Solid podium for Gajser in Turkiye as Zanchi grabs a holeshot

MXGP

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser followed up his MXGP of Turkiye qualification win, with a solid second overall in today’s two motos. The Slovenian rider went four-two in tricky conditions at the Afyon circuit and now leads the 2024 MXGP Championship by 14 points with two rounds remaining. Teammate Ruben Fernandez rode better than his 10^th overall suggests and the pair now head to China motivated to improve upon today’s results.

For Gajser, that means aiming for another victory after coming up just short over the course of these two races in Turkiye. Line choice was at a premium on a pretty one-lined track and although the Honda CRF450R rider was able to get out of the gate well, he wasn’t quite able to capitalise on that to maximum effect and instead had to settle for 40 points in this 18^th round of the championship.

The penultimate round of the series is next weekend as the series returns to China after a five-year hiatus, where Gajser will be looking for a higher points tally to take to the final round of the campaign, which once again sees the rider’s line-up for a third time in Spain.

That is a round that Fernandez is looking forward to, as he continues his road to recovery after missing the majority of this year. After a fifth in qualification, he was running in sixth until the very last lap of the first moto, when a small crash dropped him down to ninth. He wasn’t quite able to bring the same speed into race two and had to settle for crossing the line in 12^th place, but it was another couple of motos under his belt and it brings him closer to where he wants to be.

MX2
Ferruccio Zanchi powered his Honda CRF250R around the first turn in first position in race one of the MXGP of Turkiye, grabbing the holeshot in a great moment for the MX2 rider. At over 1000m elevation, every ounce of horsepower is important and Zanchi proved that all the work done by Team HRC was worthwhile as he took the early lead. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to hold off the competition for long, and then one of the riders who passed him, crashed right in front of the #73 and he joined that rider on the dirt. Remounting near the back of the field, he charged through to 11^th but then a small mistake near the end meant he crossed the line in 17^th.

Moto two was a lot less eventful as he stayed around the top 10 for the entirety of the moto, receiving the chequered flag in 10^th place, to end the weekend in 14^th overall. It wasn’t what he wanted but this was another good moment for the youngster and should give him more confidence for the final two rounds of the season.

Race 1
1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), 34:49.525; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:05.288; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:42.197; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:52.862; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:55.253; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:55.458; 7. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +1:00.815; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:07.687; 9. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +1:11.514; 10. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:16.808;… 17. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s);

Race 2
1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), 34:23.346; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:03.990; 3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:10.281; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:11.457; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:11.835; 6. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:25.495; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:26.490; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:27.617; 9. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:43.661; 10. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +0:44.817;

Overall
1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 50 points; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 40 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 40 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 35 p.; 6. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 27 p.; 9. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 26 p.; 10. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 20 p.;… 14. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 15 p.;