Solid and steady start for Red Bull KTM at 2024 MXGP opener in Argentina

MXGP 2024, Round 1 of 20, Neuquen, Argentina


MXGP fires into life with the traditional hike to Patagonia and the fast, rough and popular Neuquen circuit with a busy attendance watching the fastest international dirtbike racers embark on another GP season
Jeffrey Herlings takes 8th overall on his KTM 450 SX-F and his first MXGP appearance since the 2023 Grand Prix of Germany. The Dutchman races to a brace of top tens in the two motos
MX2 World Champion Andrea Adamo makes a solid step in his world title defence with 5th on the KTM 250 SX-F
Sacha Coenen starts his second career world championship season and in Red Bull KTM colors and runs to 8th. Liam Everts is still in recovery from right thumb surgery and is hopeful of returning to action by round two in Spain

 
The wide and rippled course of Neuquen has become a familiar Grand Prix staple for the MXGP field and since the circuit first entered the world championship in 2015. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing made the long journey from central Europe to the depths of South America with three of their four riders in play and with 5-time title winner Jeffrey Herlings making a welcome return to the orange set-up.
 
Under cloudy, chilly skies and with typically vocal and passionate native support, the GP got going with the RAM Qualification Heat on Saturday providing both MXGP and MX2 classes with their first gate drops of the season. Herlings rode to a steady 6th place while Adamo started excellently in MX2 and led until the last two laps. The Italian brought his KTM 250 SX-F home in 3rd for a decent gate choice pick for Sunday. Coenen rode to 9th.
 
Andrea Adamo, opting to keep his career number of #80 in place of #1, strived to be hot away from the line for the first race on Sunday and in sunnier weather. The Italian fared better in the second moto where a 5th position represented the highest ranking for the team on the day. Andrea was 5th overall. Sacha Coenen, who finished 17th at Argentina in 2023, suffered from a few small mistakes but his runs to 6th and 10th was good enough for 8th.


 
Jeffrey Herlings took a measured approach to the difficult, fast and bumpy Argentine soil. Playing a smart game and fully aware of the 57 starts still to come after the Nequen fixture Herlings plotted charts to 8th and 7th for 8th in the final rankings.
 
Fellow Belgian Liam Everts missed the trip to Argentina due to an injury with his right thumb. The 2023 multiple Grand Prix winner is recovering from corrective surgery and is hopeful of re-joining the team for round two. The following fixture sees MXGP return to European shores and to the Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos in Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix on March 23-24.
 
Jeffrey Herlings, 8th and 7th for 8th overall in MXGP: “It is what it is today. Not too bad but we also gave away some points. We qualified 6th and had an 8th and 7th today. Not where we want to be but hopefully we’ll be better in Spain because I won there last year and also in 2021. I think the track will suit me more, better than this one, which was quite sketchy. It’s nice to watch here but tricky for racing.”
 
Andrea Adamo, 8th and 5th for 5th overall in MX2: “So-so weekend. We showed some pretty good speed on Saturday but things were not really on-point today. We need to work on a few areas but this is only the first Grand Prix of twenty. We have to keep building and aim for improvement every race. We want to fight for podiums and wins so the goal is to be closer to that in Spain.”
 
Sacha Coenen, 6th and 10th for 8th overall in MX2: “The weekend was quite OK. Not the best but my speed was OK and my feeling also. We just need to put all the things together at once for the right result. My starts were good and that was very positive. We’ll keep fighting for what we know we can achieve.”
 
Download photos from the Grand Prix of Argentina HERE
 
Results MXGP Argentina 2024
 
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-2
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 2-3
3. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 5-1
4. Pauls Jonass (LAT), Honda, 3-4
5. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha 4-6
8. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 8-7
 
Standings MXGP 2024 after 1 of 20 rounds
 
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 54 points
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 51
3. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 51
4. Pauls Jonass (LAT), Honda, 46
5. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha 39
8. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 32
 
Results MX2 Argentina 2024
 
1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna 2-1
2. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS 1-4
3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN), Triumph 5-2
4. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 3-7
5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 8-5
8. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 6-10
 
Standings MX2 2024 after 1 of 20 rounds
 
1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 56 points
2. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 50
3. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 40
4. Mikkel Haarup (DEN), Triumph, 38
5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 37
8. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 28
 
PRESS CONTACT
 
Sarah Greilinger
PR Manager OFFROAD
Motorsports
Sarah.Greilinger@ktm.com
+43 676 5030588