MXGP World Championship
Chatter Box: Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser on his MXGP title.
Tim Gajser is a four-time world champion, now that the 2020 MXGP title is firmly in his grasp. Gajser claimed his crown before the Grand Prix of Garda-Trentino, the last event of the FIM Motocross World Championship, but still pushed to the very end, as he took his fifth overall victory of the year and became the winningest guy in the premier. It was a great way to wrap up a phenomenal season, as Gajser states in the exclusive MX Vice interview below.
MX Vice: First of all, you won the world title. Brilliant! That is a good thing. You grabbed a couple of Grand Prix wins this week too. You have now had the most overall wins laps led, moto wins and podiums this season. I think that covers your season as a whole, because you have been insanely dominant in the last month. That has kind of continued here.
Tim Gajser: Yeah, exactly. Like you said, it has been just an incredible season for us. I won the world title already on Wednesday. Today, ending the season with a Grand Prix win, was just amazing. The beginning of the season was basically really good. In March I really started good. I was feeling great and then there was a long break. When we came back in Latvia and then at Faenza, plus the first two rounds at Mantova, I was struggling. I was missing that consistency. I was just doing one moto good and then the other would be so-so.
Once I won my first Grand Prix at Mantova, everything started to click. I was just getting better. I got a little bit confidence back. I started to believe that I could do it again. I start to win motos and overalls from then on. I was more consistent. We were working a lot on the starts too. Overall, looking back, it was a great season. It was a weird one, let’s say, with the COVID-19 and everything, but it was a nice one in the end.
One quick thing about today. You and [Romain] Febvre had amazing battles and he was ridiculously good in sector three. I know the mechanics put it on your board every lap. Firstly, you did good and actually upped your times to almost match him. Do you have any idea what he was doing on that part of the track though? You were faster everywhere else.
Yeah. It was kind of like I was struggling there at all three GPs, so let’s say all of the week. I always lost the most time there, even when we were doing our laps in qualification. All of the other sectors were the same, but I lost one second and half or something like that in sector three. When he passed me in the first moto, I could follow him. I could always hear that I was faster on the other parts of the track.
When we came to the downhill, and then went back up and down, he always came really close to me. I followed him. I watched where he was going. I picked his lines, because he had good lines, and then I could match his time. I think we were quite similar in the third one too. Anyway, it was a nice battle. Romain was really fast. We both had good, solid starts in the top five and could battle from the beginning. It was a good last GP of the year.
Your season as a whole is actually quite confusing to look at. You were amazing at Matterley Basin and Valkenswaard. You and Jeffrey [Herlings] were clearly on another level. Then, like you said, we came back and you were in the mix with [Antonio] Cairoli and [Jeremy Seewer]. Now, again, you are back to the Tim from the start of the year, who separated from everyone else. Was it really just winning that first overall in Mantova and getting the monkey off your back?
Yeah. I think it was the overall win. When I won at Mantova, that was like the turning point in the year. Before that I had many moto wins. I think before that race I had won seven or eight motos but had not won the overall. That’s what I said. I was not consistent. One moto I would get a good start and have a good moto, then I would have a bad start in the other one. Like we all said many times, it was really difficult to pass. When we came back after that long break, everyone was in shape. Everybody was fast.
Everybody recovered from the injuries that they had at the beginning of the season and that is why it was really intense. The starts were really important too. Even if you start in the top seven, that’s normally a good start. You would just want to be in the top ten and work from there, but now it was difficult. It was difficult to pass the guys. Even some tracks didn’t really allow a lot of passing opportunities, especially Faenza. I remember it was kind of like one-lined. The racing was really intense. I remember that there, many riders, were within one second on one lap.
It is funny, because people can go so deep trying to find a reason. It really was as simple as you just needed to win an overall and get the monkey off your back. Even thinking about it now, you won… Before then, I think Imola last year was your last win. You waited fourteen months.
I didn’t win Imola, did I?
No, you didn’t! You won the title at Imola.
Lommel was the last one, so that was basically August.
Fourteen months you had to wait for your next overall win. I can imagine that did start to play with your head and you were like, “What the hell is going on?”
Yeah, exactly. We had a long break too of course and didn’t race during the summer. When we came back in Latvia, from the beginning I didn’t like the one-day schedule. It was something new to everyone, but I prefer two days to get more track time and adjust the bike a bit more. That was kind of new. I always got arm pump in the first motos at the beginning. If I remember correct, the first three rounds at Kegums and then even at Faenza I had arm pump in the first moto.
After that was better, because I got one moto under my belt on the same track. I was kind of struggling but afterwards I could really relax, like after I got the first overall win at Mantova. After that everything started to click. Everything kind of went back to normal and to the right direction. From then on, like we said, everything started to click. I was scoring good starts. Starts were really what I was struggling with, also in the beginning.
Looking back at your season now, it is still very crazy to look at your results and see Lommel was your strongest week of the year. Even now, we’re two weeks on, it should have settled in by now. 2020 was a weird year with COVID and everything. That may be the biggest story even more than COVID.
Yeah. Lommel was really… Even myself, I was surprised with how well I was riding and the consistency that we had there. I won two GPs and I was second one time. Going to Lommel, I knew that Jorge [Prado] was living there. Tony lived there in the past too and was always fast on the sand. That’s why I put a lot of effort into training on the sand during the winter. It pays off. We can see that I was really relaxed on the track. I really enjoyed riding at Lommel this year. That’s definitely good for the future and was kind of like the weakest point, where I was struggling the most. I’m really happy and glad that I feel comfortable going racing in the sand now.
You are jumping straight into testing for next year this week, at this track actually. Is there one thing that you know you need to work on or improve? Do you already have things in your head?
Like I said many times, I’m really happy with the bike. We are planning to try some different things, like always. Engineers in Japan, they are working full-time always to get the bike even better. It’s so impressive. They bring something new and then you say, “How can they do even better?” They always came with something new and that is even better. Like you said, we are starting to test on Tuesday. We basically have just one day off and then already start on the new season.
Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Ray Archer
MXGP World Championship
2024 Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos – MXGP Results
We will post the 2024 MXGP results of Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos GP all weekend. Get the latest updates to your phone through MX Vice.
MXGP Qualification Race
MXGP Timed Practice
MX2 – Qualification Race
MX2 Timed Practice
WMX Race 1
EMX 250 – Race 1
EMX 250 – Timed Practice
MXGP World Championship
//PEARCY Stats Preview MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Once again, our resident stats guru, Paul Pearcy, provides a breakdown of the MX2 class going into Intu Xanadu. Famed more for its access to a shopping mall and McDonald’s than actual passing, the MX2 contenders will be looking to make their mark. Last year, Simon Laengenfelder reigned supreme and was unstoppable on Sunday, with no rider able to match his pace. If you were a betting man, who would be your winner?
MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos Preview
MX2
Kay de Wolf
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finish: 4th
- Qualifying Points: 7
- Race First Lap Position: 6th
- Race Finishes: 5th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 8th
- Race Points: 54
Total Points: 61
Simon Laengenfelder
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podiums: 4; 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 1-1 in 23’
- Overall Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Overall win: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 34; all in 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3rd
- Qualifying Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.167
- Race Finishes: 4.333 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 4.333
- Race Points: 113
Total Points: 121
Thibault Benistant
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 1, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 5.5
- Qualifying Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.667
- Race Finishes: 5.667 in Race 1, 6.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 6.333
- Race Points: 92
Total Points: 97
Mikkel Haarup
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 9th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 12.333 in Race 1, 9.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.667
- Race Points: 60
Total Points: 60
Andrea Adamo
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Overall Podium: 1; 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 11th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 6.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 6
- Race First Lap Position: 11.667
- Race Finishes: 9.333 in Race 1, 12.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.333
- Race Points: 70
Total Points: 76
Lucas Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 17.5
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 26th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14th
- Race Points: 15
Total Points: 24
Sacha Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 19th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 24th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 17th
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 9th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 9th
- Race Points: 22
Total Points: 22
Rick Elzinga
Venue Visits: 22’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 10th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 21.5
- Race First Lap Position: 4.25
- Race Finishes:13th in Race 1, 10th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.5
- Race Points: 27
Total Points: 27
Jack Chambers
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 22nd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 15th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15th
- Race First Lap Position: 24.5
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
- Race Points: 9
Total Points: 9
Oriol Oliver
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 16th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17.5
- Race Points: 19
Total Points: 19
David Braceras
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 16th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15.5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:14.5 in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 16.5
- Race Points: 23
Total Points: 23
Emil Weckman
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 10th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 19th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 18th
- Race Points: 8
Total Points: 8
Bobby Bruce
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 20th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 26th
- Race First Lap Position: 23rd
- Race Finishes: 27th in Race 1, 21st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
MXGP
Jorge Prado
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podiums: 6
- Race Wins: 2
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
- Overall Win: 1; 20’ (1-1 in 20’)
- Race Laps Led: 56
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 1.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 10
- Race First Lap Position: 2.125
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 160
Total Points: 170
Romain Febvre
Venue Visits: 20’, 21’, 23’
- Race Podiums: 3
- Race Win: 1; 21’
- Overall Podium: 1; 20’
- Race Laps Led: 11
Averages
- Timed Practice: 5.667
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 1.5 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3.5
- Race Points: 81
Total Points: 81
Tim Gajser
Venue Visits: 20’-22’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 20’
- Race Podiums: 4
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 3.5
- Race Finishes: 3rd in Race 1, 3.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 119
Total Points: 119
Pauls Jonass
Venue Visits: 21’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 8.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 9th
- Race First Lap Position: 7.25
- Race Finishes: 7.5 in Race 1, 7th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7.5
- Race Points: 55
Total Points: 55
Maxime Renaux
Venue Visit: 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 22’ (1-1 in 22’)
- Overall Win: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 31
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Race Finishes: 1st in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 50
Total Points: 50
Jeremy Seewer
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 5
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 4th
- Qualifying Race Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.375
- Race Finishes: 8.5 in Race 1, 5.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7th
- Race Points: 115
Total Points: 123
Jeffery Herlings
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 2; 21’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 1; 23’
- Race Podiums: 4;(Jeffrey has podiumed 100% of the races he has competed in)
- Race Wins: 3; (Herlings has won 75% of the victories he has vied for)
- Overall Wins: 2; (100% win rate)
- Race Laps Led: 27
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1st
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 4.75
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 95
Total Points: 104
Glenn Coldenhoff
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podium: 1; 22’
- Overall Podium: 1; 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 7.25
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 5.125
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 6.5 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 5th
- Race Points: 123
Total Points: 128
Calvin Vlaanderen
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Qualifying Race Points: 2
- Race First Lap Position: 15.625
- Race Finishes: 11.5 in Race 1, 12.75 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 12.25
- Race Points: 71
Total Points: 73
Valentin Guillod
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 18th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 19.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 1
- Race First Lap Position: 14.75
- Race Finishes: 12th in Race 1, 15.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.25
- Race Points: 62
Total Points: 63
Ben Watson
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 14.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24.5
- Race First Lap Position: 16.5
- Race Finishes: 19th in Race 1
- Overall Finishes: 22nd
- Race Points: 2
Total Points: 2
Ivo Monticelli
Venue Visits: 20’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24th
- Race First Lap Position: 16.75
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 13th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 13th
- Race Points: 28
Total Points: 28
Kevin Brumann
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 20th
- Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Race Finishes: 14th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 15th
- Race Points: 11
Total Points: 11
Photo: KTM Group
MX Vice Podcasts
Between The Races Podcast: Adam Sterry – MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina Recap and Spain Preview
Listen now.
The Between The Races podcast returns with Adam Sterry, Ed Stratmann and Brad Wheeler, as they review the 2024 MXGP season opener and look ahead to Spain.
The Between The Races podcast is always available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and Google Play. Thanks to Fly Racing, Monster Energy, Fox Racing, Parts Europe, Scott, Bell Helmets, Acerbis, AS3 Performance, Kawasaki UK, KTM UK, O’Neal and Even Strokes for supporting the show. If you would like to become a part of the show, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Lead Image: Triumph Racing/Ray Archer
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