September 30th, 2024.
Dunlop rider Kay de Wolf has been crowned the 2024 FIM MX2 Motocross World Champion, concluding an intense championship battle with his teammate Lucas Coenen at the weekend’s MXGP of Castilla la Mancha. De Wolf, equipped with Dunlop Geomax tyres, clinched the championship by finishing fourth overall in Cózar, enough to secure the title in the highly competitive series and become Dunlop’s first ever MX2 champion.De Wolf, 19, is competing in only his second full-time MX2 campaign but is fast becoming one of the biggest stars in motocross. From the start of the season, the Nestaan Husqvarna rider established himself as one the riders to beat, taking a hat-trick of overall Grand Prix wins at the opening three rounds in Argentina, Spain and Sardegna and continuing his winning streak with further triumphs in Indonesia, Czech Republic, Flanders and Switzerland.
De Wolf has been locked in a season-long battle for the championship lead with teammate Lucas Coenen, who is also equipped with Dunlop tyres. Coenen has earned nine overall victories this season, resulting in a dominant 1-2 finish in the championship for the Dunlop-backed Nestaan Husqvarna team. Together, the duo have claimed 16 of the 20 possible overall victories in the 2024 season, underscoring Dunlop’s ability to inspire confidence across a wide range of terrains.
Just like in the top MXGP class and the WMX category, teams that choose Dunlop tyres in MX2 have access to a range of Dunlop Geomax motocross tyres. This range includes the sand-focused Geomax MX14, designed to provide traction on loose surfaces, and the latest addition to Dunlop’s lineup, Geomax MX34, which has become the tyre of choice for riders on a wide range of soft, mud and intermediate surfaces, and in variable weather conditions. Geomax MX53 offers further capability on hardpack surfaces.
“The performance and reliability of Dunlop’s Geomax range has been a key factor in our success, delivering the grip and traction needed to push hard and stay ahead of the competition,” explains de Wolf. “Winning the championship this season wouldn’t have been possible without riding on Dunlop tyres as they really help me push the bike to the limit. I think we have an excellent choice of tyres at the moment; we’ve been really strong at different tracks this season and have consistently outperformed other teams.”
Dunlop continues to build on its impressive track record in the FIM Motocross World Championship with de Wolf’s title win, despite all classes in the championship having open tyre competition. Since 2012, Dunlop tyres have taken 11 of the last 13 WMX victors to championship success. Italian racer Kiara Fontanesi has claimed six of these titles, while New Zealander Courtney Duncan has secured four. Now, Lotte van Drunen adds her name to that list following her impressive championship victory at the MXGP of Turkey.
Dunlop also remains the choice for race-winning teams competing in the top MXGP class. This season, Dunlop riders Pauls Jonass and Romain Febvre achieved a 1-2 finish at the MXGP of Portugal, riding for Standing Construct Honda MXGP Team and Kawasaki Racing Team, respectively. Last season, Dunlop helped Febvre secure six overall victories across seven race weekends, ultimately going on to claim second place in the championship standings. In the United States, Dunlop Geomax tyres continue to be the top choice for most riders in AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, having helped secure every title in both championships since 2010.
Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, commented: “Congratulations to Kay for his resounding MX2 championship win. This achievement highlights both his exceptional talent and the performance of Dunlop Geomax tyres. With Kay clinching the title and teammate Lucas finishing second, it’s evident that Dunlop provides the traction and reliability needed for incredible success in top-level motocross. We’re thrilled to have contributed to the success of both Nestaan Husqvarna riders this season and look forward to continuing our support for motocross riders of all levels in years to come.”
The FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) concludes this weekend. Dunlop riders and Kawasaki Racing MXGP teammates, Jeremy Seewer and Romain Febvre, currently sit in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
www.dunlopmotorcycle.co.uk