Five-time World motocross champion Jeffrey Herlings has won an exciting Saturday MXGP qualification race to add to his Saturday win last weekend as he passed early leader Tim Gajser, who had led from the first corner. The Dutchman made an aggressive pass on the HRC man and Gajser wasn’t able to respond. Gajser finished second and Calvin Vlaanderen third.

Jeffrey Herlings: Last time the heat got me in the second moto so we said let’s not start too crazy and save energy for the end of the moto and that’s what we did, I still feel physically really good. It wasn’t really nice the way I had to pass Tim but the track is really one-lined because it is so flat due to the amount of riders today (not many). So I kind of touched him and I feel bad for that because I am not a racer like this but I had to to it to overtake him. I look forward to tomorrow.

The points gap for the MXGP championship is now Tim Gajser 564pts, Jorge Prado 540pts and Jeffrey Herlings 507pts. Herlings picking up just a single point on Gajser today and three points on Prado.

MXGP Qualifier

Gajser with the lead ahead of Herlings, Vlaanderen, Seewer, Coldenhoff, Prado, Guadagnini, Bonacorsi, Guillod and Gifting 10th. Gajser looking very fast as he got away from Herlings. Prado still in sixth and some five seconds off the leader.

On lap one the lead by Gajser was more than two seconds over Herlings, with Vlaanderen in third, some 3.6 seconds back, then Seewer, and Prado, the Spaniard 6.3 off the leader, then came Coldenhoff, Guadagnini, Bonacorsi, Gifting and Horgmo.

Vlaanderen all over the back wheel of Herlings, but got sideways in a corner and lost ground, Prado closing on the guys in front as he was just 5.7 behind the leader and all over Seewer for fourth place.

Vlaanderen seemingly struggling and making mistakes as he loses Herlings and Seewer was all over him, with Prado not that far back either. Lap five and the lead was 4.4 as Gajser goes for yet another Saturday win. Herlings second ahead of Vlaanderen, then Seewer, Prado, Coldenhoff, Guadagnini, Bonacorsi, Horgmo and Gifting.

Prado moved into fourth place as he passed Seewer and Vlaanderen was again all over Herlings for second place. Gajser 4.6 ahead on lap six. Prado all over the back wheel of Vlaanderen as Herlings has a little bit of room between himself and Vlaanderen.

Eight laps in it was Gajser with a four second lead over Herlings, then Vlaanderen third, followed by Prado, Seewer, Coldenhoff, Guadgnini, Guillod, Bonacorsi and Gifting 10th. Herlings closing up on Gajser as the Dutchman pulls a lap a second quicker than the leader, with three laps remaining. The lead was now 2.4 seconds.

Herlings all over Gajser for the lead as the KTM man really pushing some good laps. Herlings into the lead and he wins the Saturday qualifier. Herlings pushed Gajser aside to take the lead in a rough pass and two laps remaining. Herlings wins from Gajser and Vlaanderen.

MXGP - RAM Qualifying Race - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:22.283; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:01.386; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:04.034; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:06.485; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:07.767; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:28.754; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:32.400; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +0:39.991; 9. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:43.104; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +0:43.908; 11. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:46.217; 12. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:49.697; 13. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:00.334; 14. Yuki Okura (JPN, Honda), +1:23.637; 15. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 16. Lionel Kerhoas (FRA, KTM), -2 lap(s);

Ray Archer image