Liam Everts delivered a 4-2 scorecard to secure third overall in MX2 for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing at round 17 of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Round 17 of the FIM Motocross World Championship marked the start of the season’s final three-race run, with the 1,725-metre hard-pack Afyon circuit hosting the first of three consecutive rounds in Türkiye, China and Australia.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 racer Liam Everts continued his strong late-season form with a third consecutive Grand Prix podium at the MXGP of Türkiye, securing third overall with 4-2 finishes.
The Belgian showed front-running pace from the beginning of the weekend, topping ree Practice before setting the third-fastest time in Time Practice. Everts then backed that up with third in Saturday’s qualifying race, finishing just 3.253 seconds from the win.
A strong start in Sunday’s opening moto saw Everts narrowly miss out on the holeshot before settling into third. He held the position for much of the race, but a small front-end moment with two laps remaining was enough to cost him a place. Everts stayed upright and recovered quickly to bring his FC 250 home fourth for 18 points.
Following small suspension changes between motos, Everts felt more comfortable from the outset of race two. He made another strong start to slot into second and sat just 0.8 seconds behind early leader Sacha Coenen at the end of the opening lap. As Guillem Farres moved to the front, Everts held firmly onto second and began to build a gap over the riders behind.
It was a controlled ride from there. Everts maintained second throughout the moto and steadily increased his advantage over Simon Längenfelder in third, eventually crossing the line 6.082 seconds behind Farres and 6.825 seconds clear of Längenfelder.
The runner-up finish completed a 4-2 scorecard for 40 Grand Prix points and third overall, extending an impressive run that has now seen Everts stand on the podium at three consecutive Grands Prix following second-place finishes in Sweden and the Netherlands.
Everts remains fifth in the MX2 World Championship standings with 696 points, 30 points behind Längenfelder in fourth, as the championship heads into its final two rounds.
With Kay de Wolf absent in Türkiye, Everts carried Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s challenge alone at Afyon. De Wolf is now focused fully on his recovery and preparation for 2027 following a strong rookie MXGP campaign that included podium finishes in Sardinia and Latvia, followed by standout 2-2 runner-up results at Lommel and his home Grand Prix in Arnhem. A hand injury sustained following the Dutch round brought his 2026 racing season to an early conclusion, with the Dutchman now turning his attention to rehabilitation and a return to full fitness for next season.
The championship now moves directly to Shanghai for the Oriental Beauty Valley MXGP of China on September 13.
#26 – Liam Everts: “It was a solid day overall. I struggled a little in the first moto, but we made some small changes to the suspension and I felt definitely better in race two. I was still missing a little bit of an edge, but my riding was consistent and I was always there. To go 4-2 and take another overall podium – my third in a row – is really positive, so I’m happy to be back on the box again.”
Results – 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Seventeen:MX2 – Moto One:
- Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 34:55.414; 2. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 35:01.43; 3. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 35:04.427; 4. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:06.242; 15. Sacha Coenen (KTM) DNF;
MX2 – Moto Two:
1. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 35:07.108; 2. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:13.190; 3. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 35:20.015; 14. Sacha Coenen (KTM) DNF;
MX2 – Overall:
1. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 47pts; 2. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 45pts; 3. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 40pts; 15. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 13pts;
MX2 – Standings:
1. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 806pts; 2. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 756pts; 3. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 746pts; 4. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 726pts; 5. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 696pts;
Photocredits – Full Spectrum Media
