JEFFREY HERLINGS 3RD IN CHINA

The second MXGP at the Shanghai International Off-road Circuit was reduced to a one-day format due to adverse weather conditions. A typhoon warning in the region obliged qualification and races to be shifted from the Sunday/Monday schedule to just Sunday morning and with a single Free/Timed Practice session to decide the start gate in place of the usual RAM Qualification heat. The site itself is modern and primed for world championship racing and houses a long, quick and hard-pack track featuring a loose and sandy top layer of terrain.

Jeffrey Herlings was the only member of the Red Bull KTM rider roster with experience of the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix but the Dutchman was dealing with painful cracked ribs and the burn to his arm after his crash in Turkey last weekend. Herlings managed P5 in Timed Practice for the gate. Liam Everts was 3rd quickest while and Andrea Adamo was 8th fastest in MX2. Sacha Coenen was forced to miss the long trip east to concentrate further on recovery and rehab from his upper thigh injury.

In the first MXGP race Herlings moved up from a top six position on the first lap to grab 3rd by the flag. In the second moto he also cautiously built his speed and recovered ground to place 4th and ensured his fourteenth trophy of the campaign. Everts battled for the top three in the first MX2 moto and was narrowly beaten to the line by championship leader Kay de Wolf. In the second moto he crashed awkwardly after a mid-race tangle and needed hospital treatment for a cervical injury. The extent of the damage and Liam’s planned recouperation will be updated through KTM Factory Racing social media channels. Andrea Adamo was pushing to get away from the gate in P12 but regained positions for a solid 6-5 on the day.