One of the best rounds for me of the 2024 MXGP championship will be run this weekend and you can be sure, this circuit in the desert in Turkey will produce brilliant racing, as it often does.

As Herlings mentioned to us after his win in Arnhem, he has domination on every occasion he has raced Turkey. Turkey first ran at the Afyon circuit in 2018, and it was the year Herlings was near unbeatable in the MXGP championship. He won Turkey with 1-1 scores, second was Gajser with 3-2. In a surprise, Prado finished sixth overall in MX2 with 3-7 results.

“I have never lost in Turkey,” Herlings grinned to us a week ago. I won there in 2018, I won there in 2019, and I won in 2021 twice, so I have won four of four in Turkey, and I won the only race we have done in China. Switzerland, I won a while ago, but it was a different location. I didn’t do great there last year.

HRC team manager Pereira de Freitas is sure his man, Tim Gajser will put in a solid effort after his victory in Switzerland. Monentum is with the Slovenian, and he loves the Turkish circuit.

"Yes, we were in a position that we had to win some races. That was clear, we couldn’t go to Switzerland and lose more points, and we might not be able to gain them again, so, as I said, we needed to show to the two riders there, that we were capable to win races. The speed was always there, but Tim just needed to put it all together. The only good outcome for us was that Tim win in Switzerland and luckily, he did it. It was a good boost for the team and for Tim. We are now going to Turkey, China and Spain and those type of circuits suit him better.

Whatever happens it Turkey, it is clear Gajser and Herlings might have an advantage over Prado, but if Prado gets a start and can run away, its hard to see either guy running him down. We have seen Prado suffer in mud, but for now the forecast for Turkey is 27 degrees and sun and we all know that Turkey usually turns on the great weather for us. My pick is a Herlings win in Turkey, followed by Gajser and then Prado.