Motocross

Hunter Lawrence Podiums at Swiss MXGP

Posted:

Monday, August 20th, 2018

10:15 AM

Hunter Lawrence was in good form all weekend, setting the fastest lap in practice and qualifying second fastest. Photo: Bavo

Team Honda 114 Motorsports‰Ûª Hunter Lawrence has returned to the podium at the 16th round of the 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship, with was his best performance since his mid-season injury problems.

Lawrence was in form from the start fo the weekend setting the fastest practice time and then finishing second in Saturday's MX2 qualifying race.

After a hard-fought fifth in the first moto, Lawrence got a much better start in race two and was able to work his way to the front much quicker which resulted a third place in the moto and third place overall.

After an injury-hit campaign, it was a good showing from the Australian rider and one that he will hopefully build upon in the remaining four rounds.

For the first time in a long time Hunter Lawrence rode injury free and as a result landed on the podium. Photo: Bavo

"It was a good weekend right from the start when I set the fastest lap in free practice. I also led the qualification race for a few laps which was cool and nice to be out front again," Lawrence recalled.

"Then in the first moto, I didn‰Ûªt get a great start, coming around the second turn in about 12th position, but I worked my way through to fifth, however by that time the front guys were gone and I couldn‰Ûªt catch them.

"The second moto had a bit of a better start and like the first race I went to work right away and made as many passes as I could. I found myself behind Vlaanderen for a good amount of the moto, but eventually made a pass on him to get third. This was good enough to land myself on the podium which I‰Ûªm really happy about. A five-three isn‰Ûªt too bad, especially as this is probably the first race that I‰Ûªm feeling close to 100%. It‰Ûªs good to be back!" Lawrence concluded.

As a result of his good result the Queenslander has just scraped back into the top ten in the championship standings. Photo: Bavo

Honda Europe Off-Road Manager, Gordon Crockard, was happy to see Lawrence regain form.

"He really showed his class over the entire weekend, with fastest times in some sessions and also second place in the qualification race, after leading a good portion of the moto until a small mistake cost him the win. It was good to see him back on the box." Crockard said.

The Swiss MXGP podium sees the young Queenslander scrape back into the top ten in the championship standings

Lawrence will be back on track next weekend (25-26 August) as the seventeenth round of the championship will be contested at Sevlievo in Bulgaria.

MX2 Results:

MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 35:26.036
2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:05.197
3. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:12.769
4. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, Yamaha), +0:16.499
5. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:19.838
6. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:40.346
7. Stephen Rubini (FRA, KTM), +0:56.347
8. Marshal Weltin (USA, Kawasaki), +0:59.004
9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +1:03.162
10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:21.726

MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 35:10.156
2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:04.721
3. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:10.128
4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:15.833
5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:18.773
6. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:20.291
7. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:26.271
8. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, Yamaha), +0:49.115
9. Marshal Weltin (USA, Kawasaki), +0:51.889
10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +0:52.247

MX2 Overall Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 47 points
2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 47 points
3. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 36 points
4. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 35 points
5. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, YAM), 31 points
6. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 29 points
7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 27 points
8. Marshal Weltin (USA, KAW), 25 points
9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 23 points
10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 18 points

MX2 Championship Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 692 points
2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 664 points
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 519 points
4. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 482 points
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 462 points
6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 452 points
7. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 346 points
8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 314 points
9. Henry Jacobi (GER, HUS), 278 points
10. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 229 points