Tim Gajser wins epic moto at MXGP of Great Britain to extend championship lead
By Press Release on 27th Jun 21
MXGP Tim Gajser Matterley Basin
Team HRCs Tim Gajser produced another epic second moto performance to take the race win at the MXGP of Great Britain, going four-one for second overall and increasing his lead at the top of the world motocross championship to 15 points over second place.
With rain threatening the Matterley Basin circuit near Winchester, England throughout the day, the first moto didnt produce a lot of passing as riders struggled to find different lines on what is the longest laptime on the calendar. In qualifying the top seven were separated by just over a second and that continued after the gate drop as riders generally finished very close to where they crossed the first lap. For Gajser, this meant a solid fourth-place effort, settling behind those in front, not wanting to force the issue so early on in this championship battle.
However, in race two, after a light shower and another MX2 moto, the loamy track had developed a few ruts and the Honda CRF450RW rider used that to his advantage, slicing his way through the field on the first lap after a good start to cross for the first lap in third place. After a couple more laps he had made another move and was setting his sights on the leader in order to try and win what would be his third moto out of four so far in 2021.
After studying his lines for the entire second-half of the race, Gajser knew exactly where he wanted to make the pass, so when the two-lap board came out, he closed the gap and really applied the pressure. The first attempt didnt quite stick, but the reigning world champion wasnt to be denied and with half a lap remaining he swept through into the lead, taking the chequered flag and continuing his excellent run of form. This victory gave Gajser 43 points for second overall, but importantly five points more than his nearest championship rival and so after just two rounds, he is already 15 points of second place, and over a moto clear of fourth place onwards.
Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser: "I always enjoy coming to England and racing here at Matterley Basin. The weather meant that they didnt rip the track so much, so in the first moto there werent many lines and it wasnt easy to pass on so I just had to settle for a fourth place. I felt I could have challenged for the lead but I didnt want to push too hard and I thought that in race two it would be easier.
"I got a better start in second race and although there was a lot of passing and action going on, I stayed calm and focused on finding good lines and working my way to the front. When I was in second place, I couldnt stay too close to the leader for a long time because the roost was hard and I wanted to make sure I had clear vision for near the end of the race.
"When I saw the two-lap board come out, I knew a couple of places where I could make my move and on the last lap I used a really good outside line and took the lead.
"Im really happy with how Im riding and how everyone in the team is working together to improve each weekend. I cant wait for Maggiora and I hope to continue this run of results. A big thank you to everyone!"
Next up, this coming Sunday is the historic track in Maggiora, Italy where the Team HRC rider has already won earlier this year at an Italian Championship race, so hell be brimming with confidence and hoping that round three will go as well as the first two.
More like this…
Yamaha Factory squads set for "really, really cool" Maggiora
One week after a pivotal Grand Prix in Great Britain, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams will be back in action again this weekend in Maggiora, Italy, for the third round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Tony Cairoli wins 2021 MXGP of Great Britain - Matterley Basin
The British Grand Prix formed the second round of 2021 MXGP and the spectacular sprawl of the Matterley Basin circuit was the stage for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tony Cairoli to post his first win of the season.
Maxime Renaux wins MX2 at 2021 MXGP of Great Britain - Matterley Basin
Maxime Renaux bounced back from a disappointing opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship to enjoy victory in the MX2 class at the MXGP of Great Britain – Matterley Basin.