Calvin Vlaanderen scores season-best fourth overall at home MXGP of South Africa
Calvin Vlaanderen delivered his season's best result, finishing fourth overall at his home Grand Prix of South Africa, round 11 of the Motocross World Championship.
- 4th
- 5th
- 13th
- 10th
What Happened
Calvin Vlaanderen secured fourth overall at the MXGP of South Africa, held at Terra Topia track near Johannesburg. The 30-year-old Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team rider achieved his best qualifying of the season with fifth place. In race one, he recovered from a first-corner setback to finish eighth, then charged from fifth to fourth in race two on lap 11 of 17, holding off rivals to the checkered flag. In the MX2 class, Ferruccio Zanchi finished 13th overall after a 13th and 10th in the two heats.
Finished 5th, season-best qualifying result
Started poorly, recovered to 8th place
Moved from 5th to 4th on lap 11, held on for 4th
“Such a nice weekend at home, it's just so nice to have my first Grand Prix in South Africa and to have a good result. The pressure I had with my family and friends and my fans cheering for me was huge: I had to execute and I've tried to block out the noise and focussing on my riding, doing what I know I had to do. I did it and I'm proud of myself and happy with the momentum we've had in the last c”
In MX2, Ferruccio Zanchi of Beddini Racing Ducati Factory MX2 Team fought for top-ten positions throughout the weekend. Starting 15th in race one, he rode cautiously to finish 13th. In race two, he gained two positions to finish 10th, securing 13th overall for the round.
“Here in South Africa we've found a new and very beautiful track, but just like it's been for some time now we're struggling to stay at the front. We need to grow with the bike and try to get back into the fight for the positions we deserve. On Saturday, in qualifying, I crashed and then recovered as much as I could. In race one, I rode a cautious race, trying to avoid making any mistakes. Then, in”
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Vlaanderen entered the South African round after a top-five qualifying result on Ducati's centenary weekend, matching the team's best qualifying of the season. He had also placed ninth overall at the previous round in Portugal. The improving results contrast with Ducati's struggles at the Assen GP a week earlier.
- Calvin Vlaanderen scores top-five qualifying finish for Ducati on centenary at South African MXGP
- Calvin Vlaanderen Finishes Ninth Overall at MXGP of Portugal
- Ducati Factory Team Struggles at Assen GP as New Contenders Emerge
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Vlaanderen's fourth-place finish is his strongest performance of the season, moving him closer to the championship top ten. The result shows momentum for the Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team on Ducati's centenary weekend, giving home fans a reason to cheer.
Terms in This Story
- Manche
- A moto or heat race in motocross; Grands Prix typically consist of two manches.
- MXGP
- The premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
- Desmo450 MX
- Ducati's competition motocross bike with a 450cc engine and Desmodromic valve system.
- Beddini Racing Ducati Factory MX2 Team
- Ducati's factory-supported team in the MX2 class.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.