Gajser solid third in Argentinian qualification opener

Honda HRC’s Tim Gajser started off the 2025 MXGP World Championships with a solid third place finish in the Saturday qualification at the brand-new, impressive Cordoba circuit in Argentina.

Posting the fastest time in free practice was a great start to the day for the Honda CRF450R rider, and he backed it up in the timed session by placing second. This gave him a great chance in the qualification race and utilising the good gate-pick, he was quickly into second place. After pressuring the leader in the opening laps, he made a couple of small errors that allowed the third-placed rider to overtake him and from there he just settled into a solid-pace that enabled to come home in a comfortable third position.

Things didn’t quite so smoothly for fellow CRF450R rider Ruben Fernandez, with the Spaniard picking up one point after battling through after an easy crash when in fifth, ruined his chance of fighting nearer the front of the pack. A fourth place in the timed practice was a better representation of his speed and he’ll be looking to show that off in the two GP-scoring races tomorrow.

It was a tough day in the office for the Honda HRC duo of Ferruccio Zanchi and Valerio Lata as they both suffered falls in the qualifying race at the end of the day, after both posting good laps in timed practice. Lata fell in the second turn, when well-placed and remounted well down the field. He eventually got back to 16^th, but it wasn’t what he hoped for on his Honda HRC debut.

Zanchi survived all the chaos on the opening laps, but while moving himself into the top 10, he veered slightly off-track and had a fall. Unfortunately, this forced the young Italian to pull out of the race, but he should be fine for tomorrow where he’ll be lining up on the outside of the starting gate.

Overall, a tough beginning to the season, but one that can be built upon, and all four riders will be hoping for more when they line up for the two motos tomorrow.

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SUNDAY SCHEDULE: 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

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MX2 Qualifying Race
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 24:03.631; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:04.538; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:10.739; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:12.727; 5. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:16.989; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:24.857; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:28.854; 8. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:34.032; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:37.426; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), +0:48.006;… 16. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:13.225; 30. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), -8 lap(s);