Bonacorsi takes 9th in MXGP Flanders qualifying on return; Vlaanderen sits out
Andrea Bonacorsi finished ninth in the MXGP qualifying race at Lommel in his return after two months off, while Calvin Vlaanderen sat out to recover.
- 9th
- 10th
- 15 km
- 2 months
What Happened
Lommel, the most challenging track of the season, hosts Round 14 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP Grand Prix of Flanders, in the province of Limburg. Its soft sandy terrain changes with every lap, presenting riders with fast corners and technical sections where finding a good pace is key.
Andrea Bonacorsi returned to the Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team, based just 15 kilometers from the circuit, after missing the Latvian GP due to injury. He placed 10th in free practice and improved to ninth in the timed session.
In the qualifying race, Bonacorsi started well and settled into eighth place before managing the finale to finish ninth. It was his first qualifying race after seven rounds and a two-month absence from the starting gate.
Calvin Vlaanderen decided not to compete at Lommel due to the after-effects of the Loket crash, instead focusing on recovery ahead of the Swedish round in Uddevalla in two weeks.
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
At the previous round in the Czech Republic, Calvin Vlaanderen was forced out of the MXGP race after a warmup crash, and substitute rider Simone Mancini took 12th in MX2. Vlaanderen also finished 16th in qualifying there after a crash. These setbacks preceded his decision to skip Lommel to recover.
- Ducati's Vlaanderen Out of Czech MXGP After Warmup Crash; Mancini Takes 12th in MX2
- Mixed Results for Ducati in MXGP and MX2 Qualifying at Czech Republic Grand Prix
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Ducati's factory team gets a boost from Bonacorsi's return and a ninth-place qualifying result on the season's most demanding track. Vlaanderen's choice to rest shows the team prioritizing long-term recovery over short-term results ahead of the Swedish round.
Terms in This Story
- MXGP
- The premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship, featuring high-performance motocross bikes.
- Qualifying race
- A race held before the main event to determine starting positions on the grid.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.