Ducati's Bonacorsi ninth in Swedish MXGP qualifying; Vlaanderen 15th after crash
Andrea Bonacorsi finished ninth in MXGP qualifying at Uddevalla, earning two championship points, while Ducati teammate Calvin Vlaanderen crashed to 15th.
- 15
- 1,645 m
- 12
- 2
What Happened
The Swedish Grand Prix, the 15th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship season, is being held this weekend at Uddevalla on Sweden's west coast, about 100 kilometers north of Gothenburg. The track has hosted Grand Prix races since 1958 and is one of the longest-running circuits on the MXGP calendar. Its 1,645-meter length features a hard, stony surface covered with sand, making it technical and slippery.
In timed practice, Andrea Bonacorsi was 12th and Calvin Vlaanderen 13th, setting their places for the qualifying race that determines Sunday's starting order. Bonacorsi, on his Desmo450 MX, rounded the first corner in 11th place. Vlaanderen slipped to 12th in the early stages.
- Andrea Bonacorsi (Desmo450 MX) — gained two positions over 12 laps to finish 9th, earning 2 championship points.
- Calvin Vlaanderen (Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team) — crashed on lap 7 and finished 15th.
Why this matters
Qualifying sets the starting order for Sunday's motos, so Bonacorsi's ninth place puts him in the top ten on the grid and adds two points to his championship tally. Vlaanderen's crash to 15th is a setback for the Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team at round 15 of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Terms in This Story
- MXGP
- The premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
- Qualifying race
- A race held before the main motos to set the starting grid.
- Moto
- An individual race in a motocross event; races on Sunday are called motos.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.