Jeremy Seewer finished in 14th position at the Grand Prix of the Netherlands for the last European round of the current FIM Motocross World Championship. The Swiss ran to MX2 moto results of 15th and 13th across the bumpy sand at the TT Circuit Assen on his RM-Z250 and confirmed his status as runner-up in the standings of the 2016 MX2 division. A crowd of 32,000 (weekend figure) braved morning torrential showers and then enjoyed summer sunshine and the permanent infrastructure of the renowned motorsport venue in north Holland.
The temporary track, laid over parts of the road racing asphalt for the second year in a row, was again a twisty and narrow prospect and with the sand slick, wet and unpredictable was difficult to judge. The tight turns and technical nature of the relatively short layout meant a vastly different challenge to the last sandy course on the calendar at Lommel in Belgium last month.
Setting off from fifth place in the start gate after his solid run on Saturday, Seewer’s first moto went awry when he was forced to ditch his goggles in the early stages. With spray, roost and limited visibility he made a mistake and crashed and the rest of the race distance was about trying to regain points and positions. He made it to 15th by the end of a hard 30 minute and two-lap distance. On a drier track in the afternoon and for the second outing another accident in the waves meant he was again in the depths of the pack. He endured the sand to obtain 13th and leave Assen healthy – if disappointed - to race another day.
Seewer has accumulated 568 points and 10 podiums this season and his 108 point advantage over Benoit Paturel means that ‘#91’ will finish at least as runner-up in MX2 this year; progressing from his 10th position in 2014 and fifth place from 2015 and marking clear evolution as a Pro.
Enjoying his first home Grand Prix as part of the MX2 class Bas Vaessen relished the experience and also the sand on his RM-Z250 to seize eighth position. The Dutchman qualified in a decent eighth place and then battled hard in the first moto to rise all the way to a dizzying second spot. The ‘#98’ became excited and led local favourite Jeffrey Herlings but a mistake through the waves with three laps to go put the youngster on the floor and he could pick up the bike to recover to ninth.
He couldn't reach the same heights in the second moto that took place on a drier, flatter (the track had been repaired and altered in the break) and faster terrain. He started in ninth and reached the chequered flag in eighth spot; signing off the weekend with a personal best so far.
Vaessen will now form part of the MX2 pack for the remaining two rounds of the campaign. Brian Hsu was not competing for the team after the mutual dissolution of his agreement in view of his move to the United States for 2017. The Monster Energy Grand Prix of Americas will take place next Saturday evening at the Charlotte Motor Speedway bringing the FIM Motocross World Championship to North Carolina for the very first time.
Jeremy Seewer:
“I had good starts and I had a good feeling in the first moto but the trouble started when I got stuck in the corner before the finish line. I fell back, had another crash and it was one thing after another. I knew it would be a tough weekend even if I had already proved that I am a good sand rider this year. It was sandy out there but I don’t think there is anything in the world that you can compare this track to; it was very peculiar. So it was a black day but I am happy that I am alright because I had a pretty big crash in the second moto. We’ll move forward now and I think I’m confirmed as second in the world so that's great and we’ll try to be back at the front in Charlotte.”
Bas Vaessen:
“I had a horrible start in the first moto and through the first waves section I thought ‘I’m going wide-open…’ and I got up to fifth; I don't know how that happened! Coming over the finish I saw there were just four guys in front of me…which was great. I passed a few people and then Herlings came by me and I could follow him pretty well. We were having a good battle but on the second-to-last lap I messed it up and crashed. I threw it all away and went from second to ninth. That sucked! But my riding was good. In the second moto I was OK; not too spectacular and I got passed at one point by [Samuele] Bernardini and just rode out to the finish. The track was really technical and if you didn't focus for a single second then you crashed hard so it was difficult…but good.”
MX2 Moto1: 1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 36:09.602; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:21.780; 3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:22.221; 4. Lars van Berkel (NED, Husqvarna), +0:42.129; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.426; 6. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +0:56.001; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:01.428; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:03.254; 9. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), +1:21.887; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Kawasaki), +1:32.916; 15. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +2:00.600.
MX2 Moto2: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:07.512; 2. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:34.735; 3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:37.375; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:45.073; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:58.943; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +1:07.701; 7. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +1:15.245; 8. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), +1:16.572; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:18.937; 10. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:39.988; 11. Freek van der Vlist (NED, Kawasaki), +2:00.453; 12. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 13. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), -1 lap(s).
MX2 Overall result: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 31 p.; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 31 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 30 p.; 6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 30 p.; 7. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 27 p.; 8. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), 25 p.; 9. Lars van Berkel (NED, HUS), 25 p.; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 23 p.; 11. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), 19 p.; 12. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KAW), 17 p.; 13. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 14 p.; 14. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 14 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 16 of 18 rounds):1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 644 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 568 p.; 3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 460 p.; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 447 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 403 p.; 6. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 378 p.; 7. Petar Petrov (BUL, KAW), 351 p.; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 349 p.; 9. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 341 p.; 10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, YAM), 320 p. 31. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 43 p.; 34. Bas Vaessen (NED, SUZ), 33 p.
The temporary track, laid over parts of the road racing asphalt for the second year in a row, was again a twisty and narrow prospect and with the sand slick, wet and unpredictable was difficult to judge. The tight turns and technical nature of the relatively short layout meant a vastly different challenge to the last sandy course on the calendar at Lommel in Belgium last month.
Setting off from fifth place in the start gate after his solid run on Saturday, Seewer’s first moto went awry when he was forced to ditch his goggles in the early stages. With spray, roost and limited visibility he made a mistake and crashed and the rest of the race distance was about trying to regain points and positions. He made it to 15th by the end of a hard 30 minute and two-lap distance. On a drier track in the afternoon and for the second outing another accident in the waves meant he was again in the depths of the pack. He endured the sand to obtain 13th and leave Assen healthy – if disappointed - to race another day.
Seewer has accumulated 568 points and 10 podiums this season and his 108 point advantage over Benoit Paturel means that ‘#91’ will finish at least as runner-up in MX2 this year; progressing from his 10th position in 2014 and fifth place from 2015 and marking clear evolution as a Pro.
Enjoying his first home Grand Prix as part of the MX2 class Bas Vaessen relished the experience and also the sand on his RM-Z250 to seize eighth position. The Dutchman qualified in a decent eighth place and then battled hard in the first moto to rise all the way to a dizzying second spot. The ‘#98’ became excited and led local favourite Jeffrey Herlings but a mistake through the waves with three laps to go put the youngster on the floor and he could pick up the bike to recover to ninth.
He couldn't reach the same heights in the second moto that took place on a drier, flatter (the track had been repaired and altered in the break) and faster terrain. He started in ninth and reached the chequered flag in eighth spot; signing off the weekend with a personal best so far.
Vaessen will now form part of the MX2 pack for the remaining two rounds of the campaign. Brian Hsu was not competing for the team after the mutual dissolution of his agreement in view of his move to the United States for 2017. The Monster Energy Grand Prix of Americas will take place next Saturday evening at the Charlotte Motor Speedway bringing the FIM Motocross World Championship to North Carolina for the very first time.
Jeremy Seewer:
“I had good starts and I had a good feeling in the first moto but the trouble started when I got stuck in the corner before the finish line. I fell back, had another crash and it was one thing after another. I knew it would be a tough weekend even if I had already proved that I am a good sand rider this year. It was sandy out there but I don’t think there is anything in the world that you can compare this track to; it was very peculiar. So it was a black day but I am happy that I am alright because I had a pretty big crash in the second moto. We’ll move forward now and I think I’m confirmed as second in the world so that's great and we’ll try to be back at the front in Charlotte.”
Bas Vaessen:
“I had a horrible start in the first moto and through the first waves section I thought ‘I’m going wide-open…’ and I got up to fifth; I don't know how that happened! Coming over the finish I saw there were just four guys in front of me…which was great. I passed a few people and then Herlings came by me and I could follow him pretty well. We were having a good battle but on the second-to-last lap I messed it up and crashed. I threw it all away and went from second to ninth. That sucked! But my riding was good. In the second moto I was OK; not too spectacular and I got passed at one point by [Samuele] Bernardini and just rode out to the finish. The track was really technical and if you didn't focus for a single second then you crashed hard so it was difficult…but good.”
MX2 Moto1: 1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 36:09.602; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:21.780; 3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:22.221; 4. Lars van Berkel (NED, Husqvarna), +0:42.129; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.426; 6. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +0:56.001; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:01.428; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:03.254; 9. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), +1:21.887; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Kawasaki), +1:32.916; 15. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +2:00.600.
MX2 Moto2: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:07.512; 2. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:34.735; 3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:37.375; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:45.073; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:58.943; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +1:07.701; 7. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +1:15.245; 8. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), +1:16.572; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +1:18.937; 10. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:39.988; 11. Freek van der Vlist (NED, Kawasaki), +2:00.453; 12. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 13. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), -1 lap(s).
MX2 Overall result: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 31 p.; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 31 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 30 p.; 6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 30 p.; 7. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 27 p.; 8. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), 25 p.; 9. Lars van Berkel (NED, HUS), 25 p.; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 23 p.; 11. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), 19 p.; 12. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KAW), 17 p.; 13. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 14 p.; 14. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 14 p.
MX2 World Championship Standings (after 16 of 18 rounds):1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 644 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 568 p.; 3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 460 p.; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 447 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 403 p.; 6. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 378 p.; 7. Petar Petrov (BUL, KAW), 351 p.; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 349 p.; 9. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 341 p.; 10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, YAM), 320 p. 31. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 43 p.; 34. Bas Vaessen (NED, SUZ), 33 p.
