MXGP: Red Bull KTM riders end season opener on positive note

Michelle Liew

March 4, 2020

Jeffrey Herlings passes the chequered flag in England to claim his first victory of the season.

Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings | Photo credits: KTM Factory Racing

The seasoner opener for the 2020 MXGP Championship at Matterley Basin went underway during the weekend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders managed to pull through with decent result. The circuit was greeted with a variety of weather conditions such as heavy rain on Friday, strong wind on Saturday and sunshine on Sunday. Riders Tony Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado made it through the challenging track to finish within top ten of the race. Herlings won the race as Cairoli joins him on the podium at third place. Prado, on the other hand, capped his run at tenth place.

Round two of MXGP will take place next weekend at the Eurocircuit near Eindhoven for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Jeffrey Herlings (Red Bull KTM)- 1st Place

Photo credits: KTM Factory Racing

“The first race out of twenty and I was consistent. Two good starts led the whole first moto, got into third pretty quick behind Tony and took second. The track was sketchy and the sun was really low. It is still that time of the year where it gets dark quite early. So it was hard with the shadows. I didn’t want to take any risks and I was happy with second. It was a good weekend and I think we improved the bike over the winter because this was the first real test, let’s say. I am looking forward to Valkenswaard now and my home GP,” says Herlings as quoted from KTM Factory Racing.

Tony Cairoli (Red Bull KTM)- 3rd Place

Photo credits: KTM Factory Racing

“It is nice to be back on the podium after so many months without racing. My shoulder has improved a lot in recent weeks. But last week in Belgium I twisted my right knee and heard a crack. I thought ‘the season is finished already’. Then I went to the doctor and he confirmed a second-degree PCL tear. I taped the knee very hard yesterday and today and all the ruts out there were not helping. I just need to work as much as possible on the muscle to make it as stable as possible. So to be on the podium at this track and these conditions is amazing and I’m motivated again to work really hard and try to build it up. We will see what we can do next.”

Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM)- 10th Place

Photo credits: KTM Factory Racing

“I’m a world champion so finishing 10th is not something I am used to; the last two years have been really good. But if I look at it the other way and after just two weeks of riding then I have to feel very happy about today. I didn’t have any pain and I have been working hard: this was the best I could do. I would say that last 6-7 minutes and two laps of the second moto were quite hard. The track was super-rough and I was pretty tired. I did not want to crash, and the sun was very low. First race of the season, first race with the 450 and the last time I raced was in Assen: what a weekend.”