Image: Supplied.

Honda HRC’s Tim Gajser has been overwhelmed with emotion after clinching his second premier class MXGP World Championship at Imola on Sunday, the title coming after enduring two difficult and injury-riddled seasons.

Gajser, who captured the 2016 MXGP crown one year after being crowned the MX2 world champion, remained a dominant force in the 2019 series, stretching out an unbeatable 183-point advantage in the standings following a P3 overall placing in Italy.

“It is just an amazing feeling to have won this third world championship,” Gajser expressed. “To fight back after two really tough years and to even overcome a difficult round earlier in the year, it is just really, really great to have become champion.

“A big thanks to all of Team HRC, both here at the races and back in Japan who have supported me throughout this period, during the good and the bad. It is a real family I have under this awning and I am truly thankful to be riding with them for so long. We have all worked extremely hard this year to improve myself and the Honda CRF450RW but it has worked amazingly well.

“We have had great starts, zero issues, and I just feel really comfortable each time I get on the track, whatever the conditions. I am struggling to say much more but it really has been an incredible experience and I’m so glad that a lot of fans from Slovenia could come out and witness this moment too.

“My previous wins have been in the USA, but now to have so much support here at Imola, and just throughout this year is something I am really appreciative of. Thank you to everyone who has been with me on this journey, fans team members, everyone, it means so much to me.”

Three rounds still remain in the MXGP World Championship, with the next stop – round 16 – scheduled for this weekend at Uddevalla in Sweden.