Tenth MXGP podium in a row for Herlings ith 3rd place in Sweden
Jeffrey Herlings of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing started another back-to-back Grand Prix stint at Uddevalla and the annual trip to Sweden. The fifteenth MXGP fixture of the year took place in sunny, warm and breezy conditions north of Gothenburg and Jeffrey Herlings finished 3rd with his KTM 450 SX-F
Uddevalla, one of the longest-serving, time-honored venues on the MXGP calendar, altered the hard-packed stony layout to generate more lines and passing places for the 2024 Swedish Grand Prix. The changes increased the technicality of the course but starts were still at a premium for podium potential. A large crowd filled the rocky hillsides in the first of three consecutive weekends that will pull the championship to the Netherlands and then to Switzerland.
Saturday’s RAM Qualification race saw Jeffrey Herlings recover from a first turn crash (when he couldn’t avoid a fallen rider) to grab 7th and salvage some championship points as well as secure a reasonable slot in the gate for the motos on Sunday. In the MX2 Heat Liam Everts was 5th, with Sacha Coenen nursing sore legs after a tumble in practice but able to score 7th and Andrea Adamo ranked 10th in his comeback to the class.
On Sunday Herlings was nudged off the track around the second corner of the opening MXGP race. The Dutchman entered ‘salvage mode’ from that moment and only a small mistake and stall midway through the last lap prevented him from capturing a decent 4th place. The second moto start was better, and he immediately slotted into P2 on the first lap. Jeffrey tried to close to Jorge Prado, particularly through the backmarkers, and came close on the final circulation. He briefly had to pick-up and recover the #84 machine after a slip. Jeffrey sustained a bang to his left hand but made sure of 2nd place and 3rd overall.
Arnhem, sand and home territory for Jeffrey Herlings now lies in store as the Motorsportpark Gelderland stages the sixteenth Grand Prix of the campaign and welcomes the world championship for the second year in a row.
Jeffrey Herlings, 5th and 2nd for 3rd overall in MXGP: “This wasn’t an easy one. I had nowhere to go at the start on Saturday and this is definitely not the easiest of tracks for passing. I got back some points. I had work to do in the first moto after being pushed out: this did not help. A good start finally arrived in the second moto. I was behind Jorge [Prado] and I kept the distance but then had a pretty big one on the last lap. I still managed to finish on the podium and we have ten in a row now so I hope to keep the streak going. Next up is Arnhem. I hope my hand will be OK and it doesn’t feel too bad. The home GP always gives you the extra little boost usually and I hope I can use that to my advantage.”
Results MXGP Sweden 2024
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-1
2. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 2-3
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 5-2
Standings MXGP 2024 after 15 of 20 rounds
1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 757 points
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 740
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 709
Photocredits – Ray Archer
