Yamaha dominate MXGP of Sweden | Mitch Evans P6

2022 FIM Motocross World Championship
Round 15 – MXGP of Sweden

Round 15 of the FIM Motocross World Championship has seen Jeremy Seewer and Jago Geerts top the podium in MXGP and MX2 respectively, with Tom Vialle giving Geerts a run for his money for the MX2 victory, with the two tied on points for the round.

Tim Gajser of Team HRC also made his return to the box after a tough GP in Belgium, while Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff made it back-to-back podiums in Sweden, marking his fifth visit to the box this season.

Overall, it was a great return to Uddevalla, with the local crowd of more than 21,000 showing their support and creating a great atmosphere around the track and in the paddock.

Of the Australians, Mitch Evans made a slight error in the first moto and had to remount his bike, near the back of the field, crossing the line in 27th on lap one, but making his way up to 10th place by the end of the moto, in a monumental effort.

Evans made some nice moves to get into fourth by the end of lap one in the second moto, and with riders separated by just a few seconds, there was potential for the results to get even better. However, like race one, the top five were all running laptimes so close to each other than passing was almost impossible, and although Evans did post the fastest laptime, he could not make a pass and finished where he started, in fourth.

The fourth place finish is Evans’ best of the season and saw him move into 10th place in the championship.

Mitch Evans – P6

“After winning yesterday’s qualification race, I really felt like I could have been on the podium today, but unfortunately I made a small mistake on the first lap of race one and that cost me. I fought back from near the back of the field, and worked my way up to 10th, which on this track wasn’t easy, so that was a good recovery, but I really hoped for more. Still, in race two, I made up for that with a strong fourth place finish, my best moto result of the season so that felt really good and gives me confidence that I can battle for the podium spots in these last three GPs of the season.”

Jed Beaton was moving forward from midfield starts in each moto until incidents cost him dearly and he had to be content with nineteenth and eighteenth placings at the chequered flag. The Australian remains seventeenth in the points standings.

2022 MXGP of  Video Highlights

MXGP Race One

In MXGP race one, Valentin Guillod of iXS Hostettler MXGP Team was the Fox Holeshot winner, but the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing trio of Maxime Renaux, Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff were quick to pass the Swiss and take the first, second and third positions. Guillod dropped to fourth but was ahead of Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado.

Yesterday’s qualifying race winner Mitch Evans of Team HRC struggled in the first few laps of the race after crashing but managed to get going again and was making very strong progress throughout the race.

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Renaux then began to come under strong pressure from his teammate Seewer who was trying everything to get by. Meanwhile, Guillod remained impressive in fifth after being passed by Gajser. Prado was looking to do the same, but the Swiss put up a strong fight for much of the race.

Further down the field, Evans was making strong moves towards the top 10, where he eventually finished after what was a strong effort from the Aussie.

After six laps, Prado was finally able to pass Guillod, as Renaux opened up the gap to 2.020 seconds over Seewer and Coldenhoff.

Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen went out of the race after what looked like a mechanical issue.

Towards the latter stages of the race, we saw Seewer get back onto the rear wheel of Renaux, as Gajser attempted to get by Coldenhoff who was able to fend off the Slovenian.

In the end, it was a Yamaha 1-2-3 as Renaux took the win from Seewer and Coldenhoff as Gajser was forced to settle for fourth ahead of Prado. Meanwhile, Guillod crashed on the final lap and dropped from 6th to 9th.

MXGP Race Two

In race two, the Fox Holeshot went to Seewer, his third of the season, who initially led Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre, Vlaanderen, Evans, Gajser and Coldenhoff but before we even got to the end of the first lap, Gajser was able to make some quick passes to land himself in second place.

Renaux though had a big crash on one of the tabletops on the opening lap and did not carry on with the race. The Frenchman was able to walk away injury-free and it was confirmed that he is feeling banged up and bruised but nothing more serious.

Seewer was looking fast in the first two laps, as he set two consecutive fastest laps of the race as he opened a small margin of 1.599 seconds to Gajser, Febvre and Evans.

Evans was on a charge as he clocked the fastest lap of the race, a 1:50.808 as he began to close in on Febvre and Gajser. At that point, the top four were nicely bunched up together and it looked like we had an intense battle for the race win on our hands.

Though as the race went on, Seewer was looking more and more comfortable in first as Gajser was not looking to take any risks after a big crash in time practice on Saturday.

It looked like everyone began to settle into their pace, as not many passes were being made until Prado began to charge for Vlaanderen and ultimately passed the Yamaha rider for sixth.

In the end, Seewer secured his fourth race win of the season ahead of Gajser, Febvre, Evans and Coldenhoff! A 2-1 result gave Seewer his third GP victory of the season, while Gajser finished second and Coldenhoff made it back-to-back podiums in Sweden.

Heading into the 16th round of the series, Gajser holds 115 points lead over Seewer who remains second ahead of Prado who is third. Coldenhoff is just a further 18 points behind and has a chance to challenge the Spaniard for the bronze medal over the next three Grand Prix.

Jeremy Seewer – P1

“I had two good starts today, and that is really important. Taking a holeshot in the second race makes it easier, especially on this track, because passing is super difficult. I won the GP, so it was an amazing weekend. There are three rounds to go now, so I just want to keep going and collect as many first-place trophies as possible.”

Tim Gajser – P2

“To come away with second overall is a solid result, but it was a little frustrating because the track was just so difficult to pass on. In both races, there wasn’t a pass in the top five after the first lap, so when I didn’t get the best start in race one, it really hurt my chances to win my ninth overall of the season. However, it is another race down and I’m still in a really strong position in the championship so I just need to keep the level high and aim for the win in Finland next weekend.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P3

“We made some changes today and it definitely worked out, so I am just grateful to the team. We had a dream finish for Yamaha with the three of us going 1,2 and 3, although I wish the order that we finished was different, still, it says something. I am happy to be here on the podium again, it’s always good to be here.”

Romain Febvre – P4

“Today it was even more difficult than usual to make a pass; we saw that there were not so many passes by anyone in either race. It was frustrating because it was so difficult to pass anyone unless the rider in front of you made a mistake. I was unhappy with my first start as the gate moved a little before it finally dropped and that cost me; I could make some passes during the first lap but then there was nothing to do and I stayed seventh until I could finally make a move on the last lap. I had a good speed in the second race and nearly passed Gajser a couple of times but he didn’t make any mistakes and I was stuck in third. Next weekend the track will be different; I raced there a few years ago and it’s sandy but not deep sand. I have the speed now and I can keep the same rhythm throughout the entire moto so with a good start I know that it’s possible to offer the team a win or at least a podium.”

Jorge Prado – P5

“Actually, it has been a good weekend. I was happy with my riding and I felt much better, so I am sad that the result does not show how good I was. I was competitive this weekend and could have won with a good start. I had some bad starts, which was unusual, and had to make a lot of passes at the start of each moto. I am happy with my riding and the progress that we have made as a team. I had fun!”

Maxime Renaux – P8

“It’s really frustrating. I had the perfect start to the day with a top start and a race win after leading the whole race. But, on the second race, I came together with another rider and crashed. Some riders rode over me, so I was a little bit bruised. I tried to continue, but I couldn’t hold the handlebar, so I had to stop. It’s disappointing, but luckily no injuries and I will be ready to return in Finland.”

Brian Bogers – P11

“I struggled today, to be honest. I had bad starts and we know that I am not a great starter. I stalled the bike in the first turn and managed to climb back to fifteenth, but I am not happy with these results. It was not a bad day for the championship though and we are closing in on the rider in sixth place.”

Pauls Jonass – P12

“I always like this track and I enjoy racing here! I am quite good in these conditions, but I just did not feel like myself this weekend. I am happy with how I rode at points, but I also know that I can be so much better. It is frustrating at the moment, sure, but I am just going to keep working hard with my team.”

Ben Watson – P14

“It was quite a tough weekend. I expected more after Loket because they are pretty similar tracks but I made a small mistake in Qualifying so I didn’t have the best of gate-picks for today. I got a great start in race one but I just got destroyed through the first two laps to go backwards from fourth to fifteenth; I just didn’t have the intensity in the opening laps and that was so important here. I had some better laps at the end of the race so I was quietly confident for race two but my start wasn’t the best this time and then there was an unfortunate incident when I landed on Renaux on the first lap. I made some good passes from the back but the result wasn’t what I wanted.”

MXGP Overall Result

MXGP Championship Standings (Top 30)

MX2 Race One

In the first MX2 race of the day, the Fox Holeshot went to F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Kevin Horgmo who briefly led before being passed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts was third ahead of Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder, SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Andrea Adamo and Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup.

Geerts then got alongside Horgmo and passed him for second on the second lap, while Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Roan van de Moosdijk passed Haarup for sixth.

Geerts was looking fast as he set a couple of fastest laps of the race, though Vialle was quick to respond as he improved the fastest lap time and stretched out the lead to 2.127 seconds.

On lap four we saw Geerts go down and out of second, though he managed to pick himself up quickly and re-join the race just behind Horgmo.

Adamo went out of the race early on, as he rode back in pain to pitlane. He also did not line-up for race two.

By that point in the race, Vialle had a comfortable 7-second lead, as Geerts looked to get back past Horgmo for second.

Moosdijk then found himself in trouble as a problem with his rear brake saw him lose several positions before he was able to find his rhythm and manage the situation. He eventually finished in 13th place.

Haarup meanwhile was setting up a pass on Längenfelder who was not making it easy for the Dane.

Vialle stretched out his lead to over 10 seconds while Geerts looked like he was settling into second and happy to take the points rather than any unnecessary risks. In the end, Vialle won the race ahead of Geerts, Horgmo and Längenfelder who was able to hold off Haarup until the chequered flag.

MX2 Race Two

In race two, the Fox Holeshot was secured by Längenfelder who was ahead of Horgmo, Thibault Benistant of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing, Vialle and Geerts. Benistant was quick to get himself into second after passing Horgmo on the opening lap, as Vialle did the same shortly after.

Meanwhile, Geerts found himself battling with Moosdijk, as the pair swapped positions a couple of times, though the Belgian was able to make it stick and secure fifth as he set his sights on Horgmo.

On the second lap, Benistant crashed out of second and got going again in eighth which meant that it was Längenfelder, Vialle, Geerts, Horgmo and Moosdijk who were in the top five.

Geerts got sight of Vialle and began to push, setting the fastest lap of the race. Though the pass came easy in the end, as Vialle made a small mistake and crashed. The Frenchman was able to get going quickly just behind Geerts.

Moosdijk passed Horgmo for fourth, as Geerts closed right in on Längenfelder, but the German was not going to give up the lead so easily as he made Geerts work hard at it until lap 11. By that point, Vialle was right there too, which meant Geerts could not put a foot wrong if he wanted to win the race.

Vialle had a much easier pass on Längenfelder who made a mistake and then it was game on between the two title contenders until the chequered flag. Despite the pressure, Geerts was able to bring it home, to win his 11th race of the season.

A 2-1 result also put Geerts on the top step, as he and Vialle ended the weekend tied on points. Vialle was forced to stand on the second step, while Längenfelder made his fifth podium appearance to finish third.

After 15 rounds, Geerts maintains a 23-point lead over Vialle, while Längenfelder stays third. Three rounds remain and it will be a tight battle for the MX2 title between Geerts and Vialle.

Jago Geerts – P1

“I’m really happy about the way I rode today. In the second race, I needed to take a few laps to find my flow and the best lines, but in the end, I managed to make some good passes to win the GP. I also kept the lead in the championship, so it was a really positive weekend for me. I am really looking forward to returning to the sand next weekend in Finland and for the final three races of the season.”

Tom Vialle – P2

“I felt good all weekend on the track and the first moto was going great. I could control the gap and had five-six seconds ahead of Jago but it was my turn to make a mistake in the second one and I had to work to catch both of them: Jago and Simon. The track was tough to pass and we were pushing; the speed was high. I didn’t find a spot to overtake. I’m a bit disappointed because I would have liked to have won the GP but the points remain the same. It’s only 23 and it’s not much. Any mistake can count a lot but all I can do it my own race in the GPs to come and see what happens.”

Simon Längenfelder – P3

“I’m back on the box, which I’m happy about. I got a good start in the first race but was sleeping a little bit, so went back to fourth and then I was stuck there. Going into the second race, I took the holeshot on my MC 250F and just tried to do well. In the first twenty minutes, I rode really well. I made some mistakes after that and lost some ground. All in all, it was a good weekend. I’m looking forward to the next three rounds.”

Kevin Horgmo – P4

“It took me some time to find my rhythm in practice yesterday but I turned it around in Qualifying so I had a good feeling coming into today and got the holeshot in race one. I tried to follow Vialle and Geerts when they came past but they were just a little too fast for me and I ended up third. Still, that was a good race for me. I stood a little more to the inside on the gate for race two and got squeezed going into the first corner. I also rode a little tense during the first few laps and then had a small crash so I ended up fifth. It would have been nice to be the podium in front of my family and friends but it was not to be. Perhaps I can make it for them next week. I saw a lot of familiar faces this weekend and I want to thank them all for their support; some Norwegian fans told me on Saturday they were enjoying it so much they had already booked tickets for Finland.”

Mikkel Haarup – P5

“In many ways we had a good weekend with a lot of positives. It was nice to get back into racing and feel comfortable on the bike; there were a couple of things I wished I had done differently in my races but the most important thing is that I never gave up. I was fifth in the end but I felt I was capable of more; a couple of mistakes kept me away from better results but I kept it on two wheels. I got a little frustrated at times because I felt I had the pace to do more but it’s not easy to pass here and I got caught behind other riders. But we’re back in it after a couple of difficult GPs and have closed a few points on fifth in the standings so let’s carry that on through the last three GPs.”

Kay de Wolf – P6

“It was a tough day. I hit a marshal’s flag with my hand yesterday, so today was about survival. I had a bad start in the first moto and came back to seventh. I had a slightly better start in the second moto and did my own thing. It was an intense race; we were all going so fast and doing exactly the same pace. I went 7-7, so it was a good day. Onto Finland!”

Thibault Benistant – P7

“It was not an easy weekend for me. In the first race, I started around sixth but made a mistake on the first lap. I took some time to find my rhythm out there, but once I found it, I could return to P.6. In the second race, I got a good start. I was second and pushing to make a gap on the faster guys, but I fell and hurt my shoulder a little bit. At the end of the race, I was feeling better, but it was already too late, but I still managed to do some good laps, so I am looking forward to the next one.”

Roan van de Moosdijk – P8

“I felt really good today. I was fifth in the first moto, but then I had an issue and a little crash that put me thirteenth. I was fifth in the second moto and battled hard for fourth. I had a small gap behind me, because another rider crashed, so I kept pushing and finished in that spot. That was good; I was very happy about that.”

MX2 Overall Result

MX2 Championship Standings