As we approach the ninth round of the 2024 MXGP World Championship, Team HRC duo Tim Gajser and Ferruccio Zanchi are preparing for the sandy Kegums circuit, south of Riga, Latvia for their next challenge in what has been an exciting season so far.
Gajser went one-three-two across the weekend in Germany last time out and he’ll be looking for more podium visits and race wins in the qualification race and GP-scoring motos in Latvia. It is a track that he has won at four previous times, in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022 so the hope is that he’ll be able to add to his one GP victory so far this year and try to regain the championship red-plate, which he is just two-points away from holding.
Zanchi has also enjoyed some good results in the Baltic nation and will go there off the back of seven top 10 finishes in the last nine motos since his return from injury. It is an impressive series of results for the youngster and one that is seeing him climb up the MX2 rankings quickly. He now sits in 12th place, and given his current form it won’t be long before he is inside the top 10 in the championship. Those are longer-term goals though, so for this weekend, he just wants to continue putting in the good-work and making sure the Honda CRF250R is represented in the top 10 of each race and trying to edge his way nearer to the top five performers.
Meanwhile, third rider in the team Ruben Fernandez is still recovering from the injury he sustained at the opening round in Argentina. The treatment and physio process has been going well so far, with positive comments from the doctors’ checkups that he’s been to, but as with an injury of this nature, everything takes time. At the moment, the hope is that he’ll be back for the final quarter of the season, but there is no cause for the Spaniard to rush back and risk further damage, so the proper procedures will be followed before we see the #70 back on track.
Tim Gajser 243
It was a good overall performance in Teutschenthal, but I know Kegums will be a much different test. It’s a tricky track with the soft layer on top, and then a lot harder underneath so its always critical to get the setup right for the conditions on the day. Of course, I think we have done a very good job with that so far, so I am confident we will get it right in Latvia and I can once again fight for the win again. Unfortunately, we have lost a few riders in the class these past couple of rounds so I know concentration is critical as we approach the midpoint in the calendar.
Ferruccio Zanchi 73
It was a good Sunday for me in Germany, coming eighth in both races is where I am looking to be at this stage but there is always room for improvement and having now done a few rounds, I can see myself progressing nearer to the guys at the front of the field. I’ve ridden in Latvia a couple of times in the past and had some decent results so once again I’ll be trying to get inside the top 10 in all three races and hopefully take advantage if anything better is possible.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
It was good to come out of Germany with some really positive results. Both Tim and Ferro rode excellently on a really tough Teutschenthal track and we’re really happy with how the pair are doing so far in 2024. Of course, we will keep working hard to improve and there is always room to make things better so even though we are in the middle of a tough run of events, we are always testing and trying to give the riders even more help. Kegums is always a challenge because of the surface and I’m sure that’ll be no different this weekend, where hopefully we might actually be able to have some good weather!
