Geerts Ends Illustrious MX2 Career with Phenomenal Grand Prix Win as Yamaha Secures Fourth Consecutive MX2 Manufacturer’s World Title 

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts ended an illustrious MX2 career with a thrilling Grand Prix win at the 19th and final round of the series in Matterley Basin, Great Britain. As a result, the Belgian secured this year’s FIM MX2 World Championship silver medal. At the same time, Thibault Benistant ended a challenging season disrupted by injury with a top-five finish at the MX2 Grand Prix of Great Britain, while Rick Elzinga was classified 13th. Thanks to the combined effort of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 trio, Yamaha has successfully defended the Manufacturer’s World Title for a fourth consecutive season.   

Under the bright and sunny skies, the wide and flowing Matterley Basin circuit provided the perfect backdrop for an intense showdown between the three talented riders, Benistant, Geerts and Simon Laengenfelder in Race One. 

When the gates dropped, Benistant and Geerts chased Laengenfelder around turn one, quickly establishing themselves as the frontrunners. All three riders ran a blistering pace, captivating the attention of the crowd as they took the fight for the race win right down to the wire. At the flag, it was Laengenfelder who held on to take the checkers ahead of Benistant and Geerts.

Following the result of Race One, the battle for the silver medal hinged on the outcome of Race Two. Geerts was squeezed off the gate but showed the same grit and determination that has taken him to 55 podiums throughout his incredible MX2 career, as he charged from 10th and past all MX2’s heavy hitters to end the ‘250cc chapter’ of his career with a phenomenal race win. 

At the same time, Benistant started ninth and, despite feeling slightly ‘off’ on the track, still powered back to sixth. 

After missing six rounds of the championship through injury, Benistant ends 2023 ninth in the MX2 Classification. 

Elzinga battled a slight shoulder injury to finish ninth in Race One and 16th in Race Two after a fall and ended his first term in MX2, 10th in the Championship Classification. 

This year, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team celebrated seven Pole Positions, 15 race wins, and 18 podium finishes, of which 10 were Grand Prix victories, to secure Yamaha its fourth consecutive MX2 Manufacturer’s World Title. 

Jago Geerts

MX2 Grand Prix of Great Britain Winner, 45-points

2nd MX2 World Championship, 759-points

“I’m proud of what I did today, and I am proud of my whole season. I came back from two injuries, and it was still a good season for me. This weekend was not easy, but in the end, especially in the second race, I felt good on the bike and on the track and won the second race. It’s nice to end my MX2 career with a win. Now, I’m looking forward to moving to the 450cc, which I will race at the Motocross of Nations, and hopefully, I will have a good season next year.” 

Thibault Benistant

5th MX2 Grand Prix of Great Britain 37-points

9th MX2 World Championship, 533-points

“I could take some positives and some negatives from this weekend. I think I missed some race intensity because of the rounds I missed. But, overall, I had good speed; I just struggled to push at the start of the race. Now, I’m looking forward to building for next season.” 

Rick Elzinga

13th MX2 Grand Prix of Great Britain, 17-points

10th MX2 World Championship, 354-points

“I dislocated my shoulder during the week, so I knew it would be a difficult weekend. In the first moto, I finished ninth, which was not too bad. I struggled to pass because I didn’t want to take any risk with my shoulder being unstable. In Race Two, I had a much better start, but I fell, so I had to come back from dead last. That’s about it. Top-10 in my first season in MX2. It’s something to build on.”

Gajser dominates Great Britain, to end the 2023 MXGP season on a high

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser put his stamp on the 2023 World Motocross Championship by taking a thoroughly impressive one-one GP victory at the final round of the season, at the always amazing Matterley Basin circuit in Great Britain.

Ruben Fernandez also finished the season with a great third place in the second moto, as Team HRC’s Honda CRF450Rs went one and three, further proving the strength and speed that this duo possesses when they are both fit and healthy. A finish which also bodes well for the 2024 campaign, which the pair will now prepare for – after the Motocross of Nations – filled with confidence that they will be challenging right at the sharp end of this highly competitive MXGP class next year.

In race one, both riders rounded the first bend well-placed, with Gajser in third and Fernandez a couple of places behind. They were able to maintain those positions for the early part of the race, before Gajser swooped through into second after a mistake by the rider in front. He then began pressuring the leader for the next 15 minutes, trying everything to make a move, before finally getting the job done just before the two-lap board came out. Unfortunately, a couple of mistakes dropped Fernandez to sixth, but it was still a good ride and he knew he had more to give in race two.

Much like race one, the Team HRC duo swept around the first corner in the top five, ready to try and finish this season on a high. The #243 was especially in no mood to hang around, taking only a couple of laps to move into the lead, and quickly pulling out an unassailable gap, as he put in laptimes over a second faster than anyone else. Gajser eventually took the win by almost six seconds, producing his customary whip as he received the chequered flag.

Behind him, Fernandez was involved in a big dogfight for the other podium spots, and on the final lap, he made his move to get third, and fifth overall. Although he wasn’t on the box, it was still a great display of riding and after his third place in Maggiora last week, he can still be extremely proud of how he finished out the year.

Fernandez ended up in fifth place in the championship with one overall victory at the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina and four visits to the podium, while Gajser made it two GP wins, and three moto first places after his return from injury with eight rounds left of the series.

The pair now have a week off before heading to Ernee in France, for the Motocross of Nations where they will both be hoping to another successful weekend as they represent Spain and Slovenia in the MXGP class at this prestigious event.

Tim Gajser  243

It’s great to finish this season with a victory. It is a massive confidence boost heading into the off-season and also for 2024 so I’m very happy to win and to go one-one and just have fun riding out there. The track was difficult in that second moto, but I enjoyed it once I got out front, got a good gap and could see where the riders behind were behind me. I’d like to thank all my team for all their hard work and all their support when I wasn’t at the races, this victory is down to all of them as well and it is really nice just to leave the last round of the championship with the win.

Ruben Fernandez  70

I’m very happy to get third in that final moto. I kept with the riders in front and just put in consistent laps, trying to keep the tow and not make any mistakes myself. It was difficult early on the race, but to comeback to third, just a second behind second place was proof to myself that I deserved to be there and I’m on the right track to really be amongst the podium spots all the time. I must also say congrats to Tim for winning the GP and to the whole of Team HRC for a great year. We won the first GP and the last GP and had a lot of good moments in between and I really enjoyed working with everyone. The Nations is up next and I’m heading there full of confidence.

Marcus Pereira de Freitas

HRC General Manager – MXGP

Tim proved once again that when he’s riding to his best, absolutely no one can match him. The way he gapped the field in that second moto, when the track was at its hardest was amazing to watch and the one-one is the perfect way to head into this off-season. Also, a big congrats to Ruben for his third in race two and fifth overall, and fifth place in the championship. He has had an impressive year and has a really bright future ahead of him. We are proud of both riders and can’t wait for 2024 to begin. I am also proud of all

Results MXGP Great Britain 2023

1. Tim Gajser (SLO) Honda, 1-1

2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 2-4

3. Romain Febvre (FRA) Kawasaki 5-2

4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Yamaha, 3-5

5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 6-3

Standings MXGP 2023 after 19 of 19 rounds

1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 921 points – Champion

2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 854

3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 759

4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha 695

5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 654

8. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 456

Results MX2 Great Britain 2023

1. Jago Geerts (BEL) Yamaha 3-1

2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS 1-4

3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 4-3

4. Kay de Wolf (NED) Husqvarna 6-2

5. Thibault Benistant (FRA) Yamaha 2-5

6. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 7-5

17. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 17-17

Standings MX2 2023 after 19 of 19 rounds

1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 826 points – Champion

2. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 759

3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER) GASGAS, 755

4. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 734

5. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Husqvarna, 577

14. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 258

Janis Reisulis Crowned EMX125 Champion in Great Britain

MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Reisulis locked up the hotly contested 2023 EMX125 title with an impressive victory in the penultimate race of the season, at Matterley Basin, in Winchester, Great Britain.

Heading into the ninth and final round of the EMX125 Championship, Reisulis held a commanding 37-point lead over his closest championship rival, Mathis Valin. With the odds in his favour, all the Yamaha ace had to do was outperform Valin or finish within 12 points of the Frenchman to secure the prestigious title.

When the gates fell for the penultimate race, Reisulis exuded calm confidence. The 15-year-old Latvian powered his GYTR kitted YZ125 to a top-three start and quickly proved himself as the deserving champion as he charged to the lead and flawlessly led every lap to clinch his maiden EMX title with a dominant race win.

Reisulis’s remarkable 2023 title campaign boasts a 100% podium record, including 11 impressive race wins, five overall victories, and a total of eight podium finishes. His success also marks the second EMX125 title for the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team.

Now crowned champions, Reisulis, Yamaha and the team eagerly anticipate the final race of the season, which will take place tomorrow, Sunday 24th September, at 09:40 (BST).

Janis Reisulis

EMX125 European Motocross Champion

“It’s hard to know what to say in this moment, but it is really amazing to win this title. Sometimes I look like I don’t show much emotion, but on the inside, I am crying. We worked so hard for this, and I cannot thank everybody enough for all the effort they put in. We did it!”

(Source : Yamaha Racing Europe)