MXGP World Championship
Discussion: Pauls Jonass
Pauls Jonass on an eventful time at home.
Pauls Jonass is quietly showing flashes of brilliance each week that make him a force to be reckoned with aboard a Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing FC 450. The Grand Prix of Latvia, his home race, was another step in the right direction, as he led some laps and showed a lot of hearts. A bloody eye couldn’t stop him, as he explains in this exclusive MX Vice interview.
MX Vice:Â I cannot really think of anything to ask, because your eye looks seriously bad. How did you get through that? How did it happen? What the hell?
Pauls Jonass:Â Actually that was quite bad luck. In the first moto I crashed in the first lap, then crashed again on the third lap or something together with one rider. I was feeling quite good, riding quite good and then a few laps to the end I tried to pass Glenn [Coldenhoff] on the jump before the step-up there in the corner. I high-sided a little bit, so I landed and hit my head on the handlebar. Really I was unlucky, because I just hit with the goggles on the kill switch. It just went through and immediately after, a few seconds after, my goggles were full of blood. I had to throw the goggles off in the first half a lap.
I could not see anything. I thought I will need to stop, but somehow I managed to finish the moto. Still got some points. After that I had to go get some stitches. It didn’t feel so bad. It looks bad now. It is just slowly swelling up. It’s getting closer and closer, but it’s alright. Second moto wasn’t so bad. I didn’t get the best start, but I think that was one of the best motos for me this year because I could manage to get good laps and finish sixth. Maybe not the best result but just riding was pretty good. All weekend actually I felt quite good on the bike, so we are moving forward and I’m happy about that. Â
How good was your vision in the second race? Was it at one hundred percent or was it like riding with an eye patch?
It was not one hundred percent. When I did the sighting lap I was like, “That’s going to be tough.” After a few laps when you get going and the adrenaline is running you just forget about everything and you just go. That’s not too bad.
The qualifying race yesterday was big. A big moment for you as well, leading laps for the first time. I’m guessing you pumped up pretty good, but still it is good to get up there.Â
Yeah, sure. It was really cool leading for the first time in MXGP class, especially at home. Was something special. When I passed Jeffrey [Herlings] and I was first on the jump like, “What’s going to happen now? But then I tried to stay calm. I felt actually really good. I just got a little arm pump and then the long waves section was so difficult that I struggled through there. I completely lost it and got such bad arm pump, then struggled through the whole moto. I still managed to finish sixth. Not the best qualifying race, but at least I led for some laps. That was quite awesome.Â
I’m guessing it was quite cool to battle with Jeffrey as well, because you have sat alongside him for years. I’m guessing it was quite cool to see the back of his jersey and actually pass him.
Yeah, sure. Actually the first time was in the Dutch championship in Rhenen, which was the first race back for Jeffrey. It was nice to be alongside him on the gate. I actually managed to pass him in the first race also. I was like, “Yeah!” That’s on the checklist. After the qualifying race yesterday when I got the papers that said I had the fastest lap time of the race I was like, “Okay. This I’m going to put at home in a frame.” It’s just positive things. Of course the eye is now looking pretty bad, but I try to stay positive. It was so awesome to feel the crowd all around the track. It was really cool. I actually think this was the year when the support was the biggest, even compared to the races that I led here with the 250s. Â
Once you got up front in that qualifying race yesterday, did the pace surprise you? Obviously that is the first time you have actually battled for the lead. Was it faster than you expected? Slower? Did you get up there and go, “Actually, I can do this? This is pretty normal for me?”
Yeah. I was not surprised. Like you said, I was like, “Okay, that feels quite normal.” I did a few laps by Jeffrey and then I pulled a three-second gap and then I was like, “Okay, that is not so bad.” I was feeling good. Like I said, I start to feel better and better on the 450 and with the Husky and everything. The team works so hard. They try to do the best every time, improve the bike and just to make me feel better and more comfortable.
Finally I am starting to feel that the feeling I had with the 250 is coming back a little bit. I can do whatever I want with the bike, so that is really important. Especially leading the laps, then you can ride your own lines. Just the speed is nothing crazy, but it’s still super fast. I just need to get going, manage to stay some races maybe a few laps more and more and more until I can do it for thirty-five minutes.
Obviously you have had two seconds in this class. You have led laps. Are we starting to look at the number one spot and thinking, “I like the look of that?”Â
Yeah, sure. That’s always the goal, but we need to stay realistic and we need to stay calm. The season is still long. We are only halfway through. You see there are so many injuries lately, so the guys are going out and the season is long. I just need to stay calm and go step-by-step just to get more confident and quicker and stronger. Hopefully we can make a few more podiums by the end of the year. Â
What did you think of the track prep this weekend? Obviously the MX2 guys go before you and a few of those guys have said that they flattened it too much, so it was like a speedway. By the time it got to your motos, was it rough enough or did you still feel like it could have been left?
I think they flat it too much. For sure they had to flat the long waves section, because that was difficult and dangerous. For the rest of the track though, I think the track in the qualifying race was better because it was more technical. It was more rough. They didn’t have the time to fix the track too much. That’s really motocross. It’s not a speedway, so you need to really think about the bumps to wheelie or maybe jump in some places. That is real motocross.
Sometimes they need to leave the track more flat. For sure for us in MXGP the track is not that flat as MX2, but that is a thing that I hated a lot when I was still in MX2. They flat the track completely for the second moto. That was awful. Now I see they do it again many times. They just need to flat some takeoffs and the whoops section, then leave the track like it is.Â
Are you finally at one hundred percent now or are you still maybe a bit off? Obviously, ignoring the eye.Â
No, I think I am not even close to one hundred percent. We still have a lot of work to do. Like I said, I’m just now starting to feel comfortable on the big bike. I would say I’m around ninety percent. Still there is a long way to go. Those last percents are the toughest ones, so it will take some time. It will be a tough way to get to the top.
Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: ConwayMX
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 Championship
MXGP Overall
MXGP Race Two
MXGP Race One
MXGP Qualification Race
MXGP Timed Practice
MX2 Championship
MX2 Overall
MX2 – Race Two
MX2 – Race One
MX2 – Qualification Race
MX2 Timed Practice
WMX Race Two
WMX Race One
EMX 250 Overall
EMX 250 – Race 2
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.
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