4TH FOR SEEWER AND SUZUKI AT THE MXGP OF BELGIUM

Courtesy of Team Suzuki Press Office

Team Suzuki Press Office – August 6.

Jeremy Seewer – 3-4 for 4th
Hunter Lawrence – 11-10 for 11th
Bas Vaessen – 20-DNS for 18th 

Jeremy Seewer was just outside the podium positions at the MXGP of Belgium, in what were extremely difficult conditions at the Lommel track. The MX2 title contender rode well in both races but was unfortunately caught out in one of the many tricky sections, which caused him to lose the third place overall on a tie-breaker, after drawing on points with Julien Lieber. 

Team mate Hunter Lawrence survived his first experience of a Lommel GP and can be pleased with how he rode in what is known as one of the toughest races in the world. After such little bike time, the Australian did well to charge through in both races and finish just outside the top 10. Unfortunately, the third member of the Suzuki World MX2 team, Bas Vaessen, crashed in the first turn of the first moto and had to fight really hard to finish 20th and score one point. His achievement was made even more impressive after he got checked-out by the medical team after the race and it was discovered that he had broken his right-collarbone in that crash. The #98 now faces another spell on sidelines while the decision is made how to proceed with the injury. 

“In the first moto I had a good start and got the holeshot that I predicted yesterday on board my RM-Z250”, said Seewer. “Unfortunately Jorge Prado Garcia passed me just after the line as he had a bit more momentum on the straight. However I had a good beginning and felt good on the bike and did some good early laps behind him. A little bit later Pauls Jonass passed me because he was riding really well but I still felt good and put in two good laps behind him, trying to see what lines he was using. After that I don’t really know what happened but I just started to get weak. It wasn’t my fitness as I know I’m one of the fittest guys in the field; my body just didn’t really feel right. This meant I had to drop back and settle for third position, which was ok, but could have been better. I had another good start in the second moto and was riding in third place but I had a crash early on which cost me the chance of a podium and at making-up some good points up on Jonass. It was just a race incident, my fault, but it happens and I can’t change it. It took a couple of laps to get all the sand out of my mouth and eyes but then I put in some good laps and charged through to fourth, for fourth overall. It’s not what I wanted, but I think I still made the best out of it on what was such a tricky track. Next week we head to Switzerland where I’m really looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd.” 

For Lawrence, a lack of bike time, combined with it being his first time racing this terrain meant that expectations weren’t too high heading into the race. As always though, he just put his head and went to work and came away with two respectable finishes. “In the first moto I didn’t get the best start and came around the first corner in around 20th. I soon got to work though and worked my way up to 11th. That wasn’t too bad, but obviously I wanted to do a bit better in the second race. I got a top-15 start in the second race but in the third lap I got a bit too impatient and cased a jump and that sent me off the track. I didn’t crash but I stalled it and it took a while to get it fired up again. Everyone had passed me by that stage so I was almost last but I charged through the field once again to get up to 10th place. It was my first Lommel GP done and it went ok, so I know what to expect now and believe that I can come back next year and do much better.”

General Manager Stefan Everts gave his opinion on what was a tough weekend for all three of his MX2 riders. “Jeremy struggled all weekend to just find that little extra he needed to take the wins. He was in position in both motos but just small things cost him the chance to take the moto wins and close the gap up to Jonass at the top of the championship. Next weekend is his home GP and I really think that he can put on a good show there and get some momentum for these last few rounds. Hunter was always going to have a tough weekend here after riding so little in the last couple of months. This track is brutally rough and you need to be at your peak condition to be able to battle up the front. He did his best though and it’s a shame that he had that mistake in the second moto as he was in 10th place and in a good position to challenge the riders ahead of him. He fought hard though and that’s what we like to see. As for Bas, he has broken his right collarbone now, which is the other one from earlier in the year. He got an x-ray and they said it’s broken so we just have to decide if he needs an operation on it or not. Obviously that means he’s out for the next few weeks so we’ll have to see how his recovery is and determine his course of action from there.” 

So while the weekend didn’t quite go to plan, there are still positives to come out from the team and with Seewer’s home GP in Switzerland just a week away, there is a good opportunity for the riders to rebound and get the results that all their hard work deserves. 

MX2 Moto 1: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 36:03.639; 2. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:04.963; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +0:27.982; 4. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:32.972; 5. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:33.010; 6. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), +0:42.319; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:43.909; 8. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:47.263; 9. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:47.324; 10. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:15.566; 11. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +1:19.787; 20. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), -1 lap(s).

MX2 Moto 2: 1. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 36:39.880; 2. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:11.832; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:13.661; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +0:20.345; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:33.847; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +0:36.833; 7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:51.589; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:01.363; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:01.803; 10. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +1:03.628.

MX2 Overall: 1. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 47 points; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 41 p.; 3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 38 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 34 p.; 6. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 31 p.; 7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, HUS), 27 p.; 8. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 21 p.; 11. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 21 p. 22. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), 1 p. 

MX2 Points Standings: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 589 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 539 p.; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 437 p.; 4. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 429 p.; 5. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 412 p.; 6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 351 p.; 7. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 315 p.; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 294 p.; 9. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 246 p.; 10. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 246 p.; 18. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), 120 p. 



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