Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer powered to a scintillating Grand Prix victory at the 15th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Uddevalla, Sweden. At the same time, the return of Maxime Renaux provided a welcome boost for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team, with the Frenchman finishing sixth overall after a stunning third-place finish in Race Two, while Glenn Coldenhoff overcame some challenges to finish ninth.
Heavy overnight rain made the notoriously one-lined Uddevalla circuit even harder to pass at. This placed enormous emphasis on the importance of a good start, which was a significant factor in the overall result.
As one of the best starters in the world and as last year’s Swedish Grand Prix winner, Seewer lined up confident. In Race One, the Swiss sensation got off to a top-three start, and after a relatively uneventful race, he finished solid in third. He then improved his launch out of the gate in Race Two, and after powering his YZ450FM to an incredible holeshot, he put in a masterclass performance to secure his second race win of the season.
Making an inspiring return from injury, despite feeling far from 100%, Renaux demonstrated determination and grit as he tackled the demanding Uddevalla circuit. The Frenchman bravely recovered from a few small crashes to finish 13th in Race One but bounced back from the frustration with an exceptional third-place finish in Race Two.
In contrast to his fast-starting teammates, Coldenhoff was tasked with the challenge of coming through the field after starting at the back of the pack. Despite the enormous difficulty of executing passes off the main race line, the Dutchman put in a mind-blowing performance to finish fifth in Race One. However, in addition to the limited line selection in Uddevalla, sporadic downpours of rain caused visibility issues, which hindered The Hoff’s progress in Race Two, and he ultimately finished ninth.
After a positive Grand Prix in Sweden, the Dutch-based Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team now looks forward to its home Grand Prix, which will take place next weekend, August 19th and 20th in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Jeremy Seewer
MXGP of Sweden Winner, 45-points
“Winning a GP always feels good, and on a day like today, that was very tricky with the weather. The rain made the track very hard to pass on. Usually, our sport is very physical, but today was more about mental strength. Here, it’s just about being in front after the first corner. I had a solid race in the first moto for third, and then just got the holeshot in Race Two and rode some solid laps to get the win. After finishing fourth at the past couple of rounds when I had the speed to fight for the win, it feels good to get it done.”
Maxime Renaux
6th MXGP of Sweden, 28-points
“I’m far from 100% right now, both with my foot and physically. I only rode a few times before coming here, so I couldn’t expect much from this weekend. The hard part was to stay calm because when your life is fully focused on chasing a world title, it’s not easy to accept p.10 on the pit board. I did what I could this weekend. I got good starts in both races and in the first moto, I made too many mistakes and too many crashes. In the second race, I started in third and just rode my own race to finish third. I would say that it was a great comeback; I couldn’t expect much more after being out for so long. So, we can build from here.”
Glenn Coldenhoff
9th MXGP of Sweden, 28-points
“We struggled with some issues yesterday, and I didn’t have a good feeling on the track. I started to feel better today. In the first race, I had a terrible start and had to come from the very back of the pack. I managed to make some good passes and actually felt really good on the bike in Race One. In the second race, I had a much better start, but I had some issues with my goggles, and I really struggled with this on the opening lap. From there, I lost a lot of positions and couldn’t find my rhythm. The track was also very heavy and really difficult to pass on, and the result couldn’t be further from where I want to be. But, focusing on the positives, Race One, I had good speed and felt good, and I will take these positives into next weekend.