Lucas Coenen storms to a flawless 1-1 victory at the MXGP of Türkiye, while team-mate Kay de Wolf adds to Husqvarna’s podium dominance, with just two rounds remaining in the 2024 season.
With the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season heading towards an exciting finale, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Team celebrated another remarkable podium lockout at the MXGP of Türkiye. With only two rounds now remaining, Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen continue to dominate the standings, having amassed 14 Grand Prix wins between them this season.
While Kay de Wolf, the current MX2 championship leader and Red Plate holder, took the top step in Switzerland, it was Lucas Coenen who stole the spotlight at Afyonkarahisar. Coenen converted a second-place qualifying result into a perfect 1-1 streak of victories on Sunday.
In the first moto, Coenen got off to a strong start, surging into the lead with a massive wheelie off the line. Despite initially struggling to find his rhythm, Coenen remained calm, closely following Längenfelder and waiting for the right moment to make his move. His patience was rewarded as he recorded blistering lap times, taking the win by five seconds. Meanwhile, teammate de Wolf was caught up in an early crash involving several riders, forcing him off the track and losing positions. However, de Wolf fought hard and managed to recover to fourth.
In the second moto, Coenen claimed his second Fox Holeshot of the season. After briefly dropping to third, he fought back spectacularly, setting two fastest laps and overtaking rival Quentin Prugnieres. On the final lap, Coenen closed in on teammate de Wolf, making a daring inside pass to secure the win and complete a dominant 1-1 performance. This marked Coenen’s seventh victory of the season, narrowing the championship gap to 44 points on his team mate.
Meanwhile, in MXGP, Mattia Guadagnini delivered a consistent set of results at the MXGP of Türkiye. In the first moto, he finished 12th, setting his best lap time at 2:01.570 on lap 16. Although unable to break into the top 10, he earned valuable points. In the second moto, the Italian racer improved slightly, finishing 10th after holding his position for most of the race. His determination throughout both races boosted his overall championship standing, moving him up from 12th to 11th.
Next, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Team and the FIM Motocross World Championship paddock head further east to Shanghai, China, for the series’ second-ever event there. Stay tuned for all the action on 16th September.
#101 – Mattia Guadagnini: “This weekend was all about staying consistent and pushing through. In the first moto, I struggled a bit to break into the top 10 but managed a solid 12th place, earning important points. I knew I had to step it up in the second moto, and I was able to improve, finishing 10th. It’s not where I wanted to be, but I’m happy with the progress and points. Now, I’m looking forward to giving my all in China and finishing the season strong!”
#74 – Kay de Wolf: “It was a challenging weekend in some respects. I felt great in qualifying, but something happened that I shouldn’t have. Today was tough, especially this morning. In the first moto, the track was really slippery, making passing difficult. However, I turned things around in the second moto. It was a good step forward for the overall picture. Now we head to China, ready to fight for another win.”
#96 – Lucas Coenen: “It was a strong comeback after struggling in Switzerland. I made fewer mistakes here in Turkey. The first moto was slower to start, as I followed Simon Längenfelder’s lines, learning where to gain speed and make passes. In the second moto, I was behind Kay, and even though the track was tough to pass on, I went for it and took P1! I’m thrilled with the result, and with two rounds left, I’m excited to keep pushing for more fun and good results.”
Results – 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Eighteen:
MXGP – Overall:
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 45pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 40pts;3. Jeremy Seewer (Kawasaki) 40pts; 6. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 31pts; 11. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 20pts
MXGP – Moto One:
- Jeremy Seewer (Kawasaki) 35:47.816; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:52.161; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:54.455; 10. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 36:42.019;12. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 36:54.667
MXGP – Moto Two:
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 34:53.539; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:56.104; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:57.784;10. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 36:06.251
MXGP – Standings:
- Tim Gajser (Honda) 910pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 896pts; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 857pts; 12. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 283pts
MX2 – Overall:
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 50pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 40pts; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 40pts; 4. Liam Everts (KTM) 36pts; 7. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 28pts; DNS. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 0pts
MX2 – Moto One:
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:49.525;2. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 34:54.813; 3. Liam Everts (KTM) 35:31.722; 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:42.387;5. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:44.778; DNS. Sacha Coenen (KTM)
MX2 – Moto Two:
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:23.346; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:27.336;3. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 34:33.627;4. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 34:34.803; 5. Liam Everts (KTM) 34:35.181;9. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:07.007; DNS. Sacha Coenen (KTM)
MX2 – Standings:
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 873pts; 2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 829pts; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 774pts;4. Liam Everts (KTM) 727pts; 6. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 601pts;8. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 456pts;19. Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS) 122pts
Photocredits Juan Pablo Acevedo