Motocross

Hunter Lawrence Focused On The Positive After Tenth At MXGP of France

Posted:

Monday, June 11th, 2018

7:21 PM

Team Honda 114 Motorsports' Hunter Lawrence went 6-13 for 10th overall in his second race back from injury. Photo: @ShotbyBavo

Hunter Lawrence has battled his way to a 10th place overall at round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship in France over the weekend.

After tentative return from injury last week in England, the MXGP of France at the renowned Saint Jean d‰ÛªAngely track was another week that saw the Australian hampered by bad luck and lack of match fitness.

It wasn‰Ûªt an easy track to ride as the hot temperatures and Saturday night thunderstorm combined to leave the track a mix of hard pack and ruts, but Team Honda 114 Motorsports‰Ûª Lawrence showed good speed as he fought through the pack in both races.

He was rewarded with a sixth in race one, but was unable to match it in race two, however he now heads to Italy with a bit more race fitness and a bit more of a feeling of the pace he needs to ride if he is to challenge for the podium spots once again.

"The first moto wasn‰Ûªt great off the start as I crashed because another rider was doing crazy stuff, so I had to regroup from last place after that incident," Lawrence explained.

"I was coming through the pack well though, showing good speed and I got back to sixth. Unfortunately I hit a bit of a wall with about 10 minutes to go, so I had to settle for sixth, which wasn‰Ûªt too bad given the start I had.

"In the second race I was perhaps a bit too impatient and I clashed with another rider on the opening lap again. I fought back to around 10th place and was making a move on the red plate holder Pauls Jonass when I picked a rut that had caved in, and I lost my front wheel and fell over.

"I tried my best to salvage whatever I could get and that ended up being 13th place for 10th overall. I think this weekend was just about positives because I got some more bike fitness but this isn‰Ûªt where I want to be, so I need to keep fighting hard to improve," Lawrence concluded.

Honda Europe Off-Road Manager, Gordon Crockard, added, "Hunter Lawrence showed good speed, even if his results didn‰Ûªt quite reflect the pace that he was running as he charged his way through the field in the first race."

Despite missing half the season so far through injury, Lawrence still sits in a credible 14th in the MX2 standings.

MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 35:58.425
2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:03.573
3. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:05.910
4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:11.808
5. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:15.171
6. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:31.713
7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:57.033
8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +1:00.917
9. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:03.209
10. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +1:09.790

MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:19.853
2. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:03.163
3. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:05.751
4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:12.352
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (RSA, Honda), +0:18.444
6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:22.634
7. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:23.243
8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +0:34.681
9. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:35.047
10. Stephen Rubini (FRA, KTM), +0:47.071
13. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda),

MX2 Overall Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 45 points
2. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 45 Points
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 40 Points
4. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 38 Points
5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 33 Points
6. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 26 Points
7. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 26 Points
8. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 26 Points
9. Calvin Vlaanderen (RSA, HON), 25 Points
10. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 23 Points

MX2 Championship Top Ten:
1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 434 points
2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 418 Points
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 328 Points
4. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 305 Points
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (RSA, HON), 259 Points
6. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 217 Points
7. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 216 Points
8. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 211 Points
9. Henry Jacobi (GER, HUS), 187 Points
10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 187 Points
14 Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 129 Points