Herlings podiums in China MXGP
Words and images courtesy KTM
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing journeyed to a hot and demanding Shanghai for the second-ever Grand Prix of China and to the impressive Shanghai International Off-road Circuit where Jeffrey Herlings jumped back onto the MXGP podium with third overall. In MX2 Andrea Adamo took a top five finish in the condensed event due to weather warnings in the region.
The second MXGP at the Shanghai International Off-road Circuit was reduced to a one-day format due to adverse weather conditions. A typhoon warning in the region obliged qualification and races to be shifted from the Sunday/Monday schedule to just Sunday morning and with a single Free/Timed Practice session to decide the start gate in place of the usual RAM Qualification heat. The site itself is modern and primed for world championship racing and houses a long, quick and hard-pack track featuring a loose and sandy top layer of terrain.
Jeffrey Herlings was the only member of the Red Bull KTM rider roster with experience of the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix but the Dutchman was dealing with painful cracked ribs and the burn to his arm after his crash in Turkey last weekend. Herlings managed P5 in Timed Practice for the gate. In the first MXGP race Herlings moved up from a top six position on the first lap to grab 3rd by the flag. In the second moto he also cautiously built his speed and recovered ground to place 4th and ensured his fourteenth trophy of the campaign.
Herlings is 3rd in the MXGP World Championship and sits 48 points behind new leader Jorge Prado after Tim Gajser had a technical issue in the first moto. He trails Gajser by 41 with a maximum of 60 points up for grabs this season. Herlings has already confirmed a top three ranking for 2024.
Herlings said: “The silly crash in Turkey meant I broke two ribs and although I could ride today it was anything but nice! The championship was out of the picture so I just wanted to do what I could and go home safely. It was short trip and tough for the body but I’m a big fan of the one-day format. It’s been good to come here. It’s a world championship so we should be here and is positive for the brands. It was a good event and the track was nice. My ultimate goal was to finish the season this year and go the whole way for the first time since 2017 without missing one race and we’re almost there.”
In MX2 KTM riders Liam Everts was 3rd quickest while and Andrea Adamo was 8th fastest. Sacha Coenen was forced to miss the long trip east to concentrate further on recovery and rehab from his upper thigh injury.
Everts battled for the top three in the first MX2 moto and was narrowly beaten to the line by championship leader Kay de Wolf. In the second moto he crashed awkwardly after a mid-race tangle and needed hospital treatment for a cervical injury. The extent of the damage and Liam’s planned recouperation will be updated through KTM Factory Racing social media channels. Andrea Adamo was pushing to get away from the gate in P12 but regained positions for a solid 6-5 on the day.
Adamo, 6th and 5th for 5th overall in MX2: “The weekend was OK but the plans changed a lot and the one-day format was strange and meant everyone had to adapt. I prefer the two days and it was hot and a lot to deal with in one morning here. Anyway, not too bad, not amazing and we’ll focus on getting better in Spain and ending the season strongly.”
Everts is 4th in the MX2 table while Adamo holds 6th and Coenen 8th.
* The twentieth and final round of MXGP, the Grand Prix of Castilla la Mancha, will take place at a new Grand Prix venue in Cozar, Spain in two weeks on September 28-29 and for the fourth and last event on the Iberian Peninsula this season. The final MXGP of the year will be followed by the Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin in the UK.
Results MXGP China 2024
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 2-1
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 1-3
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-4
9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA), Husqvarna 9-9
Standings MXGP 2024 after 19 of 20 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 943 points
2. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 936
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 895
12. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA), Husqvarna, 307
Results MX2 China 2024
1. Lucas Coenen (BEL) Husqvarna 1-1
2. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna 3-2
3. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 2-3
5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 6-5
9. Liam Everts (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 4-17
Standings MX2 2024 after 19 of 20 rounds
1. Kay de Wolf (NED) Husqvarna, 915 points
2. Lucas Coenen (BEL) Husqvarna, 879
3. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 811
4. Liam Everts (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 749
6. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 632
8. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 456