Jeffrey Herlings inside of the top five at MXGP return in Finland
MXGP cut through Finnish sand for the second year in a row but instead of circulating the curves of Hyvinkaa the series returned to another former Grand Prix site in Vantaa; on the periphery of Helsinki international airport. The venue had undergone modifications to welcome the world championship once more but was still a typically flat, soft and rough terrain. The fourteenth appointment on the MXGP schedule was temperate and damp but the racing was close and intense.
Jeffrey Herlings had set the fastest MXGP lap-time in Free Practice and Timed Practice but was understandably rusty with his stars and race speed.
On Sunday Herlings completed a measured day with rides to 8th (suffering a goggle problem) and 4th in the MXGP class. He ranked 5th overall after recuperating from a fractured vertebra sustained in a fall at the German Grand Prix.
Jeffrey Herlings, 8th and 4th for 5th overall in MXGP: “The first moto was a bit unfortunate because a stone hit my goggle and the roll-off broke in two. I was around 5th, I think, but had to pull-over to change and that put me back to 12th. In the second moto I was battling the top guys and had the speed, so I was very happy with that. To have just one day on the bike this week, come back and then be 5th overall is a pretty good return. We were looking at this like a ‘preparation run’ so 5th overall is great and the team did an amazing job. I’m looking forward to Sweden and we’ll aim for the top five so we can go for the podium and maybe the win at Arnhem.”
Results MXGP Finland 2023
1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 1-2
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 3-1
3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha, 4-3
4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 2-5
5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8-4
Standings MXGP 2023 after 14 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 720 points
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 622
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 550
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha 525
5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 489
7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 418
