PRADO VICTORIOUS AND LÄNGENFELDER BATTLES HARD: HIGHLIGHTS FROM MXGP OF WEST NUSA TENGGARA.
A hot and heavy first weekend at Lombok for the MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara saw Jorge Prado claim an awesome MXGP win, while Simon Längenfelder raced to a solid seventh against the odds in MX2.
With the 2024 FIM Motocross season hitting the half way marker, the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team and Jorge Prado set out to Indonesia with two goals in mind; score as many points as possible and recapture the top step of the podium. What’s more, with a double feature of back-to-back GPs in Indonesia in store, there was no better opportunity to crank on the gas, and get after it. After two days of fast and furious racing around the 1640m Lombok circuit for the MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara – officially round 11 of MXGP – Jorge Prado delivered in awesome style.
Shrugging off the intense 31°C heat, as well as a challenging hard-pack track layout which quickly developed a reputation for catching out even the very best riders – Jorge Prado threw down a masterclass performance, finishing 2nd and 1st respectively across both of Sunday’s motos, to secure the overall event win.
While the rivalries on track against Prado – primarily featuring Tim Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings, and Jeremy Seewer – criss-crossed similarly across both motos; the main notable difference came in the form of a huge change in track conditions. Sunday’s opening moto was run on a predictable dry surface, however after the lunch break, the track had been over-watered during the afternoon re-prep leading to a maze of puddles and thick mud.
Unfazed, Prado rode his GASGAS MC 450 F with incredible precision. Pulling away from other riders falling in his wake to finish the day’s second moto with a cool and unassailable 5.367 second lead over rival Herlings by the final flag. The result means Prado has clawed back the gap in the standings to just 22 points behind Gajser in a single weekend and adds to his tally of seven wins this season.
Meanwhile in MX2 Simon Längenfelder faced a tougher time, but kept fighting hard. Starting strong with a holeshot and leading early laps in the opening moto, Längenfelder held a comfortable lead of 1.6 seconds by lap three. However, a mistake on lap eight dropped him to 2nd place. With the heat sapping his strength at the end of the race Längenfelder ultimately finished 6th. In the second moto, Längenfelder battled from 6th place again; making crucial passes to briefly move up to 5th by lap nine. Despite setbacks in the second half of the race, he finished sixth once more, meaning a P7 overall result.
With a few days training and recovery ahead, the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team will return to Lombok next weekend, July 6-7, for the MXGP of Lombok, featuring the same circuit run in reverse.
MXGP – #1 – Jorge Prado: „I mentioned before coming to Indonesia that my goal was to win here and every GP. It was disappointing about the result in Maggiora, but I was fully focused on coming back strong. We started the second half of the season well with this result. I felt good today on the bike, but it was physically demanding. Both races were different, but this one was particularly challenging due to the physical conditions. The heat was intense, and the track was extremely rough and sketchy. There was a lot of water put down after the break. I got caught a few times in mud holes, and my bike went sideways. However, I regrouped, controlled my pace, and managed to take the win. Now, let’s have a good weekend of training and rest to be ready for round two here in Indonesia!”
MX2 – #516 – Simon Längenfelder: „The first weekend here in Lombok is over, and to be honest, it was a bit of a struggle. In the first race, I had a good start and was leading. I felt comfortable on the bike, but unfortunately, I had a small tip-over, and after that, things went downhill. I felt like I had expended all my energy, and the last 10 minutes were tough. I finished 6th. In the second race, the heavily watered track presented a challenge, but overall, I felt good. Despite a less than ideal start, I made some good passes. Towards the end, I lost a few positions and finished sixth again. Now it’s time to recover this week and analyze what we can improve for the next weekend.”
MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara Results:
MXGP – Overall:
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 47pts
2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 47pts
3. Calvin Vlaanderen (Yamaha) 36pts
7. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 25pts
MXGP – Moto One:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
3. Tim Gajser (Honda)
10. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna)
MXGP – Moto Two:
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
3. Jeremy Seewer (Kawasaki)
7. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna)
MXGP – Standings:
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 555pts
2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 533pts
3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 497pts
13. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 146pts
MX2 – Overall:
1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 50pts
2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 42pts
3. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 36pts
5. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 34pts
6. Liam Everts (KTM) 32pts
7. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 30pts
MX2 – Moto One:
1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna)
2. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
3. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph)
4. Liam Everts (KTM)
5. Sacha Coenen (KTM)
6. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
7. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna)
MX2 – Moto Two:
1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna)
2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna)
3. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
4. Sacha Coenen (KTM)
6. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
7. Liam Everts (KTM)
MX2 – Standings:
1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 532pts
2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 467pts
3. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 463pts
4. Liam Everts (KTM) 432pts
5. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 417pts
8. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 312pts
16. Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS) 122pts
Text/Bild: GasGas