Kay de Wolf tightened the MX2 title race to just 12 points with a composed 2-2 at the MXGP of Turkey, while teammate Liam Everts fought to a pair of fifths for sixth overall at round eighteen.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing kept their MX2 world title hopes alive in Afyonkarahisar, as Kay de Wolf delivered a pair of second places to cut the championship gap to twelve points with just two Grands Prix left. Team-mate Liam Everts added consistency with two P5 finishes for sixth overall, strengthening his grip on seventh in the standings.
Turkey staged its ninth MXGP – and eighth at the Afyon Motor Sports Center – at over a thousand metres above sea level. The altitude thinned the air and forced the FC 250s into tighter margins of throttle control, while the weekend’s weather added another layer of challenge. Saturday was gusty and unsettled, but Sunday dried into perfect racing conditions, the 1,800 – metre hard – pack baked slick and technical by race time.
De Wolf had already signalled intent in Saturday’s qualifying heat by finishing P2 and clipping four points from Simon Längenfelder’s lead. In Sunday’s opener de Wolf’s start was electric, second only to Coenen, and he managed the race with authority. He held the gap steady mid – moto while absorbing Längenfelder’s pressure, then dug in over the closing laps to keep the KTM rider at bay and secure second. Another two points were trimmed from the championship margin.
Everts backed him well. Third in the early laps, he played the perfect wingman by resisting Längenfelder’s first charge, then regrouped after a tricky middle stint to claw back ground for a strong fifth at the flag.
Race two asked for patience. From sixth at the start, de Wolf carved his way forward with clean passes – into fifth by lap two, fourth by lap eight and past Coenen for third by lap ten. He then launched after Längenfelder, setting the Acerbis Fastest Lap at 1:56.2 on the final tour. The gap came down to 1.4 seconds but the win remained just out of reach. Another second place, however, made his 38th MX2 podium – and fifteenth as runner – up – count for much more: the deficit to Längenfelder now just twelve points.
Everts again mirrored the rhythm. Settling in seventh early, he found his flow in the latter stages, climbing to sixth by lap twelve and snatching fifth in the final laps. Thirtytwo points across the weekend underlined his steady late – season form.
As the series heads to China and then Australia for the finale, the numbers are clear: Längenfelder leads on 833, de Wolf has 821, however the title chase remains wide open, and Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing carry both speed and belief into the season’s final flyaways.
#1 – Kay de Wolf: “Race one was all about being smart and consistent, and I managed the pace well under pressure. In race two I showed I was the fastest on track but just ran out of time at the end. We’ve cut the gap to twelve points, which is exactly what we needed, and the bike felt great in both motos. I’m really looking forward to China and then Australia – it’s going to be an exciting finish to the season.”
#72 – Liam Everts: “Two solid motos today. In the first race I felt strong early on, lost a bit of rhythm mid – race but fought back well for fifth. The second was similar – I stayed calm, kept it clean, and pushed hard in the last laps to get into the top five again. Going 5 – 5 is consistent, good points for the championship, and a step in the right direction. Big thanks to the whole Nestaan Husqvarna team for giving me a great bike and the support to keep building.”
Results – 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Eighteen:
MX2 – Overall:
1. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 45pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 44pts; 3. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 43pts; 6. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 32pts; 9. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 25pts;
MX2 – Moto One:
1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:04.806; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:10.679; 3. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 35:15.093; 5. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:21.052; 8. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:23.764;
MX2 – Moto Two:
1. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 35:21.984; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:23.551; 3. Guillem Farres (Triumph) 35:34.174; 4. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:35.178; 5. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:36.488; 9. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:58.780;
