Red-plate for Gajser after strong performance in Portuguese mud
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser took over the lead in the 2024 MXGP World Championship after one-ten results in treacherous conditions at the Agueda track in Portugal sees him leave this weekend with a 14-point advantage over his nearest competitor.
After taking the qualification race victory yesterday, Gajser used the first gate-pick with maximum effect by taking his first holeshot of the season on the extremely muddy circuit. With the rain falling heavily throughout the moto, Gajser fought hard for every inch, balancing attack and defence, whilst also fighting the mud. In the end he was able to pull out a comfortable win as the track took a number of victims, moving him into a virtual red-plate situation as the points-tally was totalled after the first moto.
Once again, he got a great start in the second moto but as he neared the holeshot line, he slid out in the slippery mud and narrowly avoided getting hit by the rest of the field as they went through. He remounted in last place and then set about trying to dice his way through the field in what were still treacherous conditions. By the end of the first full lap, he had made his way up to 13th, but the risk factor is always high when making passes in the deep mud and unfortunately an off-track excursion cost him a few of spots on lap three. He wasn’t deterred though, gradually moving through the field to get all the way up to 10th by the time he crossed for the chequered flag.
This gave him 36 points from the two motos, which was enough for third spot on the podium – continuing his 100% podium record – and also completed a 27-point swing over the course of the weekend to move the Slovenian 14 points clear at the head of this extremely competitive MXGP title battle. The #243 doesn’t have long to recover from the ordeals of this gruelling event though, because up next is a new round at the Lugo circuit in Spain this coming weekend on May 11-12.
Tim Gajser 243
Of course it is great to get the red-plate after all the work we’ve put in. Even getting the podium position after that second moto was a surprise but those conditions it can be a lottery. I made far too many mistakes, which is frustrating as I had a really good start before that first mistake and from there on it was just survival. It was also a shame because the first moto was a really good one for me. I got the holeshot and had a good battle for the lead and eventually won in really difficult conditions. Overall though, to get on the podium, winning two of the three motos over the weekend and to get the red-plate I have to be happy with that.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
Leaving Portugal with the red-plate is a big step for us and it was great for Tim to take the first moto win today and to do it after the holeshot as well. We did a lot of work after Trentino and to see that pay-off this weekend was amazing. With these conditions, it is never easy and the second moto proved that, but it is nice to keep his podium-streak alive and to take the red-plate into Spain next weekend, where hopefully the weather will be a bit better.
Race 1
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Points | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gajser Tim | 243 | SLO | 25 | Team HRC - MXGP | Honda | 36:39.323 |
2 | Jonass Pauls | 41 | LAT | 22 | Standing Construct Honda MXGP | Honda | 0:43.860 |
3 | Febvre Romain | 3 | FRA | 20 | Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP | Kawasaki | 1:13.584 |
4 | Coldenhoff Glenn | 259 | NDL | 18 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic | 2:31.670 |
5 | Bogers Brian | 189 | NDL | 16 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic | 2:34.973 |
6 | Bonacorsi Andrea | 132 | ITA | 15 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha | 3:40.726 |
7 | Watson Ben | 919 | GBR | 14 | MRT Racing Team Beta | Beta | 1 Lap |
8 | Gifting Isak | 517 | SWE | 13 | JK Racing Yamaha Active | Yamaha | 1 Lap |
9 | Pancar Jan | 253 | SLO | 12 | TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team | KTM | 1 Lap |
10 | Horgmo Kevin | 24 | NOR | 11 | Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz | Honda | 1 Lap |
11 | Östlund Alvin | SWE | 10 | 1 Lap | |||
12 | Tondel Cornelius | 17 | NOR | 9 | Schmicker Racing | KTM | 1 Lap |
13 | Sterry Adam | GBR | 8 | 1 Lap | |||
14 | Edberg Tim | 37 | SWE | 7 | JM Honda Racing | Honda | 1 Lap |
15 | Prado Garcia Jorge | 1 | SPA | 6 | Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing | GasGas | 1 Lap |
16 | Paturel Benoit | FRA | 5 | 1 Lap | |||
17 | Guadagnini Mattia | 101 | ITA | 4 | Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | 1 Lap |
18 | Guillod Valentin | 92 | SWI | 3 | Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz | Honda | 1 Lap |
19 | Nagy Anton | 60 | SWE | 2 | Wildcard Rider | Yamaha | 1 Lap |
20 | Vlaanderen Calvin | 10 | NDL | 1 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha | 1 Lap |
Race 2
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Points | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Herlings Jeffrey | 84 | NDL | 25 | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 38:10.525 |
2 | Jonass Pauls | 41 | LAT | 22 | Standing Construct Honda MXGP | Honda | 0:23.566 |
3 | Tondel Cornelius | 17 | NOR | 20 | Schmicker Racing | KTM | 0:26.802 |
4 | Febvre Romain | 3 | FRA | 18 | Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP | Kawasaki | 0:41.415 |
5 | Seewer Jeremy | 91 | SWI | 16 | Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP | Kawasaki | 1:27.318 |
6 | Horgmo Kevin | 24 | NOR | 15 | Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz | Honda | 1:36.669 |
7 | Bogers Brian | 189 | NDL | 14 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic | 1:59.540 |
8 | Bonacorsi Andrea | 132 | ITA | 13 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha | 2:09.959 |
9 | Vlaanderen Calvin | 10 | NDL | 12 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha | 2:14.879 |
10 | Gajser Tim | 243 | SLO | 11 | Team HRC - MXGP | Honda | 2:37.624 |
11 | Östlund Alvin | SWE | 10 | 2:38.790 | |||
12 | Prado Garcia Jorge | 1 | SPA | 9 | Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing | GasGas | 1 Lap |
13 | Coldenhoff Glenn | 259 | NDL | 8 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic | 1 Lap |
14 | Guadagnini Mattia | 101 | ITA | 7 | Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | 1 Lap |
15 | Gilbert Josh | 326 | GBR | 6 | Gabriel SS24 KTM | KTM | 1 Lap |
16 | Pancar Jan | 253 | SLO | 5 | TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team | KTM | 1 Lap |
17 | Edberg Tim | 37 | SWE | 4 | JM Honda Racing | Honda | 1 Lap |
18 | Paturel Benoit | FRA | 3 | 1 Lap | |||
19 | Monticelli Ivo | 128 | ITA | 2 | MRT Racing Team Beta | Beta | 1 Lap |
20 | Nagy Anton | 60 | SWE | 1 | Wildcard Rider | Yamaha | 1 Lap |
Rider standings
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Points | Team | Constructor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gajser Tim | 243 | SLO | 252 | Team HRC - MXGP | Honda |
2 | Prado Garcia Jorge | 1 | SPA | 238 | Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing | GasGas |
3 | Febvre Romain | 3 | FRA | 220 | Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP | Kawasaki |
4 | Herlings Jeffrey | 84 | NDL | 198 | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM |
5 | Jonass Pauls | 41 | LAT | 192 | Standing Construct Honda MXGP | Honda |
6 | Seewer Jeremy | 91 | SWI | 157 | Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP | Kawasaki |
7 | Vlaanderen Calvin | 10 | NDL | 151 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha |
8 | Coldenhoff Glenn | 259 | NDL | 149 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic |
9 | Horgmo Kevin | 24 | NOR | 108 | Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz | Honda |
10 | Watson Ben | 919 | GBR | 92 | MRT Racing Team Beta | Beta |
11 | Guillod Valentin | 92 | SWI | 91 | Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz | Honda |
12 | Tondel Cornelius | 17 | NOR | 74 | Schmicker Racing | KTM |
13 | Bogers Brian | 189 | NDL | 68 | Fantic Factory Racing MXGP | Fantic |
14 | Renaux Maxime | 959 | FRA | 63 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha |
15 | Gifting Isak | 517 | SWE | 60 | JK Racing Yamaha Active | Yamaha |
16 | Pancar Jan | 253 | SLO | 54 | TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team | KTM |
17 | Östlund Alvin | SWE | 48 | |||
18 | Monticelli Ivo | 128 | ITA | 40 | MRT Racing Team Beta | Beta |
19 | Koch Tom | GER | 40 | |||
20 | Paturel Benoit | FRA | 35 | |||
21 | Bonacorsi Andrea | 132 | ITA | 28 | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | Yamaha |
22 | Spies Maximillian | GER | 27 | |||
23 | Sterry Adam | GBR | 20 | |||
24 | Edberg Tim | 37 | SWE | 13 | JM Honda Racing | Honda |
25 | Guadagnini Mattia | 101 | ITA | 11 | Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna |
26 | Haavisto Jere | FIN | 8 | |||
27 | Brumann Kevin | 87 | SWI | 7 | SixtySeven Racing Team | Husqvarna |
28 | Scuteri Emilio | 228 | ITA | 6 | Wildcard Rider | Honda |
29 | Gilbert Josh | 326 | GBR | 6 | Gabriel SS24 KTM | KTM |
30 | Kellet Todd | GBR | 5 | |||
31 | Valentin Ander | SPA | 5 | |||
32 | Van Berkel Lars | NDL | 5 | |||
33 | Cordovez Miguel | ECU | 4 | |||
34 | Aparecido dos Santos Fabio | 238 | BRA | 3 | Wildcard Rider | Yamaha |
35 | Nagy Anton | 60 | SWE | 3 | Wildcard Rider | Yamaha |
36 | Rolando Nicolas | URU | 2 | |||
37 | Benenaula Andres | ECU | 1 | |||
38 | Villaronga Sergio | CHI | 1 | |||
39 | van de Moosdijk Roan | 39 | NDL | 0 | Team HRC - MXGP | Honda |
Location Information
Agueda, Portugal - View in Google Maps