Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Tim Gajser has placed fifth overall at the MXGP of Rep. of South Africa. Competing at the 11th round of the series, Gajser finished sixth in the opening race before improving to fifth in Race Two. At the same time, Maxime Renaux posted a 5-10 result for seventh overall.
The 11th round of the MXGP World Championship took the team to South Africa for the first Grand Prix to be held there since 2008. The recently revamped Terra Topia circuit proved an exciting addition to the calendar, with the wide, fast, and jump-filled racetrack ensuring close racing across both GP races.
In Race One, Gajser rounded the first turn in 10th, then made a series of passes to move up to seventh by the end of lap one. The Yamaha YZ450FM rider then moved into sixth when Tom Vialle fell, but he was unable to make any further progress before the end of the race.
The second race started in a similar way. After slotting into sixth early on, Gajser delivered a late-race charge to move into fifth with a few laps remaining. Fifth place secured fifth overall on the day, with Gajser remaining fourth in the series standings.
Renaux was still fighting the effects of a lingering virus in South Africa, but the Frenchman dug deep in search of championship points. His day was highlighted by placing fifth in Race One and, after a poor start in the second race, he worked his way up to 10th at the finish. With 11 rounds complete, Renaux sits fifth in the standings.
After a tough Grand Prix, the teammates will now return to Europe and enjoy a weekend off before the series resumes in Great Britain across the weekend of July 18-19.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of Rep. of South Africa.
Tim Gajser
5th MXGP of Rep. of South Africa, 31-points
4th MXGP Championship Standings, 404-points
“Another tough Grand Prix. The track was really nice, but it was just very difficult to make passes. I got stuck behind riders in both races and was trying to come through from behind, but it wasn’t easy to find the right lines and move forward. Overall, I gave it everything I had, like always, and now it’s onto the next GP.”
Maxime Renaux
7th MXGP of Rep. of South Africa, 27-points
5th MXGP Championship Standings, 364-points
“I’m struggling a lot at the moment. I’m doing my best, but things just aren’t coming as naturally as they usually do. We need to find a solution quickly, but the problem is that the Grands Prix are coming one after another, so it’s difficult to fully recover. I’m giving everything I have, but I just feel like there’s nothing left in the tank. I tried my best to recover for this weekend, but I still can’t find my usual level. We’ll keep trying and hopefully find a way forward.”
Photocredits – Full Spectrum Media
