Red Bull KTM Factory rider Pauls Jonass rode two solid MX2 motos on the hard pack surface at the MXGP of Czech Republic in Loket on Sunday to finish overall second behind Swiss rider Valentin Guillod. Jordi Tixier of France picked up the minor podium place.
The success of the Factory team’s rookie was at least some good news in what was a hard weekend after key rider Jeffrey Herlings’ title chances dissolved when he crashed hard in Saturday’s qualifying. Herlings dislocated his hip and was airlifted to Belgium on Sunday for further medical treatment. MX2 Factory Team Manager Dirk Gruebel confirmed that as a result of Herlings’ injury, he will not race again this season.
“It was a pretty tough weekend on everybody, especially Jeffrey," Gruebel said. " He tried so hard to come back (from a previous injury) to race here. He gave everything, all he had and even more, and somehow he didn’t get the reward for it. In the qualifying he hit a stone and lost it over the front, and he told me that from then on it just went bad. Another rider hit him, the hip is out and unfortunately that’s the end of the story for this season. Now he needs to get some rest, heal up and be ready for next year,” he added.
In what is now an increasing tough competition in MX2, Jonass, picked up a 4-3 moto result for his overall second and said later that it had also been a difficult weekend for him. “My first start was not so good so I had to make some passes in the first lap,” he said. “But then I was good in the second lap and by the third, I was already up to fourth place. Yes, I did two consistent motos, but there was always pressure on me in the second race and it was hard to stay focused. Stefan (Everts) gave me a lot of advice this winter and I tried to remember all those things, so it has helped me a lot. The bike was really good so I say a big thanks to the team and everyone who is helping me.”
Jonass, who rides the KTM 250 SX-F machine, also drew praise from his team boss. “Today Pauls was pretty good and really consistent. He didn’t make any mistakes and he didn’t take any risks. His reward was second overall, which was really good points for him, so he also stays in the title hunt. For his rookies season with us this is very good,” Gruebel commented.
Also riding in MX2 for the Factory team was Davy Pootjes. The young Dutch rider has been moved up from EMX250 to gain experience in MX2. Pootjes admitted he struggled with the Loket track and also crashed several times, but he did take a holeshot in the MX2 qualifying on Saturday and finished overall seventeenth. “In the first moto I crashed at the start but I made some good passes and the speed was good. In the second moto I had quite a good start and finished twelfth but now I am looking forward to Lommel,” Pootjes said.
MXGP Action
In the absence on the track of current World Champion and KTM Factory rider Tony Cairoli, who is resting and healing an arm fracture, the MXGP went to Roman Febvre with Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS) and Clement Desalle (BEL) taking the minor podium places. Top KTM rider was Shaun Simpson (GBR) in sixth place.
Tommy Searle, Cairoli's teammate, who has also lost track time this season due to injury, was eleventh with a moto score of 9-15. “My first race was nothing special but after I got my rhythm it was good.” Searle said. “The second race was going quite well and I was nearer the front, fighting with a couple for guys for fifth place. Then I made a couple of small mistakes but when you crash on this track it really hurts a lot.”
Riders return to sand racing next weekend when the World Championship goes to the Belgian circuit of Lommel for Round 14.
More at www.mxgp.com
MXGP of the Czech Republic at Loket - Round 13
MXGP Results
1, Romain Febvre, FRA, Yamaha, (1 – 1)
2, Evgeny Bobryshev, RUS, Honda, (2 - 2)
3, Clement Desalle, BEL, Suzuki, (3 - 3)
4, Kevin Strijbos, BEL, Suzuki, (5 - 4)
5, Jeremy van Horebeek, BEL, Yamaha, (4 – 5)
6, Shaun Simpson, GBR, KTM, (6 - 6)
7, Gautier Paulin, FRA, Honda, (7 - 7)
8, Glenn Coldenhoff, NED, Suzuki, (8 - 11)
9, Tyla Rattray, RSA, Kawasaki, (12 –
10, Nathan Watson, GBR, Husqvarna, (10 - 10)
Other KTM
11, Tommy Searle, GBR, KTM, (9 - 15)
12, Jose Butron, ESP, KTM, (14 - 13)
16, Angus Heidecke, GER, KTM, (18 - 14)
18, Jake Nicholls, GBR, KTM, (19 - 17)
DNS, Antonio Cairoli, ITA, KTM
MXGP Standings
1, Febvre, 507
2, Paulin, 419
3, Cairoli, 416
4, Bobryshev, 389
5, Maximilian Nagl, GER, Husqvarna, 360
6, Desalle, 331
7, Simpson, 306
8, Van Horebeek, 294
9, Coldenhoff, 266
10, Strijbos, 257
Other KTM
15, Ken de Dycker, BEL, KTM, 155
16, Butron, 145
22, Searle, 75
MXGP Manufacturers Standings
1, Yamaha, 515
2, Suzuki, 514
3, KTM, 497
MX2 Results
1, Valentin Guillod, SUI, Yamaha, (2 - 1)
2, Pauls Jonass, LAT, KTM, (4 – 3)
3, Jordi Tixier, FRA, Kawasaki, (3 - 5)
4, Benoit Paturel, FRA, Yamaha, (5 - 4)
5, Petar Petrov, BUL, Kawasaki, (6 - 6)
6, Julien Lieber, BEL, Yamaha, (7 -
7, Max Anstie, GBR, Kawasaki, (1 - 30)
8, Jeremy Seewer, SUI, Suzuki, (11 – 7)
9, Brent van Doninck, BEL, Yamaha, (9 - 9)
10, Tim Gajser, SLO, Honda, (33 – 2)
Other KTM
11, Brian Bogers, NED, KTM, (12 - 10)
12, Ivo Monticelli, ITA, KTM, (10 – 13)
13, Roberts Justs, LAT, KTM, (8 – 15)
17, Davy Pootjes, NED, KTM, (22 – 12)
19, Adam Sterry, GBR, KTM, (17 - 18)
20, Ben Watson, GBR, KTM, (15 – 31)
DNS, Jeffrey Herlings, NED, KTM
MX2 Standings
1. Herlings, 423
2, Gajser, 399
3, Guillod, 399
4, Jonass, 389
5, Tixier, 370
6, Seewer, 369
7, Anstie, 337
8, Lieber, 305
9, Aleksandr Tonkov, RUS, Husqvarna, 256
10, Paturel, 236
Other KTM
11, Bogers, 225
14, Justs, 181
18, Monticelli, 130
20, Watson, 90
21, Pootjes, 68
MX2 Manufacturers Classification
1, KTM, 569
2, Kawasaki, 533
3, Yamaha, 460
***
WMX Results after Round 6
1, Nancy van de Ven, NED, Yamaha, (1 – 1)
2, Kiara Fontanesi, ITA, Yamaha, (3 – 2)
3, Amandine Verstappen, BEL, KTM, (4 - 3)
4, Justine Charroux, FRA, Yamaha, (5 - 4)
5, Julie Dalgaard, DEN, Honda, (9 – 5)
Other KTM
6, Genette Vaage, NOR, KTM, (7 -
WMX Standings after Round 6
1, Fontanesi, 260
1, Livia Lancelot, FRA, Kawasaki, 242
3, Van de Ven, 229
4, Verstappen, 176
5, Vaage, 150
WMX Manufacturers Standings after Round 6
1, Yamaha, 283
2, Kawasaki, 250
3, KTM, 207
***
EMX Championship at Loket, the Czech Republic
EMX300 Results of Round 5
1, Brad Anderson, GBR, Yamaha, (1 - 1)
2, Marco Maddii, ITA, KTM, (3 - 2)
3, Matthew Moffat, GBR, Husqvarna, (2 - 7)
4, Damon Strydom, GBR, KTM, (5 - 4)
5, Nicolas Bender, SUI, Yamaha, (6 - 5)
EMX300 Standings after Round 5
1, Maddii, 201
2, Yentel Martens, BEL, Husqvarna, 164
3, Moffat, 162
4, Strydom, 151
5, Damiaens, 148
