Gajser wins Indonesian MXGP qualification

Tim Gajser posted another qualification victory in the hot, sticky conditions at the Palembang track that is hosting the 11^th round of the 2019 world motocross championships. The Team HRC rider once again grabbed the holeshot and pulled out a 10 second laptime which allowed him to cruise to his fifth qualifying race win of the season.

While a rain storm denied him the chance to go for first gate pick in timed practice, Gajser was still able to get his Honda CRF450RW across the holeshot line ahead of the rest of the MXGP field in the qualification race. And as others worked hard to make passes and find alternative lines, the Slovenian rider had a clear track in front of him and could adjust to the conditions without fear of being overtaken. Just like in both motos in Germany, he maintained a solid gap to second place and received the chequered flag to once again to be able to choose the first gate position in tomorrow’s main motos.

For teammate Brian Bogers, a 10^th place finish in the qualification race means that he still has a solid chance to complete his target of two top 10 places in Sunday’s races. He can also feel more confident as he managed to get a good start in today’s race from 11^th gate pick, as he was also affected by the torrential rain that hit the track midway through the MXGP timed practice session. The rain meant that a lot of the track had changed by the time their gate dropped and this caused Bogers a few problems in the early stages of the race. And with the extremely humid conditions making riding a real effort, it will be important that the Dutch rider is able to ride consistently if he wishes to succeed in placing inside the top 10.

The forecast suggests that more rain will hit the track tomorrow, so all the riders will be unsure of what conditions await them, but both Gajser and Bogers looked fast in Palembang and are feeling confident for when the gate drops at 13:15 and 16:10 on Sunday 7^th July.