Published on 7 November 2021

Results: MXGP Mantova – qualifying

Jeffrey Herlings put in a blistering lap in his first attempt in timed qualifying with unbelievable corner speed and, for a while, nobody came close to his time but, as the session neared the end, the rest started finding their groove with Cairoli getting within a second on third and Febvre stepping up to go second just 3 tenths off Herlings.

Herlings then tried to improve his time, and looked set to do so until he clipped a bank in the inside of the turn near the end of the lap and went down – but his initial lap was still good enough for pole. Simultaneously, Gajser, who was back in sixth and 1.6 seconds off the pace of Herlings, hit an outside bank and fell off himself! As a result Gajser stayed sixth but it shows just how intense things are getting – and this is only qualifying!

Herlings said: “Especially on this start, to be inside gate pick here it’s pretty good. It’s kind of war now, within three or four days we get the decision of who will be MXGP world champion. It’s a three man battle , right now we just have to fight for every single metre and be as good as I can.”

MXGP – Time Practice – Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 1:52.608; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:00.357; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:00.953; 4. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), +0:01.243; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:01.584; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:01.696; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, GASGAS), +0:02.126; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Beta), +0:02.176; 9. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:02.195; 10. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:02.208; 11. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.311; 12. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Honda), +0:02.531; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:02.886; 14. Alberto Forato (ITA, GASGAS), +0:02.967; 15. Dylan Wright (CAN, Honda), +0:03.043; 16. Henry Jacobi (GER, Honda), +0:03.088; 17. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:03.200; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:03.700; 19. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:03.818; 20. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), +0:03.882; 21. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:04.229; 22. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:04.317; 23. Vsevolod Brylyakov (MFR, Honda), +0:04.444; 24. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:04.503; 25. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Yamaha), +0:04.815; 26. Lorenzo Locurcio (VEN, KTM), +0:05.234; 27. Ander Valentin (ESP, Husqvarna), +0:05.302; 28. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:05.639; 29. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, Honda), +0:06.061; 30. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:06.650; 31. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), +0:06.810; 32. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, Yamaha), +0:08.609; 33. Denis Polas (SVK, KTM), +0:14.008; 34. Timothée Hoarau (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:15.889

Image: Ray Archer