What a wild Swiss MXGP! The highs and lows of the best sport on earth were all on show last weekend, and especially for HRC Honda who experienced the full spectrum of emotions.
After the qualifying race on Saturday, things could not have looked better for powerhouse team. HRC Honda went 1-2 with Ruben Fernandez winning the heat race over Tim Gajser, and then, 48 hours later those two same riders both had a nightmare in the second moto. Fernandez was disqualified and Tim Gajser suffered a brutal crash that left him with a dislocated shoulder, the MXGP title fight potentially blown wide open.
Gajser looked to be on his way to at least another measured podium and the extension of his already very large 49 point lead in MXGP when it all went wrong thanks to one mound of dirt.
Gajser was forced off the main line after a mistake that put him on the grass, but importantly, he was still within the yellow stakes that show track limits as he grappled with the bucking Honda, he got kicked sideways but then as he gathered it up, he hit the edge of a big pile of unnecessary dirt that was, unbelievably, within track limits! That unnecessary impact catapulted him off his Honda, flinging him violently airborne, Gajser, a ragdoll at this point, hit the ground so hard he actually bounced back up off the turf before landing again, with a painful dislocated shoulder the end result!
The consequences of that ill-placed pile of dirt could be huge, potentially puttling his sixth world title on hold for another year depending on the outcome of an MRI scan.
InFront don’t want more riders injured, so why make the the margin for error so small and so costly even when you aren’t technically off track and “out of bounds.” Small mistakes should not be punished by big crash in a sport that has enough danger already.
As Tim Gajser said: “I hope this incident is the last of its kind, as our sport is dangerous enough without additional hazards so close to the track.” The fact he had to wait 30 minutes to get to the medical centre with a dislocated shoulder, is also a terrible look and could have repercussions on the length of time Tim needs to recover, affecting his title aspirations. Not good.
In the same moto, both Maxime Renaux and home favourite the very popular and very rapid privateer, Valentin Guillod, crashed on the same jump and bounced off the ground as well. Both riders, while very sore and forced to DNF, don’t appear to be seriously injured. But it was a brutal, at times a jaw-dropping, moto to watch.
However, the weekend did end with positive energy and some history made with the beauty of the sport shinning brightly though the Swiss smoke bombs again to end the day.
Lucas Coenen made a mockery of the doubters to go 1-1 and become the youngest MXGP winner at just 18 years old. The kid, with Gajser’s injury factored in, has to be in contention for the title now. As we have said before, when Lucas figures out how to win, he usually wins a lot. Yes, he has made mistakes, but so has everyone else and he is figuring this thing out quickly, his style also suits the 450 with all the momentum he carries around the track.
Coenen has a shot at this if Gajser can’t race the next round in Portugal or is badly limited by his shoulder injury. This kid is a generational talent and a quick learner, moving up to the 450 wasn’t such a bad idea after all…
“I think it’s the best day of my life!” A jubilant Jeremy Seewer passed Jeffrey Herlings in front of fervent home support in Switzerland to put Ducati on the podium in only their fifth Grand Prix in 2025! What a place to do it and to pass Jeffrey Herlings on the last lap wasn’t a bad way to execute it either for Seewer.
Jeremy is always there, year in, year out, he figures out a way to be up front and he is doing it again, maybe quicker that expected on the new machine but that underlines Seewer’s determination and his ability to get the bike suiting his style.
Ducati deserve huge credit for such a rapid rise to the top, Guadagnini was instantly fast in Argentina with fourth overall, Cairoli showed he still had top ten pace with great starts in Arco and Seewer now has a podium for the brand already in MXGP.
It simply can’t be underestimated just what a remarkable achievement this is for Ducati, hiring Lupino and Cairoli has worked, Guadagnini and Seewer have been great first year signings and the big hitters who are looking for a ride next year, think Jeffrey Herling and Eli Tomac, will surely have sat up and taken notice of just how competitive the bike is already – and it should only get better from here.
Rumours says the 250 machine isn’t exactly slow either…
Ducati are the rookies against manufacturers with generations of experience but they are making waves already in motocross and Jeremy Seewer will be forever in the history books of the iconic motorcycle brand by delivering their first MXGP podium.
Job well done.
