Jeffrey Herlings captured his sixth motocross World championship, his third in the premier division (MXGP) and his first with Honda HRC Petronas, at the MXGP of Turkiye on September 5-6. All his prior championships were achieved with Red Bull KTM, and he clinched the title with two rounds remaining on the schedule. Herlings came on strong in the second half of the season, especially the last five rounds, winning every single moto during that span. The veteran also led every lap in Türkiye.
After clinching the Championship at the end of race one, he was closely chased to the line in race two by his Honda teammate Tom Vialle, who took second overall for his third straight podium finish. The outgoing World Champion Romain Febvre claimed third overall for Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP, his ninth podium of the season.
“It’s great, I’m pleased,” Herlings said. “Even though I had such a points gap, I was stressed the last couple of weeks, because I knew the only thing that could possibly ruin my championship was an injury, and I’ve been quite fragile in the past when I had crashes. I didn’t sleep much last night, I think I got three hours in. I was going through all kinds of scenarios, if this, if that, and just trying not to crash. Out of all of them, I never guessed I was going to take two holeshots and lead every single lap. It’s a sixth world championship, my 123rd GP win and my 11th of the year with Honda HRC Petronas. I just hate losing, and in the six championships I’ve won, every time I’ve won the race and the championship on the same day. The season isn’t over either, so I keep trying to get the record higher and higher, GP wins, race wins, whatsoever.”
“I gave everything I had all race,” Vialle said after the second moto. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it, because Jeffrey was pushing hard. Every lap I told myself, ‘okay, one more lap.’ I pushed until the last lap, but he didn’t make many mistakes, he stayed strong. It’s still my first year, so these races are important for me, seeing what Jeffrey does on the track, and I’m trying to learn as much as I can.”
Third place, Febvre said, “It was not a big surprise that Jeffrey got the title, but I’m still battling for second, which I’m happy with considering everything I had during the season.”
Multi-time MXGP champ Tim Gajser (Yamaha) was fourth overall (2-4) and Pauls Jonass (Kawasaki) was fifth overall (6-5).
In the MXGP Championship, Herlings has an insurmountable 855 points, followed by Febvre with 699 points, 40 points ahead of Gajser. The one-time points leader, Lucas Coenen (KTM), who was injured, is currently a distant fourth, just seven points ahead of Andrea Adamo (KTM).
In MX2, the Championship battle swung heavily in favor of the Triumph Racing Factory Team, as Guillem Farres returned to winning ways with his sixth GP win. The team is now 1-2 in the Championship after a disastrous day for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s leading challenger, Sacha Coenen.
“It definitely feels good,” Farres said. “It was good to get a weekend off after Arnhem, my body really needed it. They were some tough weeks for me after the crash in Uddevalla, and Arnhem was a tough race for me also. I won the qualifying race yesterday, and I led some laps in the first race until Simon [Laengenfelder] passed me, and he was just faster than me in that race. In the second race I put myself in a good position from the beginning again, and from there I was setting my pace, riding comfortable, not making mistakes. I’m happy that I didn’t really make any big mistakes in any race.”
“Those last few GPs were quite tough for me, so being back on the podium and especially taking that race win in race one felt good,” Laengenfelder said. “Those past few races I’ve really been lacking on intensity, on speed, on everything, and I felt like, what is wrong? In the second race I was there in third position, and then everybody had their gap and the track was quite sketchy, so I think all of us just settled into those positions, and it was good enough for second overall. I’m for sure out of the championship fight, but I’m still trying to do my best. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Coenen suffered a major get-off on the second lap of the first moto and retired to the pits, holding his shoulder and collarbone area. (He broke his collarbone earlier this season.) However, he returned for moto two and was riding well, fighting for the win when he pulled off. He later said he was in too much pain to continue.
Reigning Champion Simon Längenfelder (1-3) took his first Sunday race win since April for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, moving him into second overall ahead of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Liam Everts (4-2), who scored his third consecutive podium. McLellan went 3-4 for fourth overall, and Kay Karssemakers (Kawasaki) went 8-5 for fifth overall.
“In race one I was not where I wanted to be, I was just lacking that intensity and those little details just didn’t come to me,” said Everts. “Camden [Mc Lellan] was really, really trying everywhere and I just didn’t get any breathing room. Then I had a little slip up with a lap to go and he passed me, so third was gone for me there. In the second one I made some small changes and that was better. Simon [Laengenfelder] was giving me some heat at one point but I could keep him behind, he made a mistake, and I ended up second. Obviously I’m really happy and pleased to be on the box again. I’d like a win, but I’ve still got two more chances to go.”
Farres is at the top of the leaderboard with 806 points, followed by his teammate McLellan with 756, Coenen with 746, Langenfelder 726, and Everts 696. CN
Video Highlights
MXGP (Top 5)
1. Jeffrey Herlings (Hon) 1-1
2. Tom Vialle (Hon) 4-2
3. Romain Febvre (Kaw) 3-3
4. Tim Gajser (Yam) 2-4
5. Pauls Jonass (Kaw) 6-5
MX2 (Top 5)
1. Guillem Farres (Tri) 2-1
2. Simon Langenfelder (KTM) 1-3
3. Liam Everts (Hus) 4-2
4. Camden McLellan (Tri) 3-4
5. Kay Karssemakers (Kaw) 8-5
