Motocross

Gajser and Prado set up race day with qualification victories at MXGP of Italy

Posted:

Sunday, August 18th, 2019

11:20 AM

Needing just 13 points in the first moto of to secure the 2019 MXGP world championship, Gajser put himself in prime position to accomplish that feat with an impressive victory in MX1 qualifying .

Team HRC‰Ûªs Tim Gasjer recorded another qualification race win to take first pick at the MXGP of Italy, taking another step towards his goal of a third world title while Jorge Prado did the same in MX2.

Needing just 13 points in the first moto of to secure the 2019 MXGP world championship, Gajser put himself in prime position to accomplish that feat with an impressive victory in qualifying on the hard pack Imola circuit. He stalked the leader for two thirds of the race before pouncing on a mistake and then stretching out a comfortable gap as he took the chequered flag in first place. Cheered on by a large number of Slovenian fans, the Honda CRF450RW rider showed why he leads the championship by 187 points, as he also posted the fastest laptimes in free and timed practice.

When the gate fell on the MX1 race ot was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team‰Ûªs Romain Febvre that led the from Gajser, Gebben Van Venrooy, Alessandro Lupino, Tommy Searle, Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP‰Ûªs Gautier Paulin, Ivo Monticelli, Max Anstie, Pauls Jonass, Volodymyr Tarasov, and Samuele Bernardini in 10th.

Glenn Coldenhoff showed impressive speed in MX1 to finish second.

After a lap the lead was less than a second, and Monticelli moved into third place, ahead of Jonass and Paulin. Febvre and Gajser remained close going into the fourth lap and Gajser clocked the quickest lap of the race. Coldenhoff made it for fifth place, with Anstie sixth and Searle losing places fast in 10th place.

On lap five Gajser took the lead, but Febvre quickly repassed and managed to be back in front. Behind them were Monticelli, Coldenhoff, and Jonass. After eight laps Gajser went for another charge towards Febvre and closed right up to his back wheel, the Slovenian moved into the lead but once again Febvre charged Gajser and made it for first. Back in the pack Seewer was charging Paulin and he managed to go through.

Febvre made a mistake and Gajser passed him while Monticelli moved into second place for a moment and Gajser pulled to nearly three seconds away from those two. Soon after Coldenhoff also started pushing Febvre and moved past on lap 10.

Italian Ivo Monticelli was third fastest in MX1 in front of his home fans.

Coldenhoff, who is in great form at the moment, moved into second place, relegating Monticelli to third, then came Febvre and Anstie. Gajser went on to win his sixth qualifying race of the season from Coldenhoff and Italian sensation Ivo Monticelli.

Alessandro Lupino had a good start but he could not finish the race due to issues on his exhaust pipe.

"Today was a good day, with a good result in front of a large number of Slovenian fans," Gasjer said. "I didn‰Ûªt quite get the holeshot which meant I spent a lot of time in second place looking for the pass to take me into the lead. Eventually, near the end of the race I made it stick and I was able to make a little gap and take the win. The track was quite difficult with some sketchy parts but overall I had a good feeling and I‰Ûªm very much looking forward to the races tomorrow."

Jorge Prado added another qualifying win to his huge haul this season.

Spaniard Jorge Prado led the MX2 qualifying race early from Jacobi, Nicholas Lapucci, Darian Sanayei, Honda 114 Motorsports‰Ûª Zach Pichon, Joakin Furbetta, Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha Official MX2‰Ûªs Jago Geerts, Honda 114 Motorsports‰Ûª Mitchell Evans, Thomas Kjer Olsen and Tom Vialle in 10th. After a lap Prado was more than two seconds ahead of Jacobi, with Lapucci still in third, followed by Sanayei, Pichon, Geerts, Vialle, Olsen, Furbetta and Honda Redmoto Assomotor‰Ûªs Mathys Boisrame in 10th. Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha Official MX2‰Ûªs Ben Watson was 11th, Evans had dropped to 13th, Team HRC Calvin Vlaanderen was 14th.

Olsen was on the move as he passed Geerts and Pichon to get into sixth and Pichon dropped back to eight position. Vialle made a mistake and crashed, then lost three positions as he struggled to remount. Geerts and Olsen were battling for fifth position as they swapped places while Vlaanderen, Evans and Sterry fought to get inside the top ten.

Henry Jacobi was second fastest in MX2

On Lap five Geerts went down and dropped to 10th, Vlaanderen moved into ninth place, and Maxime Renaux was up to seventh.

After six laps the lead was 13 seconds between Prado and Jacobi, and Sanayei moved into third place with Olsen fourth and Lapucci relegated to fifth position. Prado extended his lead to 19 seconds on lap nine and Olsen moved into third place, with Vlaanderen up to seventh, and the top ten was Prado, Jacobi, Olsen, Sanayei, Lapucci, Vlaanderen, Renaux, Geerts, Watson in 10th. Prado won his 11th Qualifying race after leading the whole race from Jacobi, Olsen, Sanayei and Vialle in fifth place.

‰ÛÏGood qualifying race in Imola, I led all of the laps,I hit my hand on one of the banks twice but I feel good now with no pain. I had good speed and I really enjoyed the race," Prado said.

Thomas Kjer Olsen

MXGP - Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 24:46.048
2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:03.653
3. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +0:05.396
4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:06.791
5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:09.631
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:11.601
7. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), +0:25.225
8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:27.267
9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:28.224
10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:28.987

MX2 - Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 23:30.524
2. Henry Jacobi (GER, Kawasaki), +0:15.300
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:17.217
4. Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +0:19.640
5. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:21.213
6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:22.258
7. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, KTM), +0:25.071
8. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:25.909
9. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:27.030
10. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:27.669