Mr consistent, Lucas Coenen of the Red Bull KTM factory team, just can’t do much wrong in South Africa, taking the lead in the opening MXGP moto, extended the lead and controlled the race from the front. While Jeffrey Herlings finished second, and Romain Febvre third, the championship points continue to be in heavy favour of the young Belgian.

Lucas Coenen: The track is tricky and fast and the bumps are sharp. I took the holeshot and led every single lap and then Jeffrey made a mistake and I got the win.

Championship points are now Lucas Coenen 541 points, Jeffrey Herlings 476 pts, Romain Febvre 423pts, Tim Gajser 388pts, Maxime Renaux 353pts. 65 point lead now for Coenen over Herlings.

MXGP Moto One

Coenen with the lead over Vialle, Febvre, Herlings, Renaux, Jonass, Horgmo, Vlaanderen, Adamo, Gajser and Fernandez. Herlings into second place. Herlings doesn’t want Coenen to get too far ahead and its clear he can stay with him in the early laps.

Coenen made the gap more than two second and then Herlings would respond and close the gap up, but then Coenen would also respond. It seemed Herlings was having to push harder than Coenen. Both riders turning it up for the crowd.

Lap three the top ten was Coenen, Herlings, Vialle, Febvre, Jonass, Renaux, Gajser, Fernandez, Vlaanderen and Adamo in 10th. Coenen continued to hold around two seconds over Herlings and just like in the qualification race yesterday, looking comfortable out front.

Coenen opened the gap to 2.5 seconds on lap five and Vialle 4.5 back in third place, then Febvre six seconds off the lead of Coenen. The lead went to three seconds and its clear, Coenen is in control of this moto.

Lap seven and the lead was more than four seconds, with Herlings three seconds ahead of Febvre, with Vialle making another mistake and back in 22nd place. That allowed Jonass into fourth, Renaux fifth and Gajser sixth. The remaining top ten was Fernandez, Vlaanderen, Adamo and Oliver.

The track, despite being a favourite for many of the riders just isn’t producing close racing, which is a pity. Fast and hard-pack will do that. Lap 12 and the lead by Coenen was 3.6 seconds, with Febvre seven seconds back, and then came Jonass, Renaux, Gajser, Fernandez, Vlaanderen, Adamo and Oliver.

Herlings was closing the gap on Coenen late in the moto, and had the lead down to around two seconds with Coenen in his vision, but then the Dutchman crashed and handed Coenen an easy victory. Coenen first, Herlings second and Febvre third.

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 1 - Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:20.060; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:04.641; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:16.549; 4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:33.768; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:37.832; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:40.246; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:44.525; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:50.171; 9. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +1:09.455; 10. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:10.640; 11. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:12.644; 12. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +1:22.581; 13. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +1:26.094; 14. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:37.426; 15. Romain Pape (FRA, Yamaha), +1:41.615; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Fantic), +1:50.659; 17. Slade Smith (RSA, Yamaha), +1:57.428; 18. Cameron Anthony Durow (RSA, KTM), +1:58.383; 19. Jayden Proctor (RSA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 20. Matthew Malan (RSA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 21. Matthew Correia (RSA, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 22. Johan Vogelesang (RSA, KTM), -2 lap(s); 23. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), -8 lap(s); 24. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), -11 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 541 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 476 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 423 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 388 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 353 p.; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 329 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 319 p.; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 273 p.; 9. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 272 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 260 p.; 11. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 217 p.; 12. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 190 p.; 13. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 173 p.; 14. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 161 p.; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 148 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 91 p.; 17. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 90 p.; 18. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 70 p.; 19. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 69 p.; 20. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 50 p.