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Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings has started his final MX2 chapter with a 1-1 result at the Grand Prix of Qatar. It didn’t all go to plan for the Dutchman, but he was still capable of winning.
Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis once again showed great speed in Qatar and made work a little hard for the Dutchman. We caught up with Herlings and asked him about his weekend.
Jeffrey, this year wasn’t as emotional as last year (Herlings cried on the podium in 2015 after so many injuries). How did it feel?
We had a good winter. Last year when I won I didn’t expect to win, but this year I need to be winning. I am not disappointed. I think the second moto I showed what I am capable of, the rest of the weekend I have been struggling. There was pressure coming back and I haven’t raced a GP for six months and haven’t won a GP in nearly a year.
What was the problem for you?
It was weird and I had mixed feelings, obviously Qatar doesn’t suit me like Lommel or Valkenswaard and the laps are short. We came out with 50 points and it doesn’t really matter if I win by a second or a minute, so long as I win.
If you can win in Thailand this weekend you will go to Valkenswaard with 49 GP wins. One victory away from the amount of wins by Joel Robert. How cool would it be to match Robert at your home race?
With Valkenswaard I haven’t lost a moto since 2010, so six GP wins, and 12 moto wins. One day I will lose there, it has to happen, I can’t go undefeated, I don’t know when it will happen. I know I am in good shape and I know with the heat this weekend, I will be ok. I would like to get a clean sweep in Thailand and then go to Valkenswaard with 49 GP wins. If you look at last year a bunch of guys were on drips, and it’s going to be tough. I would be amazing to get the 50th win in Valkenswaard, and it’s nice to talk about it, but let’s see what happens.
Seven GP wins in a row at the same circuit. I know De Coster won a bunch in a row at Namur, six I think, but not sure anyone has ever won seven in a row. Do you know if anyone has done that?
You are the man with the books, so you should know, you are the man to know Geoff. Let me know when you find out man.
So why did you not flying straight to Thailand? Preferring to go home to Holland.
Many things, I flew home on Sunday morning, was home on Sunday at 1pm, so I can spend four days at home riding, while I can do my normal food, sleep in my normal bed and that’s best for me. I can’t run, and that is all I could do while in Thailand. It was best for me to go home and come to Thailand on Thursday fit.
Watching Tim (Gajser) win the MXGP overall, do you think about what was possible if you were on the 450 machine? Seriously, I said to somebody, if Herlings moved up you would think he would smash everyone.
I didn’t expect him to win, but I knew he would be good. I saw him riding a 450 in Germany and he’s fast. The 450 Honda is a strong bike and my personal opinion is the 250 Honda isn’t that great in Europe. I thought he could be a top five guy, but I didn’t think he would win, happy for him though, because I like him and I think he has a lot of talent and he works hard.
Febvre and Gajser, are both guys you beat easily on the smaller bike. You have to have one eye on the MXGP class or not?
If I look at the results, it’s a little frustrating, because I beat Febvre every weekend, same with Gajser, so to see those guys winning, they are in the main class and winning. I would love to be there, but after all my injuries I didn’t want to move up just yet. As I mentioned in the pre-season, I didn’t even know when I would be able to ride the bike again, and that isn’t the right preparation for the top class. I can get away with it in the MX2 class, but not in the MXGP class. It turned out I got on the bike quicker than expected, but to win MXGP you need the perfect winter.
I doubt you are scared of the MXGP guys.
Many people think I am scared of them, but that isn’t the issue. They call me a sandbagger or whatever but you know many people forget where I came from and I wish they would respect my decision. I never got a chance to race all the top 450 guys, in the pre-season I beat a lot of them on a lights bike, and obviously with my weight the 450 bike would be a lot better for me. We will see what happens when I move up.
