Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer powered his YZ450FM to a thrilling podium finish at the 16th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Arnhem, The Netherlands. At the same time, the team’s Flying Dutchman Glenn Coldenhoff made the thousands of enthusiastic and incredibly supportive Dutch fans proud with his charge to fourth overall, while Maxime Renaux overcame some challenges to finish sixth.
The Dutch Grand Prix proved to be a grueling test of skill and endurance as riders battled the brutally rough Arnhem sand circuit and sweltering temperatures. After a stunning Grand Prix victory in Sweden, Seewer lined up confident and again showcased his admirable determination with an impressive performance that had fans on the edge of their seats in Race One.
After powering his YZ450FM to a trademark top-three start, the Swiss star engaged in a fierce battle with the leaders on the opening lap. Although he was momentarily shuffled back to third by Romain Febvre, the ‘91’ remained persistent and soon reclaimed second place when Febvre made a mistake.
While the first 30 minutes were exciting, it was the final three laps that had the fans on the edge of their seats as Seewer closed in on the race leader Prado, determined to challenge for the race win. Never one to back down from a fight, the Yamaha ace attempted to set up a pass but unfortunately suffered a spectacular fall with just two laps remaining. However, his incredible resilience saw him make a remarkable recovery to cross the finish line in third place.
At the same time, Coldenhoff showcased his exceptional sand riding ability by executing brilliant passes on former World Champions Renaux and Pauls Jonass after starting seventh. Buoyed by the enormous support of the home crowd, the Dutchman fought his way to a commendable fourth-place finish.
Renaux climbed as high as fifth during the race. However, a fall after 20 minutes hindered his progress, and he was only able to recover to seventh place.
Race Two got off to an exciting start with Seewer and Renaux going bar-to-bar around turn one, hot on the heels of Febvre. Renaux fell while challenging Seewer for second place on lap three and lost his rhythm, which resulted in a sixth-place finish.
Seewer, on the other hand, found his form and proved his potential by posting the fastest lap of the race on lap five. Meanwhile, Coldenhoff made a bold move on lap six, launching past Jorge Prado through the waves to steal third position.
As the race progressed, Seewer and Coldenhoff engaged in a thrilling battle for second place and a coveted podium finish. The last few laps were intense as the fans got behind ‘The Hoff’, but Seewer held his composure and fought hard for a well-deserved second-place finish, forcing Coldenhoff to settle for third.
Seewer’s result allowed him to uncork his fifth bottle of podium champagne, in 2023, on the third step.
After an incredible home Grand Prix, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team now looks forward to the next round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which will take place in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, on the weekend of September 3rd.
Jeremy Seewer
3rd MXGP of The Netherlands, 42-points
“It’s never easy to have the local hero behind you, especially when he was charging hard for a podium finish at his home Grand Prix. I managed to have the better finish, but it was a tough fight. It was very very close. I am super happy with today, even though the mistake I made in the first race cost me a potential win or at least second overall. But, besides that, I am super happy with today, especially after the day I had yesterday, where I struggled with my bike set-up. I thought it would be tough, but we managed to make it happen, and that’s what counts.”
Glenn Coldenhoff
4th MXGP of The Netherlands, 38-points
“Very disappointed. I felt good all weekend, other than in the first race today, where I struggled to pass Maxime (Renaux) and Pauls (Jonass). I eventually managed to pass them both at the same time, but by then, the top three were gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. I could not do more than fourth in moto one. In Race Two, the start was decent, but somehow, I ended up back in seventh-ish. I got one position from Maxime crashing, and then I had to close the gap to Jeremy. I managed to do it, and I knew I had to pass him for at least a podium finish, which anyway, was still not a win, but even a podium finish at my home GP would have been nice. It was nice to race in front of my home crowd, the support was definitely there, but I just didn’t have enough to get the job done today. I need to live with it and go for more in Turkey.”
Maxime Renaux
6th MXGP of The Netherlands, 29-points
“It was a super tough weekend. I would say this was one of the worst tracks to ride when you’re coming back from injury. Especially because I haven’t been back for long, so I am not at the level I should be in terms of physical condition just yet. I also struggled a little bit with my settings, and it was only in the second moto that I felt more comfortable. I had quite a good rhythm at the beginning of the second race but crashed on the left-hander and lost quite some time. I then struggled to get my rhythm back and ended up finishing sixth. Overall, I am happy to be in one piece and taking experience and working my way back to my best level.”
