The Grand Prix of The Netherlands closed the western European chapter of 2025 MXGP. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing departed the rough sand in Arnhem with more acclaim thanks to Jeffrey Herlings sweeping the board with his KTM 450 SX-F as teammate Lucas Coenen finish 2nd overall. Andrea Adamo and Sacha Coenen classified 2nd and 3rd with the KTM 250 SX-F in MX2. The team have won in either the MXGP or the MX2 class in 13 of the 17 rounds of the season to-date.
- Jeffrey Herlings rules every session and moto at Arnhem for his third MXGP victory and fourth podium of 2025. The Dutchman now has 110 career GP wins and 16 on home sand
- Lucas Coenen recovers 10 points on his main title rival with his twelfth rostrum appearance of 2025 in his rookie term in the premier class. He now trails the red plate in MXGP by 31
- Andrea Adamo goes 3-3 for his eleventh set of MX2 silverware of the season (the second highest tally) and remains in the championship chase. Sacha Coenen finishes 3rd overall for his eighth podium
- Simon Laengenfelder recovers from adversity to take 6th overall and still leads the MX2 series by 15 points
- MXGP now moves further afield. A triple header of Grands Prix in Turkey, China and Australia will bring a quick end to the calendar, and the stint begins with the trip to Afyon in two weeks
For the second time in three Grands Prix, MXGP moved into the sand. The second consecutive weekend of action drew the paddock from the hardpack of Sweden to the compact and shifting surface of the Motorportpark Gelderland Midden. The venue first staged MXGP in 2023 and was won by Jeffrey Herlings in 2024. The meeting occurred under bright but cloduy skies both days as the course churned and evolved into tough bumps.
Saturday’s MXGP qualification heat belonged comprehensively to Jeffrey Herlings, who set off from P1 in the gate and was unchallenged. Coenen rode to 4th. In MX2 Andrea Adamo escaped to win ahead of teammate Sacha Coenen while Simon Laengenfelder had to pit after a first turn pile-up and qualified with 15th place.
On Sunday Herlings extended his run across the motos with bright starts and forceful early moves. The Dutchman led both 30 minute and 2 lap races from gate to flag. Coenen, in contrast, could not be as prolific off the line. He crashed on the inside of Turn 1 in the first moto and was mired in mid-pack in the second. On both occasions the young Belgian had to charge up the order and carve through the field to regain points. He arrived to P2 both times and was even drawing up to Herlings’ rear wheel in the second moto. The effort was rewarded with his eleventh overall top three from the last twelve Grands Prix.
Sacha Coenen holeshotted the first MX2 moto and finished 2nd to Kay De Wolf with Adamo taking a steady P3. Laengenfelder was outside of the top ten at the start but started to make his way back to th front until a late crash halted his progress and he ranked P8. In the second race Adamo kept his pace in another P3 slot ahead of Coenen in 4th and Laengenfelder in 5th. The trio therefore filled 2nd, 3rd and 8th on the day.
A maximum of 240 points remain in both MXGP and MX2 this year. Coenen is 31 adrift and Herlings could still make the top four in the MXGP standings. MX2 is closer. Laengenfelder’s advantage is a slender 15 over De Wolf and 38 from Adamo with Sacha Coenen in 4th.
The Netherlands hosted the penultimate round of the EMX250 European Championship. Gabriel SS24 KTM team missed Gyan Doensen as the Dutch youngster needed surgery to fix a broken lower left leg. Max Werner rode his KTM 250 SX-F to 23rd overall.
The flat hardpack of Afyon awaits MXGP in Turkey and then the long trek to Shanghai and Darwin for Chinese and Australian Grands Prix on successive weekends. Round 18 will take place on September 6-7.
