Red Bull KTM Factory Racing added more trophies to their 2024 MXGP haul to cap a positive stint of back-to-race events on Lombok and for the Indonesian leg of the current FIM World Championship. Jeffrey Herlings was perfect on Saturday and Sunday for a second consecutive weekend of action at the rough and temporary facility of Selaparang for the Grand Prix of Lombok.
- MXGP spoils for the works team as Jeffrey Herlings goes 1-1-1 for his second victory this season on the KTM 450 SX-F after a second consecutive RAM Quali Heat win on Saturday
The familiar flat setting of Selaparang welcome the MXGP paddock for the second time in a week but with a reversed layout to offer some diversity for the racers of the MXGP and MX2 divisions. The weather conditions remained sunny and hot and the fast track was sandy and loose in places and hard and slick in others.
Jeffrey Herlings rode to 1st (Pole) position in the Saturday RAM Qualification Heat; the Dutchman had earned P1 the previous weekend and repeated the feat with an effective stalk of Tim Gajser. He obtained a favorable gate position for the two motos on Sunday as well as 10 more points to his championship total.
Herlings was once more able to count on a decent getaway in the first GP moto and he began a successful pursuit of Tim Gajser that saw the #84 head the field with three laps to go. His winning margin was over seven seconds at the flag. Hunting his first 1-1 of the season Herlings blasted to the front of the pack inside the first two corners in the second moto and started to build his race rhythm, despite a small technical issue. The relentlessness was good enough for a worthy 1-1 scorecard and the former multi world champion’s first ‘perfect’ Sunday haul of points (as well as the Quali Heat win) since the 2023 Latvian Grand Prix.
Jeffrey now has seven Grand Prix podium finishes in a row and eight for the season. His work in Lombok means he is 3rd in the championship standings but has narrowed the gap to the red plate to 51 points.
Now onto the hardpack of Loket. The Grand Prix of Czech Republic will bring MXGP up to speed again on July 20-21.
Jeffrey Herlings, 1st and 1st for 1st overall in MXGP: “Very happy. The KTM kept being so strong, so I have to give it up to the guys and the whole Red Bull KTM team; Pit, Roberts and the crew at home. 1-1-1 for the first time this year so I’m very pleased. Tim was pushing today. This is a good way to head back to Europe and I feel like we are getting better and better.”
Results MXGP Lombok 2024
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-1
2. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 2-2
3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 3-3
4. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 4-5
10. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA), Husqvarna 8-12
Standings MXGP 2024 after 12 of 20 rounds
1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 608 points
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 574
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 557
12. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA), Husqvarna, 172
Words by KTM – Images by Ray Archer
