STRONG RESULTS FROM THOMAS KJER OLSEN & JED BEATON AT GP OF INDONESIA
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING MX2 DUO FINISH THIRD AND FIFTH OVERALL IN PALEMBANG
Managing the hot and humid conditions in Indonesia, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 duo of Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton have finished third and fifth respectively at round 11 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the pairing’s best combined Grand Prix results so far this season. Frustratingly, MXGP class riders Pauls Jonass and Arminas Jasikonis endured a tough GP, finishing seventh and ninth overall.
Continuing his strong return to form, Jed Beaton secured Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s best result in the opening MX2 moto as the Australian finished in a well-deserved fifth, one position ahead of his teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen.
Race two again saw Beaton place fifth after spending five laps running in fourth. With 5/5 results the FC 250 rider placed fifth overall – his highest Grand Prix result of the year to date – and just two points behind the fourth-place finisher. But it was Thomas Kjer Olsen who delivered the goods in the second race, in no uncertain terms.
Unable to find his rhythm in the opening moto, in race two he unquestionably gave his all to end the GP in the best possible way. Fourth at the end of the opening lap, TKO quickly moved into the runner-up spot as he found his flow and continued to attack. Passing Jago Geerts to move into the race lead, TKO established a solid advantage and pushed hard to the finish to earn a hard-fought race victory, his first since winning both races at the GP of Great Britain.
The MXGP of Indonesia proved to be a tough event for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass and Arminas Jasikonis with the pair respectively placing seventh and ninth overall. Knowing that the hot and humid conditions would make the GP tougher than normal, Jonass was fortunate to finish his qualifying race following a fall on the opening lap. The heavy landing on his shoulder compromised the former MX2 World Champion’s weekend in Palembang.
Enjoying decent starts in both races but lacking power in his shoulder, Jonass was unable to push to his maximum around the rutted and jump filled man-made circuit. Battling to an eighth-place result in the first MXGP race, he went one better in race two to finish seventh having again been unable to ride at 100 per cent.
Frustratingly for Arminas Jasikonis a possible top-five result in the second moto ended when he crashed mid-race. Placing 10th in the opening moto, the tall FC 450 rider worked his way forward from 15th on lap one to 11th on lap 13. Passing Jeremy van Horebeek with two laps to go, Arminas ended the race 10th.
Looking strong in the second moto Arminas moved from seventh to fifth and looked set to earn a strong result. Frustratingly, a crash notably de-tuned him and dropped him back to an eventual 10th place.
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team will next be in action at round 12 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Asia (Indonesia), on July 14.
Thomas Kjer Olsen:“I really am pleased with winning the second moto. I was frustrated with my result in the opening race, I know I could have done a lot better but I wasn’t able to get a good rhythm, maybe because I was trying to be too conservative because of the heat. So I wanted to show what I could do in the second race. I just gave everything and felt really good. I got a good start, made some passes and kept pushing. The race was so different for me compared to the first moto. Finishing the GP with a win, and a podium result, is great. Now I’ll rest and relax a little before the next race, which I’m looking forward to.”
Jed Beaton:“It’s been another good GP for me. I felt like Germany was a really good step in the right direction, and that I was finally managing to put things behind me and deliver the pace I know I can. I kind of kept that momentum going here with two more strong results. It was a tough GP, we all knew the heat wasn’t going to be too much fun, but both races went well for me. I’m pleased things are moving in a good direction now, hopefully next weekend will be another positive weekend, too.”
Pauls Jonass:“I made a mistake in the qualification race on Saturday and crashed heavily on my shoulder, which made the whole weekend difficult for me. It’s really frustrating as I felt good on the track. I guess I was lucky it wasn’t a serious injury, but I banged my shoulder hard and that made it tough today – I didn’t have the power I needed for the ruts, braking bumps and landings from the jumps. But I did the best I could. I got a decent start in the first race then went a little wide in the second turn. After that I couldn’t push like I wanted to because of my shoulder. I made a few passes but eighth wasn’t what I wanted. Race two was similar – I couldn’t go any faster. It was a little bit of surviving, getting the most championship points possible. I’ll rest now and go again next weekend.”
Arminas Jasikonis:“It’s been another frustrating weekend for me. I really wanted to improve my confidence with some strong results here in Indonesia and I felt good on the track. But again things haven’t gone how I wanted them. I didn’t find the heat too bad and I felt good at the start of the second race. I got to fifth and I felt really comfortable there. I crashed, not a really big crash, but I hit the ground pretty hard and that put me back down the results. Some days to rest now and then I’ll give everything at the next GP.”
Results – 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 11
MXGP – Overall
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47 points; 2. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 43; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 38… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 27; 9. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 22; 11. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 20; 14. Andero Lusbo (Husqvarna) 15…
MXGP – Race 1
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:36.177 21 laps; 2. Max Anstie (KTM) 34:42.309; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:45.598… 8. Pauls Jonas (Husqvarna) 35:35.113; 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:57.987; 13. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 35:30.742 20 laps; 14. Andero Lusbo (Husqvarna) 35:54.225…
MXGP – Race 2
1. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 33:26.578 20 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 33:29.834; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM) 33:44.750… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 34:08.744; 9. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 34:41.674; 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:00.521; 13. Andero Lusbo (Husqvarna) 34:23.634
MX2 – Overall
1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 47 points; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 42; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 40… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 32
MX2 – Race 1
1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 33:40.277 20 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33:47.044; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 33:54.583… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:05.552; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:16.210
MX2 – Race 2
1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 33:51.534 20 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 33:55.121; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33:58.690… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:07.551
Championship Standings – After Round 11
MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 488 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 358; 3. Jeremy Sewer (Yamaha) 327… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 271; 8. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 246; 17. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 112
MX2
1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 494 points; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 443; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 334… 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 192; 14. Davy Pootjes (Husqvarna) 157; 17. Alvin Ostlund (Husqvarna) 104; 18. Dylan Walsh (Husqvarna) 95
Text/Bild: Husqvarna