2022 MXGP of Lombardia-Italy | Race Report & Highlights
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PHOTOS | YAMAHA, HONDA & GASGAS
VIDEO & TEXT | MXGP
The second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship saw some exciting action, as Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts ended their weekend with overall victories and the red plate.
Gajser was able to maintain his championship lead in MXGP, while Geerts’ perfect scorecard helped him on his way to securing the red plate for the first time since 2020.
MX2 | RACE REPORT & RESULTS
In MX2 race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle who took the Fox Holeshot from F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Kevin Horgmo. But just behind the pair was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts who wasted no time to slip by the pair and take over the lead.
A few riders went down in the first corner, one of them being Stephen Rubini of Ship to Cycle Honda SR who eventually made his way back up to 16th by the end of the race.
Making a move with the leaders was SM Action Racing Team’s YUASA Battery rider Andrea Adamo who got by Horgmo to move into third position. Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini were next to get by Horgmo. But Guadagnini’s time at the sharp end of the field was cut short as he crashed and picked himself up in 15th.
De Wolf then continued his charged forward as he caught and passed Adamo for third, while Horgmo looked like he was getting closer to Adamo too but then was caught napping by Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Roan Van De Moosdijk who passed him for fifth.
We then saw a nice battle among Horgmo, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder, Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup, Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee’s Isak Gifting and Hakon Fredriksen of Honda 114 Motorsports.
Fredriksen was able to find a way past Gifting, as Van de Moosdijk, Horgmo and Längenfelder started to form a train behind Adamo who needed to be careful.
Back with the leaders, Geerts continued to control the race and was 8.541 seconds in front of Vialle who could not match the Belgian’s speed in the hard sand. Vialle then lost some time in the final laps which allowed de Wolf close enough to launch an attack. The pair were neck-to-neck as they crossed the line, but it was Vialle who held on to second, with de Wolf forced to settle for third.
In race two, it was Vialle again who got the Fox Holeshot as he led Adamo, Gifting and de Wolf. Geerts was right there as well in fifth.
At the beginning Vialle was looking strong and was slowly breaking away from the group, as Geerts was looking to not lose track of the leader as he went by Gifting.
Vialle was getting comfortable in the lead with Adamo maintaining second position, but moments later we saw a huge crash from the race leader, which handed Adamo first place.
Vialle was sent high into the air and despite taking a hit on the ground, got back up and carried on with the race. Despite his best efforts, the best he could manage was 21st.
Geerts then managed to pass de Wolf for second and the pair caught onto the back of Adamo. The Italian did a great job to fend off both competitors as he held on to the lead for a further seven laps before Geerts was able to find a way through.
Meanwhile further down the field Längenfelder was doing great as he got onto the heels of Haarup for fifth, after an unlucky start which saw him outside the top 10 in the opening stages of the races.
de Wolf then took second from Adamo after a hard-fought battle, as Horgmo applied the pressure onto Guadagnini for ninth. While Längenfelder continued his fight to the top after passing Adamo and catching onto de Wolf.
In the final two laps we witnessed an intense battle between de Wolf and Längenfelder, with the pair pushing each other hard. It then got too much in the final lap, as de Wolf made a couple of mistakes and Längenfelder was not longer waiting around. He made a move for it and the pair collided which resulted in a crash for de Wolf. He eventually got going again in fourth.
Geerts went on to win the second race ahead of Längenfelder and Adamo.
With a perfect 1-1 scorecard, Geerts took the Grand Prix victory and also sealed the deal on the red plate, while Adamo celebrated his first ever podium in MX2 in second and de Wolf was third.
Jago Geerts: “I am really happy about this weekend. I felt good on track the whole weekend. I had a good feeling all day, first in warm-up and then two solid races with two wins. It was a really positive day for me, and I also got the red plate which is a nice bonus. Now I’ll just try to keep working and try to keep it going like this”.
Andrea Adamo: “It was a crazy day for me. The first race was a solid one, I just finished fourth but in the second one I started second, after Tom made a mistake and I took over the lead and when I was there, I gave it everything. Jago pushed a lot, and I struggled a little bit, but then he passed me, and I tried to follow him. Then Kay arrived and he also passed me, but I tried to follow, and I finished the race third. First podium here in Italy is crazy for me and for sure it is the best day of my life and I want to say thank you to everybody”.
Kay de Wolf: “I’m fine. I didn’t feel good with the bike all weekend and on the track. It was a difficult weekend for me, but we made some good changes on Saturday night with the bike and then I felt really good today in the morning. Then in the first race, I didn’t get the best start, I was struggling a little bit with my riding but it got better in the end and then in the second race my start was actually a bit better, I was trying to follow Jago and Andrea, hen made a few small mistakes in the end and a little crash on the last lap which cost me second overall. Overall, if we look from Saturday, I think it’s not too bad to be on the box, I didn’t expect it yesterday, so let’s move on to Argentina now and see what we can do there”.
MXGP | RACE REPORT & RESULTS
In the opening race of the MXGP class we saw Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado grab the Fox Holeshot ahead of Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing trio of Jeremy Seewer, Glenn Coldenhoff and Maxime Renaux.
Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers was also right there in the mix and sitting in sixth position.
Seewer then dropped it and fell from third to eighth, as Prado set the fastest lap of the race and was 1.411 seconds ahead of Gajser who just could not find an opportunity for a pass. The gap then came down ever so slightly, but a new threat was emerging as Renaux started to edge closer to the leaders.
Further down the order, Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez got by Coldenhoff for fifth, as Coldenhoff began to fade. Seewer was next to get by the Dutchman as he continued his recovery after a crash early on in the heat. Coldenhoff eventually brought it home in 17th.
Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis saw his day turn for the worse as he came into pitlane to DNF the race, following a crash earlier on, while his teammate Calvin Vlaanderen was fighting for spot inside the top 10.
But back with the leaders, Renaux was looking faster than both Prado and Gajser, as Gajser continued his struggle behind the young Spaniard.
Seewer then got by Fernandez and caught onto the back of Bogers but it took him until the end of the race to make a pass stick, as Bogers was quick to defend his position.
In terms of the leaders, there was no change until the chequered flag fell, with Gajser getting close to Prado on several occasions, but just not able to get it done. Prado took the win. Renaux kept with the leaders in third, as Seewer made some nice passes in the final stages of the race to finish fourth.
We also saw a nice battle for sixth between Bogers and DIGA PROCROSS KTM Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen who made a swift move on Bogers with two laps to go.
In race two it was Henry Jacobi of JM Honda Racing who secured the second Fox Holeshot of the day ahead of Seewer and Gajser. Though Gajser was not taking any chances as he swiftly moved past Jacobi, who was already passed by Seewer.
Gajser then tried to make a move on the inside of Seewer, who was quick to respond, with the Swiss maintaining control of the lead. This only last a few moments as he later crashed, gifting Gajser first place. At that point Bogers was second with Jacobi fading to third.
Seewer picked himself up just ahead of Prado who got squeezed in the first corner. But back at the top end of the field, Renaux was looking to leave his mark, as he took second from Bogers.
Gajser then led Renaux, Bogers and Olsen who was right there in fourth, while Seewer and Prado continued to battle for seventh. Just ahead of them was Fernandez who got around Jacobi, as the German came under more fire from Seewer, who crashed in the same spot as he lost the lead.
The Honda riders looked fast, as Team HRC’s Gajser set the fastest lap of the race, while Fernandez from Honda 114 Motorsports set his personal best and was looking strong inside the top five.
Gajser then made a mistake and fell which saw him lose around three seconds in sector one, which was a gift to Renaux who was back on his heels. The Slovenian was able to respond quickly and before the end of the lap was 1.578 up on the Frenchman.
Further down the order Seewer was looking to re-group as he battled with Beta SDM Corse rider Jeremy Van Horebeek, while Prado started to close in on Olsen for fourth. In the final lap of the race it looked like Prado could get it done, but made a mistake and crashed.
Gajser went on to win the race with a 7.015 advantage over Renaux, as Bogers maintained third. Olsen also held on to fourth as Seewer was able to recover and come back to fifth.
A 2-1 result gave Gajser his second Grand Prix win of 2022, as Renaux celebrated his maiden podium in MXGP on the second spot, with Prado forced to settle for third as he came back to seventh in the second race.
Gajser continues to lead the championship with 94 points over Prado who has 82, with Renaux moving up to third in the standings.
Tim Gajser: “In the first race I had a nice battle with Jorge. I was behind him the whole race, I couldn’t make a pass because he had a good rhythm and good pace as well, so I finished second. Second race I took a better start, I think I was third, then I made a quick pass and I was behind Jeremy. Then he made a mistake and I was in the lead, so I tried to make a gap and then I made my own mistake and fell. I managed to pick up the bike in front of Maxime and then I started to pick up the pace again, make a comfortable lead and control the race. In the end I’m super happy and really looking forward to going to Argentina again”.
Maxime Renaux: “I’m feeling good. First podium for me at my second GP. Second overall is really good and I am happy with it. Two solid races, third and second, so I am really happy with how it went. It’s a little bit sketchy coming on the track with the 450 for my first year and it’s not an easy task sometimes, but I am happy that I didn’t make any mistakes in both races, no crashes, which was really important and I’m happy with my first podium”.
Jorge Prado: “First race was really good. Got the holeshot and won the race. Then second race, the jump out of the gate wasn’t perfect and then coming into the first corner I thought I kind of had it but then some came from the outside to the inside. The start wasn’t great but I knew I had the pace to come to the front, I was more stressed about that and I tried to make some passes but I got roosted a couple of times and I couldn’t see anything. But still I was pushing quite a lot and then three laps to go I made a mistake, hit one bump and went over the bars, nice face plant there, and I lost a couple of positions. Not really happy about the second race but it is what it is, the championship is still very long”.
