- Fifth Overall in Tensfeld
- Race Podium in Moto 3
- Strong Comeback in Moto 2
Just one week after the race in Bielstein, the second half of the ADAC MX Masters season kicked off in Tensfeld. At the beginning of the week, a small fracture in the wrist was confirmed, highlighting Max’s fighting spirit in Bielstein. He used the week to treat the injury as best as possible. “The wrist has made good progress, and I’m confident that riding in the sand at Tensfeld will be much better than on the hard-packed track with all the downhill sections last weekend,” Max said optimistically ahead of the event.
With fourth place in qualifying group A – the faster group – Max secured a strong starting position for the three main races. In the first moto, he got into second place behind championship leader Max Nagl in the opening lap and held that spot for the first half of the race before being passed by eventual race winner Hakon Fredriksen and then by Roan Van de Moosdijk a lap later.
“My riding was pretty solid, and the wrist held up well. But I couldn’t really push or attack. I’m also still struggling a bit with my lungs. All in all, though, I’m fairly satisfied with the result, considering the circumstances,” Max explained.
In Sunday’s second race, Max didn’t get a good jump out of the gate and found himself in 27th after the first lap. He steadily worked his way forward lap after lap and moved into ninth with two laps to go, a position he defended to the finish ahead of Nagl, who also had to come from far behind.
“I lost my balance right at the moment the gate dropped, so I had a lot of work ahead of me. But I was happy with how I rode and found some good lines. My hands, however, really took a beating,” Max reported after the race.
In the third and final moto, Max came out of the first lap in third, passed Noah Ludwig and moved into second behind Fredriksen. In the final third of the race, Simon Längenfelder got past, but Max managed to hold onto third ahead of Tensfeld overall winner Van de Moosdijk. In the overall standings for the weekend, Max finished fifth – tied on points with fourth and just one point shy of third. In the championship, he remains third behind Van de Moosdijk but was able to close the gap to leader Nagl.
“The race went really well. I just missed the holeshot but quickly moved into second and was able to ride my own lines in my own rhythm. After the second moto didn’t go so well, this was a strong way to end the weekend. Now I’ll focus on recovery and rest. That’s why I won’t be racing the MXGP in Loket next weekend, but I plan to be back for my next Grand Prix in Lommel,” said a satisfied Max.
Results:
Quali: 7 (4 in Group A)
Moto 1: 4
Moto 2: 9
Moto 3: 3
Overall: 5
Championship: 3
