F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo raced to a career-first GP moto victory on his way to second overall in the Turkish round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Afyonkarahisar.

It was a deserved success for the Norwegian who has been desperately close to the podium so many times this season and it could have been even more but for a single slip in the early stages of race one. A hectic start in the first moto left him eleventh on the opening lap but he was through to seventh, and closing down fast on the leaders, by lap three when a single slip as the front wheel lost grip entering a turn pushed him back to twelfth. Undaunted by the setback he charged to the end to finish sixth and was even more motivated for race two. A third-placed start was an excellent springboard and by lap four he was through to second and pushing the leader. Five laps from the end the pressure paid off as the man in front slipped off and the Kawasaki was through in a flash. Once in front he really put the hammer down to move four seconds clear before throttling back slightly through the final half-lap to take the chequered flag two-and-a-half seconds in front. The second moto maximum score also lifted the F&H teamster to second overall, his first podium of the year, and has seen him jump to seventh in the series standings with every opportunity to advance even further during the final two rounds as he is now just three points from sixth and fifteen from fifth.

Kevin Horgmo: “We have been working hard for this moment all season. It should have come much earlier; little things always seemed to go against us, but we have kept working and turned it around. My only regret is that my mom and dad were not here this weekend, like they usually are, to enjoy this moment. It’s a pity for that one small mistake in the first moto but I had the best times all through the last few laps of that race and I still believed in the podium. That career-first GP moto victory was special; I rode smooth and consistent, stayed second and kept pushing so I was able capitalise on Liam’s mistake.”

David Braceras rode a solid race to eighth in the first moto, taking the chequered flag just thirty-six seconds after the winner, and he joined his teammate near the head of the field in race two as he made a decisive pass for fourth on the opening lap. He surrendered a couple of places to regular podium runners but was still running a comfortable seventh until a mistake in sector four cost more than ten seconds and five places but he regrouped to pull back to eleventh at the finish for ninth overall on the day. He remains seventeenth in the series standings in his rookie GP season.

David Braceras: “We keep improving every weekend, but of course I am just a little disappointed about my mistake in the second moto. My start was not so good in the first race but I passed a lot of riders already on the first lap to finish eighth; my distance to the winner was the closest of all season so I knew I could improve even more in race two and I was comfortable in seventh until that one stupid mistake cost me a lot of places. But we will keep working for Maggiora and England.”

F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo claimed sixth in tough conditions at the Dutch round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Arnhem.

He posted top-three starts in both GP motos to establish a solid base to work on against the local sand experts. Rugged track and climatic conditions made it essential for riders to pace themselves throughout the thirty-minute-plus-two-laps race distance of each moto and the Norwegian acquitted himself well to claim fifth and fourth positions in the two energy-sapping motos. Fourth through the opening turns of race one he had to surrender one position on lap three but maintained a consistent rhythm to stay fifth for ten laps and was rewarded for his patient approach as he regained the position three laps from the finish as many riders paid the penalty for their over-exhuberance in claustrophobic conditions. Another lightening getaway in race two saw him run third throughout the first half of the moto and he even advanced to second at one stage before eventually coming home fourth. His thirty-four point haul was just four shy of the podium and eight less than the winner after two dramatic races. He remains ninth in the series standings but is only two points away from seventh and, with three GPs remaining, he even has a realistic chance of sixth.

Kevin Horgmo: “It was a heavy race but I got two good starts, rode my own race and tried not to make mistakes. In the first moto I found my rhythm mid-moto and I was feeling good in fifth until a lapper crashed in front of me and Jago could pass but I got the place back when another rider crashed near the end. I couldn’t really do anything about Lucas – he was so fast today – in race two but I could stay with Everts and was looking at second until I lost my momentum towards the end of the race when I was too careful in the lappers and Jago got me again.”

It was a frustrating day for David Braceras; the Spaniard deserved more reward after showing good pace in both motos. He was stuck in traffic on the edge of the top-ten throughout the first moto to finish twelfth but was able to find a good rhythm in race two after a top-three start to run a solid seventh until the bike lost power five laps from the end. He is now seventeenth in the series standings.

David Braceras: “I felt good in Warm-up this morning but I didn’t start too well in the first moto and it took me a long time to find my rhythm. I started third in the second race, could stay fourth for a time and top-seven for most of the race but something happened and the bike lost power; it’s a shame but it’s part of the game. Anyway I was pleased with my speed; I have made good progress this year in the sand and I think we can work to improve yet more. But now we come back to hard-pack for the last three GPs.”

F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Spanish GP rookie David Braceras raced to a career-best seventh in the Swedish round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Uddevalla.

The youngster had an awkward run through turn one in the first moto to emerge an initial twelfth but was soon on the move to advance to eighth within two laps before the pattern of the race settled and he had to be content with taking that placing to the finish. He held a comfortable fourth through the early stages of race two and he was still looking good after dropping to fifth on lap four; a couple of nervous laps as the rain returned at the twenty-minute stage cost two positions before he regrouped strongly in the final three laps to finish sixth, in the wheeltracks of fifth, for seventh overall.

David Braceras: “It was a really solid weekend; I was good in every session and I was really motivated for today after a good Qualifying yesterday. I almost crashed at the first corner in the first moto but I came back strongly to eighth; I rode a little tight in the first few laps but then I found a really good flow. I was riding top-five for a long time in race two but I made a couple of mistakes and two riders passed me on the same lap. I tried to pass back before the end but it was difficult. Still I am happy with the progress we are making together every weekend and today I took the best overall finish of my GP career.”

Qualifying winner Kevin Horgmo’s KX250 hooked up well out of the gate in race one and he was looking good for another holeshot until the rider next to him failed to hold line halfway to turn one; the two riders touched and the Norwegian found himself sixth after the sort-out through the first few turns. He made a quick pass for fifth, but it was lap eleven before he could find a way through to fourth, a position he then held to the end of the race. A third holeshot of the season and an enthralling surge around the outside of turn two secured the early lead in race two and, to the delight of the numerous fans on the hillside terraces, he led comfortably for five laps until overshooting two turns to slip back to third. The overall podium was still secure until, with just three laps remaining, his bike suffered a loss of power in the inclement weather and ground to a halt.

Kevin Horgmo: “I had three solid motos over the weekend; two holeshots out of three and the riding was good. I was surprised how well the track stood up today with all the rain overnight but it made it more difficult to pass. The lines started to clean up towards the end of the first moto and I had good speed so I was confident for race two. I put myself in the best possible position with the holeshot and felt good in front until I made one small mistake; Adamo came past pretty wild and Längenfelder took advantage to pass me before I could settle again but the podium was still in reach and I had it under control until the bike unfortunately stopped. But we showed I can race for the podium.”