Over the weekend, the first of the three Italian GPs here took place and saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings reach and incredibly 90th GP victory milestone, while in MX2 Maxime Renaux of SM Action M.C Migliori Yamaha J1 Racing put on a show-stopping performance to claim a career first race and GP win.
A new Grand Prix will hand the riders a brand-new opportunity to repeat their success and for others the chance of redemption following some unlucky moments. Though with the races we witnessed yesterday, a clear winner is hard to predict.
In MXGP, Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing squad will be keen to carry the momentum from the previous round and repeat his double race success and add another GP win to his growing record.
Though he is not the only one keen to win and having seen how hard Jeremy Seewer from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing was pushing in the two races yesterday, a good start could be all the Swiss needs to finally get sought after win. His team-mate Gautier Paulin was also looking strong in the races as he battled in the top 5, though an unfortunate crash in race two cost the Frenchman a good overall result. But a new GP is another opportunity for Paulin to shine.
Of course, Antonio Cairoli of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will be looking to continue his positive run at home, following a third overall yesterday. The Italian showed great speed in the races, though a couple of mistakes early in the races cost him a bit of time. Nonetheless, from what we have seen so far, Cairoli has what it takes to continue battling with the top runners and fight for top podium positions.
Fellow Factory KTM rider Jorge Prado was impressive yesterday, leading the majority of both the MXGP races, though running out of steam towards the end which allowed Herlings to take full advantage. It is also worth to remember that this is the Spaniard’s rookie season in the premier class, and with his injuries early on in the season, it could take a little longer before the young KTM rider can push with the intensity required throughout the entire race. Though anything can happen, and it could be sooner rather than later that we see him back on the MXGP podium.
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser has shown that he is really fighting hard to stay in contention of the title this season. He finished 8-5 in the races during the MXGP of Italy, so this time around will be looking to pick up some more championship points and keep close with Cairoli and Herlings in the championship. With it being difficult to pass around the tight Italian circuit, a good start is key and will be exactly what the HRC needs to get out in front.
His team-mate Mitch Evans will also be looking to carry on with his momentum, having finished the races yesterday in 9th and 7th positions, after some strong battles inside the top 10. This is the Australian’s fourth GP back from injury but is already looking promising as he edges closer to the top 5.
Italian rider Alessandro Lupino of Gebben Van Venrooy Racing will be looking to improve his results after finishing 14th overall, though having got the feel for the circuit, and with a better result in race two, it is likely that we will see him battle in the top 10 once again, as he aims for success at his home GP.
The racing once again is bound to be exciting, so don’t forget to tune in to MXGP-TV.com today for a mid-week edition of the FIM Motocross World Championship to see who will finish on top at the MXGP of Citta di Faenza.
