The FIM Motocross World Championship approached the halfway point of the 19-round agenda at a hot, windy and busy Talkessel circuit in Teutschenthal and Liam Everts celebrated his first ever victory in the MX2 class and with the KTM 250 SX-F. The Belgian walked the top step of the German Grand Prix podium with teammate Andrea Adamo in 2nd place: the Italian now leads the MX2 world championship.
- Liam Everts takes his maiden Grand Prix win with a 2nd and 1st in the two motos and for his ninth race in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing colors. He now has three podium finishes so far in 2023.
- Andrea Adamo maintains his streak of leading MX2 race results (he has yet to drop out of the top six all season) with 3-2 at Talkessel to be runner-up.
- Adamo has six podiums from nine and now formally holds the red plate for the first time in his career. He has a 13-point cushion at the top of the standings.
- Jeffrey Herlings crashes while leading near the end of the first MXGP moto and is forced out of the second race in Germany. Sacha Coenen finishes 13th overall in MX2.
- MXGP now departs Europe for a back-to-back double of Grands Prix in Indonesia at the end of June and beginning of July.
From Latvia to Germany: MXGP hurried from round eight to nine and with Red Bull KTM chasing a fifth win in the MXGP class and hoping for a return to the MX2 podium with two of their three riders on the KTM 250 SX-F already claiming seven trophies. Race conditions in the eastern region of Germany were challenging with the narrow and undulating course providing its usual rough, bumpy and rutty technical perils.
Herlings went 1-1 at Talkessel in 2018 and then finished 2nd overall in his last appearance at the track in 2021. He took a conservative 4th place in the RAM Qualification Heat on Saturday and then indulged in an entertaining battle with Jorge Prado and Jeremy Seewer in the first moto. Four laps before the end the Dutchman, while leading from Prado, crashed after becoming cross-rutted and landed heavily. He was able to remount and cruised the rest of the distance to salvage one point for 20th but could not take to the gate for the second race due to neck pain and left the circuit for more detailed medical checks. After the conclusion of the Grand Prix, Jeffrey is 2nd in the standings and 67 points behind Prado.
Two MX2 holeshots helped Liam Everts’ quest to register his first Grand Prix win. The Belgian tackled the German track with caution but also consistent pace and his 2-1 scorecard was his best of the season so far. Everts became the third generation of his family to climb the top step of a GP rostrum. His points haul also elevates #72 closer to the top five of the MX2 standings.
At the peak of the MX2 points table is Andrea Adamo. The Italian was again steady and methodical in his approach to the weekend. A brief late crash in the first moto was the only blot but Adamo obtained the red plate for the first time in his career. MX2 rookie Sacha Coenen was a lively presence and the Belgian rode to 10th and 13th for 13th overall.
MXGP will break for a week before the paddock begins the long trek to Sumbawa for the Grand Prix of Sumbawa on June 25th. Red Bull KTM will remain in Indonesia afterwards and travel to the island of Lombok for the corresponding GP and round eleven the following weekend.
Liam Everts, 2nd and 1st for 1st overall in MX2: “It’s definitely nice to win this one. We made some good steps with the bike and I felt ‘at one’ with it. The pressure is not easy in my shoes. I’m the third generation of our family and I have to perform. I proved something this weekend. It is a load-off my shoulders but I want to keep going. I felt good and could push right to the end of that second moto. I stayed smooth and counted down the laps. Hard work pays off!”
Andrea Adamo, 3rd and 2nd for 2nd overall in MX2: “It was not the best day of the season so far but really good for the championship. I made two mistakes, one in the quali race and another in the first moto and it felt like I was always losing the lead group somehow. My riding was not the best. In the second Liam was really fast so I just tried to bring it home and with good points. I did my best.”
Results MXGP Germany 2023
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-1
2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha, 4-2
3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP) Honda 3-4
4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 2-5
5. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 6-3
23. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 20-DNS
Standings MXGP 2023 after 9 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 453 points
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 386
3. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 347
4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 337
5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 320
Results MX2 Germany 2023
1. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-1
2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-2
3. Thibault Benistant (FRA) Yamaha 4-3
4. Roan van de Moosdijk (NED), Husqvarna, 5-5
5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN), Kawasaki 8-4
13. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 10-13
Standings MX2 2023 after 9 of 19 rounds
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 405 points
2. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 392
3. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 388
4. Roan van de Moosdijk (NED), Husqvarna, 345
5. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 341
6. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 329
17. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 72
