The 2021 MXGP championship is up and running and defending champion Tim Gajser wrote another chapter in his already impressive career. A 1-1 performance and as many legends do, had a ride for the ages in that second moto, when he came from near dead last to win the moto easily.

We decided to do something a little different this year, and have a regular ranking feature, something to give you an idea how the competitors size up throughout the year and then add those ranking points up after each round and see who wins the MXLarge Rankings of 2021. So here goes, the first MXGP rankings of 2021.

10 Points - Tim Gajser: You have to give him a 10, because the way he put his Sunday together was massively impressive and you know his competition are now working even harder to get to the level of the champion. A first moto control job, where he jumped into the lead after starting around fourth and won easily, and then that second race charge, that reminded me a lot of the Antonio Cairoli performance in Trentino a few years ago, but I still think this Gajser performance is one of the best race chargers I have EVER seen. He wasn’t the quickest in qualification, but his smooth, silky riding in the two motos made sure we don’t forget this performance in a long time.

8 Points – Jeffrey Herlings: 4-2 and second placed man Jeffrey Herlings wasn’t his normal impressive self, but he has had these types of performances in the past and the bad news for many of his competition, you know he is burning up inside and the motivation and drive to win again is probably stronger than ever. I think we all had an inkling that he is struggling a little after his less than dominant pre-season victories. He was quickest in morning qualification, despite not looking the quickest, and as is often the case when “The Bullet” is starting a season, he is building confidence and speed. He did get a holeshot in the second race, but he crashed in the first race and then made a mistake in the second and he had no answer for the red bullet of the Slovenian. I imagine we see a very different Dutchmen in England next week.

7 Points – Romain Febvre: Always near the front, but not close enough to have a shot at the GP victory. The Frenchman has the potential to beat anyone in the MXGP class and if he can build some confidence with a few top three finishes, then he might just join Gajser and Herlings at the front and become a GP winner again. On a circuit that suits the French he had some messy moments, a crash and some wild riding, but a podium in round one is probably right where he wants to be going into round two, a circuit that he likes, despite his big crash there a handful of years ago.

7 Points – Antonio Cairoli: I know he didn’t finish fourth, but WOW, I mean at one point he was leading the GP and looking solid, and after pulling out of the pre-season race in Italy a week ago, you felt he wasn’t going to be strong enough, but as always, Tony proved us all wrong and looks brilliant. Often as fast starter in the season opening, having finished on the podium in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, but this year that big crash cost him big time. Again, a rider who loves Matterley Basin, and I am thinking we see a Gajser vs Herlings vs Cairoli battle in England and it might just be another of those classic MXGP races we see a lot but can never get used to. The biggest problem for Cairoli after just one round he is 30 points back from Gajser and 20 points back from Herlings, that isn’t good news.

7 Points – Thomas Olsen: On his debut GP in the MXGP class, he probably deserves more than a 7, but for now, lets give him that. He was never battling the front guys, but he was always a top ten guy and that in itself was impressive. His pre-season was mixed with average or below average performances, and I think most people expected him to struggle in the opener. I can’t wait to see how far he can go in the class and how quickly a podium finish will arrive.

7 Points - Alessandro Lupino: Another Italian showing brilliance and while he never looked like being a GP winner, the fact the quietly spoken Lupino finished fourth in this field of riders is just amazing and in a privateer team (the only privateer inside the top ten). He didn’t show much in his AMA National performance, although he was riding a bike that just wasn’t prepared to his liking and that never helps when you are travelling across the Atlantic. Now back on his GP bike (with possible some factory parts???), the good friend of Antonio Cairoli might just finish top five a few times in 2021.

6 Points – Jeremy Seewer: I don’t know why, but despite his fifth-place finish and 31 points, Seewer was one of the most disappointing things about the weekend. I don’t mean that to disrespect the always happy and friendly Yamaha rider, but maybe on this circuit, I saw him as a possible GP winner, and he never looked anything like what most of us expected. Still, he came out healthy on a circuit that can take prisoners and you have to feel he will be making podium finishes sooner than later.

5 Points – Jorge Prado: A lot of people see him as the immediate future, but I think like Ricky Carmichael in his first couple of AMA 250 seasons, it might take a little longer than people expected. I think once he gets the grips with controlling his emotions (he mentioned he was struggling with nerves), he might start winning some GPs, but what he showed us in Russia was disappointing, more so for him than for us. I don’t think he is a match for Gajser or Herlings yet, but I do think he has two or three GP wins in him in 2021. When they come, I am not sure, but after starting well and making mistakes, you got the feeling it might take a little longer than we expected.

5 Points – Pauls Jonass: Another who could have easily finished on the podium with a little luck. Jonass showed in the second race what he is capable of, and the former World MX2 champion might have finished in 8^th overall alongside Antonio Cairoli, but he deserved at least a top five result. His performances have been riddled by many injuries and I just hope the friendly Latvian can build something and show us his best, because I think his best can see him win GPs, even in this, the toughest motocross series in the World.

5 Points – Jeremy Van Horebeek: Yes, on a Beta he finished 9^th overall, and that was pretty special for another of the veterans inside the top ten. The Belgian rider put together 11-11, and on this new bike, in a class of factory machines, he should be commended for his resilience and desire to remain a top ten guy.

Bavo Swijgers image