Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez fought through another muddy day in Portugal to finish sixth in the qualification race, held at the Agueda circuit. After horrendous conditions last year, rain once again hammered to track to make survival the number one priority and for the most-part the #70 was able to avoid making any big mistakes to cross the line just outside the top five.
With red-plate holder Tim Gajser absent due to his shoulder injury, Fernandez was the sole Honda HRC representative in the MXGP class and although this is one of his favourite tracks, he was never quite able to show that during the practice sessions. Slower riders hindered his ability to post a hot-lap in the timed practice and as such, he was only able to line-up with 13th gate-pick. However, due to the power of the Honda CRF450R, he stormed out of the gate inside the top 10 and set about trying to do his best in what were extremely, wet, muddy and sticky conditions. A couple of quick passes moved him into sixth, which is where he stayed for the majority of the race, before a monsoon hit the track near the end of the race and increased the craziness. Dropping a couple of spots due to a small error, he then fought back to make them up again before the chequered flag, getting five valuable points in the championship standings.
In the MX2 class, Valerio Lata was showing positive signs early-on in the day when the track was still dry, posting second-fastest time in free practice and then fifth in timed practice, things were looking promising for the #18. Unfortunately, before the qualification race, the rain really hit the track hard and the surface changed from loose sand to claggy-mud. Getting a good start initially, things went downhill quickly as he made a mistake before the third corner and remounted in last place. Fighting back to 13th, wasn’t enough for any points but it does give him a fighting chance for a good start tomorrow in the GP-scoring motos.
It was the opposite scenario for Ferruccio Zanchi as the Italian improved in every session, as the circuit conditions deteriorated. Thirteenth in free practice, improved to 12th in timed practice before crossing the line in ninth place for the qualification race. It was a good moto for the #73, who showed his mud skills in Cozar earlier in the year when he won a moto, and he once again proved a master on a rutted race-track, moving from 14th through to ninth over the course of the moto. With those two-points, the Honda HRC duo are now tied on 142 points in the MX2 championship, but both are determined to move further up the rankings, starting tomorrow where once again rain is forecast to hit the Agueda facility.
MX2 Qualification Race
- Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 26:19.299; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:05.655; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:07.711; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:36.093; 5. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:58.521; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +1:17.065; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +1:18.440; 8. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KTM), +1:19.728; 9. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +1:21.366; 10. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:25.090;… 13. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:53.250;
Ruben Fernandez 70
Not really my best day today, but sixth place isn’t too bad in these conditions where anything can happen. At least, I believe I can get out of the gate better tomorrow with the improved gate-pick and that is the most important thing when the track is like this. It would be great if the track was dry, but it doesn’t look good on the forecast so we will just do our best and prepare as much as possible to be smart and score as many points as we can.
Ferruccio Zanchi 73
I knew I was going to do better when the rain started to fall, but I really need to improve my starts if I want to have any chance of good points. It is very difficult to make passes when the track is like this, but I had a couple of good lines and got into the points which is nice. Still, I’m not satisfied with this and want to do better and hopefully that’ll start tomorrow.
Valerio Lata 18
I felt really good early on in the day, when the track was dry, but once the rain fell I knew it would be a lot more difficult. I then made it even worse by crashing so early on in the race and being covered in mud. I tried the best I could to come through and made it up to 13th, but that isn’t what I’m aiming for and I know that I can improve in these conditions. That is the goal tomorrow when I will be looking for inside the top 10 and hopefully a bit more.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
After the conditions in 2024, we really hoped that we’d have a nice GP here as it is a beautiful venue, but midway through the day, torrential rain came down and just ruined everything once again. All three guys did the best they could and although we all aren’t happy with the end results, I believe that with a bit more luck, they’d be much higher up the field. Starts are obviously the key thing here now, as well as making as few mistakes as possible, so we will do our best to help Ruben, Ferro and Valerio with that tomorrow.
Qualification Race
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Time/Gap
1 Coenen Lucas 96 BEL 10 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 25:01.622
2 Vlaanderen Calvin 10 NDL 9 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 0:13.164
3 Febvre Romain 3 FRA 8 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 0:23.927
4 Brumann Kevin 87 SWI 7 Wildcard Rider 0:27.320
5 van de Moosdijk Roan 34 NDL 6 KTM Kozak Team 0:29.866
6 Fernandez Ruben 70 SPA 5 Honda HRC – MXGP 0:35.687
7 Herlings Jeffrey 84 NDL 4 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 0:37.940
8 Coldenhoff Glenn 259 NDL 3 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 0:38.968
9 Seewer Jeremy 91 SWI 2 Ducati Factory MX Team 0:39.513
10 Renaux Maxime 959 FRA 1 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 0:40.299
11 Bonacorsi Andrea 132 ITA 0 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 0:55.261
12 Guadagnini Mattia 101 ITA 0 Ducati Factory MX Team 0:59.588
13 Bogers Brian 189 NDL 0 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP 1:03.804
14 Sterry Adam 811 GBR 0 KTM Kozak Team 1:10.500
15 Jonass Pauls 41 LAT 0 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP 1:15.299
16 Horgmo Kevin 24 NOR 0 Honda SR Motoblouz 1:17.304
17 Pancar Jan 253 SLO 0 TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team 1:20.854
18 Gilbert Josh GBR 0 1:36.382
19 Geerts Jago 93 BEL 0 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team 1:44.767
20 van Doninck Brent BEL 0 1:54.207
Rider Standings
Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team
1 Gajser Tim 243 SLO 305 Honda HRC – MXGP
2 Febvre Romain 3 FRA 286 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
3 Coenen Lucas 96 BEL 237 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
4 Coldenhoff Glenn 259 NDL 227 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
5 Renaux Maxime 959 FRA 189 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
6 Fernandez Ruben 70 SPA 183 Honda HRC – MXGP
7 Bonacorsi Andrea 132 ITA 163 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
8 Horgmo Kevin 24 NOR 163 Honda SR Motoblouz
9 Seewer Jeremy 91 SWI 140 Ducati Factory MX Team
10 Vlaanderen Calvin 10 NDL 135 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
11 Watson Ben 919 GBR 102 MRT Racing Team Beta
12 Pancar Jan 253 SLO 91 TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team
13 Jonass Pauls 41 LAT 86 Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP
14 Geerts Jago 93 BEL 86 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
15 Guadagnini Mattia 101 ITA 84 Ducati Factory MX Team
16 Gifting Isak 517 SWE 78 JK Racing Yamaha Active
17 Guillod Valentin 92 SWI 72 Wildcard Rider
18 Herlings Jeffrey NDL 69
19 Bogers Brian 189 NDL 61 Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
20 van de Moosdijk Roan NDL 55
21 Brumann Kevin 87 SWI 39 Wildcard Rider
22 Sterry Adam GBR 38
23 Koch Tom 226 GER 24 MRT Racing Team Beta
24 Stauffer Marcel 411 AUT 23 Wildcard Rider
25 Ludwig Noah GER 19
26 Spies Maximillian GER 13
27 Gilbert Josh GBR 13
28 Cairoli Antonio 222 ITA 10 Ducati Factory MX Team
29 Lupino Alessandro 177 ITA 9 Ducati Factory MX Team
30 Tonus Arnaud 4 SWI 8 Wildcard Rider
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