Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM) nailed a dominant win in today’s MX2 qualification race at the MXGP of Germany at Teutschenthal, round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
The Spanish teenager holeshot the 20-minute plus two lap race and checked out to take his fourth qualification win of the season by over 11 seconds ahead of his team-mate and defending champion Pauls Jonass.
With gate choice for tomorrow’s points-paying pair of motos decided by the quali race result, Prado – who’s currently trailing Latvian Jonass by 22 points – did a disappearing act on the spectacular hard-pack track that features multiple changes in elevation.
“It was a good quali race,” he said. “I had a good start and then I was a bit careful for the first laps because it was slippery but I rode good so I’m happy. The track’s nice and I like it. It’s fun so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
After losing the tow on his team-mate, Jonass – who’s going for back-to-back world titles – settled for a safe second on the slick and stony circuit.
Behind them a four-way fight for third played out with South African Calvin Vlaanderen (Team HRC) chasing Thomas Covington (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) ahead of Britain’s Ben Watson (Kemea Yamaha) and Dane Thomas Kjer Olsen (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna).
Vlaanderen took third in the early laps from the American and then Olsen moved ahead of Watson just after half-distance and set off after his team-mate. With two laps to go Vlaanderen wasn’t able to pull clear from Covington who was then ambushed as Olsen jumped through into fourth.
Watson came home sixth, just over half-a-second further back, ahead of Australian Jed Beaton (F&H Kawasaki) and Italy’s Samuele Bernadini (Factory Racing TM). Despite a fall, British-born Kiwi Dylan Walsh – who’s contesting the EMX250 class this season – was ninth in a wild-card ride from Simone Furlotti (SM Action Yamaha).
MXGP Germany MX2 qualifying
1 61 Prado, Jorge ESP RFME KTM 24:43.710 13 0:00.000 0:00.000 1:49.340 7 50.7
2 1 Jonass, Pauls LAT LAMSF KTM 24:55.021 13 0:11.311 0:11.311 1:50.240 6 50.2
3 10 Vlaanderen, Calvin RSA KNMV Honda 24:59.000 13 0:15.290 0:03.979 1:50.235 7 50.2
4 19 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN DMU Husqvarna 25:00.371 13 0:16.661 0:01.371 1:50.570 8 50.1
5 64 Covington, Thomas USA MUL Husqvarna 25:01.360 13 0:17.650 0:00.989 1:50.311 7 50.2
6 919 Watson, Ben GBR ACU Yamaha 25:02.033 13 0:18.323 0:00.673 1:50.597 9 50.1
7 14 Beaton, Jed AUS MA Kawasaki 25:03.097 13 0:19.387 0:01.064 1:50.966 9 49.9
8 321 Bernardini, Samuele ITA FMI TM 25:33.896 13 0:50.186 0:30.799 1:52.235 2 49.3
9 53 Walsh, Dylan NZL MNZ Husqvarna 25:36.293 13 0:52.583 0:02.397 1:52.289 5 49.3
10 95 Furlotti, Simone ITA FMI Yamaha 25:38.628 13 0:54.918 0:02.335 1:52.807 7 49.1
11 872 Boisrame, Mathys FRA FFM Honda 25:42.247 13 0:58.537 0:03.619 1:52.991 6 49
12 747 Cervellin, Michele ITA FMI Honda 25:43.725 13 1:00.015 0:01.478 1:51.488 8 49.7
13 199 Zaragoza, Jorge ESP RFME Yamaha 25:48.695 13 1:04.985 0:04.970 1:53.156 6 48.9
14 338 Herbreteau, David FRA FFM KTM 25:49.175 13 1:05.465 0:00.480 1:53.570 5 48.8
15 29 Jacobi, Henry GER DMSB Husqvarna 25:50.230 13 1:06.520 0:01.055 1:52.484 10 49.2
16 172 Van doninck, Brent BEL FMB Husqvarna 25:50.280 13 1:06.570 0:00.050 1:53.013 7 49
17 102 Sikyna, Richard SVK SMF KTM 25:50.731 13 1:07.021 0:00.451 1:53.044 7 49
18 127 Rodriguez, Anthony VEN FMV Yamaha 25:51.276 13 1:07.566 0:00.545 1:53.226 11 48.9
19 226 Koch, Tom GER DMSB KTM 25:56.427 13 1:12.717 0:05.151 1:53.465 7 48.8
20 75 Roosiorg, Hardi EST EMF KTM 25:58.784 13 1:15.074 0:02.357 1:53.518 12 48.8
21 43 Bres, Natanael FRA FFM KTM 26:00.698 13 1:16.988 0:01.914 1:53.918 5 48.6
22 426 Mewse, Conrad GBR ACU KTM 26:00.977 13 1:17.267 0:00.279 1:52.886 10 49.1
23 931 Zanotti, Andrea SMR FSM Husqvarna 26:10.144 13 1:26.434 0:09.167 1:54.298 13 48.5
24 34 De Waal, Micha-Boy NED KNMV Honda 26:11.161 13 1:27.451 0:01.017 1:52.117 11 49.4
25 56 Weltin, Marshal USA AMA Honda 26:11.729 13 1:28.019 0:00.568 1:53.551 11 48.8
26 26 Bertuzzi, Nicola ITA FMI KTM 26:31.215 13 1:47.505 0:19.486 1:55.487 4 48
27 66 Larranaga Olano, Iker ESP RFME Husqvarna 24:45.429 12 1 lap 1 lap 1:51.454 5 49.7
28 101 Pichon, Zachary FRA FFM KTM 25:14.572 12 1 lap 0:29.143 1:55.213 11 48.1
29 70 Fernandez, Ruben ESP RFME Kawasaki 12:21.504 6 7 laps 6 laps 1:53.659 3 48.7
30 193 Geerts, Jago BEL FMB Yamaha 4:38.848 2 11 laps 4 laps 1:53.169 2 48.9
31 46 Pootjes, Davy NED KNMV KTM 5:10.696 2 11 laps 0:31.848 1:58.698 1 46.7
32 88 van der Vlist, Freek NED KNMV Honda 2:24.472 0 13 laps 2 laps 0:00.000 0
33 44 Lesiardo, Morgan ITA FMI KTM 3:15.666 0 13 laps 0:51.194 0:00.000 0