In hot, dusty conditions, HRC factory rider, Jeffrey Herlings has won the opening MXGP moto, but it wasn’t easy, despite leading the race from the first corner. He had constant pressure from Maxime Renaux and late in the race, Lucas Coenen, who had started around 20th place and made a brilliant charge through the field.

Jeffrey Herlings: Its the most dangerous track I have ever ridden, with the stones and dust. I took the holeshot and won. The start is very important. It is hard with the conditions for the organizers, with the heat and the hard surface.

Lucas Coenen: I was really struggling with the track (on Saturday), and you saw in timed practice, I was 13th quickest. Overall, I was happy with yesterday and today we will tried to make some good lines. On the heat, it depends, you just manage it, but it depends your position on the track, and I think everyone is sprinting from the start to the end.

Championship points are now Lucas Coenen 429 points, Jeffrey Herlings 371pts, Romain Febvre 331pts, Tim Gajser 304pts, Maxime Renaux 290pts.

MXGP Moto One

Herlings with the holeshot, with Vialle second, then Renaux, Vlaanderen, Forato, Oliver, Pancar, Lapucci, Geerts and Nickel 10th. Coenen in 18th and Gajser 16th. Gajser into the mechanics area and last. Herlings and Vialle both charging hard in first and second and Renaux and Vlaanderen trying to stick with them.

Coenen into 10th place and then passed Febvre for ninth spot and Renaux into second place with a nice pass on Vialle. Herlings really pushing, but hard pack specialists, Renaux and Vialle doing their best to stick to the Dutchman’s back wheel. Coenen into eight place, then seventh.

Renaux all over Herlings for the lead with Vialle now four seconds off these two, with Pancar fifth, then Adamo, Coenen, Oliver, Forato, and Febvre 10th. Coenen moved past Adamo for sixth place and showing great speed in these tough conditions. Coenen then into fifth place with a pass on Pancar.

Coenen even in a chance to win this moto if he keeps making up ground like he is today. Only 10 seconds off Herlings, who continued to lead and extended his lead over Renaux to two seconds. Coenen on the back wheel of Vialle for fourth place. Coenen into fourth spot and now just eight seconds off the lead of Herlings.

Coenen into third place and now 7.4 behind Herlings, but with 12 minutes and two laps remaining, a moto win looks very possible. On lap ninth, it was Herlings with 1.6 seconds over Renaux, with Coenen seven seconds back, then Vlaanderen, Vialle, Pancar, Adamo, Febvre, Forato and Oliver.

Lap 11 and the lead by Herlings over Renaux was two seconds, but Coenen was catching the Frenchman and just four seconds off the second placed man. Vlaanderen was 13 seconds back, and Vialle 14 seconds off Herlings lead.

Coenen seemingly had enough of his charge, as the gap remained five seconds between himself and Herlings. Maybe just taking a small breather, before making a final charge in the final laps. Coenen suddenly dropped the hammer and just 3.5 behind Herlings.

Drama as lappers getting in the way of the top three, and both Renaux and Coenen closing in on Herlings lead. Three laps remaining and the top three are close, but Herlings seemingly has this under control. Renaux in deep trouble with Coenen on his back wheel.

Herlings lead over Renaux was three seconds, with Coenen 3.5 back, then Vlaanderen, Vialle, Adamo, Febvre, Pancar, Forato, and Jonass 10th. Herlings wins it just from Renaux and Coenen.

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 1 - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), 33:57.754; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:01.384; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:02.949; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:17.603; 5. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +0:19.324; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.057; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:33.720; 8. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:44.597; 9. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +0:48.005; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:59.290; 11. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:02.227; 12. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), +1:02.898; 13. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +1:03.792; 14. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:11.004; 15. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Honda), +1:29.391; 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, Kawasaki), +1:37.034; 17. Romain Pape (FRA, Yamaha), +1:46.039; 18. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA, Honda), +1:54.911; 19. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 21. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Alessandro Valeri (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 24. Federico Tuani (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 25. Cameron Anthony Durow (RSA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 26. Leopold Ambjörnson (SWE, Honda), -1 lap(s); 27. Luca Cardaccia (ITA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 28. Lorenzo Albieri (ITA, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 29. Theo Praun (GER, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 30. Matteo Puccinelli (ITA, Honda), -4 lap(s); 31. Emanuele Alberio (ITA, Husqvarna), -12 lap(s); 32. Cato Nickel (GER, Honda), -16 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 429 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 371 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 331 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 304 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 290 p.; 6. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 273 p.; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 263 p.; 8. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 255 p.; 9. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 237 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 187 p.; 11. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 166 p.; 12. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 162 p.; 13. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 136 p.; 14. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 130 p.; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 105 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 74 p.; 17. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 72 p.; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 69 p.; 19. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 57 p.; 20. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 50 p.; 21. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, DUC), 41 p.; 22. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 40 p.; 23. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 34 p.; 24. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 25 p.; 25. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, YAM), 22 p.; 26. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 21 p.; 27. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), 17 p.; 28. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 14 p.; 29. Kevin Brumann (SUI, HUS), 9 p.; 30. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 9 p.; 31. Enzo Lopes (BRA, HON), 7 p.; 32. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, HON), 6 p.; 33. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KAW), 5 p.; 34. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 5 p.; 35. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 5 p.; 36. Joaquin Poli (ARG, KAW), 5 p.; 37. Romain Pape (FRA, YAM), 4 p.; 38. Markuss Kokins (LAT, GAS), 4 p.; 39. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 3 p.; 40. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA, HON), 3 p.; 41. Brian Hsu (GER, HON), 3 p.; 42. Lars van Berkel (NED, FAN), 3 p.; 43. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 2 p.; 44. Erki Kahro (EST, KTM), 2 p.; 45. Bogdan Krajewski (FRA, YAM), 1 p.; 46. Filip Olsson (SWE, HON), 1 p.;