MIXED PERFORMANCES FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING AT MXGP OF ITALY.
MX2 RACERS DELIVER TOP-10 RESULTS AS MXGP CLASS RIDERS STRUGGLE TO GET TO GRIPS WITH MAGGIORA CIRCUIT.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing claimed mixed results at the MXGP of Italy, round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The team’s best finishes came from MX2 class racers Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf, as both racers enjoyed great starts and solid results with Jed claiming seventh overall with Kay close behind in ninth. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen placed 23rd overall following a 19th in race two.
The third round of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship took place at the spectacular Maggiora circuit in northern Italy where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing posted a mixed set of results at the hillside venue.
Rebounding from a challenging couple of rounds of MX2 competition, Jed Beaton enjoyed a notable upturn in his results at the MXGP of Italy with a solid seventh-place overall finish. In moto one, Jed started up front and remained among the leading riders for the whole race and was rewarded with a strong fifth-place finish.
For moto two, Beaton had another great start, slotting into fourth and again placed himself among the leaders. Frustratingly, while setting up a pass to move into fifth, the Australian went off line and slipped back to seventh where he would remain for the rest of the moto. In claiming seventh overall, Jed takes the positives from his day of racing in Italy and now looks ahead to round four in two weeks’ time.
Throughout a frantic battle with many of the established stars in the MX2 class, Kay de Wolf remained composed during the whole of race one to secure a career-best finish of seventh. In race two, de Wolf again started inside the top 10 and following a race-long charge crossed the finish line in ninth. In doing so, he secured a confidence boosting ninth-overall. The impressive result from the young Dutchman moves the 16-year-old up to 12th in the MX2 World Championship standings with Kay’s home GP in Oss, The Netherlands, up next on the calendar.
In the MXGP class, both Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis endured a difficult day in Italy. Thomas just missed out on points in race one and placed 19th in race two. For Arminas, the 23-year-old continues to build his race fitness and confidence and successfully completed both motos.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on July 18 at the MXGP of The Netherlands.
Jed Beaton:“Finally I had two good starts but I let myself down a little with the end results. The results were pretty decent but having started near the front it would have been nice to have perhaps been on the podium today. The second race was a bit more frustrating as while I was setting up a pass, I then got passed as the line I took was no good. Overall I’m happy. A step in the right direction for sure.”
Kay de Wolf:“I’m really happy with my results today and also how my career in MX2 has started. I feel like I’m settling into the class nicely and I feel great on the bike so everything is really positive. In race one I had a great start and battled with some great riders the whole time so it was a crazy race for me and I’m really happy to have finished seventh in that one. The second one was a little bit tougher. I went wide in turn two to try and make a few passes but it back fired on me. I then just charged the whole moto and ended up ninth, so that wasn’t too bad. Now I’m looking forward to Oss and my home GP in a couple of weeks’ time.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen:“It was a tough one today and not where I should be. I didn’t get great starts and I collided with someone in the first race, which put me way down the field. In the MXGP class the field is so deep so it’s hard to come through. I was hoping to turn it around in race two but it rained really heavily and my start was not the best. I need to put myself in better positions and then I’ll be back to where I was at the first round.”
Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 3
MXGP – Overall
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 40pts; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 40; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 40… 23. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 2
MXGP – Race 1
1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:00:711, 18 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:03:659; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:05:951… 22. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:08:859; 23. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:13:850
MXGP – Race 2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:58:417, 17 laps; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 36:05:328; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 36:27:438… 19. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:20:642, 16 laps; 26. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:31:434
MX2 – Overall
1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 37; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 30; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 26
MX2 – Race 1
1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:16:807, 18 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:26:984; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 34:33:984… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:37:399; 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:40:081
MX2 – Race 2
1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:43:918, 18 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:47:351; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 34:49:609… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:57:598; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:12:028
Championship Standings – After Round 3
MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 124pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 118; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 107… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 45
MX2
1. Mattia Guadagnini 113pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 111; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 108… 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 67; 12. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 49
Text/Bild: Husqvarna