The final month of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship began with the trip to Afyon and the Grand Prix of Turkey, round 18 of 20 in the series and before rushes to China and Spain to close the series. Dry and hot conditions saw Jeffrey Herlings rebound from a tough first moto to rank 6th overall.
Turkey is the first of two eastern trips for MXGP, and the flat and familiar layout of Afyon staged the eighth Grand Prix in the country and brought the series back to Afyonkarahisar. The circuit was first used in 2018. Warm and predictable weather and a hard-packed and rough course were the main challenges for the riders in the MXGP and MX2 classes. The championships are narrowing, and Red Bull KTM are firmly in the fight for medal positions.
On Saturday the RAM Qualification races saw Herlings power his way to a good start and then the lead. He classified 3rd for the same choice of positions in the gate for Sunday.
On Sunday the heat remained high, and the track was slick in places. Herlings almost crashed after contact with Romain Febvre out of the gate of the first moto. He rallied back to the top six on the first lap but then crashed and burnt his arm. Jeffrey was able to remount and score 10th. After some treatment he throttled across the fast layout for 3rd.
Two rounds and four motos remain this season. Herlings is 3rd in the championship standings and 39 points from 2nd and 53 from the red plate.
Onto China and the long trip to Shanghai.
Jeffrey Herlings, 10th and 3rd for 6th overall in MXGP: “I believe Jorge, Tim and me were the fastest guys this weekend but they both finished on the podium and I crashed in the first moto and lost a lot of time, as well as burning my arm on the exhaust. In was in quite some pain. I had to come from last for P10. I managed to be good in the second moto but it was almost impossible to pass on this track. We just followed each other. No podium today. I’m looking forward to China. The season is coming to an end and two races to go. Realistically the championship is going to be very difficult but we’ll do what we can.”
Results MXGP Turkey 2024
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 3-1
2. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 4-2
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI) Kawasaki 1-6
6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 10-3
Standings MXGP 2024 after 18 of 20 rounds
1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 910 points
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 896
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 857