Race Report

Gajser takes stunning MXGP debut victory in Qatar

Honda Gariboldi Racing

GP of Qatar

Losail, Qatar

MXGP 2016, Round 1

Tim Gajser took an incredible debut victory at the MXGP of Qatar this evening, winning both motos and setting the fastest lap in the second to highlight a dominant weekend.

The opening grand prix of the 2016 season was also the first for Gajser aboard the CRF450RW as the reigning MX2 World Champion graduated to the bigger bikes. The Slovenian has long favoured the 450cc machine for his training, and had expected to run well in MXGP this season, but even he was pleasantly surprised with the dominance of his form at the Losail track.

Throughout the weekend the #243 Honda Gariboldi machine was at the front of the timesheets: 3rd in free practice, fourth in timed practice, 2nd in the qualifying race completed by a duo of wins today. In doing so, he also becomes the youngest rookie to win an MXGP Grand Prix, turning just 19 in September last year.

It means that, going into the second round at Thailand this coming weekend, the MX2 World Champion starts his 2016 campaign by leading the MXGP World Championship.

Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Qatar
Images are copyright free for editorial use. Honda Pro Racing/Bavo
Tim Gajser

Tim Gajser 243

1-1 / 1st overall

“Actually I didn’t expect this before this weekend! I expected to do well, but not to get my first 1-1 so I’m really happy about that. All weekend long I have been feeling so good here, and I was riding smart and with good lines and just felt comfortable, like I was riding in training. It’s the perfect way to start the season, and maybe a nice birthday present for my mother! I feel so well on the 450, and I’ve been feeling very relaxed and with no pressure before this weekend. I’ve been waiting all winter for this race, and it’s just amazing to start like this.”

Honda Gariboldi Racing
Giacomo Gariboldi

Giacomo Gariboldi

Team Manager

“Really, to win like this with big margins, was not what we expected. We knew that he rides the 450 very well and we expected top three from the beginning of the season, but to win with these margins and with his laptimes we couldn’t have dreamed it. It’s a fantastic start for us, for Tim and for Honda with all the work they’ve done this winter, and I think this shows it was certainly the right move for Tim to join MXGP at just 19 years old.”

Team HRC – MXGP
GP of Qatar

Losail, Qatar

MXGP 2016, Round 1

Night / 18
Saturday 27 Feb 2016, 21:08 UTC
  • Track Condition: Hard
  • Air Temp: 18°C
# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Points Pts. Team Constructor Constr. Time/Gap
1 Tim Gajser 243 SLO 25 Honda Gariboldi Racing Honda 34:07.633
2 Romain Febvre 461 FRA 22 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha +8.230
3 Evgeny Bobryshev 777 RUS 20 Team HRC – MXGP Honda +9.952
4 Antonio Cairoli 222 ITA 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +10.628
5 Jeremy Van Horebeek 89 BEL 16 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha +11.960
6 Max Nagl 12 GER 15 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna +14.601
7 Shaun Simpson 24 GBR 14 Wilvo Virus Performance KTM KTM +19.057
8 Tommy Searle 100 GBR 13 Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki Kawasaki +20.221
9 Kevin Strijbos 22 BEL 12 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki +41.741
10 Glenn Coldenhoff 259 NDL 11 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +42.891
11 Ben Townley 8 NZL 10 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki +1:06.509
12 Valentin Guillod 92 SWI 9 Kemea Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha +1:08.264
13 Tanel Leok 40 EST 8 Wildcard Rider Kawasaki +1:09.018
14 Milko Potisek 32 FRA 7 Tip Top MP32 Racing Team Yamaha +1:14.161
15 Jose Butron 17 SPA 6 Marchetti Racing Team KTM KTM +1:18.256
16 Alessandro Lupino 77 ITA 5 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda +1:24.587
17 Christophe Charlier 23 FRA 4 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna +1:28.740
18 Kei Yamamoto 400 JPN 3 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda +-1 lap
19 Clement Desalle 25 BEL 2 Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki +53.021
20 Alex Snow 31 GBR 1 iFly JK Racing Yamaha +1:23.591
21 Gautier Paulin 21 FRA 0 Team HRC – MXGP Honda +-18 laps
Night / 18
Saturday 27 Feb 2016, 16:13 UTC
  • Track Condition: Hard
  • Air Temp: 18°C
# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Points Pts. Team Constructor Constr. Time/Gap
1 Tim Gajser 243 SLO 25 Honda Gariboldi Racing Honda 33:56.516
2 Evgeny Bobryshev 777 RUS 22 Team HRC – MXGP Honda +7.507
3 Romain Febvre 461 FRA 20 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha +19.644
4 Jeremy Van Horebeek 89 BEL 18 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha +23.148
5 Shaun Simpson 24 GBR 16 Wilvo Virus Performance KTM KTM +27.015
6 Antonio Cairoli 222 ITA 15 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +29.383
7 Glenn Coldenhoff 259 NDL 14 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +30.886
8 Kevin Strijbos 22 BEL 13 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki +32.227
9 Tommy Searle 100 GBR 12 Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki Kawasaki +33.672
10 Gautier Paulin 21 FRA 11 Team HRC – MXGP Honda +35.336
11 Ben Townley 8 NZL 10 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki +38.183
12 Max Nagl 12 GER 9 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna +40.398
13 Jose Butron 17 SPA 8 Marchetti Racing Team KTM KTM +58.882
14 Valentin Guillod 92 SWI 7 Kemea Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha +59.204
15 Milko Potisek 32 FRA 6 Tip Top MP32 Racing Team Yamaha +1:20.303
16 Tanel Leok 40 EST 5 Wildcard Rider Kawasaki +1:22.623
17 Christophe Charlier 23 FRA 4 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna +1:42.385
18 Alessandro Lupino 77 ITA 3 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda +-1 lap
19 Kei Yamamoto 400 JPN 2 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda +7.945
20 Clement Desalle 25 BEL 1 Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki +-5 laps
Night / 18
Friday 26 Feb 2016, 22:09 UTC
  • Track Condition: Hard
  • Air Temp: 18°C
# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Team Constructor Constr. Time/Gap
1 Evgeny Bobryshev 777 RUS Team HRC – MXGP Honda 24:54.670
2 Tim Gajser 243 SLO Honda Gariboldi Racing Honda ++1.814
3 Romain Febvre 461 FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha ++6.734
4 Antonio Cairoli 222 ITA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM ++16.642
5 Glenn Coldenhoff 259 NDL Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM ++19.578
6 Gautier Paulin 21 FRA Team HRC – MXGP Honda ++24.719
7 Max Nagl 12 GER Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna ++26.985
8 Shaun Simpson 24 GBR Wilvo Virus Performance KTM KTM ++28.083
9 Tommy Searle 100 GBR Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki Kawasaki ++29.186
10 Kevin Strijbos 22 BEL Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki ++30.329
11 Jeremy Van Horebeek 89 BEL Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha ++39.504
12 Valentin Guillod 92 SWI Kemea Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha ++40.586
13 Jose Butron 17 SPA Marchetti Racing Team KTM KTM ++43.419
14 Alessandro Lupino 77 ITA Honda Racing Assomotor Honda ++59.196
15 Tanel Leok 40 EST Wildcard Rider Kawasaki ++1:00.165
16 Milko Potisek 32 FRA Tip Top MP32 Racing Team Yamaha ++1:08.852
17 Ben Townley 8 NZL Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki ++1:25.015
18 Christophe Charlier 23 FRA Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna ++1:31.096
19 Alex Snow 31 GBR iFly JK Racing Yamaha ++1:34.825
20 Kei Yamamoto 400 JPN Honda Racing Assomotor Honda ++1:55.131
21 Clement Desalle 25 BEL Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki +-11 laps
Rider Standings
Saturday, 27 Feb 2016 - Open world standings grid
# Rider Num Nationality Nat. Points Pts. Team Constructor Constr.
1 Tim GAJSER 243 SLO 50 Honda Gariboldi Racing Honda
2 Romain FEBVRE 461 FRA 42 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha
3 Evgeny BOBRYSHEV 777 RUS 42 Team HRC – MXGP Honda
4 Jeremy VAN HOREBEEK 89 BEL 34 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team Yamaha
5 Antonio CAIROLI 222 ITA 33 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
6 Shaun SIMPSON 24 GBR 30 Wilvo Virus Performance KTM KTM
7 Tommy SEARLE 100 GBR 25 Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki Kawasaki
8 Kevin STRIJBOS 22 BEL 25 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki
9 Glenn COLDENHOFF 259 NDL 25 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
10 Max NAGL 12 GER 24 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna
11 Ben TOWNLEY 8 NZL 20 Team Suzuki World MXGP Suzuki
12 Valentin GUILLOD 92 SWI 16 Kemea Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha
13 Jose BUTRON 17 SPA 14 Marchetti Racing Team KTM KTM
14 Tanel LEOK 40 EST 13 Wildcard Rider Kawasaki
15 Milko POTISEK 32 FRA 13 Tip Top MP32 Racing Team Yamaha
16 Gautier PAULIN 21 FRA 11 Team HRC – MXGP Honda
17 Alessandro LUPINO 77 ITA 8 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda
18 Christophe CHARLIER 23 FRA 8 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna
19 Kei YAMAMOTO 400 JPN 5 Honda Racing Assomotor Honda
20 Clement DESALLE 25 BEL 3 Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki
21 Alex SNOW 31 GBR 1 iFly JK Racing Yamaha
Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Qatar
Images are copyright free for editorial use. Honda Pro Racing/Bavo
Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Qatar
Images are copyright free for editorial use. Honda Pro Racing/Bavo
Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Qatar
Images are copyright free for editorial use. Honda Pro Racing/Bavo
Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Qatar
Images are copyright free for editorial use. Honda Pro Racing/Bavo