The FIM Motocross World Championships are heading to Spain this weekend for the sixth Grand Prix of the 2023 season at the circuit of intu-Xanadú Arroyomolinos.
Near the capital Madrid, the circuit have seen many exciting races over the past four years.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux, won consecutively in MX2 in 2021 and MXGP in 2022.
The other riders who managed to win in MXGP on this circuit were home hero Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado in 2020 and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings in 2021 which might give them an edge over their rivals for what could be a very important Grand Prix for the championship.
There will be few changes made to the central sectors of the circuit of intu-Xanadù Arroyomolinos which will make it even more competitive.
The MXGP of Spain will also host the 4th round of the EMX250 and 3rd round of WMX with Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Andrea Bonacorsi still solid leader in EMX250 and young talent Lotte Van Drunen leading the Women’s Motocross Championship.
Winner of the first WMX round in Sardinia, the Spanish rider RFME GasGas WMX Team’s Daniela Guillen is tied for second in the championship, alongside New Zealand’s three-time former WMX champion Courtney Duncan (Big Van World MTX Kawasaki, pictured here).
While Guillen will be riding at home in front of her fans, that’s unfortunately a luxury that Duncan is never likely to enjoy.
This weekend will also be the first round of the European Junior e-Motocross Series which will see young riders competing on the same circuit of the MXGP champions.
The MXGP of Spain marked the 9th stop of the season in 2022 and it was Renaux who won his first Grand Prix in the MXGP class and showed his speed and control in Spain as he won the GP with a perfect 1-1.
In 2023, Prado arrives at his home Grand Prix as leader of the Championship and having made the podium in every GPs so far in the season.
The consistency shown by Prado has been incredible given the number of challengers who have the potential to get podiums on every outing.
Having won in Spain in 2020, Prado looks determined to win on home soil once again, and this time to consolidate his leader’s red plate. As a race winner in Portugal, the Spanish rider keeps his 50% race win for the 2023 campaign.
Just behind in the Championship standings is Herlings, who comes in Spain on the back of his 101th GP win in Portugal.
Herlings is getting faster round after round. He set the fastest time in the last two Grand Prix which shows his positive dynamic at the moment. He is also the only rider of the pack with 2 GP wins.
With his starts improving, he is becoming even more of a threat and is 17 points adrift off Prado.
On top of all that, Herlings could break Stefan Everts’ ultimate record if he wins and get him to 102 GP wins.
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre who moved up to third in the Championship is showing that we can count on him this season and he has been battling at the top over nearly all races.
The Kawasaki rider got a second podium of the season in Portugal making it two in the last three GPs which shows the dynamic he is on. Febvre looks comfortable with riding and showed the competitor in him as he frequently battles with Prado and Herlings.
He still misses that GP win this season but he is making sure to do everything to get there.
The 2-time Grand Prix winner in Spain, Renaux is fourth in the standing and lost his second place to Herlings and Febvre after Portugal. Renaux did not have the results expected as he went 13-11 for 11th overall in Portugal and had to retire in the qualifying race on the Saturday.
This was a round to forget but the Frenchman could use one of his favourite circuits this weekend to bounce back and put pressure on Prado and Herlings.
Another rider who will be riding on home soil is Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez who got a very good 4th overall in Portugal and stays consistent this season. He also won the qualifying race in Agueda last week in incredible fashion as he passed Herlings along the way.
He collected 10 important points for the Championship and demonstrated that he can keep winning race after his win in Argentina. Being at home this weekend and getting the support from the amazing public in Spain will definitely help him.
Team Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen, 6th in the championship is impressing since the beginning of the season as he rides consistently within the top 10 and competing with the top riders week in week out and confirming his potential.
Behind him in the standings is Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff who got a good result last weekend with a 4-7 for 6th overall is one rider that has improved over the last couple of GPs to stay more constant.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer got used to show incredible speed but he also alternated with few lows because of crashes. He showed more positive racing in Portugal with an encouraging 5-4 and 5th overall for a performance more in-line with his talent.
Now 8th in the Championship the MXGP of Spain could be a great opportunity for the Swiss to collect precious points.
The two Italian riders, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini and SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery MXGP’s Alberto Forato are 9th and 10th in the championship. Guadagnini looked like he picked up his rhythm as he has been more regular and quicker recently. With a 6-8 and 8th overall, the GasGas rider is on his way up and it will be interesting to see if he can go even higher in Spain.
Forato has kept his level as he oscillates around the 10th place in pretty much all GPs so far and is really reliable. He is gaining a lot of experience that can help him to reach new levels
Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Valentin Guillod and JM Honda Racing’s Brent Van doninck, who are 11th and 13th, are two riders to watch as they have made amazing moves in Portugal and over the last GPs in general while riding many times within the top 10.
They have been consistent and this is key to build on that to catch good points along the way.
Photo courtesy Kawasaki
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 246 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 229 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 214 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 202 p.; 5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 182 p.; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 162 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 152 p.; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 148 p.; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 139 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), 116 p.
MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 265 points; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 229 p.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 220 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 206 p.; 5. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 201 p.; 6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 191 p.; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 157 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 143 p.; 9. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 130 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 115 p.
WMX – Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, KAW), 86 points; 2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 85 p.; 3. Daniela Guillen (ESP, GAS), 85 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GAS), 61 p.; 5. Charli Cannon (AUS, YAM), 58 p.; 6. Lynn Valk (NED, FAN), 58 p.; 7. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), 52 p.; 8. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 50 p.; 9. Nancy van de Ven (NED, YAM), 42 p.; 10. Giorgia Blasigh (ITA, KTM), 42 p.