With three rounds of racing already in the books, it is evident that Renaux has landed on his feet inside the top-tier class in MXGP. Currently second in the championship standings, only 17-points shy of the four-times World Champion Tim Gajser, the 21-year-old Frenchman has already established himself as a title threat. Of the six races raced this season, the MXGP rookie has already celebrated a race win and only finished outside the top three once. Going into the remaining 16 Grand Prix rounds, the 959’s goal will remain the same. He will strive for more top-three finishes, more race wins, and his next milestone achievement, a premier class Grand Prix win.
After a taxing trip across the equator, Glenn Coldenhoff has focused on making a full recovery as he looks to build on his solid top-five finish in Argentina. Aiming to reach the podium in the very near future, ‘The Hoff’ has been looking at where he can improve his program. A thorough fitness test in the weekend off has confirmed the Dutchman is in strong physical condition, offering an added boost of confidence as he gets set to improve his current eighth place in the championship chase.
Jeremy Seewer has made a strong recovery after a spectacular fall in Argentina. The 27-year-old star returned to Switzerland for some much-needed ‘down-time’ where he caught up with his friends and family while his body healed from the crash. He has since returned to his normal routine and looks forward to arriving in Agueda, fit and strong with many happy memories, including an emphatic Grand Prix win in 2017. He is currently fourth in the championship chase, 24-points shy of Jorge Prado in third.
As a three-time MX2 medalist, and the current MX2 Championship Leader, Geerts looks to use his years of experience to his advantage. Remaining with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 set-up for a fifth consecutive season, the 21-year-old Belgian has refined the set-up of his YZ250FM and is looking fitter, stronger and faster than ever. Maintaining a 26-point advantage at the top of the table, Geerts is fully focused on keeping his podium streak, which is currently at 100% in 2022, as he continues to strengthen his grip on the MX2 Championship Lead determined to secure his first-ever MX2 World Title.
This weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team will be back to full strength with the return of young French star Thibault Benistant. Benistant underwent a knee reconstruction at the start of November last year and has made a full recovery. With no pressure, the 19-year-old looks forward to lining his YZ250FM up for the first time this season as he gets set to 'ease' back into racing.
Located 75 kilometers south of Porto, Agueda staged its first Motocross Grand Prix in 1985 and has since gone on to host 22 more rounds, with the most recent round taking place in 2019. The track is 1630 meters long and is widely recognized for its distinctive orange clay base. This weekend, the venue will also host the second round of the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship, which is currently led by two talented YZ250F racing ladies, Ceres 71 Yamaha Racing's Nancy van de Ven and JK Yamaha Racing's Lynn Valk. The duo of Dutch stars are tied at the top of the table on 47-points.
Last but not least, the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 Team will also be onsite with the Championship Leaders' Red Plate firmly attached to Rick Elzinga's GYTR kitted YZ250F as he looks to extend his championship lead this weekend. At the same time, teammates Andrea Bonacorsi and Dave Kooiker aim to bounce back from a tough weekend in Mantova with some solid points and a podium finish in Portugal.
