Benistant Makes Astonishing Recovery to Take Fifth Podium Finish in Latvia

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Thibault Benistant showcased his unwavering spirit and grit at the eighth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Kegums, Latvia. Despite the challenging weather conditions and an unlucky crash at the start of Race Two, Benistant overcame adversity to secure his fifth podium finish of the season.

The Latvian Grand Prix was plagued by rain and chilly temperatures, making the already difficult sand track even more treacherous. In the opening race of the weekend, Benistant was quick to take the lead after going bar-to-bar with Roan Van De Moosedijk around turn one. He led the first seven laps before the Poleman Kay de Wolf got the better of him on lap eight.

Unphased by the pass, Benistant was quick to respond. He kept the Dutchman in his sights and upped the pace. But, despite posting the fastest lap of the race on the penultimate lap, he left his run slightly too late and after a thrilling race-long battle for the lead, he was denied victory by the smallest of margins. 

The second race was even more challenging due to the heavy rain and stormy weather. Benistant started well but was pushed wide by another rider, causing him to collide with someone else and fall. Undeterred, he fought his way back from last position and put on an awe-inspiring display of perseverance to finish sixth, which was enough to secure third overall.

Benistant’s hard-fought performance in the final race of the day allowed him to salvage valuable championship points. He is now third in the MX2 Championship Standings, just 7-points shy of second, and 19 from the championship lead. 

From Latvia, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team will head straight to Germany, where the ninth round of the series will take place next weekend, June 10th and 11th, in Teutschenthal.

Thibault Benistant

3rd MX2 Grand Prix of Latvia, 37-points

3rd MX2 Championship Standings, 348-points

“I was feeling good all weekend. I would only say that I took a bit too long to find my rhythm in all the sessions. The first race was quite good. It took time to get comfortable, but I felt I was improving every lap and by the end, I was riding free and fast. In the second race, I started quite well, but the riders on the inside came in too hard. There was no space for it, and I crashed. It’s frustrating because this weekend was going well and I know I had the speed to win, but I have to focus on the positives. I came back through the pack well, in tough conditions with a lot of rain, and still got on the box.

Podium again for Romain Febvre in Latvia

Romain Febvre of Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP raced to his fourth podium of the season in the Latvian round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Kegums.

The KRT leader got an excellent jump out of the gate in the first moto but as the pack dived into turn one a couple of riders alongside him collided and, suffering a momentary loss of momentum as they bounced into him, he emerged outside the top ten. Reacting ferociously he had already pulled back to eighth by the completion of the opening lap and then spent several laps in an intense struggle for positions against rivals determined to defend at all costs. On the thirteenth of seventeen laps he made sixth his own with a clever pass and immediately sped clear. Posting his personal fastest laps of the race on a clear track he slashed the four second gap to fifth but the chequered flag came out before he could mount an attack. Acknowledging the importance of making quick moves as rain at the start of race two added visibility difficulties to the rugged nature of the track he responded quickly after gating fourth to move past both of the championship leaders during the first four laps with two exhilarating moves and immediately raced clear. A second moto win of the season looked possible as he maintained his cushion but he had to surrender the lead three laps from the end as some of his favoured lines deteriorated in the conditions. A third consecutive podium in GPs in which he has started remained secure and the Frenchman has now consolidated his third place in the series standings heading to the midway stage of the championship next weekend in Germany.
 
Romain Febvre:  » I made a good start out of the gate and along the straight but two riders touched alongside me and it was a mess with many people crashing; I managed to stay up but I was in the pack. My speed was good when I had a clear track but it was quite difficult to pass on this track. It was really muddy for race two but I like that; I had good lines and when I took the lead I could make a gap and keep it even when Jeffrey came to second. There were a couple of spots where I was faster and a couple where he was and I thought I could keep it, but I couldn’t jump everything at the end and he caught me. I tried to stay with him but he is the best at the moment so in the end I had to accept second. It’s a pity I couldn’t hold on for another win but my speed is good. »
 
KRT teammate Mitch Evans was out of luck at turn one of the first moto as a collision to his inside pushed the Australian almost to the track perimeter through the turn and he faced a long haul from twenty-first at the first timing split. But he persisted to the end, his final pass for seventeenth coming just three laps from the finish. Race two saw Mitch find a better run through turn one and from thirteen on lap one he continued to push, taking over his eventual eleventh place on lap eight of sixteen to clinch eleventh overall on the day.
 
Mitch Evans: « This track has never been my favorite but we made another step forward during the week and that showed in the results. Now I just need to get back into race fitness and make up for the bike time I missed at the start of the year. Now I’m looking forward to Germany; I really like that track and it’s more my style. »