The MXGP paddock faced a completely different challenge in Switzerland, with cold, wet conditions turning the Frauenfeld circuit into a technical and demanding test. Deep ruts and heavy mud made passing difficult, placing a premium on patience and race management across the weekend’s action.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen showed strong pace from the outset, charging to second in Saturday’s Qualifying Heat to secure a solid gate pick for Sunday’s motos. However, the Belgian endured a frustrating opening race, as a good start was undone by a crash on the third corner and a dislodged chain. Although he fought back towards the top ten, he was later disqualified for outside assistance.
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Coenen responded in style in race two. Grabbing the holeshot, he quickly stretched out a commanding lead and controlled the race from the front, eventually taking a dominant victory — his third win in the last four races. Despite the mixed results, he secured eighth overall and retained the championship red plate.
After back-to-back rounds, the MXGP series now takes a short break before returning for the Italian double-header at Riola Sardo and Arco di Trento, with Sardinia hosting the next round on April 11–12.
Lucas Coenen:
“It feels good to keep the red plate but I was a bit mad about the first moto. I really wanted to win that second one. I started well, didn’t crash and controlled the gap. Happy to finish on a good note. Now we look ahead two weeks to Sardinia and to continue like this.”
Images courtesy of © KTM Images/JP Acevedo
