The Van Venrooy KTM Racing Team concluded the MXGP of Turkey in Afyonkarahisar with three solid top-fifteen finishes. Jeremy Seewer once again showed signs of his former speed throughout the weekend and finished tenth in the MXGP class. Despite physical discomfort, Rick Elzinga secured fourteenth place, while Noel Zanocz ended his season on a positive note with a ninth-place finish in MX2.
Jeremy Seewer got off to a strong start to the weekend. The Swiss rider set the fourth-fastest time in qualifying, showing that he is gradually getting closer to the level he is aiming for. In the qualifying race, Seewer started around sixth position, but a few mistakes saw him finish eighth.
Seewer was also running strongly from the start of the opening race. He was riding around fifth place when Andrea Adamo crashed in front of him. Seewer made contact with Adamo’s leg and dropped back to thirteenth position. He then launched a strong comeback and managed to fight his way back to eighth place by the chequered flag.
In the second race, Seewer was hit by bad luck. After another strong start, a stone hit his number plate, causing it to partially come loose and remain attached by only a tie-wrap. The number plate then continuously came into contact with his front brake. Seewer tried to solve the problem while riding, but without success. He decided not to enter the pits and continued fighting, eventually finishing eleventh. With an 8-11 score, he finished tenth overall.
Jeremy Seewer:
“The weekend had some good and some less good moments. Fourth fastest in qualifying felt a little bit like the old me again. My starts were also good, and in the first race I fought my way back from thirteenth to eighth after the incident with Adamo. It may not be a spectacular result, but it was a solid result that I needed to keep building my confidence.
“In the second race, I got hit by a stone that caused my number plate to come loose and continuously hit my front brake. I tried to get it off, but I couldn’t, which was pretty frustrating. I didn’t want to come into the pits because I would have lost a lot of time, so I gave it everything I had and finished eleventh. That made for a less positive end to the weekend, but we need to focus mainly on the positives and take those into the final two Grands Prix and then the Nations. I’m really looking forward to that.”
For Rick Elzinga, the weekend came with an additional challenge. The Dutch rider had crashed in the week leading up to the Grand Prix, injuring his thigh. This was on the same side as his previously injured knee.
Despite the physical discomfort, Elzinga decided to line up in Turkey. He set the thirteenth-fastest time in qualifying and finished twelfth in the qualifying race. On Sunday, he battled through both races on determination and character, finishing fourteenth and thirteenth. This resulted in fourteenth place overall.
Turkey was also Elzinga’s final Grand Prix of the season. Following the season, he will undergo surgery on his knee. He will then focus fully on his recovery and on preparing properly for the 2027 season.
Noel Zanocz delivered a consistent conclusion to his season in the MX2 class. The Hungarian rider set the tenth-fastest time in qualifying before finishing eleventh in the qualifying race.
On Sunday, Zanocz maintained a top-ten position in both races. He crossed the finish line in tenth in the opening race, before improving by one position in the second race to finish ninth. With a 10-9 score, he finished ninth overall.
Following the Grand Prix, Zanocz announced that Turkey was also his final Grand Prix of 2026. He will not travel to the remaining rounds in China and Australia.
For the Van Venrooy KTM Racing Team, the MXGP season continues with the final two overseas Grands Prix. Seewer will take the positives from Turkey into China and Australia, before the Motocross of Nations provides another major highlight on his calendar.
Photocredits – Juan Pablo Acevedo
