Steve Cox | September 17, 2017
2017 French MXGP Finale Results: The only major motocross championship left to hand out in 2017, the MX2 World Championship was set to fall to Red Bull KTM’s Pauls Jonass at the finale, held at the Villars sous Ecot circuit in France. He came in leading Suzuki’s Jeremy Seewer by 41 points, which meant all Jonass had to do was finish moto one 12th or better to clinch the championship.
In the first moto, Jonass got the holeshot, but collided with another rider and went down, which put Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thomas Covington into the lead. Jonass got up quickly, then fell again a turn later. He had his work cut out for him.
2017 French MXGP Finale Results
Covington led every lap of the moto over Seewer, eventually winning by over 8 seconds, but Jonass made it up to 10th by lap five, and then continued forward until he took fifth from KTM-mounted Julien Lieber on the final lap. Jonass clinched the title.
Seewer was second in the moto, just in front of Aussie Honda racer Jed Beaton, then his fellow Aussie (on a Suzuki) Hunter Lawrence, Jonass, and Lieber.
In moto two, Covington got the start, but Lawrence quickly found his way by and slowly pulled away to win the moto – the first of his career – by six seconds over Covington, whose 1-2 score gave him the overall. Lawrence’s 4-1 was good for second overall on the day. Jonass started poorly, but worked his way up to third at the finish, just in front of Beaton, Seewer, and Brian Bogers.
2017 French MXGP Finale Results
“It is good way to top off the year with a race like this, it gives me some more motivation through the off-season and to be ready for next year,” Covington said. “The last few weeks the starts have been really good and I think that is one of the biggest improvements I have made towards the last part of the season. The bike is just a rocket ship out of the gate and we saw that today. The start is so important in conditions like this and I made the most of it.”
Covington will join fellow Husqvarna racer Zach Osborne and Honda’s Cole Seely on Team USA for the Motocross of Nations two weeks from now in England.
In the MXGP class, Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings took yet another victory, continuing his hot streak with a 3-1 score for the overall.
2017 French MXGP Finale Results
Honda’s 2016 MXGP World Champ Tim Gajser won the opening moto, but his 1-3 was only good enough for second overall. Covington’s teammate Max Anstie was third overall with a 4-2 score.
Current MXGP World Champion Antonio Cairoli struggled in the opening moto and crashed late, ending up ninth. In moto two, Cairoli started near the front, but pulled off early.
2017 French MXGP Finale Results
“I’m very happy about the season we worked very hard to win and we made it,” Cairoli said. “I really enjoy riding and already now I’m looking forward to next year because I know where we can improve.”
The final race on the calendar is the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in England on September 30-October 1st at Matterley Basin.
Results:
MXGP
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 3-1
2. Tim Gajser (Hon) 1-3
3. Max Anstie (Hus) 4-2
4. Romain Febvre (Yam) 2-4
5. Gautier Paulin (Hus) 5-6
MX2
1. Thomas Covington (Hus) 1-2
2. Hunter Lawrence (Suz) 4-1
3. Jed Beaton (Hon) 3-4
4. Jeremy Seewer (Suz) 2-5
5. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 5-3
MXGP Final Points Standings
1. Antonio Cairoli 722
2. Jeffrey Herlings 672
3. Gautier Paulin 602
4. Clement Desalle 544
5. Tim Gajser 530
MX2 Final Points Standings
1. Pauls Jonass 771
2. Jeremy Seewer 732
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen 579
4. Thomas Covington 532
5. Benoit Paturel 504
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