Indonesian GP win takes Romain Febvre to second in the points chase

Romain Febvre of Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP moved second in the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship standings with his first GP win of the season on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa.

Having already headed ever session on Saturday Febvre was looking at the perfect weekend as he also dominated Warm-up and KX450-SR power again saw the Frenchman holeshot by a clear bike-length in the first GP moto. The midday heat was claustrophobic and the Kawasaki leader was content initially to simply keep his closest chaser at arm’s length before emphasizing his outstanding pace at half-distance to gradually move six seconds clear until a fateful moment on the thirteenth of seventeen laps when he momentarily lost traction on a slick downhill landing and slithered to the ground. The incident cost twelve seconds, but he rejoined the race still second and quickly regained his composure to bring it home just three seconds shy of the winner. Victory was never in doubt in race two after yet another clear holeshot as the Green leader coolly built an ever-greater lead over the rest of the field and was nine seconds clear at one stage before rolling through the final few turns to clinch an overwhelming moto win and secure his sixteenth career GP victory, his first since 2021. The fifty-seven points championship haul from the weekend has also advanced the Frenchman to second in the series with nine GPs remaining.

Romain Febvre: « It was important to finally win again, both for me and for the team and we’ve done the job this weekend; I was fastest every session and I feel my speed was really good. We had a start-test day this week; I did ninety-eight starts and three clear holeshots this weekend show that we found some good solutions. Now it’s up to me to carry on like this. The second moto was mine all-the-way but it was my own mistake in the first moto. I was under no pressure, leading by several seconds and I was opening the gap. I felt I could take my time but it’s a little off-camber at that part of the track and I just went on the edge of the line; I opened the gas too early and I slid through one-hundred-and-eighty degrees. I was leading but it’s never over until the end; it was my mistake. I’m just a little disappointed because it should have been a perfect 1-1 weekend; we took back a few points, and I’m now second in the series, but it could have been even more. »

Mitch Evans confirmed the performance of the KX450-SR by joining his teammate in the top-three off the start of race one. He periodically surrendered places through the early laps to rivals who have been racing at the sharp end all summer but still looked secure in seventh after twenty minutes before the heat started to take its toll and his lap-times, in common with most of the field, increased significantly and he was pushed back to ninth at the finish. A solid opening lap to race two found the Australian eighth and he found a consistent rhythm to take over his eventual seventh on the eleventh of seventeen laps for eighth overall on the day. The solid scoreline sees him move up to eighteenth in the series standings despite missing the opening four rounds and further significant advances are on the cards in coming weeks with just thirty-one points to twelfth.

Mitch Evans: « My start was really good in moto one but I just struggled a little in the heat towards the end. I had a better feeling physically in race two and could make a couple of good passes for seventh. We keep making steps every week so that’s good. »

Antti Pyrhönen, KRT team manager: « The victory was well-deserved for Romain; he has been so close many times this year and now he finally he got it. The track was very unpredictable and it was important to keep in on two wheels in the second moto. This was not just just a win for Romain but for the whole team; all of the crew have been working so hard for this and it was great that they could all enjoy this victory. »

(Source & photos : Kawasaki Racing)

COENEN MAKES BIG STATEMENT ABOARD FC 250 WITH PERFECT SCORECARD.

The long trip to Indonesia was certainly worthwhile for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing crew, as Lucas Coenen delivered on his potential and stormed to the top of the podium at the first event of the Asian excursion. The Grand Prix of Sumbawa-Indonesia was round ten of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Coenen was brilliant and looked wise beyond his years. Qualification was where he made his intentions obvious, as he led every lap en route to pole position and the ten points that are attached to such a feat. The first moto today, Sunday, was not quite as clearcut. ’96’ started right on the cusp of the top three and eventually moved into the lead on lap fifteen of eighteen in what was a spirited charge. The second moto was less eventful; he led each lap and took a brilliant victory to secure a perfect scorecard at the Grand Prix of Sumbawa-Indonesia. Such a dominant weekend was, of course, more than enough for him to finally take the first Grand Prix win of his young career. The significant haul of points helped him jump to seventh in the championship standings, in addition.

Roan van de Moosdijk had a gruelling outing, as his experience was hindered by mediocre starts. The first moto was fairly uneventful – he started ninth and finished eighth on a circuit that’s tough to pass on. Fortunately, a sixth in the second moto was a positive way to finish the Grand Prix. 8-6 scores put him in eighth in the overall classification and caused him to fall to sixth in the championship standings.

Mistakes at the start of each moto meant that Kay de Wolf was faced with quite the challenge today. Charging from eleventh to ninth in moto one and fifteenth to ninth in moto two was not exactly a true representation of his speed, but he salvaged solid points as he continues to navigate his way back to one hundred percent. 9-9 scores meant that he ended in tenth overall and maintained third place in the championship standings. Twenty-two points separate him from the red plate.

Lucas Coenen: « I think this one is really special – this is an insane feeling that I cannot describe. I want to thank everybody who has worked extremely hard to support me. The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team has been amazing. »

Roan van de Moosdijk: « It has not been an easy weekend here. I just did not put myself in a position to fight for the podium in either moto – this track is not easy to make progress on. Still, we gained some solid points and look forward to the next one. »

Kay de Wolf: « It was a difficult day but, like in Germany, we salvaged what we could and managed to gain some solid points. I am keen to get back inside of the top five at next week’s event in Lombok. »

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will spend the week in Indonesia, as the second and last Indonesian race will be held on the island of Lombok next weekend. That’ll be round eleven of the current season.

Results – 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Ten

MX2 – Overall

1. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 50pts; 2. Liam Everts (KTM) 44pts; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 36pts… 8. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 28pts; 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 24pts

MX2 – Moto One

1. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 36:03.223; 2. Liam Everts (KTM) 36:08.815; 3. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 36:17.981… 8. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 36:38.778; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 37:03.054

MX2 – Moto Two

1. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:26.014; 2. Liam Everts (KTM) 34:29.887; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:30.937… 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 34:45.442; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:09.469

MX2 – Championship Standings

1. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 439pts; 2. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 434pts; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 417pts… 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 373pts; 7. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 315pt

EVERTS PUSHES TO MX2 RUNNER-UP IN SUMBAWA FOR FIRST 2023 MXGP INDONESIAN GRAND PRIX

MXGP 2023 Round 10 of 19, Samota-Sumbawa, Indonesia

The first of two back-to-back hot and demanding Grands Prix on Indonesian soil took MXGP to the Sumbawa island and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing emerged from round ten of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship with another podium appearance thank to Liam Everts’ 2nd position.

• Liam Everts shows class-leading speed and potential once more as the Belgian climbs the rostrum for the fourth time in 2023

• Andrea Adamo preserves his MX2 championship lead with 4th on his KTM 250 SX-F

• 11th overall for Sacha Coenen on his first Grand Prix experience outside of Europe.

• Jeffrey Herlings is absent for the Indonesian Grand Prix double as he recovers from a C5 fracture and should return for round 12 in the Czech Republic on July 12th.

• MXGP stays in Indonesia and jumps west to the Island of Lombok for round eleven next week.

For the second time this year, MXGP jetted away from European shores and headed east for a special back-to-back Grand Prix double in Indonesia. The heat, humidity and sheer enthusiasm for the sport greeted the teams and riders that made the long jaunt to Asia. The Samota-Sumbawa track was fast and jumpy with plenty of elevation and was distinctive for the dark, loose and sandy soil.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were missing their MXGP talisman, Jeffrey Herlings, with a neck injury but the Dutchman is already on the swift road to recovery. All efforts were therefore concentrated on the three riders in the MX2 class and with the potent KTM 250 SX-F.

Liam Everts rode to 3rd place in the RAM Qualification Heat while MX2 championship leader Andrea Adamo had to recover from a second corner crash to find his way to 13th in the gate. Rookie Sachsa Coenen was 10th.

Conservation, fitness and stamina were key ingredients for success in the two motos on Sunday and it was Everts who excelled with some sharp overtaking moves – in the second race in particular – to finish 2-2. The Belgian led the first race and then recovered from a small crash in the second to charge back to the front and use every ounce of energy to make it happen. It was the third rostrum appearance by #72 in the last four Grands Prix. Adamo felt the effects of his fall on Saturday but minimized the damage with a 3-7 scorecard and was very close to the top three, ending the day in 4th. Coenen was 11th overall with a 11-12 and claimed his first Grand Prix holeshot in the second moto.

Adamo guards the red plate by a 5-point margin and Everts is now tied on points with 4th position in the championship. KTM are 3rd in the Manufacturers standings.

MXGP will remain in Indonesia this week. The paddock will rest and recover in the days before joining together for the Grand Prix of Lombok on the island of the same name and located west of Sumbawa. Perhaps best known for the new Mandalika Street circuit that hosted MotoGP for the first time in 2022, Lombok is now prepared for its MXGP inauguration.

Liam Everts, 2nd and 2nd for 2nd overall in MX2: “Saturday was quite OK for P3. My riding was good all weekend and we were competitive. I led the first moto but Lucas rode smart and got me with two laps to go. In race two my start was OK but my little teammate has less weight and got the holeshot! I fought back from P10 up to 3rd, had a tip-over and had to do it again from 6th. It cost me some energy. I gave everything I had. The last few laps were done purely with character! 2nd overall and I’m happy to walk away safe and with another podium.

Andrea Adamo, 3rd and 7th for 4th overall in MX2: “Yesterday I started the day really good with P1 in both sessions and the quali race from Pole Position but then had a big crash in the second corner. So today was not easy and I didn’t feel great for the motos. I wasn’t on-point. The first race was OK in 3rd but I made a mistake in the second moto and had to recover from last position. Not a disaster but also not good! We’ll have to regroup and do better next weekend. We still have a the red plate and today was just about survival.