Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Tim Gajser has just missed the overall podium at the MXGP of Portugal by claiming fourth overall. Securing two fourth-place finishes highlighted his speed and consistency, while teammate Maxime Renaux posted a 7-9 result for eighth on the day.
One week on from his Race Two win in Italy, Gajser was focused on building on that result at a circuit he’s won at in the past – Agueda, Portugal. For the MXGP races, the track conditions were near perfect, if a little muddy in places, and offered plenty of racing lines.
Starting sixth in Race One set Gajser up for a strong result. After biding his time through the opening laps, he moved past Tom Vialle on lap five before advancing to fourth in the closing stages aboard his Yamaha YZ450FM. The Slovenian then chased down Romain Febvre in third, but couldn’t find a way past despite his best efforts.
The second race began with Gajser in seventh through the first few corners before he charged forward to fourth on lap one. As the race unfolded, the 29-year-old moved into third and held this position until a small mistake resulted in a fall. This unfortunate incident cost valuable time and he slipped to fourth. With only a few laps remaining, the gap to third was too large to overcome and he crossed the line in fourth for fourth overall. Leaving Portugal, Gajser remains fourth in the championship standings.
Renaux arrived in Portugal still suffering from a virus, which prevented the former MX2 World Champion from performing at his best. A 7-9 score secured eighth overall, and he will now focus on recovering ahead of South Africa next weekend. Renaux remains fifth in the series standings after 10 rounds of racing.
With the MXGP World Championship now passing the halfway stage, the series heads to South Africa for the first time since 2008. The new racetrack in Johannesburg will be a first for all competitors, with the Grand Prix taking place next weekend on July 4-5.
