2023-07-16 18:52:59
12th round of the MXGP Motocross World Championship in Loket, Czech Republic: The Swiss Yamaha factory rider Jeremy Seewer won the holeshot for the decisive second round and led the race over the first five laps ahead of Jorge Prado, Romain Febvre and Calvin Vlaanderen. Febvre was able to take advantage of a Prado mistake on the second lap to go past the Spaniard. Calvin Vlaanderen got the better of the Spanish World Cup leader in the third round before Febvre closed the gap on leader Febvre and took the lead. The drama of Febvre wasn’t to happen until the very end of the race.
In the 7th lap, Seewer slipped in the right-hand bend at the lowest point of the track, so that Vlaanderen inherited P2 without a fight. Luckily, Vlaanderen managed to avoid the fallen Seewer.
At the end of the 30-minute race, everything looked like an unchallenged double victory for Romain Febvre, but the Frenchman fell on the part of the track that had previously also been fatal to Seewer. Calvin Vlaanderen inherited the lead and Jorge Prado also passed the Frenchman. With anger in his stomach, Febvre continued the race and fell once more. The Frenchman saved P4 over the finish line and was even the winner of the day with a 1-4 result, but he mightn’t really be happy because he had lost 7 important championship points in the championship fight due to the fall. He also hit his shoulder in the crash and mightn’t even celebrate the champagne shower on the winner’s podium.
Yamaha privateer Calvin Vlaanderen celebrated his first race win of the season in Loket, which allowed him to move up to 6th place in the championship table. It was the 6th race win for the South African-born Dutchman. He narrowly missed the podium with a 5-1 score, just a point behind Seewer and Prado.
GASGAS factory driver Jorge Prado finished second in the Grand Prix standings with a 3-2 result, level on points with Jeremy Seewer (2-3). The key to Prado’s second place was his better result in the second race.
In the World Championship, Prado is now 104 points ahead of Febvre and Seewer. The Spaniard was even able to extend his lead by one point in Loket.
Tom Koch (KTM) achieved his best result of the season in 9th place. He and his Kosak-KTM teammate Maximilian Spies both scored 17 World Championship points in Loket. Maximilian Spies was 13th in heat two and finished 11th overall with a 12-13 result. Paul Haberland (Husqvarna) crossed the finish line in P25 ahead of Tim Koch (Husqvarna) in P26. Noah Ludwig (Sarholz KTM) had to give up the second run following only 6 laps.
Result MXGP Loket:
1. Romain Febvre (F), Kawasaki, 1-4
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 3-2
3. Jeremy Seewer (CH), Yamaha, 2-3
4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NL), Yamaha, 5-1
5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NL), Yamaha, 4-7
6. Ruben Fernandez (E), Honda, 6-6
7. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 9-5
8. Jeremy van Horebeek (B), Honda, 8-8
9. Mitchell Evans (AUS), Kawasaki, 7-11
10. Tom Koch (D), KTM, 16-9
11. Maximilian Spies (D), KTM, 12-13
12. Alberto Forato (I), KTM, 17-10
13. Ben Watson (GB), Beta, 14-16
14. Benoit Paturel (F), Honda, 10-31
15. Alessandro Lupino (I), Beta, 20-12
16. Alvin Östlund (S), Honda, 18-14
17. Valentin Guillod (CH), Honda, 11-36 (DNF)
18. Brian Bogers (NL), Honda, 13-20
19. Ivo Monticelli (I), GASGAS, 24-15
20. Simon Jost (SK), KTM, 19-17
21. Kevin Brumann (CH), Yamaha, 15-37 (DNF)
…
28. Paul Haberland (D), Husqvarna, 38 (DNF)-25
29. Tim Koch (D), Husqvarna, 26-26
…
37. Noah Ludwig (D), KTM, 25-35 (DNF)
MXGP World Championship Standings following World Championship Round 12:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 614
2. Romain Febvre (F), Kawasaki, 510, (-104)
3. Jeremy Seewer (CH), Yamaha, 465, (-149)
4. Ruben Fernandez (E), Honda, 452, (-162)
5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NL), Yamaha, 428, (-186)
6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NL), Yamaha, 402, (-212)
7. Jeffrey Herlings (NL), KTM, 386, (-228)
8. Alberto Forato (I), KTM, 302, (-312)
9. Valentin Guillod (CH), Honda, 276, (-312)
10. Mattia Guadagnini (I), GASGAS, 203, (-411)
11. Maxime Renaux (F), Yamaha, 202, (-412)
…
19. Tom Koch (D), KTM, 105, (-509)
20. Maximilian Spies (D), KTM, 70, (-544)
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#Romain #Febvre #Kawasaki #Crash #win
