Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux has finished on the overall podium with a strong third overall at the MXGP of Italy. Showing impressive speed all weekend around the Montevarchi circuit, the Frenchman charged to a runner-up finish in Race One before securing third overall with sixth in Race Two. For Gajser, the ninth round of the MXGP World Championship was bittersweet with his Race Two victory coming shortly after a tough first race where a lap one collision resulted in a broken front wheel.
Focused on bouncing back to form after a challenging Grand Prix in Latvia, Renaux did exactly that in Italy. Despite competing with a lingering virus, the former MX2 World Champion battled at the sharp end of the field throughout Race One as he challenged for victory until the very end. At the finish he was just over one second from the win aboard his Yamaha YZ450FM, with his attention quickly turning to Race Two.
In the second race, Renaux didn’t enjoy the best of starts and spent much of the race in sixth. The 26-year-old briefly moved up to fifth, before he lost the position to Romain Febvre one lap later. For the remainder of the race, Renaux held strong to maintain sixth – a result that secured his place on the overall podium for the second time this season. Following his solid points haul in Italy, Renaux returns to fifth in the MXGP World Championship standings.
It was a mixed day of racing for Gajser at the MXGP of Italy. Having won the Qualifying Race, the 29-year-old had the speed to challenge for the overall Grand Prix victory. Frustratingly, a minor collision with another rider early on in Race One resulted in several broken spokes in his front wheel. After the wheel was replaced in pit lane, he rejoined the race and, despite his best efforts, just missed out on finishing inside the points in 22nd.
In Race Two, Gajser made amends for the unfortunate Race One incident by taking a convincing victory. After starting second, he moved into the lead on lap five and then controlled the race from the front to win by almost seven seconds. The win marked Gajser’s second first-place finish on Yamaha machinery, and he secured ninth overall to maintain fourth in the series standings.
After a largely positive Grand Prix for the team, Renaux and Gajser will now head to Agueda, Portugal, for round 10 of the MXGP World Championship next weekend, June 27-28.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of Italy.
Maxime Renaux
3rd MXGP of Italy, 37-points
5th MXGP Championship Standings, 305-points
“It was a really tough day. The first moto was very positive and I felt like my pace was strong from the start. Unfortunately, I’m still dealing with a virus of some sort and that caught up with me as the day went on. By the second moto, I just didn’t have anything left physically, which was frustrating because I knew the speed was there. It’s disappointing when your body won’t let you perform at the level you know you’re capable of, but that’s part of racing sometimes. Despite that, I’m really happy to come away with another podium. Now, the focus is on recovering properly, getting back to full strength, and coming back even stronger next weekend in Portugal.”
Tim Gajser
9th MXGP of Italy, 25-points
4th MXGP Championship Standings, 329-points
“It’s a shame about the first moto because I was riding at my best all weekend. Both yesterday and today I felt really comfortable on the bike and my speed was good. But that’s motocross sometimes – there are some things you can control and things you can’t. Overall, I’m really happy with how I rode. In the second moto, I felt great out on track. I was able to settle into a good rhythm, manage the pressure from behind, and then build a gap and control the race from the front. It was a really positive feeling. The bike was working well, I felt strong physically, and there are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend. We’ll keep building on this momentum and focus on carrying it into the next round.”
Photocredits – Full Spectrum Media
