The Grand Prix of Czech Republic gave Red Bull KTM Factory Racing their nineteenth trophy of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship and from thirteen rounds as Jeffrey Herlings went 1-4 for 3rd overall in MXGP around the quick but tricky course near the town of Loket.
MXGP landed back on European turf and for the slick and compact dirt of Loket and the Grand Prix of Czech Republic. The historic layout close to the spa town of Karlovy Vary is a tight and narrow trajectory that winds across the hillside setting and draws a diverse collection of fans from across the continent. Loket has hosted Czech GP every year since 2002, with the exception of 2020.
Sunny and warm conditions coated both days of action in western Czech Republic and Jeffrey Herlings took his KTM 450 SX-F to a steady 3rd position in Saturday’s RAM Qualification race and a decent slot for the wide and long start straight.
Starts were at a premium on Sunday. Herlings moved up from the top five to 2nd in the first laps of the opening moto and then stalked World Champion Jorge Prado to seize the lead at mid-race distance. He then eased to his 200th career checkered flag. In the second moto the Dutchman went down entering the second corner. He swiftly fought back to the top half of the leaderboard but then clipped the rear wheel of another rider and again had remount, pull the pin and find time where possible. Herlings’ speed and skills dragged him up to 4th place, less than ten seconds from the winner, meaning a solid salvage operation with P3 to show for his efforts: just one point from the overall runner-up slot. JH84 is 3rd in the world championship standings but just 19 points from 2nd and 55 from the red plate.
The annual swing from Loket to Lommel and hardpack to deep sand sees MXGP travel west and to the northern tip of Belgium for round fourteen next weekend.
Jeffrey Herlings, 1st and 4th for 3rd overall in MXGP: “I felt like my old self from a few years ago today. I am still improving, and these kinds of tracks are not easy for me. I went from 5th to 1st in the first moto and wanted to make another statement in the second but I messed up; maybe a bit too much confidence. From dead last to 13th and then I hit someone’s rear wheel and had to do it again. Speed was good, fitness was good but luck was not on my side today. So, not great, not bad and to win my 200th moto was pretty special, nobody else has reached that amount. Still seven races to go and I’m looking forward to the next one.”
