Defending MX2 champion Pauls Jonass (Red Bull KTM) will go to the start line first for tomorrow’s Spanish GP at Redsand, round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship, after winning this afternoon’s qualification race.
The Latvian didn’t holeshot the 20-minute plus two lap moto but was quickly past his team-mate Jorge Prado and controlled the race from the front, leading every lap. Cheered on by his home fans, Prado attacked in the closing laps but Jonass kept his cool to win by just over half-a-second.
“I didn’t get the best start but still made a pass pretty quick,” said Jonass. “That was a close one. The track was fast today but now it’s getting rougher and rougher which will be good for tomorrow.”
American Darian Sanayei (Bike It DRT Kawasaki) was another half-a-second back in third and was clearly relieved to cross the line after his bike started smoking with a handful of laps to go.
Sweden’s Thomas Kjer Olson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), who’s currently second in the championship, was fourth ahead of rising Aussie star Hunter Lawrence (114 Motorsports Geico Honda).
Ben Watson (Kemea Yamaha) was best of the Brits in sixth followed by American Thomas Covington (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), former British champion Adam Sterry (F&H Kawasaki), local hero Iker Larranaga Olana (8Biano Husqvarna) and Aussie Jed Beaton (F&H Kawasaki).
Britain’s Conrad Mewse (ASA Hitachi KTM UK), who was fourth overall last time out at Valkenswaard, crossed the line 15th after starting mid-pack and failing to make any headway.
MXGP Redsand MX2 qualifying race result
1 1 Jonass, Pauls LAT LAMSF KTM 24:03.034 12 0:00.000 0:00.000 1:50.734 4 56.2
2 61 Prado, Jorge ESP RFME KTM 24:03.667 12 0:00.633 0:00.633 1:50.811 4 56.2
3 57 Sanayei, Darian USA ACU Kawasaki 24:04.202 12 0:01.168 0:00.535 1:50.165 1 56.5
4 19 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN DMU Husqvarna 24:06.652 12 0:03.618 0:02.450 1:50.446 7 56.3
5 96 Lawrence, Hunter AUS MA Honda 24:07.122 12 0:04.088 0:00.470 1:50.743 10 56.2
6 919 Watson, Ben GBR ACU Yamaha 24:25.015 12 0:21.981 0:17.893 1:52.326 4 55.4
7 64 Covington, Thomas USA MUL Husqvarna 24:26.262 12 0:23.228 0:01.247 1:51.896 8 55.6
8 811 Sterry, Adam GBR ACU Kawasaki 24:30.022 12 0:26.988 0:03.760 1:52.456 3 55.3
9 66 Larranaga Olano, Iker ESP RFME Husqvarna 24:32.035 12 0:29.001 0:02.013 1:51.209 5 56
10 14 Beaton, Jed AUS MA Kawasaki 24:34.256 12 0:31.222 0:02.221 1:52.540 7 55.3
11 161 Östlund, Alvin SWE SVEMO Yamaha 24:38.584 12 0:35.550 0:04.328 1:53.130 4 55
12 18 Brylyakov, Vsevolod RUS MFR Yamaha 24:39.140 12 0:36.106 0:00.556 1:52.085 4 55.5
13 98 Vaessen, Bas NED KNMV Honda 24:49.191 12 0:46.157 0:10.051 1:53.128 5 55
14 321 Bernardini, Samuele ITA FMI TM 24:49.601 12 0:46.567 0:00.410 1:52.548 3 55.3
15 426 Mewse, Conrad GBR ACU KTM 24:50.082 12 0:47.048 0:00.481 1:52.789 7 55.2
16 29 Jacobi, Henry GER DMSB Husqvarna 24:52.276 12 0:49.242 0:02.194 1:52.797 6 55.2
17 118 Rubini, Stephen FRA FFM KTM 24:55.513 12 0:52.479 0:03.237 1:52.471 3 55.3
18 10 Vlaanderen, Calvin RSA KNMV Honda 24:59.281 12 0:56.247 0:03.768 1:52.687 2 55.2
19 172 Van doninck, Brent BEL FMB Husqvarna 25:01.319 12 0:58.285 0:02.038 1:53.951 7 54.6
20 70 Fernandez, Ruben ESP RFME Kawasaki 25:02.022 12 0:58.988 0:00.703 1:54.175 6 54.5
21 193 Geerts, Jago BEL FMB Yamaha 25:02.791 12 0:59.757 0:00.769 1:52.813 7 55.2
22 199 Zaragoza, Jorge ESP RFME Yamaha 25:03.927 12 1:00.893 0:01.136 1:53.614 7 54.8
23 773 Do, Thomas FRA FFM KTM 25:21.297 12 1:18.263 0:17.370 1:56.146 10 53.6
24 75 Roosiorg, Hardi EST EMF KTM 25:23.227 12 1:20.193 0:01.930 1:56.090 7 53.6
25 46 Pootjes, Davy NED KNMV KTM 25:23.554 12 1:20.520 0:00.327 1:52.265 3 55.4
26 44 Lesiardo, Morgan ITA FMI KTM 25:26.282 12 1:23.248 0:02.728 1:56.080 9 53.6
27 338 Herbreteau, David FRA FFM KTM 25:30.353 12 1:27.319 0:04.071 1:55.436 7 53.9
28 226 Koch, Tom GER DMSB KTM 25:31.216 12 1:28.182 0:00.863 1:56.563 8 53.4
29 56 Weltin, Marshal USA AMA Honda 25:41.824 12 1:38.790 0:10.608 1:55.272 7 54
30 783 Toriani, Enzo FRA FFM Husqvarna 25:55.284 12 1:52.250 0:13.460 1:57.152 7 53.1
31 102 Sikyna, Richard SVK SMF KTM 25:59.590 12 1:56.556 0:04.306 1:55.477 2 53.9
32 26 Bertuzzi, Nicola ITA FMI KTM 24:19.848 11 1 lap 1 lap 1:56.917 4 53.2
33 331 Freidig, Loris SUI FMS Husqvarna 24:32.626 11 1 lap 0:12.778 1:59.932 1 51.9
34 101 Pichon, Zachary FRA FFM KTM 8:47.263 3 9 laps 8 laps 1:55.653 1 53.8
35 110 Verhaeghe, Alexis FRA FFM KTM 5:18.252 1 11 laps 2 laps 3:20.727 1 31