As we head to Germany this weekend and the tricky and at times treacherous Teutschenthal circuit, for round eight of the 2024 MXGP and MX2 championships, we should also be ready for some more drama. This circuit has cost many riders difficulties and even the big four have had their ups and downs. All four, Tim Gajser, Jorge Prado, Romain Febvre and Jeffrey Herlings have won there, but they have also suffered injuries and crashes.

Of the big four, Tim Gajser has won there on four occasions. His first win came in the MX2 class way back in 2015, the year he would be crowned World champion in that class after being more than 100 points behind Jeffrey Herlings, who crashed out of the season in Sweden, a couple of rounds after Germany, but it was Germany that saw the Dutchman crash and break his shoulder.

The other wins for Gajser came in 2019, 2021 and 2022, he missed 2023 due to injuries, but has also finished second at Teutschenthal in 2016 with 2-4 (Cairoli won), second in 2018 with 2-2 (Herlings won). 2020 we didn’t race in Germany due to Covid. So, if you are going on form, the Slovenian isn’t a bad pick at this circuit. In 2014 he finished second to Herlings at the Laustizring, so he does have a love affair with Germany.

For Jorge Prado, Teutschenthal has been a love and hate track, with him winning in MX2 in 2018 with 2-1, winning again in 2019 with 1-1, and again last year in MXGP with 1-1. In 2021 he had won the opening moto, but then collided with Herlings across the finish line and the handlebars went through his armpit making it impossible to race the second moto. Prado has also finished with a 7-3 for third overall in 2022, so despite the crash in 2021, also has great results in Germany.

Jeffrey Herlings really does have a love/hate relationship with Teutschenthal, winning in 2014 with 1-1, DNFing in 2015 with a broken collarbone, winning in 2016 with 1-1, second to Cairoli in 2017 with 1-2, finishing second to Gajser in 2021 with 2-3 (after the crash with Prado), and crashed out last year (ending his season) while chasing Prado for the lead and DNFing the GP. Herlings also won at Laustizring in 2013 with 1-1 scores.

Romain Febvre has not often gelled with the circuit, usually finishing fourth or fifth, although he did win in his championship season in 2015 with 1-2. He finished third in 2021 with 4-2, but fourth or fifth has been his end of the day results on many occasions. Fifth in 2014, fifth in 2016, fifth in 2017, fifth in 2018, 8th in 2019, that third in 2021, fifth in 2022, and fifth in 2023.

Since 2014 Gajser has gone 2-2-1-2-2-4-12-10-2-2-1-1-3-1-1-2. That 12-10 score he was struggling with injuries. Prado on the other hand since 2017 has gone 12-10-2-1-1-1-1-DNS-7-3-1-1, so not bad either. I would think it will be between these two this weekend, but Herlings did win the last moto in France and also won last weekend in England with 1-1, so he is building and could shock the two leaders.

The Dutchman has also a pretty good record once he got into his stride at the circuit, because his first two seasons at Teutschenthal were not that brilliant. As a rookie in 2008 he scores a win in the Saturday qualification race, but then failed to finish the opening moto after leading, before going eight in the second moto. A year later he went 2-4, then DNF-2-1-1-DNF-DNS-1-1-1-2-1-1-2-3 and crashed out last year while battling for a moto win with Prado.

So, heading into Teutschenthal in 2024, we really don’t know what we are going to get, but it is clear, the big four will all be chasing that GP win and add to their points. Hard to pick a winner here, but I do get the feeling Gajser might have a slight upper hand, but then again, Prado in the dry has been near unbeatable, so, which one will celebrate on Sunday night.