Gajser starts off season with solid podium in Argentina

Honda HRC’s Tim Gajser kicked off his 2025 MXGP campaign with two solid motos, backing up his third yesterday with another pair of thirds today, for third step on the MXGP of Argentina podium.

Taking place for the first time at a new venue in Cordoba, rain hit the track hard overnight in a heavy thunderstorm, which persisted during the morning, stopping just before the MXGP riders took to the track for the first moto. Having third gate-pick, Gajser was well-placed to try and challenge the top two, but unfortunately, he wasn’t able to navigate the first few turns as well as he normally does and had to fight his way through the field in both motos. Each time he did so, the leader(s) had already pulled away by the time he was in third and despite closing right up in the final stages, he had to settle for forty points from today’s proceedings.

Fellow Honda CRF450R rider Ruben Fernandez also struggled to get out of the gate well, getting caught up with a rider in the second turn in the second race and only being able to remount in dead last. The Spaniard did well to charge through to 13^th place on a track that wasn’t easy to pass on, salvaging 10^th overall after a solid ninth in the first moto. He’ll be hoping to put on a better showing at his home GP in Cozar, Spain next time out.

In the MX2 class, Valerio Lata began his Honda career with decent opener, riding better than his results suggest. A seventh in race one, when the track was still muddy was a good beginning, and then in race two he roared out of the gate on his Honda CRF250R to battle inside the top two for the first five laps. He wasn’t able to hold onto that position and slipped down the field, but ninth overall is still a nice debut for the Italian rookie.

After having to pullout of the MX2 qualification race yesterday, Ferruccio Zanchi was always going to struggle to make an impact in today’s races purely because of the last gate-pick that he was having to deal with. However, in both races he fought hard for the duration of both races, making a number of passes – especially in race one – to finish the day 16^th overall after a pair of 15^th place finishes.

There is definitely more to come from all four riders and they’ll be given the opportunity to prove that on March 15-16 when the second round of the 2025 MXGP World Championships take place in Cozar, Spain, a couple of hours south-east of Madrid.

MX2 Race 1
1. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), 35:16.483; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:08.992; 3. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), +0:30.085; 4. David Braceras (ESP, Honda), +0:53.078; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:54.343; 6. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:56.987; 7. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:00.823; 8. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:06.366; 9. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +1:07.114; 10. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:26.340;… 15. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s);

MX2 Race 2
1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:07.634; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:14.680; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:27.725; 4. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.840; 5. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:35.819; 6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:39.702; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:42.669; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:42.972; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:47.213; 10. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:57.719;… 12. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:05.080; … 15. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +1:37.164; 

GP Classification
1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 41 points; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 37 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 37 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 33 p.; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 29 p.; 6. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 25 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 23 p.; 9. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 23 p.; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 22 p.; …  16. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 12 p.;

MX2 Championship
1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 49 points; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 46 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 44 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 36 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 29 p.; 7. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 27 p.; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 26 p.; 10. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 25 p.; … 12. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 23 p.; … 17. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 12 p.;