Cycle News Staff | August 15, 2023
The 15th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship yielded wet and sloppy conditions for the MXGP of Sweden at Uddevalla, August 12-13. While rain soaked the track and spelled trouble for most of the field, Jeremy Seewer and Simon Laengenfelder came out clean. Both scored their second Grand Prix victories of the season.
Jeremy Seewer thrived in the wet conditions in Sweden to take the overall MXGP win for his second time this year.
MXGP
Romain Febvre continued his late-season momentum with another holeshot in race one over Jorge Prado and Seewer. But after a few laps, the Kawasaki rider fell in the slippery conditions and handed the spot over to his championship rival, Prado.
Romain Febvre landed a holeshot in moto one over Jorge Prado and Seewer, but later fell in the slippery conditions.
The GasGas rider, Prado, went on to ride a mistake-free race and claim the win, with Febvre staying second ahead of Seewer.
Jorge Prado rode a mistake-free moto one, claim the win over Febvre and Seewer, but only managed a sixth-place position in moto two.
The skies opened up at the start of race two and the field faced a full-on mudder for the final moto of the day. This time, Seewer slid his way around the first turn for the holeshot. Febvre quickly jumped into second, with Prado holding down sixth. Seewer controlled things at the front of the pack and used the clear air to take his second race win of the year.
Seewer kept it under control for third in race one.
Febvre stayed close, but the treacherous conditions made it tough to pass. Seewer’s teammate, Maxime Renaux, who was returning from injury, took third in the second moto. Prado crossed the finish line in sixth.
Febvre’s 2-2 earned him second overall.
With the better result in race two, Seewer claimed the weekend’s overall victory ahead of Febvre’s consistent 2-2. For Prado, a 1-6 dropped him to third overall.
Seewer went 3-1 for his second overall win in 2023.
“Winning always feels great and especially today; it was super tricky with the weather, the rain, the track,” said Seewer. “Usually, our sport is very difficult, and it’s also about the last 10 minutes and how big are you? But today was just about mental strength. I thought I could do that many more races before today because I had the speed and everything, but sometimes you need patience, and it finally paid off.”
MXGP Podium.
“I got the holeshot in the first race and was leading, so I thought that this was going to be my race,” said Febvre, “but I made a mistake and gave the lead to Jorge [Prado]. In the second race, it was the same with a good start, but I was just second and could not pass Seewer.”
Prado still holds the points lead.
Third-placed Prado, said, “The first race went perfectly, but in the second race, I got a bad start and got stuck behind [Tim] Gajser and the other guys. I tried everything to pass Gajser towards the end of the race but couldn’t pass. It was a pity because I thought I rode very well this weekend, and I am happy to get third although I didn’t win the overall.”
Prado still enjoys a comfortable 98-point lead in the Championship over Febvre. Seewer is a distant third, 69 points behind Febvre.
MX2
Laengenfelder kicked things off with a crucial holeshot in the first MX2 race. With a clear track ahead of him, the factory GasGas rider cruised away to his fourth race win of the season.
Simon Laengenfelder holeshotted and won the first moto of MX2.
Liam Everts rode a quiet but consistent race to finish second, with Yamaha’s Rick Elzinga rounding out the podium in third.
Liam Everts rode to a strong second in race one.
Points leader Andrea Adamo got bumped off the start, which put him fighting the mud and the rest of the field as he came through for 10th.
Yamaha’s Rick Elzinga placed third and fifth for the weekend.
The drier conditions of race two made things exciting as Adamo snuck through with the early lead. He battled early on with the qualifier race winner, Kevin Horgmo, but Adamo solidified his position and held on for the eventual victory.
The drier conditions of race two made things exciting as qualifier race winner Kevin Horgmo (pictured above) battled with Andrea Adamo (pictured below).
Laengenfelder also slipped past Horgmo for second place before Horgmo’s Kawasaki expired late in the race, and Everts slid in for the final podium spot.
Adamo bounced back with a win in race two.
Adamo and Laengenfelder dragged it out in the final few laps, with Adamo grabbing the top spot. Laengenfelder’s 1-2 earned him the overall win ahead of Everts and Adamo. Adamo continues to lead the points standings, with Everts now second and the injured and sidelined Jago Geerts third.
MX2 Podium.
“I felt so good this weekend,” said Laengenfelder. “I really enjoyed the conditions here in Sweden—it was technical. I am happy with how things have gone since I got back from my injury.” CN
VIDEO | 2023 MXGP of Sweden HighlightsMXGP
MXGP
- Jeremy Seewer (Yam) 3-1
- Romain Febvre (Kaw) 2-2
- Jorge Prado (GG) 1-6
- Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 8-4
- Pauls Jonass (Hon) 4-10
MX2
- Simon Laengenfelder (GG) 1-2
- Liam Everts (KTM) 2-3
- Andrea Adamo (KTM) 10-1
- Rick Elzinga (Yam) 3-5
- Camden McLellan (Hon) 9-4
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