Solid Finnish qualification for Team HRC duo

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Mitch Evans finished sixth and seventh on this tricky Hyvinkaa track, giving them decent gate-picks for tomorrow’s MXGP of Finland points-scoring races.

The deep sand track had been causing the riders problems all day, with the high temperatures also playing a factor as the world motocross championship returned to Hyvinkaa for the first time in eight years. However, both Honda CRF450R riders acquitted themselves well in timed practice, with Gajser just 0.09 seconds behind first place, and Evans only 0.001 seconds away from lining up next to his teammate.

With second and fourth gate-pick, the pair didn’t get the best of starts but they were able to move inside the top 10 within the first few corners and then started trying to work their way forward from there. Despite having a lot of racing throughout the day, the track was very tight and one-lined for the MXGP class, with passing opportunities at a premium, and as such, the duo couldn’t move through the field as quickly as they would have liked. Instead, as they received the chequered flag, Gajser came through in sixth place, with Evans just behind in seventh.

Knowing that the start will be crucial once again, the aim for the #243 and #43 will be to get out of the gate well and give themselves a chance to fight for the podium spots. Both riders proved they have the speed to win, they just need to be applying that speed nearer the front of this highly competitive MXGP class.

Tomorrow morning, they have a warm-up session, to get used to the track again, before the crucial races begin at 14:10 and 17:15, where Gajser will be aiming to wrap-up his fifth world championship title in just eight years.