Bonacorsi returns from injury at Flanders MXGP; Alonso takes third in EMXOpen
Andrea Bonacorsi marked his return from a two-month injury layoff with a 16th-place finish in race one at the demanding Lommel sand in the Flanders MXGP.
- 14th
- 9th
- 16th
- 3rd
What Happened
Lommel's sandy track, described as the most demanding of the year, hosted the Grand Prix of Flanders, round 14 of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Andrea Bonacorsi returned to MXGP after a two-month injury layoff, finishing 16th in race one after a difficult start and contact with a rival, then completing race two. The Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team rider called it excellent training ahead of the rest of the season. In the EMX250, Simone Mancini retired from race one after a crash and finished 15th in race two. Victor Alonso, supported by Ducati Spain, took third in race two of the single-round EMXOpen series.
Bonacorsi qualifies ninth in MXGP; Mancini crashes out of EMX250 race one.
Bonacorsi finishes 16th in MXGP race one and completes race two; Mancini finishes 15th in EMX250 race two.
Alonso takes third in EMXOpen race two.
The championship moves to Uddevalla for the Swedish Grand Prix.
“The Grand Prix of Flanders was a good test; we knew we weren't 100% yet, but the time had come to get back to racing and do it in Lommel. It was the right choice for both me and the team. Racing here gave us the opportunity to do several tests on the bike and finish without making any major mistakes, allowing me to bring home excellent training ahead of the next races.”
- Simone Mancini (Beddini Racing Ducati Factory MX2 Team) retired from EMX250 race one after a crash, then took 15th in race two.
- Victor Alonso, supported by Ducati Spain, finished in the top ten and placed third in EMXOpen race two.
16th
First MXGP start since his injury in Latvia in early June.
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Ducati's prior coverage noted that Bonacorsi had already taken ninth in Saturday qualifying at Lommel on his return, and that teammate Calvin Vlaanderen sat out the round to recover. The same prior item reported that this was Bonacorsi's first race back after two months off.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The Flanders round is known as the season's most demanding sand track, so Bonacorsi's weekend was about rebuilding fitness and testing the Desmo450 MX rather than chasing results. Ducati's factory MXGP team gets useful bike tests and training ahead of the Swedish Grand Prix in Uddevalla, which follows after a week's break. For beginners, it shows how an injured rider can use a tough race weekend as preparation rather than a push for points.
Terms in This Story
- MXGP
- The premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship, raced on 450cc motorcycles.
- EMX250
- A support class in the Motocross World Championship for 250cc motorcycles.
- EMXOpen
- A motocross support series held at selected Grand Prix events, open to multiple classes.
- Desmo450 MX
- Ducati's 450cc motocross race motorcycle.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.