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The MXGP of Great Britain delivered once again, with awesome action in both MXGP and MX2 races, producing different winners in each heat for both categories.

While rain was forecast for the entire day, this did not stop a healthy crowd of British fans make the trip to Matterley Basin to enjoy some of the most exciting racing that we have had this season so far.

And what a show the riders put on for the cheering crowd that lit the whole track alive, making for an incredible atmosphere that MXGP missed by the entire paddock in 2020.

In the MXGP class, all eyes were on Antonio Cairoli (KTM, pictured here), who bounced back in incredible fashion, following an unlucky GP in Orlyonok, going 1-3 in the races to secure his 8th GP win here in Matterley Basin. Joining him on the podium was Honda’s Tim Gajser and KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings, who put together another solid day to get himself on the podium.

In MX2, Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) was determined to make up for lost ground in Orlyonok and he did just that with a win and a second to secure his career second overall victory.

Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) placed second overall during what was his second Grand Prix as a factory KTM rider and Honda’s Ruben Fernandez continued his podium streak to finish third.

In the opening heat it was KTM’s Jorge Prado who grabbed the holeshot with Yamaha’s Jeremy Seewer and Cairoli closely behind. Though Cairoli wasted no time as he jumped into the lead, while Gajser was fighting further down the order.

On the opening lap it was Cairoli, Prado, Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) and Herlings, with Seewer, Gajser and GasGas rider Pauls Jonass just behind.

A few laps later, Gajser had managed to get around Seewer and was closing in on the back of Herlings, while Seewer was coming under more pressure from Jonass. And so was his teammate Coldenhoff, who lost two positions in one lap to Herlings and Gajser as the pair went after Cairoli and Prado.

On his return to MXGP racing, Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) had a tough opening heat, as he eventually pulled into the pits to retire from the race.

With two laps to go, Cairoli stretched out his lead to 8.731 seconds over Prado, with Herlings, Gajser and Coldenhoff completing the top 5, as Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) chased down Jonass.

In the end it was Cairoli who secured his first race win of 2021, with Prado 2nd and Herlings 3rd.

In race two it was Febvre who grabbed the second holeshot, though much like in the opening heat, Cairoli was quick to get out in front.

The opening lap was exciting, with Prado taking the lead from Cairoli and then Febvre doing the same as Gajser got himself up into third.

Seewer then lost a position to Herlings who took 5th from the Swiss.

Prado also lost another position, this time to Gajser as he got up into second and then it was game on as the Slovenian rode patiently behind Febvre for most of the race.

Gajser worked away at the gap lap by lap and towards the end of the race he was right on Febvre’s tail. Cairoli kept up with the leaders and at one point it looked like both Gajser and Cairoli were in for the chance of stealing the race win from Febvre.

The last two laps of the heat were intense, as Gajser and Febvre traded positions, with Gajser eventually able to make a pass on the Frenchman stick, on the final lap, and edge out slightly to take the chequered flag.

Cairoli topped the podium, with Gajser second and Herlings third. Febvre ended up fourth overall just 2 points off the podium.

Heading into the third round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, Gajser continues to lead with 93 points, as Herlings sits second in the championship standings, just 15 points behind, and Febvre is third, a further 5 points back.

“Actually, I enjoyed race two more because it was nice with all the passing, and it was nice to be back battling,” said Cairoli afterwards.

“In the first race I had a really good start and immediately after a few corners I made my way into first place and then pushed as fast as I can.

“Of course, I was disappointed with last week. I was really not happy about this mistake; we lost a lot of points but of course today was very good and I really enjoyed the track. I ran short of breath during the second race in the last 4 laps, the guys were pushing hard. It was easy to make a mistake, so I thought let’s bring it home and make this 93rd GP victory happen.”

Photo courtesy KTM Europe

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RESULTS & STANDINGS:

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 36:02.691; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:07.922; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:10.502; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:12.831; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:15.617; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GASGAS), +0:16.646; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.008; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:28.312; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), +0:38.199; 10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:39.569.

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:18.266; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:01.468; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:15.489; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:21.730; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:24.350; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GASGAS), +0:32.300; 7. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:41.289; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Beta), +0:43.046; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:43.610; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:46.107.

MXGP – GP Top 10 Classification:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 45 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 43 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 36 p.; 5. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 36 p.; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 30 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 29 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 9. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 20 p.

MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 93 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 78 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 73 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 65 p.; 5. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 61 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 60 p.; 7. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 54 p.; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 50 p.; 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 43 p.; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 42 p.

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:

1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), 37:05.389; 2. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:02.590; 3. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.737; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +0:04.269; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:05.951; 6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:15.108; 7. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:21.278; 8. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Kawasaki), +0:22.675; 9. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Kawasaki), +0:27.678; 10. Wilson Todd (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:44.740.

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:

1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 36:34.006; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:02.407; 3. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), +0:04.397; 4. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Kawasaki), +0:09.087; 5. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:10.791; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:15.057; 7. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:24.453; 8. Jed Beaton (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:25.214; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:29.094; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, GASGAS), +0:33.158.

MX2 – GP Top 10 Classification:

1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 47 points; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 43 p.; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 37 p.; 4. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 31 p.; 6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 31 p.; 7. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Wilson Todd (AUS, KAW), 21 p.; 9. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Bastian Boegh Damm (DEN, KTM), 15 p.

MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification:

1. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 79 points; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 74 p.; 3. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, KAW), 74 p.; 4. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 67 p.; 5. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 66 p.; 6. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 54 p.; 7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 53 p.; 8. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 50 p.; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 48 p.; 10. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 37 p.