After a biblical downpour on Saturday, the Shanghai International Circuit offered a very different spectacle on Sunday: bright sunshine and scorching heat. These extreme conditions turned the 19th round of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship into a real test of strength, with Jeffrey Herlings and Sacha Coenen pulling out all the stops to win. The overall leaders, meanwhile, strengthened their positions with just one race remaining in the season.
Herlings' MXGP double
In the premier class, Jeffrey Herlings once again demonstrated his dominance. Despite conditions he admits he doesn't like, "The Bullet" scored a double by winning both races. Thanks to his solid starts, he was able to resist the attacks of Tim Gajser, who finished second overall. The surprise came from Ruben Fernandez, who completed the podium by giving Honda a fine one-two finish.
The first race was marked by an intense battle. Maxime Renaux took the Fox Holeshot for the first time this season, but was no match for the dazzling comeback of Herlings and Gajser. Behind them, title contenders Romain Febvre and Lucas Coenen had a difficult race. Lucas Coenen suffered from the heat, finishing a disappointing ninth, while Febvre held on to fourth place. Herlings sealed his victory on the last lap, taking the lead and never relinquishing it.
The second heat was a copy of the first. Herlings quickly took the lead after Gajser's Fox Holeshot. Gajser tried to keep pace, but was beaten by the KTM rider's incredible speed. As for Ruben Fernandez, he beat Romain Febvre to take a solid third place, a result that gives him the overall podium for the day.
Driver reactions
Jeffrey Herlings: "Honestly, I feel like a chicken that's been on the barbecue for an hour. The heat was so difficult. Coming from the Netherlands, I'm not used to these conditions. Tim (Gajser) put the pressure on me all weekend, at every race, and it wasn't easy at all."
Tim Gajser: "It was a good weekend. Not easy, especially with the heat, but I feel like I'm slowly getting back to my old level after my injury. I even tried my luck on the last lap, but Jeffrey (Herlings) was riding perfectly."
Ruben Fernandez: "I'm really happy to be back on the podium. The last few races have been tough. I wanted to finish the season strongly and this podium helps me do that. I made an aggressive maneuver on Romain (Febvre) in the second turn, as I didn't want to repeat the first race when I got stuck behind him."
MXGP China standings
Overall GP standings :
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 44 points
- Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 36 points
Championship standings :
Sacha Coenen, the glow of youth in MX2
The MX2 class saw victory for Sacha Coenen, who put an end to the title contenders' winning streak. With two wins from three races, the KTM rider dominated the day and strengthened his position.
In the first race, Sacha Coenen took the lead from the start, scoring his 16th Fox Holeshot of the season. Despite a spectacular fall on the last lap, he managed to get back up to maintain a comfortable lead and take the win. Behind him, Kay de Wolf and championship leader Simon Längenfelder completed the podium.
The second heat was more eventful. Simon Längenfelder took the Fox Holeshot, but Andrea Adamo, in sparkling form, managed to overtake him to take victory. Sacha Coenen had a difficult race, losing his glasses after a fall, but still finished third. This result was enough for him to win the Grand Prix.
Driver reactions
Sacha Coenen: "It was a really tough weekend for everyone with the conditions, but I still managed to win two races out of three. In the last one, things got a bit crazy. I made a stupid mistake trying to overtake Andrea (Adamo), crashed and had to restart. I also had to ride for 15 minutes without my glasses, which was really tough."
Andrea Adamo: "It's an incredible feeling to be back on the podium. In the second race, I started fourth, overtook right away, and then put the pressure on Simon. I was able to overtake him and win the race. The heat was tough, of course, but I had the impression that the others were suffering more than I was."
Simon Längenfelder: "All in all, it was a good weekend. I was particularly pleased with my starts, which were very good. Being able to stay out of trouble and drive on my own lines is very important. I'm happy to have built up a nice lead before the final round in Australia."
MX2 China standings
Overall GP standings :
- Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 45 points
- Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 43 points
- Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), 42 points
Championship standings :
The championship finale
With just one Grand Prix remaining, the pressure is on. The championship leaders, Romain Febvre in MXGP and Simon Längenfelder in MX2, have consolidated their lead, but nothing is decided yet.
The next meeting will take place in Australia, on September 20 and 21, at Hidden Valley. Once again, hot conditions will be a key factor, and the riders will have to give their all to claim the world title.
2025 championship calendar
1. MXGP Argentina, Córdoba circuit, March 2.
2. MXGP Castilla-La Mancha, Cozar circuit, March 16
3. MXGP of Europe, St Jean d'Angely circuit, March 23
4. MXGP Sardinia (Italy), Riola Sardo circuit, April 6
5. MXGP Trentino (Italy), Pietramurata circuit, April 13
6. MXGP of Switzerland, Frauenfeld circuit, April 21
7. MXGP Portugal, Agueda circuit, May 4
8. MXGP Spain, Lugo circuit, May 11
9. MXGP France, Ernée circuit, May 25
10. MXGP Germany, Teutschenthal circuit, June 1
11. MXGP Latvia, Kegums circuit, June 8
12. MXGP Great Britain, Matterley Basin circuit, June 22
13. MXGP Finland, Litti-KymiRing circuit, July 13
14. MXGP Czech Republic, Loket circuit, July 27
15. MXGP of Flanders (Belgium), Lommel circuit, August 3
16. MXGP Sweden, Uddevalla circuit, August 17.
17. MXGP Netherlands, Arnhem circuit, August 24
18. MXGP Turkey, Afyonkarahisar circuit, September 7
19. MXGP China, Shanghai circuit, September 14
20. MXGP Australia, Darwin circuit, September 21
Motocross des Nations 2025: Monster Energy FIM MXoN, Crawfordsville circuit (USA), October 5.
Photo credits and info: mxgp.com
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