Team HRC’s Tim Gajser took over the lead in the 2024 MXGP World Championship after one-ten results in treacherous conditions at the Agueda track in Portugal sees him leave this weekend with a 14-point advantage over his nearest competitor.
After taking the qualification race victory yesterday, Gajser used the first gate-pick with maximum effect by taking his first holeshot of the season on the extremely muddy circuit. With the rain falling heavily throughout the moto, Gajser fought hard for every inch, balancing attack and defence, whilst also fighting the mud. In the end he was able to pull out a comfortable win as the track took a number of victims, moving him into a virtual red-plate situation as the points-tally was totalled after the first moto.
Once again, he got a great start in the second moto but as he neared the holeshot line, he slid out in the slippery mud and narrowly avoided getting hit by the rest of the field as they went through. He remounted in last place and then set about trying to dice his way through the field in what were still treacherous conditions. By the end of the first full lap, he had made his way up to 13th, but the risk factor is always high when making passes in the deep mud and unfortunately an off-track excursion cost him a few of spots on lap three. He wasn’t deterred though, gradually moving through the field to get all the way up to 10th by the time he crossed for the chequered flag.
This gave him 36 points from the two motos, which was enough for third spot on the podium – continuing his 100% podium record – and also completed a 27-point swing over the course of the weekend to move the Slovenian 14 points clear at the head of this extremely competitive MXGP title battle. The #243 doesn’t have long to recover from the ordeals of this gruelling event though, because up next is a new round at the Lugo circuit in Spain this coming weekend on May 11-12.
Tim Gajser 243
Of course it is great to get the red-plate after all the work we’ve put in. Even getting the podium position after that second moto was a surprise but those conditions it can be a lottery. I made far too many mistakes, which is frustrating as I had a really good start before that first mistake and from there on it was just survival. It was also a shame because the first moto was a really good one for me. I got the holeshot and had a good battle for the lead and eventually won in really difficult conditions. Overall though, to get on the podium, winning two of the three motos over the weekend and to get the red-plate I have to be happy with that.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
Leaving Portugal with the red-plate is a big step for us and it was great for Tim to take the first moto win today and to do it after the holeshot as well. We did a lot of work after Trentino and to see that pay-off this weekend was amazing. With these conditions, it is never easy and the second moto proved that, but it is nice to keep his podium-streak alive and to take the red-plate into Spain next weekend, where hopefully the weather will be a bit better.
Race 1
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Time/Gap
1 Gajser Tim 243 SLO 25 Team HRC – MXGP 36:39.323
2 Jonass Pauls 41 LAT 22 Standing Construct Honda MXGP 0:43.860
3 Febvre Romain 3 FRA 20 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 1:13.584
4 Coldenhoff Glenn 259 NDL 18 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 2:31.670
5 Bogers Brian 189 NDL 16 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 2:34.973
6 Bonacorsi Andrea 132 ITA 15 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 3:40.726
7 Watson Ben 919 GBR 14 MRT Racing Team Beta 1 Lap
8 Gifting Isak 517 SWE 13 JK Racing Yamaha Active 1 Lap
9 Pancar Jan 253 SLO 12 TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team 1 Lap
10 Horgmo Kevin 24 NOR 11 Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz 1 Lap
11 Östlund Alvin SWE 10 1 Lap
12 Tondel Cornelius 17 NOR 9 Schmicker Racing 1 Lap
13 Sterry Adam GBR 8 1 Lap
14 Edberg Tim 37 SWE 7 JM Honda Racing 1 Lap
15 Prado Garcia Jorge 1 SPA 6 Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing 1 Lap
16 Paturel Benoit FRA 5 1 Lap
17 Guadagnini Mattia 101 ITA 4 Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing 1 Lap
18 Guillod Valentin 92 SWI 3 Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz 1 Lap
19 Nagy Anton 60 SWE 2 Wildcard Rider 1 Lap
20 Vlaanderen Calvin 10 NDL 1 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 1 Lap
Race 2
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Time/Gap
1 Herlings Jeffrey 84 NDL 25 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 38:10.525
2 Jonass Pauls 41 LAT 22 Standing Construct Honda MXGP 0:23.566
3 Tondel Cornelius 17 NOR 20 Schmicker Racing 0:26.802
4 Febvre Romain 3 FRA 18 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 0:41.415
5 Seewer Jeremy 91 SWI 16 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 1:27.318
6 Horgmo Kevin 24 NOR 15 Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz 1:36.669
7 Bogers Brian 189 NDL 14 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 1:59.540
8 Bonacorsi Andrea 132 ITA 13 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 2:09.959
9 Vlaanderen Calvin 10 NDL 12 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 2:14.879
10 Gajser Tim 243 SLO 11 Team HRC – MXGP 2:37.624
11 Östlund Alvin SWE 10 2:38.790
12 Prado Garcia Jorge 1 SPA 9 Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing 1 Lap
13 Coldenhoff Glenn 259 NDL 8 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 1 Lap
14 Guadagnini Mattia 101 ITA 7 Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing 1 Lap
15 Gilbert Josh 326 GBR 6 Gabriel SS24 KTM 1 Lap
16 Pancar Jan 253 SLO 5 TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team 1 Lap
17 Edberg Tim 37 SWE 4 JM Honda Racing 1 Lap
18 Paturel Benoit FRA 3 1 Lap
19 Monticelli Ivo 128 ITA 2 MRT Racing Team Beta 1 Lap
20 Nagy Anton 60 SWE 1 Wildcard Rider 1 Lap
Rider Standings
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team
1 Gajser Tim 243 SLO 252 Team HRC – MXGP
2 Prado Garcia Jorge 1 SPA 238 Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing
3 Febvre Romain 3 FRA 220 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
4 Herlings Jeffrey 84 NDL 198 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
5 Jonass Pauls 41 LAT 192 Standing Construct Honda MXGP
6 Seewer Jeremy 91 SWI 157 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
7 Vlaanderen Calvin 10 NDL 151 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
8 Coldenhoff Glenn 259 NDL 149 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
9 Horgmo Kevin 24 NOR 108 Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
10 Watson Ben 919 GBR 92 MRT Racing Team Beta
11 Guillod Valentin 92 SWI 91 Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz
12 Tondel Cornelius 17 NOR 74 Schmicker Racing
13 Bogers Brian 189 NDL 68 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
14 Renaux Maxime 959 FRA 63 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
15 Gifting Isak 517 SWE 60 JK Racing Yamaha Active
16 Pancar Jan 253 SLO 54 TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team
17 Östlund Alvin SWE 48
18 Monticelli Ivo 128 ITA 40 MRT Racing Team Beta
19 Koch Tom GER 40
20 Paturel Benoit FRA 35
