points; 5. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 29 p.; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 26 pts.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NORTH, HON), 25 p.; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 24 p.; 10. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 23 pts.; 11. Kevin Brumann (SUI, HUS), 16 pts.; 12. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 15 pts.; 13. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 15 pts.; 14. Kirk Gibbs (AUS, GAS), 14 pts.; 15. Brian Bogers (NED, FAN), 13 p.; 16. Alberto Forato (ITA, HON), 12 p.; 17. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 12 p.; 18. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 9 p.; 19. Yang Pu (CHN, YAM), 8 p.; 20. Jun Kai Wang (CHN, HON), 6 p.; 21. He Rong Zhe (CHN, YAM), 3 p.;

MXGP Standings

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 943 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 936 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 895 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 644 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 611 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 574 p.; 7. Calvin Flanders (NED, YAM), 550 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 428 p.; 9. Valentine Guillod (SUI, HON), 359 p.; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, FAN), 319 p.; 11. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 317 p.; 12. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 307 p.; 13. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 p.; 14. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 265 p.; 15. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), 197 p.; 16. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 197 p.; 17. Isak Gifting (SWE, YAM), 166 p.; 18. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 151 p.; 19. Alberto Forato (ITA, HON), 129 p.; 20. Ben Watson (GBR, BET), 110 p.; 21. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 99 p.; 22. Alvin Östlund (SWE, HON), 96 p.; 23. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, BET), 93 p.; 24. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HON), 84 p.; 25. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 79 pts.; 26. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 76 p.; 27. Kevin Brumann (SUI, HUS), 63 pts.; 28. Josh Gilbert (GBR, KTM), 41 pts.; 29. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 28 pts.; 30. Yuki Okura (JPN, HON), 25 pts.; 31. Conrad Mewse (GBR, HON), 21 pts.; 32. Lionel Kerhoas (FRA, KTM), 20 p.; 33. Geerts Trade (BEL, YAM), 19 p.; 34. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 18 pts.; 35. Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, HON), 15 p.; 36. Kirk Gibbs (AUS, GAS), 14 pts.; 37. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 13 pts.; 38. Tim Edberg (SWE, HON), 13 pts.; 39. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, DUC), 10 pts.; 40. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 10 p.; 41. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 9 p.m.; 42. Thomas Kohut (SVK, KTM), 9 pts.; 43. Yang Pu (CHN, YAM), 8 p.; 44. Ander Valentine (ESP, YAM), 7 p.m.; 45. Emilio Scuteri (ITA, HON), 6 p.; 46. ​​Yuri Quarti (ITA, HON), 6 pts.; 47. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, HUS), 6 pts.; 48. Uldis Freibergs (LAT, GAS), 6 pts.; 49. Jun Kai Wang (CHN, HON), 6 p.; 50. Jakub Teresak (CZE, HUS), 6 p.m.; 51. Mark Scheu (GER, HUS), 6 pts.; 52. Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 5 pts.; 53. Lars van Berkel (NED, HON), 5 p.; 54. Michael Cordovez (ECU, YAM), 4 p.; 55. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 56. Filippo Zonta (ITA, KTM), 4 p.; 57. Petar Petrov (BULL, YAM), 3 p.; 58. Fabius Appearing Two Saints (BRA, YAM), 3 p.; 59. Cato Nickel (GER, HUS), 3 p.; 60. Simone Croci (ITA, HON), 3 p.; 61. Tomass Sileika (LAT, GAS), 3 p.; 62. He Rong Zhe (CHN, YAM), 3 p.; 63. Stephen Pezzuto (ITA, HON), 3 p.; 64. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 3 p.; 65. Anton Nagy (SWE, YAM), 3 p.; 66. Nicholas Roland (WORD, HUS), 2 p.; 67. Petr Polak (CZE, YAM), 2 p.; 68. Anton Gole (SWE, HUS), 2 p.; 69. Andrew Benenaula (ECU, CAW), 1 p.; 70. Sergio Ignatius Villaronga Muga (CHI, HON), 1 p.; 71. Boris Blanken (NED, FAN), 1 p.; 72. Tristan Purdon (RSA, HUS), 1 p.;

Tekst: Danny Hermans