With MXGP returning to Frauenfeld, Switzerland, after a four-year hiatus, anticipation is running high as competitors gear up for another thrilling round of racing. Although, this year's event holds a twist, as the race will unfold at the Schollenholz circuit, a track that has not hosted a Grand Prix since the early '80s. The shift in location is sure to keep racers on their toes, as the majority of the paddock will be navigating its challenges for the first time.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the event is the unique schedule, which includes a full day off on Easter Sunday, April 9th – nestled between qualifying on Saturday, April 8th, and race day on Monday, April 10th. This unconventional format will likely test the racers' adaptability and focus as they prepare for a back-to-back round of racing with the fourth round of MXGP set to take place four days later in Pietramurata, Italy.
Swiss native Jeremy Seewer is one of the few with experience on the Schollenholz track, having raced there multiple times during his youth in the Swiss Championship. Seewer relishes the circuit and its surface, and his determination, speed, and skill—bolstered by the support of the home crowd—could give him the edge needed to reach the top of the podium. Seewer currently sits eighth in the Championship Standings.
Glenn Coldenhoff is another contender for the top step after his impressive race win and podium finish at the previous round in Sardinia. Following a week of hard pack track training in The Netherlands and France, Coldenhoff is keen to maintain momentum throughout the next two rounds. He is currently fifth in the championship, a mere 3 points behind teammate Maxime Renaux in third place.
Renaux, like Coldenhoff, has never raced at the Schollenholz circuit in Frauenfeld but eagerly anticipates the fresh challenge. Arriving with steely determination and an expectation to reach the podium after a near miss in Sardinia, Renaux is a fired up and ready to battle.
In MX2, the Hans Corvers led Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team arrives with happy memories of its first-ever Grand Prix win, which was in Frauenfeld-Gachnang in 2017 when Benoit Paturel powered his YZ250F to a thrilling race win to clinch the overall.
Jago Geerts, the current championship leader, has already won the first two Grand Prix rounds and has an impressive score of 117 points out of a possible 120. The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider has won both Qualifying Races and has led 50 out of 72 laps to claim three of the four possible race wins in 2023. He lines up for the Swiss Grand Prix with a 30-point lead over the rider in second position and 31 points over teammate Thibault Benistant in third.
The Swiss Grand Prix presents a new challenge as most riders have never been to the track. Benistant is a rider who loves facing new challenges. The Frenchman finished third in the opening round in Argentina and third again in Sardinia, and he will be aiming for the podium again this weekend, but perhaps in a higher position.
Rick Elzinga, who fell ill in Sardinia, is feeling much better and looking forward to being back on the gate in Frauenfeld. He is currently 12th in the Championship Standings.
The EMX125 Championship will also kick off this weekend, with the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team aiming for the title with 15-year-old Janis Reisulis. Unfortunately, the team's Czech star Julius Mikula sustained a broken left Tibula in March and will miss the first few rounds of the series, and instead, YZ125 bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup star Salvador Perez will fill his seat and make his EMX125 debut this weekend.
In the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship, the reigning WMX World Champion Nancy van de Ven had an unlucky start to the season but is determined to make amends at the MXGP of Switzerland, round two of the championship. With just 22 points, after an incredible race to second position in the second race of the season, the Dutch star is looking to move up the leaderboard and be on the podium.
