The Grand Prix of Sweden began the final five round run-in of 2023 MXGP during the next six weeks and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrated another podium ‘double’ through overcast, changeable and cool conditions at Uddevalla. Liam Everts and Andrea Adamo used their KTM 250 SX-Fs to take 2nd and 3rd positions in MX2 for the fifteenth race of the season and the duo are now 1-2 in the championship.
After three back-to-back Grands Prix in Czech Republic, Belgium and Finland, MXGP resumed racing duties with the annual trip to Uddevalla, Sweden. Located a short distance north of Gothenburg and consisting of a tight course formed from stony and slick hard-pack dirt that was difficult for overtaking, Uddevalla provided warm but changeable weather through the weekend.
Red Bull KTM’s top performer through the two RAM Qualification Heats on Saturday was Liam Everts, with a flight to 2nd position but teammate Andrea Adamo was not far away in 3rd. Jeffrey Herlings rode his KTM 450 SX-F to the top four in the MXGP outing.
Sunday morning began wet and grey but soon brightened. Heavy overnight rain had a marked effect on the track conditions making it softer, slower and rougher. Herlings didn’t have the best start in the first moto and contact with another rider broke his right front fork guard; he negotiated the opening phase of the race with the guard flapping and in danger of jamming his front wheel. Once the component had dropped away, he tried to gain positions and arrived to 8th. The Dutchman then posted 4th in the second moto: a sustained shower made the track even more one-line and he could not demote Maxime Renaux to enter the top three.
In MX2 Liam Everts rode steadily to 2nd spot in the first dash. Sacha Coenen managed to reach the top five despite a few mistakes. Andrea Adamo was a victim of the swampy state of the start straight and almost crashed. He paid for his poor luck with 10th.
The second moto was all about improved launches for the trio as they flew 2-3-4 around the opening lap. Adamo was the most proactive on a drier surface and swept past Kevin Horgmo to take the lead and ride to his fourth race victory of the season. Everts pushed hard to rise to 3rd and secured a 2-3 scorecard. Coenen’s 8th allowed 6th overall. The results represented the ninth and sixth podiums respectively for Adamo and Everts and the fourth Grand Prix they have appeared on the box together.
Adamo has tallied 663 points in the MX2 standings, which means an advantage of 80 over Everts in 2nd. Coenen holds 13th. The Grand Prix of the Netherlands will take place at Arnhem next weekend.
Jeffrey Herlings, 8th and 4th for 4th overall in MXGP: “So-so. The track was not the best today and I think many will share this opinion. I didn’t get the start in the first moto and came from 15th to 8th but it was almost impossible to pass: I think you could see a lot of the top guys were stuck. Second moto I was 4th at the start and had the pace for the leaders but I couldn’t pass [Maxime] Renaux. He was riding really good, didn’t make any mistakes and was always on the line! 4th overall is not good, not bad. I hope the tracks will get a bit better for us and we can put on a better show. I’m looking forward to my home GP now: it’s gonna be hard, gonna be rough but it should be good! Two decent starts and I hope we’ll be fighting for a podium spot.”
Liam Everts, 2nd and 3rd for 2nd overall in MX2: “Fun racing. Another podium and I’m super-happy. I had a great feeling all weekend. It was very hard to pass, even in the dry but still fun and I’d been waiting for a mud race! P2 is pretty good in the championship. I wasn’t really expecting to be in this situation but it’s nice of course! There are still four GPs to go and anything can happen. I won’t let my teammate off the hook! I just want to look weekend-to-weekend and finish strong.”
Andrea Adamo, 10th and 1st for 3rd overall in MX2: “Not a satisfying GP but it was a good second moto. I really pushed. I went all-in. 10th in the first race was all I could do. I had my front wheel taken out and I was completely last. I almost crashed hard but managed to save it. I couldn’t really get through the pack. I was trying to take P9 but made one mistake and that put me P10 and finished my moto. Ahead of the second moto knew I would not win the overall today so I thought I would really go for it. A good way to end the weekend.”
Sacha Coenen, 5th and 8th for 6th overall in MX2: “We were hoping to fight for the podium but couldn’t quite do it today. My speed was quite good but a few little crashes. I had contact with my teammate at the start of the second moto and I had some pain for a while but my rhythm was good. Another little crash! That meant P8. It’s like this. We’ll keep on working.”
Results MXGP Sweden 2023
1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 3-1
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 2-2
3. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-6
4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8-4
5. Pauls Jonass (LAT) Honda, 4-3
Standings MXGP 2023 after 15 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 770 points
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 672
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 603
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha 553
5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 521
7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 456
Results MX2 Sweden 2023
1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS 1-2
2. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-3
3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 10-1
4. Rick Elzinga (NED) Yamaha 3-5
5. Camden McLellan (RSA) Honda 8-4
6. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 5-8
Standings MX2 2023 after 15 of 19 rounds
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 663 points
2. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 583
3. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 559
4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER) GASGAS, 546
5. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 501
13. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 218