Team Gabriel SS24 KTM travelled to Johannesburg for Round 11 of the MXGP World Championship, marking the series’ first visit to South Africa in 18 years. Riders tackled the fast, technical Terra Topia MX Track, a hard-packed circuit known for big jumps and flowing sections, as the championship reached its halfway point.
Qualifying Day Frustration
Oriol Oliver looked sharp early on, posting 10th in free practice and 12th in time practice to set up a promising qualifying race. Things unravelled from there. A wide entry into turn one dropped him to 14th, and while he fought back into the top 12, a late mistake with three laps remaining and a bent front wheel saw him slip to 21st at the flag, a tough end to Saturday.
Sunday Redemption
Oriol put the setback behind him on race day. In Moto 1 he climbed from 15th to a solid 10th, holding off late pressure to take the chequered flag. Moto 2 was even stronger: after being pushed wide again off the start, he worked his way up to ninth and controlled the race to the finish.
The two results were enough for 10th overall in the Grand Prix on 23 points, a result the team were pleased with given the tough qualifying position they’d had to recover from.
Championship Picture
Oriol now sits 14th in the MXGP world standings on 173 points, just five points off 13th, and has extended his advantage over 15th place to 16 points as the season heads into its second half.
Oriol Oliver: “For the motos it was hard to make a good start from gate 21, but we made some moves on the first laps and finished 10th and 9th, which was a solid ride. Now it’s time to recover and get ready for a home country British Championship this weekend.”
Shaun Simpson, Team Manager: “Another very positive showing from Oriol in South Africa. Two average starts in the main races but great race craft and lap times ended the GP with two top-10 results. It’s a strong field in MXGP, and I’d like to think this is our average now.”
What’s Next
Team Gabriel SS24 KTM now switches focus back to the British Championship, with Round 6 taking place at Canada Heights, Swanley, Kent on Sunday 12th July.
Thank you to KTM and all our sponsors for the continued support that makes this racing programme possible. 🏍️
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All images (c) Jpacevedophoto
