The Turkish Motocross Grand Prix was the scene of an intense battle, marking the 18th round of the MXGP World Championship. The weekend was dominated by the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team ,
MXGP: Herlings wins, Febvre-Coenen duel intensifies
In the premier class, Dutchman Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) claimed his second consecutive victory and 111th career win. After finishing second to Lucas Coenen (KTM) in the first race, he took his revenge in the second to secure overall victory.
Lucas Coenen shone, winning the first race and finishing third in the second. He finished second in the Grand Prix, just ahead of championship leader Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP). The latter, although beaten by Herlings in the second race, managed to keep the pressure on Coenen.
Their respective performances had a direct impact on the championship standings. Although Coenen nibbled 2 points off Febvre in the first race, the Frenchman regained 4 points in the second. The gap between the two drivers widened from 24 to 26 points, with just two Grands Prix to go.
Reactions from the drivers
Jeffrey Herlings: "It was really good, better than I could have hoped for. I'm very happy with this 111th GP win, and now I'm looking ahead to China next weekend. There are two GPs left, so let's try to finish this year as strong as possible."
Lucas Coenen: "I don't have much to say. The start of the weekend was good until the start of the second race. I lacked a bit of energy. At the end, I wanted to push, but I'm still young, maybe a bit shy on the last lap, I could have hit him, but that's racing. I had an opportunity and I didn't take it, but this is just the beginning. There are two races left, so I'm going to give it my all, try to learn, be more incisive and get stronger as I get older. I'm looking forward to the next two races."
Romain Febvre: "The second race was better. I think I got the holeshot, which was good. We made an adjustment a little too late for the first race, but it worked in the second. I was in the lead and thought I'd win the GP, but then Jeffrey [Herlings] passed me. I tried to stay with him, and in the last few laps, Lucas [Coenen] came back really hard to try and overtake me, but I managed to finish second. I didn't lose too many points, so that's pretty good."
Overall top 10 after the grand prix :
MX2: Längenfelder emerges victorious from a fierce battle
The MX2 class offered an equally breathtaking spectacle. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) won the overall standings after an intense battle with Kay de Wolf (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing). Despite a heat win for Sacha Coenen (KTM), it was Längenfelder who made the difference.
Sacha Coenen, who won the first race and took the Fox Holeshot in both heats, secured his place as starting champion for the season. However, he had to settle for third place overall.
De Wolf, who came second in the Grand Prix, did not lose out, but was unable to catch up with Längenfelder. The gap between the two men is now 12 points in the championship, whileAndrea Adamo (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), third overall, is 62 points behind the leader.
Reactions from the riders
Kay de Wolf: "I just ran out of time. I'm sure I was the fastest, but it wasn't enough in the end. I'm looking forward to China, and then Australia. I'm looking forward to the next two rounds, I'll be there."
Sacha Coenen: "I was pretty happy after the first race, but the second didn't go as I wanted. I took the holeshot, but in the third turn I made a big mistake and Farres passed me, and then it was almost impossible to catch him. So I just tried to survive and finished third overall. It's still another podium, so I'm happy."
Overall top 10 after the grand prix :
Information and photo credits: mxgp.com
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