This weekend only the Coenen brothers were racing for team 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki, at Maggiora (Italy) for the second round of the European 125 Championship. Sacha was twice on the virtual podium of the races but he was not really rewarded of his investment, while Lucas score his first European points.

Maggiora is an ‘old style’ track, with steep drops, back in the World Championship five years after a great MX of Nations. As soon as he went on track Sacha had a good feeling, and he posted the fastest lap time in the free practice session and the second one in the timed practice period. His first start was good in fourth, and he was in third position with three laps to go when he had an impressive crash on a big downhill. Shocked but not injured he was behind the gate for the second race, and got the holeshot! He lost a few positions in the confusion of the first corners but once more came back second and was ready to attack the leader when his rear wheel slipped! Back on track in eighth position after this crash Sacha finishes the race at this position, but proves again that he is a potential winner in this competitive class. Lucas didn’t felt as comfortable as his brother in the practice session, still suffering from his painful arm after the race incident in UK. Only twenty sixth behind the gate, which is not the best position to get a good start, Lucas was nineteenth at the beginning of the opening moto and came back eleventh to score his first points of the season. He will not have the opportunity to add some more points in race two, as another rider hit him after the second start; last of the race he came back at the worst position as twenty-one didn’t give you any point. Our riders will rest and train next weekend, and will be in different places on July 24th; our 125 kids will race the French championship in Rauville la Place, and our 250 rider will be in Oss (Netherlands) for the second round of the EMX250.

Sacha: “Practice sessions were OK with the pole position of my group in the free practice period and later the second position very close from the pole. My first start was good but I lost some positions in the first corners; I was back in third position when I had this big crash, but I could regroup for the second moto. I got another good start as I got the holeshot, but after two corners I was in third position; then I came back second, and was right behind the leader when my rear wheel slides. I crashed, struggle to be back on track and scores an eight position. The track was nice, very technical; I have the speed, the physical condition, all what you need to race for podiums.”

Lucas: “The first round in UK was not so good for me as another rider hit me, I had a lot of pain in my arm but after a test on the bike on Wednesday we saw that it was possible to race in Italy. Practice sessions were not so good for me, I rode stiff and was only thirteenth of my group so my gate pick was not good. My first start was not so bad but I was outside in the first corner, and then I was able to come back eleventh. My second start was better but another rider hit me and we crashed in the first corner; I was last, had another little crash and came back twenty-one. I need to be better in the timed practice session, to have a better gate pick as the start is one of the key of the race.”

Hakon Fredriksen & Sacha Coenen claimed fifth overall for 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki in the opening round of the FIM European EMX250 & EMX125 Championship at Matterley Basin in England.

Just three months after breaking both wrists in a training crash the Norwegian showed tremendous spirit to display podium pace all day. He had only been able to ride three times since his injuries before arriving in England but immediately posted second fastest time during his morning Qualifying group and used his speed through the waves section during the opening moto to advance from his initial sixth position to third within five laps. He surrendered one position late in the race as his lack of bike-time took its toll to finish fourth but had damaged the silencer in a clash with a rival and was subsequently classified ninth after the post-race noise-test. Undaunted by the disappointment he rebounded to advance forcefully to second place on the opening lap of race two but dropped two positions during the next ten minutes to again take the chequered flag fourth and claim fifth overall on the day.

Class rookie Quentin Prugnières, who recently turned sixteen years of age, showed that he can learn quickly in the highly-competitive EMX250 series as he advanced with determination from seventeenth on the opening lap of moto two to secure his eventual thirteenth place by lap eight of twelve. The youngster had been eliminated early in the opening moto when holding sixteenth position.
In the 125 class Sacha Coenen posted the second fastest lap in the timed practice period, and was a podium contender after the first race, as he scores a third position after a strong race. His second start wasn’t that good, and after four laps he was back in sixth position when the race was red flagged due to an accident. As the race director definitively stopped the race, Sacha is fifth overall with a third and a eight position. Unfortunately, Lucas had to retire early in the first heat as he had a painful wrist after a race incident with another rider; he will not start the second moto, but will be back next week in Italy for the second round of the EMX125.

Hakon Fredriksen: “The day started off good with Qualifying; I was finding some good lines and got two pretty good starts. I was struggling a little with my arms after three months off the bike but my speed was good. I have only been with the team in France for one week to test the bike and start riding again so two fourth-placed finishes is pretty good as I am two to three months behind the other guys in my preparation. It’s tough but I have been working hard and we now have three weeks to the next round in Oss. And that race is in sand which is my strength so I look forward with optimism to the rest of the series. “

Quentin Prugnières: “My starts were good in both motos but there was a lot of confusion through the opening corners of race one and in the second moto I had to brake already before the first turn when other riders cut my line. I was around twentieth after a few corners but I had some good battles during the entire race; we were always fighting so it was difficult to chose the best lines and take a good rhythm but I was able to come back to thirteenth in my first experience in the EMX250. I want to keep the positive points from the day; last year I didn’t qualify here in the EMX125 but today I was in the top ten of my qualifying group and had the speed to score points.”

New race of the Spanish Elite Championship, the perfect track of Calatayud (Aragon / Spain) also welcomed on this sunny Sunday, April 18th a selection of European riders who came to enrich the line-up, among which the 9MM Bud Racing Kawasaki riders doing their first preparation race for 2021.

Honor to the young riders…

The last recruits of the team, the Coenen brothers Sacha 19 and Lucas 93 have perfectly held their rank for their beginning in the 125cc succeeding together a great performance. A very good start for this season which looks promising. 2nd and 5th of the overall classification, both have shown good dispositions technical, physical, and especially mental after a difficult qualifying session. The debriefing and analysis by the brothers : Sacha is talking :
“I had a bit of a difficult start to my weekend, falling twice in the qualifying round. Despite a DNF and the worst place on the grid ( 39th ! ), I was 3rd on the first lap of the first moto. I crashed while overtaking my brother. I came back close to the race leader and I finished second. I started better in the second moto, during the whole race i was close to the leader but I dropped a little bit to finish 3rd, inevitably a little disappointed. »

Lucas 93 Coenen :
” I didn’t do good lap times, but I finished 7th in the qualifying round after a good “remontada” ( 27th after a crash at the beginning of the race). On Sunday, in the first moto, I made the holeshot before being passed. I tried to overtake the first rider but I crashed with him. Nevertheless, I ended the race in the 4th place. During the second moto, the start and the pace were worse than in the first race, I lost the grip and I crashed again. I finished 5th at the overall, I could have done better but it’s for me for the resumption after my long break due to an injury “.

More complicated for our 250cc rider…

Less success furthermore for the new 250 rider Quentin 319 PRUGNIERES in MX2, in difficulty with his starts. Like his young teammates, the qualifying session will not meet the expectations of the Team ( 15th ) as well as the races below the potential despite an improvement in the second race : 13th overall of the weekend.

The final interview by Quentin : “After a disappointing start on Saturday, I have been able to progress during the weekend despite my bad starts. Like my teammates, I have fallen in both races and I know how much I have to work and perform, increase my pace this week-end because I lacked a little physicality, especially in the second race. »

To close the 125 / MX2 chapter, our three riders are agree on one point : their KAWASAKI is performing well and the training put in place by the coach Thierry VAN DEN BOSCH is efficient. Thanks also to their families for their unconditional support. To note the presence of some guests partners ( St Gobain / Norton Spain ) came to honor us with their presence. Special thanks also to all our precious sponsors, 9MM Energy Drink and Kawasaki in first.

Finally, our woman rider Amandine 274 VERSTAPPEN was also there, engaged in MX2 with the boys. Victim of a crash and a shock on the head, she had to give up during the practices and will not take part in the races. The scanner performed at the hospital will not reveal any abnormality. However, she will have to be quiet this week.

Next race in 2 weeks in Madrid ! (Talavera de la reina).