The FIM Motocross World Championship returned to Swiss territory for the first time in five years. The third round of the 2023 MXGP calendar at Frauenfeld was the scene for Andrea Adamo to score 2nd overall in the MX2 category with his works KTM 250 SX-F. Jeffrey Herlings classified 4th in the MXGP class.
- Adamo stars as KTM’s lead MX2 hope with 2nd overall and his second podium result in three GPs
- The Italian rides to a 3-2 card in front of a packed attendance and across a rough and rutty course at Frauenfeld on Easter Monday. He sits 4th in the championship standings.
- Herlings just misses a third consecutive podium finish with his KTM 450 SX-F but keeps steady to take 4th in Switzerland and guard 2nd spot in the championship table
- Liam Everts rides to 7th in the final MX2 Grand Prix classification as MXGP heads to Pietramurata in Italy next weekend for round four
An overdue and welcome return to Switzerland and some of the most vocal and enthusiastic fans in Europe awaited MXGP on Easter weekend. Round three gathered under bright but temperate conditions at Frauenfeld northeast of Zurich and around a rough and demanding new layout for the Grand Prix. Frauenfeld had previously staged MXGP dates in the middle of the last decade but had not hosted the series since 2018.
Jeffrey Herlings came to the meeting after claiming his 100th career victory in Sardinia two weeks previously and then after victorious outings in domestic events in Europe in a quest to build-up his race speed and conditioning even further. The 28-year-old rode to 3rd place in Saturday’s RAM Qualification Heat and then waited until Monday’s motos to secure to a 6th and a 4th for 4th on the day and dealt with a rough, quick and potentially treacherous surface with a composed approach despite suffering with arm-pump.
In the MX2 class Andrea Adamo made use of decent starts and an effective rhythm to be among the leaders with a 3rd and a 2nd. The haul was enough for Adamo’s second walk to the rostrum in his first season with the team and with the factory KTM 250 SX-F. Liam Everts was once more in the top ten reckoning and an 8-6 effort (the second moto 6th place being his second-best result of the young season so far) was another learning experience for the Belgian.
There will be little time to dwell on round three as MXGP pushes directly onto the fourth appointment of the campaign next weekend. Another bumper and expectant crowd are expected to flock to the hard-packed, slick but spectacular setting of Pietramurata in Arco di Trento for the Grand Prix of Trentino.
Jeffrey Herlings, 6th and 4th for 4th overall in MXGP: “I had a good gatepick after Saturday but the break in the schedule didn’t help me much. I felt a bit tight today and although I had a good start in the first moto I had some arm-pump and went backwards. It was a shame. I took the points. It was not a great weekend but not a bad one. I’ll look forward now to Arco next weekend and work from there.”
Andrea Adamo, 3rd and 2nd for 2nd overall in MX2: “A really good weekend for me. A solid one. The track was a bit different to what we are used to but I enjoyed it: something different is also cool! I think we can all be quite happy with 2nd overall today. Now we’ll go back to Italy for some training and get ready for Arco. We are confident at the moment and I hope we can try for the same result or even better.”
Liam Everts, 8th and 6th for 7th overall in MX2: “My Quali race went well and my pace was good but in the first moto I got held-up, tipped-off and struggled to find my rhythm. In the second moto I was 5th for most of the race until Kay [De Wolf] got around me at the end. P6 for 7th overall though felt like an improvement. I liked the track here. It was better on Saturday; more lines and slower but a bit faster today. It was an unusual weekend but we made the most of it.”
Results MXGP Switzerland 2023
1. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 2-1
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-3
3. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 3-2
4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 6-4
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 4-7
Standings MXGP 2023 after 3 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 155 points
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 134
3. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 131
4. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 129
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 101
Results MX2 Switzerland 2023
1. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 4-1
2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-2
3. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 2-4
4. Roan Van de Moosdijk (NED) Husqvarna 1-8
5. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 7-3
7. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 8-6
Standings MX2 2023 after 3 of 19 rounds
1. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 159 points
2. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 139
3. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 136
4. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 131
5. Roan Van de Moosdijk (GER), GASGAS, 112
8. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 94
