Vialle narrowly misses out on Trentino qualifying success after historic moment in timed practice
PietramurataTom Vialle finished just 0.66 seconds behind the winner of the MXGP of Trentino, narrowly missing out on the victory, but showing once again that the Frenchman is fully capable of challenging on any surface. This race followed on from a historic timed practice session when Ruben Fernandez, Jeffrey Herlings and Vialle went one-two-three to really show the full force of the Honda HRC PETRONAS team.
After a disappointing end to both races in Sardinia, Vialle showed his starting speed once again, challenging right at the front of the field before being forced wide and allowing a rider to come through on the inside. It was a shame because this track is notorious for being difficult to make passes on, and that proved to be the case once again as Vialle couldn’t get around the leader, no matter how hard he pressured. One last dive saw him cross the line just 0.66 seconds behind, but it will still give the Frenchman a lot of confidence he can add to his Swiss success by winning the Trentino GP, held at the picturesque track in Pietramurata.
Behind him in sixth place was Fernandez, who was pleased and frustrated with his race. After getting first gate-pick from being fastest in timed practice, the Honda CRF450RW rider got a good start and was well-placed to challenge at the front of the field. Unfortunately an error on the first lap dropped him down the field and he had to fight through to get back up to sixth place. The speed is definitely there for the Spaniard, so now he has to channel that with a good start and he’s definitely in with a chance of stepping up onto the podium for the first time this season.
It was a similar story for Herlings, as his qualification woes returned after a crash on the opening laps. He had move through to the top five after a tough first turn and was closing in on the leaders when a mistake dropped him outside the top 20. Motivated to try and make it back into the points, the Dutchman started flying around the track, setting the fastest lap on the penultimate lap of the race as he worked his way up all the way to ninth. While it was a good comeback, it wasn’t what the #84 was after, at a track that he has had some good and bad moments in the past. Still, the speed is there and if he can negotiate the first few laps error-free, he should be able to challenge for another GP victory in 2026.
In the MX2 class, Valerio Lata was much more at home on the hard-pack terrain in northern Italy, setting the fastest time in free practice and then second fastest in timed. Feeding off the cheers of the crowd, he came through the field after a tricky first turn to get up into the top three by the end of the first full lap. There was some excellent riding, mixed in with some superb passes and he was definitely on the front-foot for the majority of the moto. Unfortunately, he was also trying to keep the world champion at bay and one small lapse allowed him past, midway through the race. Still, he held onto fourth and is highly motivated to put on a show in the GP-scoring motos tomorrow.
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MX2 Qualifying Result
1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 23:58.840; 2. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:03.516; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:03.733; 4. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +0:09.037; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:12.161; 6. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:15.244; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:33.414; 8. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:34.975; 9. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Kawasaki), +0:37.550; 10. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:39.571;
Good and bad day. Obviously it was great to be the fastest in timed practice, and have first gate-pick, especially as behind me were Jeffrey and Tom for a Honda one-two-three. Then I got a good start in the qualifying race, but an early mistake dropped me down the field which on this track doesn’t make it easy. Still, I was able to come back to sixth place which is okay, but I definitely think I left some points out there and the goal is to do everything again – except that small mistake.
Good and bad day. Obviously it was great to be the fastest in timed practice, and have first gate-pick, especially as behind me were Jeffrey and Tom for a Honda one-two-three. Then I got a good start in the qualifying race, but an early mistake dropped me down the field which on this track doesn’t make it easy. Still, I was able to come back to sixth place which is okay, but I definitely think I left some points out there and the goal is to do everything again – except that small mistake.
Good day on a track that I really enjoy riding. Third in timed practice gave me a good gate-pick and I almost got the holeshot but got forced a bit wide. This allowed a rider through on the inside and I ended up chasing him the entire race, finishing behind him by less than a second. It’s always been a tricky track to make moves on so the aim is to get the holeshot and try and lead from the beginning and make my life a lot easier.
Good day on a track that I really enjoy riding. Third in timed practice gave me a good gate-pick and I almost got the holeshot but got forced a bit wide. This allowed a rider through on the inside and I ended up chasing him the entire race, finishing behind him by less than a second. It’s always been a tricky track to make moves on so the aim is to get the holeshot and try and lead from the beginning and make my life a lot easier.
No point being the fastest on track when you’re in ninth place. Another mistake early on in the race cost me the chance at fighting with the leaders and instead I had to come through the field from outside the top 20. Good to know I had the fastest lap, and that I can pass a bunch of people but ninth isn’t the goal and I need to make sure I do better tomorrow.
No point being the fastest on track when you’re in ninth place. Another mistake early on in the race cost me the chance at fighting with the leaders and instead I had to come through the field from outside the top 20. Good to know I had the fastest lap, and that I can pass a bunch of people but ninth isn’t the goal and I need to make sure I do better tomorrow.
I felt immediately at home on this track and I think it was a very good day. I was fastest in free practice, and then 0.002 seconds from being the fastest in timed practice so everything was looking good. I didn’t get the best start though and had to navigate around a fallen rider on the first turn. I was probably around 10th but quickly made some passes and by the end of the first full lap I was all the way up into third place and feeling good. A small error midway through the race did drop me to fourth but I rode it out and kept fighting to score another good qualification result. The goal tomorrow is to try and be up front around the first turn and this will give me the chance to run the speed right from the beginning and hopefully lift the crowd who have been really loud today.
I felt immediately at home on this track and I think it was a very good day. I was fastest in free practice, and then 0.002 seconds from being the fastest in timed practice so everything was looking good. I didn’t get the best start though and had to navigate around a fallen rider on the first turn. I was probably around 10th but quickly made some passes and by the end of the first full lap I was all the way up into third place and feeling good. A small error midway through the race did drop me to fourth but I rode it out and kept fighting to score another good qualification result. The goal tomorrow is to try and be up front around the first turn and this will give me the chance to run the speed right from the beginning and hopefully lift the crowd who have been really loud today.
Great to see all our riders fighting it out at the front of the field. The timed practice in both classes was especially good to watch, with Valerio so close to being fastest and then having Ruben, Jeffrey and Tom leading the field in the MXGP class, in what was a proud and historic moment for the team when they were one-two-three. We knew the qualification races would be tougher but Valerio fought hard for his fourth and Tom very close to winning his qualifying race. Jeffrey and Ruben both made small mistakes which cost them any chance of fighting up front, but they both came through the field well. Definitely good opportunities for some podium finishes tomorrow!
Great to see all our riders fighting it out at the front of the field. The timed practice in both classes was especially good to watch, with Valerio so close to being fastest and then having Ruben, Jeffrey and Tom leading the field in the MXGP class, in what was a proud and historic moment for the team when they were one-two-three. We knew the qualification races would be tougher but Valerio fought hard for his fourth and Tom very close to winning his qualifying race. Jeffrey and Ruben both made small mistakes which cost them any chance of fighting up front, but they both came through the field well. Definitely good opportunities for some podium finishes tomorrow!
