The De Baets AIT Racing Team experienced a weekend of highs and lows during the MXGP of Great Britain at the iconic Foxhill circuit. In the WMX class, Lotte van Drunen produced two impressive comeback rides, while Dex Kooiker and Torre van Mechgelen showed strong pace in the EMX125 despite several setbacks.

Lotte van Drunen made an excellent start to the weekend by setting the fastest lap in the timed practice session. In the opening race, the Dutch rider recovered brilliantly from a poor start to finish fourth. In race two, she once again had to fight her way through the field after the start, but this time she could do no better than seventh.

Dex Kooiker endured a difficult start to his EMX125 weekend. After qualifying 24th in the timed practice session, he crashed in the opening corner of the first race, bringing his race to an early end. In the second race, however, Kooiker demonstrated his true potential. With an impressive charge through the field, he fought his way back to a strong 13th-place finish.

Torre van Mechgelen also faced a challenging weekend at Foxhill. The Belgian rider began by setting the 25th fastest time in free practice before qualifying 38th. In the opening race, he made a good start and spent much of the race running around 23rd position until severe arm pump forced him to reduce his pace. He eventually crossed the finish line in 27th place. In the second race, Van Mechgelen grew increasingly comfortable on the track and began to find his rhythm, but a technical issue brought his race to a premature end. During a jump, his handlebars suddenly rotated completely downward, leaving him no choice but to retire from the race.

Dex Kooiker: “The first race was over almost immediately after I crashed in the first corner. That was obviously very disappointing. In the second race, I fought my way back to 13th place, which gives me confidence heading into the upcoming races.”

Torre van Mechgelen: “It was a difficult weekend. In the first race, I struggled badly with arm pump, which meant I couldn’t maintain my pace. In the second race, I started to feel much more comfortable on the bike and found a better rhythm, but unfortunately a technical problem forced me to retire early. Despite everything, I’m taking the positives with me into the next race.”

Photocredits – Full Spectrum Media