PODIUM RESULT FOR PAULS JONASS AT MXGP OF SWEDEN.
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDER CLAIMS SECOND TOP-THREE RESULT OF THE SEASON BY GOING 4-3 AT UDDEVALLA.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass has finished third overall in the MXGP class at round 16 of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Sweden held at the Uddevalla track located in the west of the country. Successfully completing their two demanding MXGP-class motos, Jonass enjoyed a well-deserved trip to the podium while teammate Arminas Jasikonis finished 11th overall. In the MX2 class, Thomas Kjer Olsen put in a consistent performance to place sixth overall.
Qualifying went well for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna MXGP-class riders, with Pauls Jonass claiming fourth and Arminas Jasikonis eighth. In Sunday’s first moto, Jonass got off to a strong start, clearing the first-corner melee in fourth position. With riders swapping places over the first few laps, the Latvian remained composed on the technically demanding track, maintaining a top-five position for the majority of the race. With six laps to go, the former MX2 World Champion moved up to fourth – a place he would successfully defend until the chequered flag. Despite not feeling his best, teammate Jasikonis fought back from a small mistake mid-way through the 18 laps to claim 10th.
In race two, Jonass got off to another solid start placing fourth at the end of lap one. The pace at the front was intense with the top five riders all putting in similar lap times. Pauls moved up to second following a crash by the then race leader, Romain Febvre, on lap 13, however a last-lap pass by Glenn Coldenhoff relegated him back to third, where he remained until the finish. His 4-3 result secured the Latvian third overall for the GP, marking his second MXGP podium for the season to date. Struggling a little on the demanding Swedish track, Arminas Jasikonis had to settle for 12th in moto two, claiming 11th overall.
With just the MXGPs of Turkey and China now remaining, Jasikonis lies sixth in the championship standings with Jonass now seventh – just seven points behind his teammate.
Saturday’s qualifying race didn’t go as planned for MX2 rider Thomas Kjer Olsen. A number of crashes caught out the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider and although he completed the race, he was forced to settle for 23rd, resulting in a less-than-ideal gate pick for Sunday’s motos.
Despite the disadvantage, the Husqvarna FC 250 mounted rider got a solid start in the first moto and was placed 15th by the end of the first lap. With his head down, Thomas continued to push and maintain a strong pace, equal to that of those inside the top-five. His consistency paid off as he moved through the pack to ultimately claim eighth at the flag.
Kjer Olsen enjoyed a stronger race two, charging into 10th from the gate-drop. With the pace of the front runners extremely competitive, the Dane was once again able to master the loose surface and pick off several riders ahead. A sixth-place finish in moto two earned Thomas sixth overall for the grand prix, securing his overall runner-up position in the 2019 MX2 championship standings.
Completing a hugely successful season, Team Maddii Racing Husqvarna’s Mattia Guadagnini placed third overall in Sweden to wrap up the FIM EMX125 2stoke European Championship. The young Italian rider rode maturely to place third in both motos and claim the title by 13 points. The win compliments Guadagnini’s FIM 125cc Junior Motocross World Championship title he won in July.
With just two rounds of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship remaining, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team will next be in action on September 8, at the MXGP of Turkey.
Pauls Jonass:“I’m really happy with my performance today – it feels great to be back on the podium again. It makes all the hard work by myself and the whole of the team worth it and it shows we are definitely making progress, which was the goal this season. My starts were better this weekend, which helps a lot at this track, and I was then able to keep a good pace and stay with the top guys. The bike was great all weekend – we were able to make some changes to the suspension settings, which helped a lot here in Sweden. There was a lot of Latvian fans here this weekend and they made it feel like a home race for me, so thanks to them and I’m glad I was able to give them a good result.”
Arminas Jasikonis:“It was a really tough day for me here in Sweden. Qualifying went okay and the bike felt good, I was just suffering with my stomach a little and didn’t have the strength to push any harder. It’s a shame because there were a lot of Lithuanian fans here today to support me. There’s two weeks now till the next round, so I hope to come back stronger in Turkey.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen:“It’s been a tough weekend here in Sweden. Qualifying didn’t go so well – I didn’t get a good jump out the gate and was on the back foot for the rest of the race. I moved up into the top 10 but then had a really odd crash and hurt myself pretty bad. My gate pick for Sunday wasn’t good and I was a little sore from the crash, but I was still really motivated for Sunday’s races. My start wasn’t too bad in the first moto, but I still had to work really hard to make up places and the Swedish track was really tricky to pass on. I got eighth at the finish but that just made me even more determined for the second race. I got a better start in moto two and absolutely gave it my all out there. My pace was good and the bike was working great – I did get up to sixth and was trying to chase down the two guys ahead, but they were riding well too, and I had to settle for sixth. It’s a little frustrating because I know I had the speed to do better, it just wasn’t my weekend.”
Results – 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 16
MXGP – Overall
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM) 47 points; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 45 pts; 3. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 38 pts… 11. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 20 pts; 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 3 pts…
MXGP – Race 1
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM) 34:53.626 18 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 34:54.696; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:00.865… 4. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:10.995; 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:51.815; 20. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:56.562…
MXGP – Race 2
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:44.502 18 laps; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM) 34:49.322; 3. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 34:51.243…12. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:42.116; 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 34:46.562 17 laps…
MX2 – Overall
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 44 points; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen (Honda) 43 pts; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 43 pts… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 28 pts; 8. Dylan Walsh (Husqvarna) 23 pts; 17. Alvin Ostlund (Husqvarna) 8 pts; 24. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 1 pt…
MX2 – Race 1
1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:11.359 18 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:12.545; 3. Henry Jacobi (Kawasaki) 35:34.744… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:05.362; 18. Alvin Ostlund (Husqvarna) 36:28.408; 23. Cyril Genot (Husqvarna) 36:58.275; 25. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:02.459; 28. James Carpenter (Husqvarna) 35:43.643 17 laps…
MX2 – Race 2
1. Cavin Vlaanderen (Honda) 35:22.115 18 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:29.614; 3. Adam Sterry (Husqvarna) 35:36.158… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:47.953; 9. Dylan Walsh (Husqvarna) 36:01.203; 16. Alvin Ostlund (Husqvarna) 36:27.123; 20. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 36:56.427; 21. Cyril Genot (Husqvarna) 37:10.657; 25. James Carpenter (Husqvarna) 35:50.657…
Championship Standings – After Round 16
MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 709; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 511; 3. Gauthier Paulin (Yamaha) 468… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 397; 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 390; 16. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 173; 29. Andero Lusbo (Husqvarna) 29…
MX2
1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 737 points; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 592 pts; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 467 pts… 11. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 250; 18. Alvin Ostlund (Husqvarna) 160; 19. Davey Pootjes (Husqvarna) 157; 20. Dylan Walsh (Husqvarna) 137…
Text/Bild: Husqvarna