Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Thibault Benistant has enjoyed a positive weekend of racing at the Swedish Grand Prix to secure fifth overall. Rick Elzinga claimed 10th following two consistent race results, with Karlis Reisulis placing 17th.
The hardpack circuit of Uddevalla in Sweden hosted round 16 of the MX2 World Championship. The venue was clearly to Benistant’s liking, as the Frenchman was the fastest rider in Time Practice before charging to victory in the MX2 Qualifying Race.
With first gate pick, Benistant lined up on the far inside for Race One. As the gate dropped, the Frenchman reacted quickly to execute a great jump and emerge from the first turn in third. Benistant held this position for several laps before slipping back to an eventual eighth at the finish.
Race Two was much more successful for Benistant. After taking the holeshot, he led the way for 10 minutes before Simon Längenfelder moved into the lead. Benistant then came under pressure from Mathis Valin; however, the Yamaha YZ250FM racer regrouped and pulled away to finish second and secure fifth overall. With four rounds remaining, Benistant holds fifth in the series standings.
Elzinga was forced to overcome poor starts in both races to record consistent 13-12 race results. On the day, the Dutchman benefitted from the inconsistency of other riders to claim 10th overall. The points secured move Elzinga up to 14th in the championship ahead of his home race in the Netherlands next weekend.
For Reisulis, the Swedish GP was a bittersweet one. While running 11th in Race One, the Latvian crashed heavily and was fortunate to avoid injury. The second race was much more positive, with the 19-year-old finishing 10th for 17th overall. Leaving Sweden, Reisulis remains 12th in the series standings.
The MX2 World Championship continues next weekend with the MXGP of The Netherlands. Taking place at the sand track of Arnhem, the Dutch Grand Prix will be the 17th round of the campaign.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of Sweden.
Thibault Benistant
5th MXGP of Sweden, 35-points
5th MX2 Championship Standings, 558-points
“Today didn’t quite go to plan after winning the Qualifying Race yesterday. The track was quite soft and slippery in Race One today, and I didn’t find my flow until the end of the race. But by then it was too late. I had a perfect start in the second race, though, and led until I had a little bit of arm pump mid-race. In the end, second in that race was OK, but for the overall I really wanted to be on the podium.”
Rick Elzinga
10th MXGP of Sweden, 17-points
14th MX2 Championship Standings, 227-points
“It’s quite difficult to set the bike up for this track, and my starts weren’t the best in both races. So, it’s been a difficult weekend for me. On the positive side, 10th overall is not too bad, and I was able to make passes in both races despite this track being tough to pass on.”
Karlis Reisulis
17th MXGP of Sweden, 11-points
12th MX2 Championship Standings, 285-points
“I had a pretty big crash in the first race while running 11th and it wasn’t possible to continue. I felt fine, but I think it affected me a little bit in the second race, and I had to dig deep for 10th. I’m looking forward to Arnhem next week and being back on the sand.”
Photocredits Full Spectrum Media
