Gajser victorious after amazing performance in Turkiye
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser won the second moto at the MXGP of Turkiye, to get himself on the top step of the podium for his first overall GP victory in 2023. It capped off an excellent weekend for the #243 who showed everyone once again that he is a force to be reckoned, now that he is back to full strength.
Teammate Ruben Fernandez also put a bit of a frustrating weekend behind him to ride excellently in the second race to get fourth place, giving him sixth place overall, and a much fairer reflection of how he was feeling coming into this event.
For Gajser though, it is almost a year to the day that he last won an MXGP and after topping timed practice yesterday to give him first gate-pick when the qualification race was cancelled due to a storm, he came into today’s motos feeling really confident. A good start in race one saw him quickly move into the lead on the third straight and although he tried to pull away, he understandably got a bit of arm-pump from leading this highly competitive MXGP field for the first time in 12 months. Still, he was able to cruise to a second place, knowing that a win in race two would give him the victory.
And that’s exactly he was able to achieve after once again getting into the lead round the second corner and putting in a display of riding that saw him pull out a 10 second lead at one stage. A small mistake saw him remount just in front of the chasing pack, but he regained his composure and once again pulled out a five second gap by the time he received the chequered flag, sparking scenes of jubilation for himself and all of Team HRC.
Since his return from a broken femur in February, the reigning world champion has slowly improved in each event, and this race was one that he had circled as a potential podium, but after being comfortable in the very first session, his target was upgraded to a victory and the Slovenian achieved it with a display of riding that showed everyone he is back to his 2022-best.
Following him across the line in fourth place was Fernandez, who finally got to show everyone that he had speed at this track and that he is also getting back to his best after a tough couple of months. He wasn’t able to put in a decent lap in timed practice yesterday and with the qualification race being cancelled, he didn’t have the opportunity to improve upon that 14th position.
Then in race one, after getting a good jump, he was taken out on the second straight and had to pick up his bike almost dead last. While his riding was good, he was only able to get back to 11th place, leaving him highly motivated to do a lot better in race two. And he was able to do just that, by once again getting a good start and moving quickly into fourth place. He maintained that for the duration and leaves Turkiye feeling much better about his performance.
Although there is weekend off now, both riders will be heading into Maggiora, Italy for the penultimate round of the season in excellent frames of mind and looking to keep this momentum up and really trying end this championship on a high.
Tim Gajser 243
I felt confident coming into this weekend and once I rode the track, I knew it was going to be a good weekend. Even though the storm meant we didn’t race yesterday, I had the first gate-pick and that really helped me get two good starts on my Honda CRF450R, giving me the opportunity to lead the races early on. The first race I had arm-pump so I had to settle for second, but race two I was just feeling so good on the bike. I had a really good lead, and even though I made a mistake, I was able to stay in front and then pull out a gap all over again. A big thank you to all the team, my girlfriend Spela and all the fans who have supported me this year when things haven’t gone my way. I’m really happy to show everyone that I am back and now I’m really excited for the final two rounds.
Ruben Fernandez 70
The second moto was much better for me, and much more the level that I expect from myself. After not getting the opportunity to improve upon my 14th position in timed practice, I didn’t have the best gate-pick but I still had a good start in race one. However, another rider collided into me before the second bend and I was picking my bike up practically last. I got back to 11th but it was a pretty frustrating race. Thankfully race two went a lot better and I was able start well and keep the top three in sight for the entire race. A big congrats to Tim for his victory and I really hope we can see each other on the podium in these last two rounds.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
What a great performance by Tim over the whole weekend. He was fast in every session and fully deserved to take the win here, which really boosts his confidence for Maggiora and Matterley Basin, which are two tracks he likes. The whole team, both at the races and in Japan have worked very hard to help him get back up to speed and this is testament to the effort everyone has put in, that he was able to achieve this victory. Ruben also put in a great race in the second moto and is starting to look like the rider who started off the season so strongly. Well done to both riders and we can’t wait to get to Maggiora and try and do even better.
Race 1
Pos.
Rider
Num
Nation
Points
Team
Time/Gap
1
FEBVRE
Romain
3
FRA
25
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
35:02.660
2
GAJSER
Tim
243
SLO
22
Team HRC – MXGP
0:04.675
3
RENAUX
Maxime
959
FRA
20
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:14.345
4
VLAANDEREN
Calvin
10
NDL
18
Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing
0:18.329
5
FORATO
Alberto
303
ITA
16
SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery
0:23.491
6
COLDENHOFF
Glenn
959
NDL
15
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:26.600
7
GUADAGNINI
Mattia
101
ITA
14
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
0:27.218
8
SEEWER
Jeremy
91
SWI
13
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:27.627
9
GUILLOD
Valentin
92
SWI
12
Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
0:34.203
10
PATUREL
Benoit
6
FRA
11
De Baets Yamaha MX-Team
0:35.425
11
FERNANDEZ
Ruben
70
SPA
10
Team HRC – MXGP
0:46.553
12
EVANS
Mitch
43
AUS
9
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
0:51.895
13
PRADO GARCIA
Jorge
61
SPA
8
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
0:54.130
14
BOGERS
Brian
189
NDL
7
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
0:54.705
15
ÖSTLUND
Alvin
161
SWE
6
JWR Honda Racing
0:55.528
16
WATSON
Ben
919
GBR
5
MRT Racing Team Beta
1:22.828
17
LUPINO
Alessandro
77
ITA
4
MRT Racing Team Beta
1:44.489
Race 2
Pos.
Rider
Num
Nation
Points
Team
Time/Gap
1
GAJSER
Tim
243
SLO
25
Team HRC – MXGP
34:19.435
2
RENAUX
Maxime
959
FRA
22
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:05.834
3
FEBVRE
Romain
3
FRA
20
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
0:11.824
4
FERNANDEZ
Ruben
70
SPA
18
Team HRC – MXGP
0:13.603
5
VLAANDEREN
Calvin
10
NDL
16
Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing
0:17.274
6
JONASS
Pauls
41
LAT
15
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
0:19.023
7
FORATO
Alberto
303
ITA
14
SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery
0:21.175
8
COLDENHOFF
Glenn
959
NDL
13
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:26.087
9
PRADO GARCIA
Jorge
61
SPA
12
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
0:27.761
10
SEEWER
Jeremy
91
SWI
11
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
0:28.302
11
GUADAGNINI
Mattia
101
ITA
10
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
0:43.411
12
PATUREL
Benoit
6
FRA
9
De Baets Yamaha MX-Team
0:56.087
13
BOGERS
Brian
189
NDL
8
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
0:58.241
14
ÖSTLUND
Alvin
161
SWE
7
JWR Honda Racing
1:03.163
15
LUPINO
Alessandro
77
ITA
6
MRT Racing Team Beta
1:09.776
16
WATSON
Ben
919
GBR
5
MRT Racing Team Beta
1:37.560
17
EVANS
Mitch
43
AUS
4
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
1 Lap
18
GUILLOD
Valentin
92
SWI
3
Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
3 Laps
Rider Standings
Pos.
Rider
Num
Nation
Points
Team
1
PRADO GARCIA
Jorge
61
SPA
841
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
2
FEBVRE
Romain
3
FRA
774
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
3
SEEWER
Jeremy
91
SWI
676
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
4
COLDENHOFF
Glenn
959
NDL
628
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
5
FERNANDEZ
Ruben
70
SPA
570
Team HRC – MXGP
6
VLAANDEREN
Calvin
10
NDL
532
Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing
7
HERLINGS
Jeffrey
84
NDL
455
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
8
FORATO
Alberto
303
ITA
444
SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery
9
GUILLOD
Valentin
92
SWI
310
Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
10
RENAUX
Maxime
959
FRA
302
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
11
PATUREL
Benoit
6
FRA
244
De Baets Yamaha MX-Team
12
EVANS
Mitch
43
AUS
233
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
13
GUADAGNINI
Mattia
101
ITA
227
Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
14
WATSON
Ben
919
GBR
221
MRT Racing Team Beta
15
BOGERS
Brian
189
NDL
217
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
16
ÖSTLUND
Alvin
161
SWE
207
JWR Honda Racing
17
GAJSER
Tim
243
SLO
198
Team HRC – MXGP
18
KOCH
Tom
226
GER
150
KTM Kosak Team
19
LUPINO
Alessandro
77
ITA
150
MRT Racing Team Beta
20
JONASS
Pauls
41
LAT
125
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
21
SPIES
Maximillian
71
GER
114
KTM Kosak Team
22
VAN DONINCK
Brent
32
BEL
113
JM Honda Racing
23
VAN HOREBEEK
Jeremy
89
BEL
110
Standing Construct Honda MXGP
24
PETROV
Petar
BUL
53
25
ROOSIORG
Hardi
75
EST
52
JWR Honda Racing
26
HAAVISTO
Jere
FIN
51
27
BRUMANN
Kevin
87
SWI
43
JK Racing Yamaha Active
28
JACOBI
Henry
GER
29
29
RUBINI
Stephen
38
FRA
27
Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
30
STEWART
Lewis
AUS
25
TURKISH GRAND PRIX SMILES AS EVERTS WINS AGAIN AND 2023 MXGP NEARS A CONCLUSION
MXGP 2023 Round 17 of 19, Afyon, Turkey
Two rounds of the 2023 MXGP remain after the Grand Prix of Turkey, where Red Bull KTM Factory Racing toasedt Liam Everts’s third MX2 victory of the season. The Belgian rode to 3-2 in the motos around the fast, jumpy and rough hard-pack of Afyon to keep in title contention with teammate Andrea Adamo who classified 6th overall and continues to lead the series.
• Everts goes back-to-back with MX2 Grand Prix wins (Netherlands and Turkey) with consistent 3rd and 2nd places in Afyon. #72 now has eight podium finishes and is 48 points behind Adamo
• Adamo laments starts and small mistakes for a 10-5 scorecard but keeps control of the red plate for the tenth Grand Prix in a row.
• 15th overall for Sacha Coenen and points in both races as Jeffrey Herlings remains on the sidelines with a collarbone injury.
• Grands Prix in Italy and the UK up next as KTM aim to defend their status as MX2 World Champions. The trip to Maggiora Park will take place on September 16-17.
Red Bull KTM were concentrated fully on the MX2 division in Afyon with Jeffrey Herlings still recovering from a broken right collarbone and due for another scan on the injury this week. With Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts currently running 1st and 2nd in the series and with rookie Sacha Coenen improving and learning every Grand Prix, the crew were optimistic of more success with the far-flung journey to the flat and hard-packed course of Afyon; the host of the Turkish event since 2018.
On Saturday Everts was able to run to a strong 2nd position in the RAM Qualification Heat with his KTM 250 SX-F. The race was lucky to take place as a heavy storm then blew across the venue and forced the MXGP Heat to be cancelled and the gate positions for Sunday’s Grand Prix motos to be taken from Timed Practice.
A calmer race day was decent for Everts who again used the power of his works bike to make two rapid starts. He rode from 4th to 3rd in the first moto and was a steady 2nd to Kevin Horgmo in the following race to make sure of the overall P1 ranking. An early crash for Adamo in the first moto dropped him to almost last position. He recovered to 10th and made a better job of the second run to reach the top five and exercise damage limitation. Sacha Coenen was 12th at the first time of asking but the rookie pulled out of the second moto after an issue with his vision.
A maximum of 120 points is up for grabs in the remainder of 2023. Adamo leads Everts by 48 with an 82-point margin over Jago Geerts in 3rd place.
The season will then finish with back-to-back Grands Prix in Italy (Maggiora Park, in two weeks) and the UK (Matterley Basin) before the Motocross of Nations in Ernee with at least three of the Red Bull KTM crew expected to represent their countries in France on October 8th.
Liam Everts, 3rd and 2nd for 1st overall in MX2: “Super-happy. I made a little mistake in the second moto but otherwise I felt comfortable all weekend and that’s not normal because these high-speed tracks are not my thing, but I was fast and in control. As I’ve said before, the championship was not really my goal coming into the season; just to get on the podium was good and then a GP win was unbelievable but I’m a believer, and I will never stop until the last lap and last corner!”
Andrea Adamo, 10th and 5th for 6th overall in MX2: “Not the best weekend. P11 in the Quali race meant it was quite hard for the start today and if you don’t make the starts then it is not easy to catch the guys at the front. I crashed in the first moto and that was my fault. I need to keep calm and not make these mistake because they cost me a lot of points. I came back very fast in the second moto and was riding good. We have two weeks now to rest, regroup and try again in Maggiora.”
Results MXGP Turkey 2023
1. Tim Gajser (SLO) Honda, 2-1
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 1-3
3. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 3-2
4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 4-5
5. Alberto Forato (ITA) KTM 5-7
Standings MXGP 2023 after 17 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 841 points
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 774
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 676
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha 628
5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 570
7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 456
Results MX2 Turkey 2023
1. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-2
2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR) Kawasaki 6-1
3. Jago Geerts (BEL) Yamaha 2-4
4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS 1-6
5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED) Husqvarna 4-3
6. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 10-5
15. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 12-16
Standings MX2 2023 after 17 of 19 rounds
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 732 points
2. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 684
3. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 650
4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER) GASGAS, 645
5. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Husqvarna, 520
15. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 232
Andrea Bonacorsi Clinches EMX250 Championship in Turkey
Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250’s Andrea Bonacorsi has secured the 2023 EMX250 Championship title with a stunning victory at the ninth and penultimate round of the European Championship in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Bonacorsi’s outstanding EMX250 title campaign is highlighted by a 100% podium record, which includes four overall victories and six race wins.
Bonacorsi entered the EMX250 round of Turkey with a significant 54-point lead over his closest championship rival, Kay Karssemakers. As a result, the Yamaha ace only needed to beat the Dutch rider or finish within 4 points of him to clinch the championship crown.
Despite struggling to find his flow around the hard-packed Afyon circuit on Saturday afternoon, ‘Bona’ remained composed in Race One and completed 15 smooth and consistent laps to finish the race in fourth place, ahead of Karssemakers.
Entering the final race on Sunday morning, Bonacorsi maintained his composure and powered his GYTR-kitted YZ250F to a top-five start. The determined Italian then solidified his position as the championship leader and deserving champion, by making a few brilliant passes to ultimately secure the crown with a stunning race win.
This season marks Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250’s fourth term as Yamaha Motor Europe’s Official EMX250 team, and in those four years, they have celebrated three titles. The team’s winning streak began in 2020 with Thibault Benistant, followed by Rick Elzinga’s triumph in 2022. Now, Andrea Bonacorsi has contributed to their impressive legacy by clinching an incredible title in 2023.Andrea Bonacorsi
European EMX250 Champion
“Today was so good! I struggled a little bit yesterday, but today I felt much better, and I managed to win the championship and the overall. I really need to thank everyone, especially my family who are at home watching on TV, Wim Hutten and the Hutten Metaal Yamaha team, Yamaha Motor Europe, Monster Energy and everyone around me who have made it possible for me to achieve this goal. We finally made it! It’s incredible.”
World title #4 for Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan and Big Van World MTX Kawasaki swept to their fourth victory in six rounds of the 2023 FIM World WMX Women’s Motocross Championship to clinch world title #4 at Afyonkarahisar in Turkey.
The track was saturated from the previous day’s storms and, even though the sun came out just in time for the final moto of the series, conditions were treacherous and non-stop concentration throughout the twenty-minute-plus-two lap race was essential even though the Kiwi needed only to finish seventeenth or better to secure the title. After sitting out the sighting lap to keep her KX250 and riding gear clean Duncan chose the relative safety of gate number one and rounded turn one in third while her sole remaining rival for the crown was stuck in traffic. Wet dirt on a solid clay base made conditions extremely slippery around the entire lap and there was a constant roost from the rear wheel of the bike in front. The champion-to-be showed all her experience to hang back patiently from the two riders ahead of her, keeping her goggles clean to ensure clear vision for as long as possible, but there were still dangers at every turn as the leaders came up on backmarkers within a few laps and even some of the more experienced riders slithered to earth. On lap five of ten the Kawasaki star built a safe pass for second and avoided danger throughout the final laps to clinch world title number four with her fourth GP victory of the season and fourth consecutive victory at the track on the high plateau of Anatolia.
The partnership between Kawasaki Motors Europe, Team Big Van World MTX and the twenty-seven-year-old from Palmerston in the Otaga district of the South Island of New Zealand has been one of outstanding success. In five seasons they have claimed four individual and three manufacturers’ world titles with sixteen GP victories from twenty-five starts and twenty-eight of fifty motos. All these successes were achieved racing the incomparable KX250 identical to the bikes which the public can buy from their local Kawasaki dealer. And the reliability of the KX250 was also emphasised; the only DNF over five seasons was the result of a crash.
Courtney Duncan: « Honestly I was not too stressed today; I knew what I needed to do and I know how to ride mud. Anything can happen in these conditions but I got a good start and just stayed upright. The conditions were difficult and slippery but it was the same for everyone and I ran it home in second; that was enough for the overall victory and the championship. It’s been a really good season with four GP wins and we were really consistent; for sure it’s a challenge when there are such long breaks between some races after you have started to build momentum but we kept our focus. I feel like we definitely stepped it up this year and my Kawasaki never missed a beat. And this title means so much to me; the first one in 2019 was a sigh of relief, getting the monkey off my back, but I got knocked down last year with my injury and I really wanted to raise the bar this year. It took a lot of hard work but my mom’s here this weekend for the first time and to experience one with her is very special so first we’ll enjoy this one and then we’ll start to work for the next one! »
Sixteen-year-old Lotte van Drunen completed the Kawasaki success story as she claimed the WMX world series bronze medal in her rookie season. The Dutch teenager got closed down on the drive to turn one and, her vision already impaired, she fell a few corners later but gritted her teeth to push forward from sixteenth to tenth on the first lap. Opening up a sufficient gap to the closest chasers to ensure that she wouldn’t surrender any positions she pitted for fresh goggles on lap three and with improved vision she was then able to make the passes to claim the eighth place which would give here the thirteen points necessary to convert bronze to silver in the medal chase should her rival fail to finish. Her points rival eventually chased her home in ninth to ensure second in the series but the bronze medal, with a GP win in front of her home fans and four moto victories through the season, is a remarkable achievement in her rookie season.
Lotte van Drunen: « Today wasn’t my day – I crashed in the first few corners and had to go into pit lane for fresh goggles – but it’s been an amazing rookie season with a GP win, three podiums, the red plate and third in the series. I’ve learnt from my mistakes and am already fired up for next season; we’ll be working hard this winter to do even better next term. »
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