Italian Mx Prestige Championship Round 3 Faenza

 

The third round of the Italian Mx Prestige Championship was held at Faenza over the weekend that has just ended, which saw the return to competition of Alessandro Lupino, after the protracted appendicitis aftermath. Alessandro, despite not yet at 100% fitness, returned in preparation for the next round of the MXGP World Championship.

 

The track of Faenza immediately put Alessandro at ease, who immediately found a great feeling in qualifying, going on to score the best performance of his group and the second in the Overall standings.

 

At the start of Race 1 Lupino was hit by an opponent at the first corner after the start, resulting in a fall. Starting again in the last positions, with a great comeback, Alessandro managed to climb the classification up to tenth place.

 

In Race 2, Lupino staged an excellent manche. After a careful start, Alessandro managed to stay close to the best, not making any mistakes and finishing in fourth place.

 

Alessandro Lupino ended his day in sixth position.

 

Next appointment for the Beta SDM Corse Team next week, with the Spanish GP scheduled in Madrid.

 

Daniele Marchese commented the race as follows: “Return to racing for Alessandro after another week of stop, to try to recover as best as possible after the post-operative appendicitis infection. Alessandro still has some pains that limit his action a lot, especially with the prolonged effort in the race. Unfortunately, in Race 1 he was hit by an opponent both at the start and on the first lap and had to recover from the back. It went better in Race 2 where he brought home a good fourth place without pushing too hard.”

Sensational Double Podium for Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 Team in Sardinia as Van de Ven Claims WMX Championship Lead

Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250’s Andrea Bonacorsi celebrated an emotional maiden EMX250 round win at the MXGP of Sardinia, round four of the EMX250 Championship. The 18-year-old Italian was joined on the podium by teammate Rick Elzinga, who finished on the second step rewarding the Hutten Metaal Yamaha outfit with its first double-podium success. Dave Kooiker secured a career-best fourth overall.  

In addition to the EMX250 Championship, a hard-fought weekend of racing in the deep sand of Riola paid dividends to Ceres 71 Yamaha’s Nancy van de Ven at the third round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. The five-time WMX silver medallist bounced back from her struggles in Race 1 with an emphatic win in Race 2 to finish second overall at the WMX round of Sardinia. As a result, she now leads the championship by 12-points over Race 1’s runner-up, Lynn Valk. 

Dutch and Belgian riders are renowned for their mind-blowing ability to ride sand. Last weekend, it was evidenced by the incredible performances of Yamaha’s fastest Dutch riders in both WMX and EMX250 categories. Starting with EMX250, the Dutch-based Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team celebrated a milestone achievement, with all three riders finishing inside the top three in Race 1. 

The opening race was an absolute thriller with Elzinga and Kooiker going bar-to-bar for the win. And after dicing the position for the entire 25-minute plus two lap race duration, it was Elzinga who took the checkers ahead of Bonacorsi, who put a stunning pass on Kooiker two turns from home. Kooiker still finished third for his best-ever EMX250 race finish. 

In the second race on Sunday morning, the EMX250 riders were again pushed to the limits. The circuit was rough and brutal, and the 30-degree heat only added to the intensity. Going from strength to strength, Bonacorsi charged hard from third to celebrate his first race win of the season and his first-ever EMX250 overall victory. 

Elzinga struggled to find his rhythm around the grueling sand circuit but still put in an incredible ride for third in Race 2 and second overall. At the same time, Kooiker fell short of energy at the end of the race after using every last ounce in the opening race. The tall Dutchman still hung on for seventh, which was enough to secure his best-ever EMX250 class finish, fourth overall. 

At the end of the Sardinian Grand Prix, Elzinga remains second in the Championship Standings but has moved within 4-points of the series leader. At the same time, Bonacorsi has moved into fourth and is only 4-points shy of third, while Kooiker has moved up to 16th.  

The next round of the EMX250 series will take place on June 4th and 5th in Ernee, France. 

Hailing from the sand capital of the world, The Netherlands, Valk and van de Ven were in their element. Both Dutch stars got off to great starts in Race 1 on Saturday with van de Ven having the initial advantage before she was shuffled back to second by Valk on the opening lap. After chasing the championship leader for a lap, van de Ven felt a loss of power and pulled into pit lane on lap-2.

Valk continued to lead the first five laps, but as the temperatures continued to rise above 30 degrees Celsius, she started to back off to conserve energy. At that moment, another Dutch rival, Shana van der Vlist took the lead and charged to her first race win of the season. Valk kept her cool knowing there will be another tough and demanding race to win on Sunday, and settled for second position, while van de Ven rejoined the race and put in an incredible charge from outside of the top-15 to finish sixth.

Bouncing back with a vengeance in Race 2, van de Ven powered her YZ250F to an all-important holeshot and led every lap for her second race win of the season. In contrast, it was utter heartbreak for Valk, who suffered a technical issue on lap-3 and could not finish the race. 

As a result, van de Ven collected her third consecutive piece of podium silverware on the second step of the box and is the new WMX Championship leader. 

The next round of the WMX World Championship will be at the MXGP of Spain in Madrid on the 28th and 29th of May.

Yamaha leads the Manufacturer’s Standings in both classes. 

Podium Celebrations for Geerts & Benistant in Sardinia

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts maintains the MX2 Championship Lead after a thrilling Grand Prix in which he tied on points with the eventual Grand Prix winner, Tom Vialle. With both riders celebrating a win and a second-place finish, the Grand Prix victory was awarded to the winner of the final race, which was Vialle. Nevertheless, the Belgian sensation was satisfied with second-overall and has retained the championship leaders’ red plate. Teammate Thibault Benistant celebrated his first podium finish of 2022 after two third-place finishes for third overall.

The MXGP of Sardinia got off to the perfect start for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, with both riders powering their YZ250FMs to the front of the field in the MX2 Qualifying Race. Benistant took the holeshot and the early race lead but was quickly shuffled back to second by his hard-charging teammate, Geerts, who stormed to his fifth Qualifying Race win of the season. With temperatures rising above 30 degrees Celsius, Benistant remained calm and finished an unrivalled second. 

Similar to the qualifying heat, Benistant got off to another incredible start and took the holeshot ahead of his teammate Geerts and the former World Champion, Tom Vialle. Geerts quickly took the lead and resisted a relentless attack from Vialle, who also passed Benistant, to secure his eighth race win of the season. At the same time, Benistant let the front runners go but was easily the third fastest rider around the testing sand circuit this weekend, which is where he finished. 

After starting eighth, Geerts had more work to do in Race 2 but wasted no time in charging forward to take second position from his hot-starting teammate, Benistant, on lap two. From there, the Belgian had to shave down a 2.5-second lead to Vialle. Using his best sand-riding prowess, the ‘93’ managed to catch Vialle and challenged the leader to the flag but eventually lost out by 0.3. 

Taking full advantage of a good gate pick, Benistant took another holeshot and charged to another smooth-sailing third-place finish for his first podium finish of 2022 – and second-ever podium finish of his MX2 career. 

After an incredible weekend in the sand of Sardinia, Geerts remains at the top of the Championship Standings with a 6-point advantage over Vialle. At the same time, Benistant has moved up to 11th in the points. As a result, Yamaha continues to lead the Manufacturers’ Championship by 8-points over KTM. 

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team now looks forward to a weekend off before heading to Madrid, Spain, for the ninth round of the series, which will take place on the weekend of May 29th. 

For full results from the MX2 Grand Prix of Sardinia, click here. 

Jago Geerts

2nd MX2 Grand Prix of Sardinia, 47-points

MX2 Championship Leader, 338-points

“It was a tough GP with a really rough track, and the hot weather didn’t make it any easier. I put together two good motos today. In the first, I took the lead on the first or second lap and just kept a good pace until the end. Tom (Vialle) was also pushing me, so I knew the second race would also be tough. Tom had a better start in the second heat, which made it easier for him and harder for me as I tried to follow him. I ended up second overall, but with no big mistakes, and the same points and the winner, so it was a good day.”

Thibault Benistant

3rd MX2 Grand Prix of Sardinia, 40-points

11th MX2 Championship Standings, 153-points

“My weekend was good in the end with a podium. I had a good Qualifying Race and two holeshots today, which is a really positive point and something I am really happy about. I felt pretty good; I managed my race and my energy well because this track is really tough, maybe one of the toughest of the year. I wanted this podium so bad because I have come close a couple times this year, but I got it done and I am really happy about that.”

Vlaanderen Dominates MXGP of Sardinia as Coldenhoff Celebrates First Podium Finish of the Season  

Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha’s Calvin Vlaanderen made history today at the eighth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Riola-Sardo, Sardinia, dominating every session on track to celebrate his and the teams’ first-ever race and Grand Prix win. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Glenn Coldenhoff boosted Yamaha’s podium success, celebrating the MXGP of Sardinia on the third step. At the same time, teammates Maxime Renaux & Jeremy Seewer rounded out the top five. 

Stifling hot temperatures paired with a physically demanding deep sand track made the MXGP of Sardinia the ultimate test of man and machine. On Saturday, the riders had to gamble their energy in terms of how much time they spent on track and how much effort they put into the Qualifying Race with the goal being to conserve as much energy as possible for Sunday. And despite their best efforts for an easy and smooth sailing Qualifying Race, it turned out to be anything but. 

Seewer got off to a great start but fell at turn one and had to start from last place, as Coldenhoff and Renaux emerged inside the top-10. Hailing from the sand capital of the world, The Netherlands, Coldenhoff was in his element as he charged past some of MXGP’s most formidable competitors to take third from Jorge Prado on the final lap. Renaux also showed great form but was caught in an unavoidable incident when Prado crashed right in front of him. Nevertheless, the Frenchman was able to finish sixth. Seewer, however, had a race ruined by mistakes while battling some bike set-up issues, and after another two crashes, he finished 18th. 

While the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP riders posted a mixed bag of results, the star of day was Vlaanderen who started inside the top-three and powered his YZ450F past Prado to take an emphatic race win, and his first-ever Pole Position since entering the MXGP class back in 2020.

Dealing with hot conditions again on Sunday, Vlaanderen continued his astonishing charge. The tall South African did not get off to the best start but was in a league of his own when it came to his speed around the deep, rough and physically demanding circuit of Riola. While many riders faded in the challenging conditions, the South African excelled, and after passing the current MXGP Championship Leader with 2-laps remaining, he stormed to an astonishing race win – the first of his MXGP-class career.

While Vlaanderen stole the spotlight in Race 1, Seewer’s performance also did not go unnoticed as he bounced back from his Qualifying Race woes. The ‘91’ made the most of a difficult situation with 18th gate pick and powered his YZ450FM to a top-10 start. Aware that the conditions would push the limits of his race preparation and the stamina of the riders around him, Seewer put in some solid and consistent laps and made some excellent passes on his way to fourth. 

At the same time, Renaux and Coldenhoff had to dig deep after Renaux fell from second position at turn two on the race line, which meant a bunch of riders, including ‘The Hoff’ were caught in the carnage. After breaking free from the incident, the duo went to work, both showing phenomenal pace as they posted lap times as quick as the leaders while carving their way through the field. 

At the flag, Renaux recovered from another two mistakes to finish sixth, while Coldenhoff struggled to find his rhythm and finished eighth. 

The second race was also marked by Vlaanderen’s dominance and sand-riding prowess. The number ‘10’ charged from fourth past Ruben Fernandez and Pauls Jonass to take the lead from Prado on lap 8. From there, the break-out star stormed to another phenomenal race win. 

At the same time, Coldenhoff was second at the flag after some incredible passes on his way from sixth position, while Renaux powered to fourth after starting on the cusp of the top-10. Seewer was also running a hot pace but fell from fourth with less than 10-minutes on the clock but still fought back to finish sixth. 

Yamaha ended the MXGP of Sardinia with four YZ450Fs inside the top five and leaves the sandy beach-like circuit with all three Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP riders inside the top-five in the MXGP Championship Standings. Renaux remains second in the points; Seewer is third and Coldenhoff is fifth. 

Vlaanderen’s success with a Qualifying Race win followed by two Championship Race wins and the Grand Prix overall in the same weekend comes as a first for Yamaha since Romain Febvre aboard a Monster Energy Yamaha Factory YZ450FM back at the MXGP of Czech Republic in 2019. And as a result, the Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha rider has jumped to ninth in the MXGP Championship Standings. His results this weekend were the first of his career in every way. Previously, his best result was a pair of fourths; both were in 2021, one was here in Riola-Sardo, and one was in Maggiora.

For full results from the MXGP of Sardinia, click here. 

The next round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will be in Madrid, Spain, on the weekend of May 29th. 

Calvin Vlaanderen

MXGP of Sardinia Winner, 50-points

9th MXGP Championship Standings, 178-points

“I’m speechless. Honestly, it was the perfect weekend. I was first in every single session that mattered; first in Timed Practice, first in Qualifying and first in both motos. I don’t know what to say; it is just years and years of hard work. This is what I have dreamed of; to become a MXGP class winner. To be here right now it’s like a dream. I just wish my family was here and everyone from back home.”

Glenn Coldenhoff

3rd MXGP of Sardinia, 35-points

5th MXGP Championship Standings, 234-points 

“The first race didn’t start so well. Somebody crashed in front of me in the second turn and I had to come all the way from the back. But also, coming into this weekend I have been sick all week and we did everything we could to line up here healthy, but it seemed like it was staying with me. In the second race, I had a better start and saw Calvin (Vlaanderen) pushing hard straight away, so it felt a bit like a Dutch race for me because we have been battling in the Dutch Championship all season. I wanted to go with him, but I couldn’t follow today, so congratulations to Calvin, he was riding so good. I still had a good feeling on the bike, it’s good to be back on the podium. It’s been a tough road, but I always knew I could do it, and here we are again.”

Maxime Renaux

4th MXGP of Sardinia, 33-points

2nd MXGP Championship Standings, 288-points

“It was a tough weekend like we expected, really hot weather and a brutal track. In the first race I crashed in the second corner and crashed twice in the first lap. To start dead last and push to sixth was really good. I messed up the second corner again in the second moto, and had to come from a little bit further back, so I was really tired at the end of the moto after using a lot of energy in the first race. Not the best day for me, but still good points for the championship.”

Jeremy Seewer

5th MXGP of Sardinia, 33-points

3rd MXGP Championship Standings, 264-points

“I struggled so much with bike set-up yesterday. We’ve made the bike work really well on the hardpack, but in the sand, there is still some room for improvement and yesterday I struggled a lot. I lost a lot of confidence yesterday, so to come back from that was mentally tough and I am happy I did it. I am satisfied with the result; maybe one small crash too much, but it’s racing. It’s how it goes. I still collected good points and managed to set up my bike really good. In the second moto I was feeling really strong, and my fitness is also very good. Overall, there are a lot of positives to take into the next few races, so I look forward to that, and being back on the podium again.”

KAY DE WOLF RULED OUT OF THIS WEEKEND’S MXGP OF SARDEGNAMIDWEEK CYCLING INCIDENT SIDELINES DE WOLF WITH HAND INJURY.

Kay de Wolf of the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team will miss the Grand Prix of Sardegna, the eighth round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, after being struck by a motorist whilst cycling after a very productive day of riding on Wednesday, May 11.

The motorist took full blame for the incident that left de Wolf with a clean fracture of one of the metacarpal bones in his hand. De Wolf has been put in a cast for a short period and will strive to return to racing aboard his FC 250 as quickly as possible.

Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): « What can I say? The season so far is difficult to describe without using any cuss words. First and foremost, it is important to mention that in a situation where Kay was so extremely unlucky to be involved in this, he was also very lucky that he did not hurt himself more. It is difficult to accept a situation like this, as the driver of the car took full blame. Kay was just doing his recovery cycle after a good final day of preparation on the bike for the sand of Riola Sardo this weekend. It is what it is, and we will not give up! »

11 MAY 2022

Romain Febvre rides through pain barrier

Romain Febvre successfully rode his factory Kawasaki twice last week in Belgium. The 2021 MXGP World Championship runner-up will continue his recuperation with the full support of the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP.

Four weeks after renewed surgery to undertake a bone-graft on his right leg Romain Febvre had a further appointment with his surgeon on Tuesday and underwent several medical examinations to evaluate the situation. “Of course I would want it to go faster but the healing process is going normally; the bone-graft is looking good even if it will still take some time for the bone to be definitively consolidated,” explained Romain who made several short test-sessions on his bike last week before this latest visit to his surgeon. “In fact we wanted to know how painful my leg was when riding a bike, and also to see how my leg felt a few hours after a training session. They were not long sessions, but they were enough for me to evaluate the pain and for my doctor to understand how my body had reacted,” he continued. As the medical examinations were encouraging it’s now up to Romain to determine his future training programme. “My doctor told me that the pain-level will guide me, and it’s up to me to decide the frequency and the intensity of the training sessions on the bike. At the moment the plan is to progress step-by-step, and to determine the evolution. It’s too early to consider a date to be back racing; time will tell us,” he added, although of course he is impatient to once again line-up at the start-gate alongside his teammate Ben Watson.
After his impressive second moto at Maggiora on Sunday, where he took the holeshot award and finished fourth, Watson will line up this weekend at Riola Sardo (Sardinia) for the eighth round of the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.
 
Antti Pyrhonen (KRT team manager): “We are very happy that Romain is reaching the next stage in his recovery and can start riding! We have all been waiting for this moment and we are looking forward to continuing the work together at the track, but we will do this carefully step-by-step. And we are convinced that it will also help Ben, who gave a strong performance last weekend in Maggiora, to have Romain at his side when training.”

The weekend started off well for the Big Van World MTX Kawasaki Team, with a good warm-up and timed qualifying. Mikkel Haarup went pole by over a second giving a great setup for the qualifying race. A top ten start allowed the Dane to finish in 5th overall in the qualifying race. 

With the weather amplifying Maggiora’s tricky conditions, the first few corners were vital. Despite missing the first corner crash the slippy conditions caused Haarup to lose a few positions a couple of corners later. Working his way from 12th to 7th he had his eyes on a push for 6th near the end but was unable to make the pass with the track conditions. 

For race two unfortunately Mikkel was caught up in the initial first corner carnage, some impressive riding propelled him through the pack to the top ten in the first lap. He then slowly worked his way past his fellow riders into 5th where he would eventually finish. Having secured 30 points over the two races Haarup was able to retain his 5th Position in the World Championship standings before heading to Sardinia this weekend. Mikkel Haarup
Qualifying – 5
Race 1 – 7
Race 2 – 5
Overall – 6

Steve Dixon – Manager 

« With the weather not looking so good in Maggiora, warm-up and timed practice went well with Mikkel going pole by a second. A P5 in the qualifying race wasn’t too bad, we need to push for wins in that qualifying race to really secure a base for Sunday. A couple of starts in the first corner with the mud didn’t go in our favour, especially the first one he got caught, but pushed well to come back to 7th. He did post the fastest lap time by one second so we know the speed is there. In the second race, he again had a tough start but came through the pack to finish in 5th. On the one hand, we’re annoyed to only come away with 30 points which is a good place to be in I suppose. Maggiora wasn’t a strong place for Haarup here last year so there’s huge improvement there. When you’ve been on the podium three times in a row it’s easy to get greedy, but all the races like this add up for the bigger goal of championship positions. Next up is the deep sand of Sardinia. Regarding Courtney, she will probably have a first ride out on Wednesday but she won’t be riding in Sardinia, it’s not worth pushing that soon. »

Mikkel Haarup – MX2

“I have mixed feelings with the day but I’m happy with my efforts and to come away with two decent motos and sixth overall. I knew this morning it would be a tricky day for me on this track. I didn’t have fantastic starts so I had to work my way up the field both motos; I felt I would have a better rhythm in the second moto but I spent a lot of energy in the first race, making a lot of mistakes and trying too much. “

WMX Championship Standings
12th Courtney Duncan – 32

MX2 Championship Standings
Tied 5th Mikkel Haarup – 211 points

Italy MXGP World Championship

 

The seventh round of the Motocross World Championship took place in Italy, on the track of Maggiora. The Beta SDM Corse Team was in full form for the home race with the return of Alessandro Lupino who, although not yet 100% of his physical condition after appendicitis surgery, did not want to miss Maggiora.

On Saturday, the Maggiora track surface was in excellent condition. Jeremy Van Horebeek was immediately at ease on the track, setting the fourth fastest time in timed practice, while Alessando Lupino achieved an excellent ninth time.

In the qualifying manche, Jeremy started with great attention to the treacherous first corner of Maggiora, and with an excellent race pace he finished in eighth position.
Alessandro tried to bring home a good placing, considering his physical condition was not yet at the top, and finished sixteenth.

During the night between Saturday and Sunday, rain fell copiously on Maggiora, affecting the performance of the terrain and making the ground very slippery and tricky.

Despite this, there was an excellent performance for Jeremy Van Horebeek in Race 1, the Belgian rider once again showed grit and determination, and with a race always among the best, he finished in seventh place. Alessandro Lupino improved his performance compared to Saturday, finishing 14th.

In Race 2 Van Horebeek was the author of another excellent performance, Jeremy was in seventh position for most of the race, and only in the last laps he gave up two positions due to a physical decline, finishing in ninth place. During the week Van Horebeek was affected by a virus that debilitated him. Alessandro Lupino, on the other hand, was unfortunately forced to retire, due to a recurrence of abdominal pain following his appendicitis operation. Van Horebeek closes the GP of Italy in eighth position.

The Beta SDM Corse Team now moves to Sardinia, for the eighth race of the season of the MXGP Championship.

Daniele Marchese commented the race: “For our team it was the home GP, and we are very happy with Jeremy’s performance, who has been very fast since the practice, closed with the fourth time. Van Horebeek was among the best for both races, even though he was debilitated by the virus that struck him in the past few days. Then Alessandro came back, even if he wasn’t at the top yet, having few hours of training after the operation, doing a good Race 1. We are satisfied to have finished once again in the top ten and to have consolidated the eighth position in the championship with Jeremy. In the next few days, we will check Alessandro’s condition ahead of the race in Sardinia”.

Campionato del Mondo MXGP Italia

 

Il settimo round del Mondiale Motocross si è corso in Italia, sulla pista di Maggiora. Il Team Beta SDM Corse si è presentato al completo per la gara di casa con il rientro di Alessandro Lupino che, anche se non ancora al 100% delle sue condizioni fisiche dopo l’intervento all’appendicite, non voleva mancare a Maggiora.

Nella giornata di sabato, il fondo della pista di Maggiora si è presentato in ottime condizioni. Jeremy Van Horebeek si è trovato subito a suo agio sul tracciato, facendo segnare nelle prove cronometrate il quarto tempo assoluto, mentre Alessando Lupino ha conquistato un ottimo nono tempo.

Nella manche di qualifica, Jeremy è partito facendo molta attenzione all’insidiosa prima curva di Maggiora, e con un ottimo passo gara ha concluso in ottava posizione.

Alessandro ha cercato di portare a casa un buon piazzamento, visto le sue condizioni fisiche non ancora al top, e ha concluso sedicesimo.

Nella notte tra sabato e domenica la pioggia è scesa copiosa su Maggiora, inficiando sulla resa del terreno di Maggiora e rendendo il fondo molto scivoloso e impegnativo.

Nonostante questo, si registra un’ottima prestazione per Jeremy Van Horebeek in Gara 1, il pilota belga ha messo in mostra ancora una volta grinta e determinazione, e con una manche sempre tra i migliori ha chiuso al settimo posto. Alessandro Lupino ha migliorato la sua performance rispetto al sabato, andando a conquistare la 14° piazza finale.

In Gara 2 Van Horebeek è stato autore di un’altra ottima performance, Jeremy è stato in settima posizione per gran parte della gara, e solo negli ultimi giri ha ceduto due posizioni a causa di un calo fisico, chiudendo al nono posto. In settimana Van Horebeek è stato colpito infatti da virus che lo ha debilitato. Alessandro Lupino invece è stato sfortunatamente costretto al ritiro, per il riacutizzarsi di dolori all’addome a seguito all’operazione all’appendicite. Van Horebeek chiude il Gp d’Italia in ottava posizione.

Il Team Beta SDM Corse si sposta ora in Sardegna, per l’ottava gara stagionale del campionato MXGP.

Daniele Marchese commenta così la gara: “Per il nostro team si è trattato del Gp di casa, e siamo molto contenti della performance di Jeremy, che è stato molto veloce fin dalle prove, chiuse con il quarto tempo. Van Horebeek è stato tra i migliori per tutte e due le gare anche se debilitato dal virus che lo ha colpito nei giorni passati. È poi rientrato Alessandro, anche se non era ancora al top, avendo poche ore di allenamento dopo l’operazione, facendo una buona Gara 1. Siamo soddisfatti per aver concluso ancora una volta nella top ten e aver consolidato l’ottava posizione in campionato con Jeremy. Nei prossimi giorni verificheremo le condizioni di Alessandro in vista della gara in Sardegna.”

Bonacorsi Nears EMX250 Podium in Maggiora 

Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250’s Andrea Bonacorsi showed his potential at the third round of the EMX250 Championship in Maggiora, Italy, last weekend. After finishing eighth in Race 1, the 18-year-old Italian ended his home Grand Prix with a superb top-three finish and narrowly missed the overall podium by a single point.  

With rain and stormy weather predicted for the Italian Grand Prix, the Infront Moto Racing track crew left the track un-watered and unripped ahead of racing on Saturday. But, as the rain did not arrive, the track ended up incredibly flat and extraordinarily fast. Nevertheless, it was the same for everyone, and it just meant that any mistake would be costly as making up time was difficult. 

In the opening race on Saturday afternoon, a cluster of riders came together on the start straight and caused some high-speed carnage. All three Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 riders managed to avoid the incident, but it came at the cost of a great start. Rick Elzinga emerged from turn one on the cusp of the top-five but was shuffled back to 15th after a few mistakes on the opening lap, while Dave Kooiker and Bonacorsi made up the top-10.

Bouncing back from a tough opening lap, Elzinga made a series of brilliant passes to finish seventh at the end of the 14-lap sprint, ahead of Bonacorsi, who had to push hard for eighth. Kooiker finished 16th after keeping up with the front-runners in seventh position for the first 7 laps.

As for Race 2, heavy overnight rain made the track very muddy and highly challenging. It was so much so that Elzinga decided not to do the sighting lap ahead of the race to keep his bike clean, which would mean less weight, and more power and traction off the start. But unfortunately, as soon as the gates fell, the tall Dutchman suffered a rare technical issue and had to withdraw from the race after one lap. 

In contrast, everything went right for Bonacorsi, who looked completely in his comfort zone. The Italian sensation powered his GYTR kitted YZ250F to a top-10 start and quickly set about his charge forward. Although the track had limited line choice, the ‘35’ never settled and was rewarded for his efforts with his first top three finish of the 2022 season – he was third. 

At the same time, Kooiker was a victim of the tricky conditions and crashed on the opening lap. Nevertheless, the young Dutchman mounted a comeback and managed to fight his way back to 19th. 

Combining the results from both races, Bonacorsi was classified fourth overall, while a null-point score in Race 2 dropped Elzinga to 15th. Kooiker ended the weekend 21st. 

The Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team will now travel to Riola-Sardo, in Sardinia, for the fourth round of the EMX250 series on May 14th and 15th. Elzinga is currently second in the championship chase, while Bonacorsi has moved to ninth. Kooiker is 21st. 

For full results from the EMX250 round of Italy, click here.  

Andrea Bonacorsi 

4th EMX250 Round of Italy, 34-points

“I’m feeling great! It has been a long time since I was top five, so I am coming back. I feel that I am stronger now than I was before so the goal will be to keep pushing. Today, we just missed the podium, but on one side that’s good because now I am extra motivated to push more to be there on the podium and will train hard this week to be ready for Riola.”

RACE REPORT Sunday, May 8th 2022

  MXGP of Italy 

MXGP 2022    Round 7 

Gajser continues his MXGP domination with another one-oneTeam HRC’s Tim Gajser put in another display of controlled speed, on a tricky Maggiora track to win both motos of the MXGP of Italy, making it seven moto wins in a row and extending his lead at the top of the MXGP championship to 81 points.

After a dry Saturday, the overnight rain turned this iconic venue into a tricky, muddy venue for the early morning sessions. However, by the time the MXGP class dropped their gate for the first time, the surface had dried considerably and this allowed for some creative line choices from the best motocross riders on the planet.

In both races, Gajser worked his way into the top three by the time they crossed the line for the first lap and after studying the riders in front, he worked out exactly when and where to pass them in what were further examples of just how much control his has over his nearest MXGP rivals. In race one, he waited until the final third of the race to make his move, whilst in race two it took him only four laps before he took the lead. And in both cases, he was able to pull out a gap immediately, and cruise to two more moto wins. This takes the Slovenian’s tally to 10 out of a possible 14 race wins, and six overalls out of seven in what is an extremely impressive start to the 2022 season.

Mitch Evans wasn’t able to replicate Gajser’s starts, but what he lacked in lap one, he more than made up for in the rest of the motos as the Australian was able to pass a total of 15 riders across the two races on what wasn’t an easy track to make moves. He ended up going 13-6 for ninth overall, but his performance in race two was especially impressive as his laptimes were right up there with his fellow Team HRC rider at the front of the field. With better starts, the #43 is now definitely becoming a top five threat and that will be his aim when the next round of the championship takes place next weekend, at the Riola Sardo track, located on the island of Sardinia. Gajser will also be hoping to continue his winning-streak and show his speed at what is the first really difficult deep-sand track of this 2022 campaign.

Tim Gajser   ²⁴³

Today the conditions were a lot different than yesterday and that allowed more lines to form, which gave me more opportunity to make the passes I needed. I was able to get two good starts and move into the top three in both races early on. From there, I just had to choose the right time and the right place to make my moves and try to control the race afterwards. The track certainly wasn’t easy after the rain but I enjoyed creating my own lines and I’m just really enjoying my riding out at the moment and this win was a nice moment. A big thank you to Team HRC for all their work with the bike, and just being great people to be alongside during a race weekend. Also thank you to all the fans who come to these races, it is much better this year having a good crowd to cheer us along.

             

Mitch Evans   ⁴³

Other than my starts, I had a good couple of races, especially race two where I came from 14th on lap one, to finish in sixth place. This was my best moto result of the season and it was such a nice confidence boost to be passing guys, coming through the field and pushing right until the very end. Of course, I’d prefer to be up front to begin with, but I know that will come as I am doing all the right things off the grid, so I’m just going to keep working hard and I’m sure next weekend in Riola will be much better. 

             

Marcus Pereira de Freitas

HRC General Manager – MXGP

Tim is just going from strength to strength, showing everyone not only his speed, but his improved ability to pick the right times to make his move. He knows that if he is near the front early on, he can make the necessary passes and that’s exactly what he has been doing. Seven race wins in a row is a massive achievement and testament to how well he is riding the Honda CRF450R and obviously we hope he can keep that run going as long as possible.
For Mitch, this was another mixed weekend, because other than the first lap, he was one of the best riders on the track. He easily passed more riders than anyone else in the field and him coming through to sixth was a great effort in race two. We are going to try and help him do whatever is necessary for getting his starts right, and I’m sure in Riola it will go a lot better. With over a third of the season gone, I must thank every member of Team HRC for all their hard work and for doing such a great job, and I’m excited for how the rest of the season will go.

A fourth for Ben Watson at Maggiora

Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Ben Watson raced to a magnificent fourth in the second moto of the Italian round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Maggiora Park.

Overtaking had already proven extremely difficult on Saturday around the ultra-fast hard-pack raceway and when it rained hard for much of the night passing moves were clearly going to be even more of a factor on race-day. Grip was at a minimum on the slippery main racing line with any tyre choice so team and rider made the conscious decision to go with the “scoop” rear tyre which should ensure optimal traction on the heavily-ripped start-straight. And this proved the case as Ben narrowly nearly made it across to the apex of turn one from his outside gate in the first moto and took a clear holeshot in race two. The polished racing line was still extremely slippery through the opening laps of race one and the Kawasaki rider was gradually pushed back from sixth at turn two to tenth but a mid-race shower provided more traction during the second half of the moto and he was able to pull back within sight of the top-six at the close. A perfect start and tremendous drive down the start-straight saw the Englishman sweep through the first turn several bike-lengths in front of the pack and maintain the lead for nearly two laps. Riding a controlled race to avoid mistakes he surrendered three places before the chequered flag but the tyre-choice tactic showed dividends as he finished well clear of any other chasers. Tenth- and fourth-placed finishes in the two motos were rewarded with sixth overall on the day and he is now eleventh in the series standings, just two points shy of the top ten, after seven of twenty rounds.
 
Ben Watson: “This result is a big, big relief and really nice, not just for me but for the entire team; everybody’s been working so hard and nobody has given up on me, so it was nice to finally bring something back to them. I still wasn’t feeling how I wanted yesterday; the track wasn’t technical enough in the dry so I was quite happy when it rained and they had ripped the track. There was still just one main dry line and you either had to take the risk of changing lines or wait for a mistake to pass so that’s why the start was so important and we again went with the scoop tyre as we had in Trentino. We sacrificed everything for the start and it paid off with two great starts and tenth and fourth at the finish for sixth overall. I always like the sand so to go to Riola next weekend on the back of a good result is great; I went 7-7 there last year so I’m really looking forward to the next Grand Prix. “

Geerts Extends MX2 Championship Lead with Magnificent Performance in Maggiora

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts celebrated a 13th career Grand Prix victory at the seventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, in Maggiora, Italy, and extended his championship lead out to 6-points over former World Champion Tom Vialle. Thibault Benistant ended a challenging day on the cusp of the top-10, in 11th. 

Changeable weather throughout the weekend made for a damp and testing Grand Prix of Italy. Overnight rain softened the rock-hard clay, making the tight and technical hilly circuit very rough and technical and incredibly ‘one-lined’. 

In dry conditions, Geerts managed the opening race of the weekend to perfection. The Belgian star powered his YZ250FM to a decent start and was quick to capitalize on a racing incident that included Benistant and his closest rival Tom Vialle. Inch-perfect from start to finish, the Yamaha star took the lead on the exit of turn three and romped to an unrivaled victory – the 27th of his career. 

Benistant was unlucky in his pursuit after another rider took him down in the turn three incident. The Frenchman remounted his YZ250FM in last and struggled to regroup, eventually ending the race in 15th position.

Rainfall ahead of the second and final race made the typically fast, hard pack track much trickier. Geerts took a cautious approach to the start of the race and took his time finding his flow before setting about his charge forward.

The Belgian started fifth and made some fantastic passes before inheriting second position from a fallen Kay Kassemakers on lap-4. Once in P.2 and with clear track ahead, the ‘93’ set his sights on the race leader, Vialle, and astonishingly whittled down a 5-second lead to ensure a dramatic final lap showdown. 

While the last lap was an absolute thriller with Geerts challenging Vialle to the flag, the conditions did not allow a pass, which forced the Yamaha ace to settle for second. However, he still won the Grand Prix with a 6-point advantage over his main championship rival. 

As for Benistant, the start was again his downfall. But, in contrast to the opening race, the 19-year-old Frenchman made better progress and managed to finish eighth. 

From Maggiora, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team will travel to Riola, Sardinia, for the eighth round of the MX2 World Championship, which will kick off in five days. 

For full results from the MX2 Grand Prix of Italy, click here. 

Jago Geerts

MX2 Grand Prix of Italy Winner, 47-points

MX2 Championship Leader, 291-points 

« I am really happy. Two consistent motos, two consistent starts and I felt good on track all weekend. I managed to stay out of trouble during the motos, which helped with good starts. I was riding well today, in the second race I did try to go for the win, and went for the pass on Tom (Vialle), but in the end the track was very one lined, and I made the push a bit late. So, I am happy with a 1-2 for today and already looking forward to next weekend in the deep sand. »

Thibault Benistant 

11th MX2 Grand Prix of Italy, 19-points

11th MX2 Championship Standings, 113-points

« My weekend was quite difficult. It’s quite difficult to accept this result, for the past few weeks I have been quite close to the podium, so to finish this far from it; it is quite difficult mentally. But, from here, we will keep working hard to come back strong. I was not riding completely free and flowing today, but I think after a few more training sessions it will come back. »

Double Podium Delight for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP in Maggiora 

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Seewer and Maxime Renaux shared the podium at the seventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Maggiora, Italy. Seewer returned to form with two second place finishes for second overall, while Renaux went 3-3 for third. As a result, ‘The Rookie’, Renaux, has moved up to second in the MXGP Championship Standings while Seewer has moved up to third. Glenn Coldenhoff made the most of an “off day” to round out the top-10 and remains fifth in the championship chase.

Making another positive step in its 2022 MXGP title campaign, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team celebrated its first double podium since Jeremy Seewer and Arnaud Tonus finished second and third at the MXGP of Asia in July 2019. 

The conditions at the MXGP of Italy were highly challenging today. Heavy rain and intermittent showers made the spectacular Maggiora MX Park circuit very technical and extremely one-lined.

In Race 1, Renaux powered his YZ450FM to a top-three start but was narrowly beaten to the holeshot line by Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha’s Calvin Vlaanderen. The Frenchman slotted in behind the South African, Vlaanderen, before making a pass for the lead on lap 7. 

Once at the front of the fray, Renaux focused on putting in some good laps while withstanding pressure from the Championship Leader Tim Gajser, who also passed the number ‘10’ of Vlaanderen on lap 7. But, at the halfway mark, rain began to fall, making the rough and rugged Italian clay extremely slippery. Renaux made an error and was edged back to second by Gajser with 8-minutes left on the clock. 

Seewer was on a charge after starting on the cusp of the top five. The ‘91’ showed phenomenal speed and a brilliant return to form as he stormed past some of the world’s most formidable MXGP challengers to take second position from Renaux with three laps remaining. 

At the flag, Seewer was second and Renaux was third despite crashing on the final lap. Vlaanderen held on for a season-best fourth place.

Coldenhoff started outside of the top-10 and was challenged by the one-lined nature of the circuit. Despite struggling to find his flow, he still fought back to eighth.

In much drier conditions, but with even less line selection, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP stars posted more positive points. Seewer and Renaux replicated the result of race one after starting inside the top five and passing Pauls Jonass and Ben Watson to finish inside the top three. At the same time, Coldenhoff struggled to bounce back from a crash and finished the final race in 12th. 

With all three riders inside the top five in the MXGP Championship Standings, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team is excited to head to Riola, Sardinia, for the eighth round of the MXGP series, which will take place on the weekend of May 15th.

For full results from the MXGP of Italy, click here. 

Jeremy Seewer 

2nd MXGP of Italy, 44-points 

3rd MXGP Championship Standings, 231-points

« It feels great to be on the podium and with two very solid second place finishes. Clearly being the second fastest today was very good, but I know it’s not my full potential. I still struggle with a few little things that I can improve. Just small details that could make the difference and have me battling with Tim (Gajser). But, for now I am happy with second. I didn’t try to push or force the issue to catch Tim. So it was just a big step forward and now I look forward to the racing to come. »

Maxime Renaux

3rd MXGP of Italy, 40-points 

2nd MXGP Championship Standings, 255-points

« I have to be happy with the result today because I was not happy with my riding. I didn’t ride like I know I can. I rushed a little bit and made some mistakes, which was not the best, but I have to see the positive. It’s still a podium in my rookie season and I stepped up to second in the championship. I also had two very consistent and good starts, so that was the main goal for this weekend. So, it’s a step forward and we keep learning and improving, looking to get closer to fight for the top step of the podium. » 

Glenn Coldenhoff 

10th MXGP of Italy, 22-points

5th MXGP Championship Standings, 199-points 

« It was a big off weekend, I guess. My starts were not good, and riding was also not the best. It was just an off day, 10th overall is not where I want to be, so it’s a terrible weekend, we will put it in the past and look to bounce back in Riola next weekend. »

VIALLE SPRINTS TO 2ND OVERALL AT MAGGIORA FOR THE ITALIAN GRAND PRIXMXGP 2022 Round 7 of 20, Maggiora, Italy

A third trip to Italy this season drew MXGP to the historic Maggiora Park circuit near Lago Maggiore, north of Milan and to the venue that hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 2021 as well as the 2016 Motocross of Nations. Tom Vialle captured 2nd position for his sixth top three appearance in 2022.

• Impressive five podium trophies in a row for Vialle and first Pole Position
• The Frenchman takes the new KTM 250 SX-F to results of 5th and 1st at an overcast and muddy Maggiora
• Vialle now has five moto wins from 14 in 2022
• The 2020 world champion sits 2nd in the MX2 standings with trips to Sardinia and Spain this month

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing continued their role as protagonists in the FIM MX2 World Championship. The series attacked the hard-packed and stony steep hills of Maggiora Park for round seven. Cloudy skies delivered occasional heavy showers so the Italian soil was sticky, rough and significantly slower on Sunday compared to Saturday.

Vialle started from Pole Position for the first time this season after a narrow victory during Saturday’s qualification heat race. The success allowed the #28 to place the KTM 250 SX-F first into the gate for Sunday. Rainfall overnight meant the track was wetter and thicker and ruttier as a result.

In the first moto Vialle made a great launch but was held-up in the third corner behind falling leader Mattia Guadagnini. Vialle had to pick-up, restart and regain ground to enter the top five. In the second race he was mere meters from seizing the holeshot but still grabbed the lead on the first lap and was then undisturbed all the way to the flag for his fifth race victory in 2022.

DIGA Procross KTM’s Liam Everts managed a career-best 4th in the first moto. The rookie was 13th in the second race for 8th overall.

Tom is now just six points behind Jago Geerts at the top of the MX2 standings. MXGP stays within Italian territory but crosses to the sapping sand of Riola Sardo for the Grand Prix of Sardinia next weekend.

Tom Vialle, 5th and 1st for 2nd overall in MX2: “I missed a little bit of luck in the first moto. My bike was completely blocked behind Mattia and I think a lot of riders crashed behind me. I felt like I was quite far down, maybe 15th or something, but I came back to 5th on a track that was pretty sketchy for passing. The result was not so bad. I almost had the holeshot in the second moto but still took the lead and led every lap. Jago came quite close but I was able to win. I’m quite happy because there were some positives to take from today and the new bike is working really well. We made some improvements and we had two great starts, which is great for the races to come.”

Results MX2 Italy 2022

1. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha 1-2

2. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 5-1

3. Stephen Rubini (FRA), Honda 2-6

4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 6-3

5. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 9-4

Standings MX2 2022 after 7 of 20 rounds

1. Jago Geerts, 291points

2. Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 285

3. Simon Laengenfelder, 216

4. Kay de Wolf, 211

5. Mikkel Haarup, 211

JEFFREY HERLINGS TO PREPARE FOR 2023 MXGP WITH FURTHER CORRECTIVE SURGERY2022 MXGP news

MXGP World Champion, Jeffrey Herlings, is likely to miss competitive action for the rest of the 2022 motocross season in order to undergo surgery on both left and right lower limbs and regain full conditioning and fitness for the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Herlings has not recovered sufficiently from the left heel he broke less than two weeks before the opening round of the 2022 campaign and the state of his foot means that a similar impact could cause further damage and setbacks.

After discussions at KTM’s Motorsport HQ in Munderfing, Austria, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing management together with Jeffrey decided to opt for two further medical procedures and miss both the rest of the 2022 MXGP term – which is now six rounds old – and the slight possibility of competing in the forthcoming AMA Pro National motocross series in the USA that begins at the end of this month.

The 27-year-old will have a plate removed and his left foot corrected and will also visit the operating theatre a second time for more repair work on his troublesome right foot to reduce the discomfort and inflexibility the Dutchman has been suffering. Recuperation and rehab from both processes means that ‘The Bullet’ can head into the winter, fit and ready to test and train with a view to a potential third MXGP title in 2023.

Herlings has been a Red Bull KTM stalwart since he entered the FIM Motocross World Championship with the factory team in 2010. He has claimed five titles: three in MX2 with the KTM 250 SX-F and two in MXGP with the 450 SX-F including one of the most dominant seasons in the modern era in 2018 and then the unforgettably close contest in 2021 that was won in the last moto and by just four points. With 99 grand prix wins Jeffrey is just two victories away from the all-time record.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I wish the situation was not like this and it’s so frustrating that my career keeps throwing things at me! I’ve been recovering from the injury but the condition of my foot – because of some old problems – means it is not in the best shape and not enough to think about racing at the highest level this summer. It’s a bummer not to run the #1 plate in MXGP or to think about the chance of doing the AMA Pro Nationals but we’ve made our decision and now my only goal is to get my body right, get pain-free and think about preparation for 2023. It feels like a long way away but I know it will also come quickly. Thanks to all my fans for the messages of support and of course to the best team in the sport. Red Bull KTM have always had my back and I’m really grateful they still do.”

Robert Jonas, Head of Motorsports Offroad: “This was both a hard and easy decision. It was tough for Jeffrey to miss more racing, especially when there were some tempting goals for him for 2022, but then it was also easy because he would have been putting his health at risk again. We chatted and made the call that he should use the time to get fully ready for his fourteenth season with us in 2023. We all know how fast and competitive Jeffrey is when he is fit, happy and confident and this is how we need him in our racing program.”

Jed Beaton to miss the Latvian GP

Jed Beaton of the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team will sit out this weekend’s Latvian round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship to accelerate recovery from a shoulder injury sustained last month.

The Australian damaged his left shoulder in a crash during the second round of the series at Mantova in Italy after a stunning entry to the premier world series with sixth place at the opening round; he has displayed grit and determination despite discomfort and lack of strength in the shoulder through the intervening rounds of the series to maintain a top-twelve world ranking but, with no significant improvement in sight whilst he continues to burden the shoulder, rider and team have taken the mutual decision to sit out this weekend’s GP at Kegums, also further rounds of the series if necessary, to ensure a full recovery before Jed resumes racing in the rightful place close to the head of the pack. A decision on a resumption of a full training programme and a return to racing will be taken in collaboration with the best medical advice.

Nathalie Fase (F&H team manager): “Unfortunately Jed has still too much trouble with his shoulder after the crash in Mantova on the sixth of March. Soon we will receive the results of the hospital check-up from last week and can take it from there. We want to rule out any complications, not take unnecessary risks and wait until everything is clear before Jed starts riding again; the aim is to come back strong as soon as possible. “

Jed Beaton: “It’s frustrating that I’m sitting out this weekend but the team and myself have made the mutual decision to get things checked further and come back when we can achieve the results we are looking for; it’s obviously a tough pill to swallow but I’m looking forward to coming back as strong as at the opening GP when I do return! “ (Kawasaki Racing)

TONY CAIROLI TO MAKE AMA PRO MOTOCROSS DEBUT THIS SUMMER2022 motocross news

Nine times world champion and MXGP legend Tony Cairoli will line-up for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in the 450 MX gate for the opening rounds of 2022 AMA Pro Motocross in California this May/June.

The Italian will fulfil a small ‘bucket list’ wish by turning his attention to the high-profile American national series and is initially set for appearances at the Fox Raceway National at Pala and the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento on May 28th and June 4th respectively. The 36-year-old stepped away from full time Grand Prix racing at the end of 2021 after a glittering career in which he became the second most successful athlete in the history of the sport.

Cairoli will feel the heat of competition again with his #222 KTM 450 SX-F; he used a previous edition of the motorcycle to claim the 2017 MXGP World Championship. He also accumulated six titles with the KTM 350 SX-F and earned the remarkable distinction of winning at least one Grand Prix every season during an era-defining 18 years at the highest level of MXGP and MX2.

Tony Cairoli: “It’s exciting to finally confirm that I will be racing in the U.S. To ride and race in America is something I always wanted to try. I like the look of the tracks. For me there is no pressure to perform and I’m not going there with the same preparation as I would have had for a world championship but I’m taking it seriously and would be looking for good results. I know this will generate some interest and it will be great to travel, see some friends and enjoy my time.”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director: “It’s a big pleasure for us to finally reach the stage where Tony is able to race again and to attempt one of his ambitions. Our Red Bull KTM structure means we can be fully ready for him in the U.S. and can give him all our support. Tony is an icon and still an important part of our racing program and it feels like this is the least we can do to pay back all the wins, the titles and the stories he has made with us for over ten years. I think it will also be cool for the American motocross fans to see some of the special talent that made Tony one of the best riders in world championship history.”

Ian Harrison, North America Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “We couldn’t be prouder of having a rider and a person like Tony in our awning. He’s a true legend of the sport and one of the best riders of the modern era. His achievements are matched only by the impact he has had around the world. We know he’s been preparing to race out here, and we’ve also been readying everything to give him the best amount of support. As we saw right up until the end of 2021 MXGP he is still extremely competitive, so I think that will be exciting for the fans in the U.S. to watch him in action.”

FIM Signals and Boards at MXGP Events

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) has released an informative video about the signals, boards and other safety aspects which are used / featured during FIM Motocross World Championship events.

The short video features Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider Jeremy Seewer, along with Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who give a detailed explanation of their Grand Prix preparation on race day, the different flags and board signals that can be seen during the races and what they mean and how they react to each signal.

Take a look at the 9-minute video which explains all of the important rules and signals which convey the information and instructions that a rider must be aware of and follow when they are competing at FIM Motocross World Championship events.

3 APRIL 2022

Further surgery for Romain Febvre

Romain Febvre will not be able to return to racing during the upcoming rounds of the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship as the French rider requires further surgery to his broken right leg.

Both Romain and the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP had high expectations for this season but the 2021 MXGP World Championship runner-up needs to wait several more weeks before resuming his riding activities. His recovery had been progressing well during recent weeks as Romain was able to undertake a full physical-training programme. “I was able to go cycling, swimming and working at the gym twice-a-day but I still felt some pain in my leg and had several medical examinations to understand where the problem lay. Finally, I underwent minor surgery to remove some screws that were causing irritation and after this intervention in Luxemburg my surgeon made another scan and discovered that the bone was not healing perfectly,” explained Romain, who is now forced to postpone his comeback. “It’s frustrating of course but there is no other option than to have further surgery next week; they will open my leg, clean the bones and make a bone graft by taking some bone from my hip. I already told my surgeon that if it’s necessary to put some plate or whatever I want to do it to ensure an optimal recovery,” explained Romain who will reduce his physical training schedule for a few days. “Nobody can tell how long it will take to recover but for sure when they will open my leg they will be able to give me more details. My goal remains the same; to work hard and to return to racing as soon as possible. The team has been strongly behind me since the beginning and I can’t wait to join them at the race track.”

Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP team manager Antti Pyrhönen, himself a former rider in the Motocross World Championship, has personal experience of the situation facing Romain: “We knew that it was a serious leg injury and we have been doing all we can to heal it well but it still needs more treatment, in this case an operation and more time. I had a very similar leg injury myself during my racing career so I know first-hand what Romain is going through. The important thing is that his leg will be 100% when he returns; it will heal completely but it takes time. The team has remained behind Romain from day one and will continue to do so; we look forward to working together to get him back where he belongs at the head of the pack when he is healthy.”

KAY DE WOLF AIMS FOR PORTUGUESE RETURN, ROAN VAN DE MOOSDIJK UNDERGOES SURGERYNESTAAN HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDER NEWS AFTER RECENT CRASHES.

Following such a superb start to the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing suffered a setback at the most recent stop in Argentina. Kay de Wolf was running a brilliant third in the championship standings when he crashed out of the first race and his teammate, Roan van de Moosdijk, had shown similar potential aboard his steed.

With the Grand Prix of Portugal, the fourth round, on the horizon, Kay de Wolf is eager to pick up where he left off and put his FC 250 back inside of the top five. Cleared of any broken bones last week, de Wolf eased into things by riding his mountain bike over the weekend and will get back on his bike on Wednesday. The goal is for him to be on the starting line at this weekend’s Portuguese event. 

Roan van de Moosdijk has not been quite as fortunate – the shoulder that he injured at the second stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship was made worse in his Argentina crash and required surgery. A successful operation was performed late last week. Unfortunately, he is also nursing a broken collarbone and fractured left wrist that will not need surgery.

Husqvarna Factory Racing wishes Roan well in his recovery and hopes to see Kay back out on track as soon as possible.

Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): « The specialist had some good and bad news for us once we got home. The good news is that Kay has no broken bones, but he did still take a hit to the head and has been taking it easy. We will see how he gets on when he tries to ride later this week. Roan has had some bad luck with a fractured wrist and broken collarbone, then his shoulder injury from Mantova was made worse and required surgery. The good news is that the operation was a success. We are looking forward to getting him back to one hundred percent, but it will take time and patience. »

KTM EXCITED FOR EUROPEAN JUNIOR E-MOTOCROSS SERIES AS 2022 REGISTRATIONS OPEN

Continuing the highly successful partnership with Infront Moto Racing, KTM is pleased to announce that registrations are officially open for the 2022 running of the ground-breaking European Junior e-Motocross Series. Incredibly popular during 2021 while proving to be a hugely positive step forward regarding two-wheeled e-motorsport competition, registrations are now open and 6–8-year-olds (age taken on January 1, 2022) can secure their place on the start line for the second running of this exciting junior series.

Open to all KTM SX-E 5 riders, the European Junior e-Motocross Series is a five-round series that will once again run alongside selected rounds of the MXGP World Championship. Adopting the same racing format as MXGP, a timed qualifying session will be used to determine gate pick, seeding riders onto the start line for each of the two races. After the points are tallied up following the two motos, the top three overall riders will make their way onto the MXGP podium to celebrate their success.

The MXGP of Spain on May 29 plays host to the season-opener with the remaining four events taking place during the early summer months. Visiting the popular venues of Ernée in France and Teutschenthal in Germany, the series draws to a close with a two-day event in Loket, the MXGP of Czech Republic, on July 16-17.

After attracting a truly international line-up throughout the 2021 campaign, the first running of the series undoubtedly proved to be a huge success with the 2022 tour shaping up to be even bigger and better. Entries are now open and will sell out fast, with the only requirement to secure a place on the start line being that competitors commit to a minimum of three rounds, while also being affiliated to their national federation.

All racers who line up on state-of-the-art KTM SX-E 5 minicycles will receive a selection of exciting products from the KTM PowerWear range. Designed with the same winning intent as all KTM motocross models, the pit wear, merchandise, and accessories provided will ensure all young riders enjoy a professional appearance when away from the racetrack. And for the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series champion, an exclusive prize is up for grabs – an all-expenses paid trip for the series winner and one guest to the FIM Motocross of Nations in the USA in September! All riders who compete in the full five-round series will be eligible to join an end-of-season training camp with representatives from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

For further information on the exciting European Junior e-Motocross Series and to secure a place on the start line, please visit – www.junioremotocross.com

Watch highlights from the 2021 season here.

Federico Valentini – KTM Head of Global Marketing: “It’s really exciting that the European Junior e-Motocross Series is returning in 2022 following the success of last year. It proved to be hugely popular and the feedback we have received has been incredibly positive. This year we will see the same racing format, which worked perfectly in 2021 and gives all the riders a very rare opportunity to race on the same tracks as their MXGP heroes. The series really shows that KTM is 100% committed to both racing and our e-mobility research and development, with many of the racers last year choosing the KTM SX-E 5 as their bike of choice. It’s not too long until the first round and I’m sure the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series will be a huge success.”

Calendar – 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series
Round 1: 29 May MXGP of Spain – intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos
Round 2: 5 June MXGP of France – Ernée
Round 3: 12 June MXGP of Germany – Teutschenthal
Round 4: 16 July MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket
Round 5: 17 July MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket

Happy International Women’s Day! 

Today 8 March, on International Women´s Day the governing bodies of motor sport FIM and FIA together celebrate the gender equal world with a joint campaign presenting women who have been able to break the bias in motorcycling and motorsport. 

Women Team and official representatives MotoGP Qatar 2022 © PSP/Lukasz Swiderek

Both federations FIM and FIA are committed to this cause for years and have worked hard to promote diversity and inclusion, inspiring, encouraging and helping women to take their place, both on track and off track.

FIM and FIA will carry out other actions together during the year, to further demonstrate that women have their place in motor sports and create opportunities for them in all the field of activities. It is a long-term commitment as there is still a long road ahead but that is crucial not only to our sports, but society as a whole. 

FIM Women in Motorcycling Commission Director Nita Korhonen
This year´s IWD Campaign theme is very close to us as motorsport is the perfect arena where to break the bias and demonstrate that any barriers that might have existed in the old days should not prevent anyone to reach for their dreams. Both FIM and FIA are strongly against any kind of discrimination and today we want to show together that any woman who want to join motorcycling or motor sport is more than welcome to do so. 

FIA Women in Motorsport Commission President Deborah Mayer
Both FIA and FIM have an important role to play in leading motorsports into a new era of further inclusivity. We must continue to work with determination to create a more visible and more accessible pathway for young females. Talent has absolutely nothing to do with gender and sport which is intended to bring people together should include, not exclude.
I welcome with great pleasure the partnership between FIM and FIA and by joining forces, we will be able to go further in the creation of motor sports centered around inclusivity and opportunities.
It is crucial for me to promote diversity, by showing young women that motor sport can offer them many opportunities in all sectors around the world.

Nita Korhonen |Women in Motorcycling Commission Director| cfm-director@fim.ch

ABOUT THE FIM (www.fim-moto.com)

The FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme) founded in 1904, is the governing body for motorcycle sport and the global advocate for motorcycling. The FIM is an independent association formed by 116 National Federations throughout the world. It is recognised as the sole competent authority in motorcycle sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

Among its 50 FIM World Championships the main events are MotoGP, Superbike, Endurance, Motocross, Supercross, Trial, Enduro, Cross-Country Rallies and Speedway. Furthermore, the FIM is also active and involved in the following areas: public affairs, road safety, touring and protection of the environment. The FIM was the first international sports federation to impose an Environmental Code in 1994.

Round one of the 2022 FIM World Motocross Championship kicked off at the award-winning Matterley Basin, just a short drive from the DRT base. After disastrous weather postponed the race from the week before, it was clear skies and sushine this weekend. A great start in the qualifying race was quickly hampered as another rider collided with Mikkel’s back wheel, taking the Danish rider to the back of the pack. With a valiant effort he was able to get back to 8th, although this was in vain as damage to the exhaust from the crash would eventually require the « 11 » to retire. 

The bad gate pick didn’t seem to  matter too much, after some tweaking after the qualifying moto Mikkel was able to get two good starts in the main races, securing two top tens with a 8th and a 7th for a 6th overall, and 6th in the Championship standings! The team will now head straight to Italy for the second round for the MXGP of Lombardia. Mikkel Haarup
Qualifying – 23
Race 1 – 8
Race 2 – 7
Overall – 6

Steve Dixon – Manager 

« It’s been a really tough couple of weeks for me, as the organiser of the first round of the MXGP series, but it was great to see so many of our sponsors at the race. It’s great to have Big Van World come on as title sponsor, a company that has gradually increased its support over the last decade. Our new rider Mikkel Haarup has been an absolute pleasure to work with, a real asset to our team, and such a nice family too.

Qualification went fine, Mikkel was one of the only ones not to do a pre-season race, but our decision was to not do one with the season being so long. In the qualifying race, he made a great start but unfortunately, a collision would mean he had to start from the back. His charge through was really impressive, but despite getting up to 8th an issue with the exhaust from the crash caused it to run too hot and he had to pull in. Two really strong races on Sunday, he had 2nd fastest lap time and 2 purple sectors out of 4, so the pace seemed really good. A few small mistakes which is often the case at the round, excited and looking to impress the new team etc. It’s now straight to Italy for round 2. « 

Mikkel Haarup – MX2

“I’ve had a decent first GP here at Matterley. It was a shame to go down in the qualifying, but we made a few changes to make good preparation for the races on Sunday. Even though we had to start from the outside on the gate, we managed to make two good motos that we can build on for next weekend. “

MX2 Final Championship Standings
6th Mikkel Haarup – 27 points

Sunday, 27th February 2022

 MXGP of Great Britain, Matterley Basin                         

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser wins the MXGP of Great Britain

Following the postponement of last weekend’s Grand Prix of Great Britain, the start-gate eventually dropped at Matterley Basin today to begin the 2022 FIM World Motocross Championship.

In the MXGP class Team HRC’s four-time World Champion Tim Gajser launched the famous #243 CRF450R into a solid sixth place on the first lap of race one and soon set-about picking off his rivals one-by-one to push into the lead with two laps remaining. Tim took the race win by 3.7 seconds looking fast and nimble on a rough and rutted Hampshire circuit.

Team Honda 114 Motorsport’s Rubén Fernández also had a strong start to the season, but struck some bad luck early in race. Whilst in fifth position the fast Spaniard tipped over in one of the track’s numerous deep-rutted turns and rejoined the race in 20th position. He rode into pit-lane for a quick assessment of his CRF450R and rejoined the race a lap down, but decided to withdraw and refocus for race two. 

Tim Gajser had a better start in race two and was followed on lap one by a rejuvenated Rubén Fernández. Gajser soon moved into third place leaving Fernández in fifth. The Slovenian took the lead on lap 10 only to tip-over in a very technical tight downhill rutted right turn. Although Gajser almost retook the lead on the final lap, time ran out, but his second place finish gave ‘Tiga’ the overall GP win and Championship leader’s red-plate. 

Fernández defended his fifth place throughout the moto demonstrating that he has the speed and endurance to race at this elite level of motocross racing.

In the MX2 class Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Stephen Rubini showed early speed on his CRF250R and lead Sunday morning’s Warm Up session – a clear indication the Frenchman had come to fight hard for results. 

In race one Rubini pushed well on lap one to place his Honda in a top five position and was looking strong and hungry to prove a point after last year’s injury-stricken season. He moved into fourth place on lap three and held this position until the last lap when a small mistake cost him one position, but his fifth place was his best race finish in the MX2 class since moving up from EMX250 in 2021.

Race two was challenging for Rubini, but he fought off a mid-race loss of rhythm to come home in 10th place, giving him seventh overall and tied on points for sixth place.

Round two of the 2022 MXGP season visits the Italian circuit of Mantova in one week’s time – Sunday 6th March. 

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                          Tim Gajser ²⁴³                                                                     Team HRC 

It is great to begin the season with a strong performance like today. I didn’t make it easy getting bad starts in both races but I came through to the front making passes on a tricky surface and in the first moto I came through for the win. 

Unfortunately in race two I got to the front but I made a small mistake with a couple of laps remaining and although I pushed really hard to get back into the lead I crossed the line less than a second behind. Still, I won the GP overall and lead the MXGP World Championship and that was the aim coming into today.

 A big thanks to the whole Team HRC who have worked hard over the winter to make this result happen.

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                          Ruben Fernandez ⁷⁰                                                                     Honda 114 Motorsports 

I felt good all weekend but in race one I was a little impatient and ended up having a small crash. The bike wasn’t damaged so I tried to rejoin the race one lap down and find my flow. It wasn’t really working so after a few laps I decided to stop and focus on race two. 

In the second race I applied what I’d learned in the first moto and I knew what to avoid. I was more patient this time. It was a good race and I was initially catching the guys ahead of me and pulling away from the guys behind. It turned into comfortable race for me. I still have a lot of things to work on but today was good for my first race weekend of 2022.

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 Stephen Rubini ³⁸                                                                     Honda SR Motoblouz 

It was quite a good day overall. We worked hard at setting up my CRF250R on Saturday and this gave me a lot of confidence. I had a good start in race one and I could fight with the leading pack. I lost one position on the final lap, but still finished the race with fifth place which was my best MX2 result so far. 

I wasn’t quite able to repeat this in race two as I kept using the same lines as race one, but they weren’t so effective anymore. Overall though I think it’s a positive weekend compared to last year. We have a good bike and the team is working really well so I’m looking to improve each weekend. 

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                          Gordon Crockard                                                                     Honda Motor Co. Ltd 

It was great to see the 2022 season begin today in Matterley Basin. 

As we expected Tim Gajser showed why he’s a four-time World Champion displaying his speed and talent on a rutted and challenging circuit today. 

Rubén Fernández was also brilliant today on the CRF450R and without his crash in race one we could have seen two Honda riders on the MXGP podium. 

Considering that Henry Jacobi is recovering from recent surgery and with little pre-season training he did very well, going 13-14 for 14th overall. 

In the MX2 class Stephen Rubini was fantastic and this was his best ever start to a season. We look forward to seeing Rubini deliver some overdue results that we know he’s capable of.

Hakon Fredriksen showed speed and strength today but crashes spoilt his changes of a higher overall finish. Once he settles into the season we expect to see regular top-ten results for the Norwegian.

We were all sorry that Emil Weckman injured his knee and was not be able to race today.

STATEMENT: MXGP of MFR – Orlyonok
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) together with Infront Moto Racing announce that due to the current situation, it is not possible to hold the MXGP of MFR set to take place on 30th April / 1st May in Orlyonok.

The local organiser has been informed.

The entire MXGP Collective thoughts are with the people suffering the consequences of the present situation.

A replacement Grand Prix will be announced shortly.

Isabelle LARIVIERE

Communications Manager
FIM – Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

VIALLE IGNITES 2022 MX2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CAMPAIGN WITH 2ND PLACE IN GREAT BRITAINMXGP 2022 Round 1 of 20, Matterley Basin, GBR

2022 MXGP finally began with a bright but chilly British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing opened their account for the season as Tom Vialle dashed to the second step of the podium in the MX2 class with the KTM 250 SX-F.

– Re-arranged British Grand Prix brings 2022 MXGP into action

– Tom Vialle steers his new works KTM 250 SX-F to 2nd in MX2

– Shoulder injury cuts short Mathys Boisrame’s MXGP opportunity

The sweeping and vast Matterley Basin circuit was ready for MXGP at the second attempt: the opening round of 20 races in 2022 had initially been postponed by one week due to stormy conditions across the UK. The delay brought significantly calmer winter weather to southern England and the 12th Grand Prix to take place at the Winchester circuit went ahead with a return to the traditional two-day format.

2020 MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle raced to 2nd position in the first qualification heat to take place in two years. It gave the Frenchman 2nd pick in the gate for Sunday’s two motos and he narrowly missed out on the holeshot in race one. Vialle ran a comfortable 2nd and kept Kay de Wolf at bay in the closing laps to secure 22 points. In the second moto the 21-year-old was again setting the pace. An exciting fight for the victory (and the overall GP win) was only decided on the last circulation when Vialle made a small mistake on the final tight hairpin corner. He crossed the line in 3rd to be runner-up overall.

In the MXGP category Red Bull KTM were missing the presence of world champion Jeffrey Herlings who is still recovering from recent left heel surgery. In his place on a temporary basis was former MX2 podium finisher Mathys Boisrame. The 23-year-old is negotiating his first term in the premier class but a fall in Saturday’s Qualification Heat led to a painful right shoulder with a broken ligament and he could not compete on Sunday.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing constructed a moving tribute to late MX2 racer Rene Hofer within their awning. The Austrian passed away in December.

MXGP now heads directly to Italy. The Tazio Nuvolari circuit in the town of Mantova hosted the final Grand Prix of 2021 in November and the shallow sand will play host to the second date of the season.

Tom Vialle, 2nd and 3rd for 2nd overall in MX2: “Not a bad result to start the season but I was a bit disappointed with the crash at the end of the second moto while trying for the win. If we consider that I’ve only been riding a month and a half and we are fine-tuning the new racebike then this was a good day. It was nice to be at the front and it was a bit of a surprise to have that good rhythm. A good GP for the confidence. Mantova next week and a track where we race a lot. We know it well and we will be ready.”

Results MX2 Great Britain 2022

1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 1-1

2. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-3

3. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 4-2

4. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 3-5

5. Roan van der Moosdijk (NED), Husqvarna 6-4

Standings MX2 2022 after 1 of 20 rounds

1. Simon Laengenfelder 50 points

2. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 42

3. Jago Geerts 40

4. Kay de Wolf 36

5. Roan van der Moosdijk 33

Results MXGP Great Britain 2022

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 1-2

2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 4-1

3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 2-4

4. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 3-6

5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Yamaha, 9-3

8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN), KTM 8-10

Standings MXGP 2022 after 1 of 20 rounds

1. Tim Gajser 47 points

2. Jorge Prado 43

3. Jeremy Seewer 40

4. Maxime Renaux 35

5. Glenn Coldenhoff 32

8. Thomas Kjer Olsen 24

PAULS JONASS TO MISS THE OPENING ROUND OF THE 2022 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPPAULS JONASS UNDERGOES SURGERY TO FIX TENDONITIS IN ARM, MOVES FOCUS TO ROUND TWO.

The Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing team will travel to round one of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of Great Britain, without Pauls Jonass, who underwent surgery earlier this week after struggling with tendonitis in his arm throughout the winter months.

Jonass had surgery in Herentals, Belgium, on Monday and will aim to return to racing at the second stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship in Italy on March 06. It was a very successful procedure that requires ten days of recovery – Jonass will then get back onto his FC 450 and start training with the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing squad.



Brian Bogers will be the only rider beneath the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing awning at the opening round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship this weekend.

Tim Mathys (Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): « Pauls got tendonitis in his forearm whilst testing in January. We immediately consulted the specialists, who were convinced that rest would solve the problem. The tendonitis got worse, unfortunately, and surgery was needed to heal the arm. We planned the surgery for the Monday after Matterley Basin’s initial date. There was a free weekend between Matterley Basin and Mantova, before the postponement, so the hope was that he would not miss a Grand Prix. The plan was ruined when the opening round was pushed back by a week. Although we are disappointed that Pauls cannot race this weekend, it is a long season and our goals remain the same. »

MATHYS BOISRAME SET FOR TEMPORARY RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING MXGP BERTH2022 MXGP news

Former European Champion and MX2 Grand Prix podium finisher, Mathys Boisrame, will step-in to Red Bull KTM colors for the first and second rounds of the imminent 2022 FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship in the UK and Italy.

The Frenchman completed several testing days with the defending MXGP World Champions and will now steer the factory KTM 450 SX-F in the absence of #1 Jeffrey Herlings as the 2021 title winner continues to recover from surgery on his left heel.

Boisrame will take a place under the awning and next to countryman Tom Vialle (racing the KTM 250 SX-F in MX2) for the re-arranged British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin this Saturday and Sunday and the Grand Prix of Lombardia at Mantova the following weekend. The 23-year-old made his debut in the MXGP category in the final five rounds of 2021 and posted four top ten moto results. Boisrame won the 2018 EMX250 European crown and contested two and a half seasons in MX2 where he graduated to the front of the pack.

Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “When they postponed the British Grand Prix another week this gave us and Mathys a little more time to do some riding and further testing and it became clear that we could bring him into the team already for the first round. Jeffrey is unique: it’s impossible to find another rider like him but we can appreciate Mathys’ speed and his determination. He has already shown that he can run fast and strong at Grand Prix level. It’s a good chance for him and some important track miles for us.”

2022 MXGP World Championship start

Everything is ready to start the 2022 MXGP World Championship. This year, after two seasons compromised by the covid and a very short winter break, the Motocross World Championship returns to normal with the qualifying heats on Saturday.

First appointment of the season on the Matterley Basin track in England where the Belgian Jeremy van Horebeek # 89 will ride his Beta RX450, unfortunately absent the new entry Alessandro Lupino # 77 cause in recent days was affected by a flu virus which, however, will not prevent him to be at the next race scheduled in Mantova.

When watch the races

Saturday 19th February
10:20-10:45 (11:20-11:45) Free practice MXGP
13:00-13:25 (14:00-14:25) Qualify MXGP
16:10 (17:10) Qualify MXGP

Domenica 20 febbraio
9:45-10:00 (10:45-11:00) Warm-up MXGP
13:15 (14:15) Race-1 MXGP – MXGP TV, Eurosport Player (RaiSport 1:00 21/2, Eurosport 2 11:30 21/2)
16:10 (17:10) Race-2 MXGP – MXGP TV, Eurosport Player, (RaiSport 2:00 21/2, Eurosport 2 12:30 21/2)

Inizio del campionato Mondiale MXGP 2022

Tutto pronto per dare inizio al campionato Mondiale MXGP 2022. Quest’anno, dopo due stagioni compromesse dal covid ed una pausa invernale brevissima, il mondiale Motocross torna alla normalità con le manches di qualificazione nella giornata di Sabato.

Primo appuntamento della stagione sul tracciato dì Matterley Basin in Inghilterra dove scenderà in Pista con la sua Beta RX450 il Belga Jeremy van Horebeek #89, assente purtroppo la new entry Alessandro Lupino #77 colpito nei giorni scorsi da un virus influenzale che però non gli impedirà di saltare la prossima gara prevista a Mantova.  

CHECKING IN WITH NESTAAN HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S RASMUS JORGENSENNESTAAN HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING TEAM MANAGER LOOKS AHEAD TO THE 2022 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The opening round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship is just hours away. Rasmus Jorgensen, the team manager at the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team, looks ahead to the new campaign below. Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk have enjoyed a productive off-season, so Jorgensen is excited about what the duo could do across the next twenty rounds of competition.

Husqvarna Motorcycles: The start of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship will mark a return to normality with a traditional calendar and the two-day format. How exciting is that for you?

Rasmus Jorgensen: Yes, I am very excited to go back to the two-day format. If it stays like this, we will not have any triple headers and can go back to a normal season. It is a more mellow season in a way – there are some periods that are quite intense, but there are also more free weekends during the season. I feel like this will be much easier on everyone than the last couple of years have been! I am very excited to get back to normality.

Kay de Wolf definitely exceeded expectations in his rookie season. How do you manage that rapid progress heading into his sophomore season? Is it hard to stop expectations from being too high?

It is a difficult balance. Kay did what he has done every year as a rookie; he showed speed and was on the podium in his first EMX125 and EMX250 seasons. The biggest step that he made was in the MX2 class. Not only did he show glimpses of brilliance, with raw speed and podiums, but he was also quite consistent throughout the season. It is a tricky one to manage, of course, but he is working hard and has all of the tools behind him. We are supporting him and not saying that he has to be world champion this year, but we all know what he is capable of and we are trying to improve in every area. We always try to look ahead. I do not think that there is a lot of pressure on him to go and win – we are taking it one year at a time. The boy has just turned seventeen!

How has Roan van de Moosdijk gelled with the team since he joined? It seems as though that process has been as easy as possible.

Yes, it has been. The transition was surprisingly easy with the bike and team – he has gelled well with Kay. They knew each other a little bit anyway, but they are getting along well. Roan is getting on well with his mechanics as well. We have a good click too! Honestly, we work well together. It has been a very interesting wintertime, I have to say. It is nice to have both of the riders aboard. I think that we are in a good position this year.

Both Kay and Roan are quite similar. They are both Dutch and at similar points in their respective careers with a lot of potential. It seems that they have embraced that though and are really pushing each other along.

I think it is very important to understand the bigger picture and take advantage of the fact that you have a teammate who is on a similar level. You can be selfish and say that you do not want to practice with your teammate, but working together has taken them both to a higher level. It was important that they both understood that from the beginning. There is no way that one guy is going to be faster all of the time, but you sometimes learn more on those days when you are not the fastest. They have really done well this winter and pushed each other whilst keeping that respect – they have tried to make each other better. Let the best man be in front once the gates drop! It is going to be a long season, but they have definitely done as much as they can to be as prepared as possible. I am very happy with the progress this winter.

It is all very exciting at the moment. I am sure that you have goals in mind that will make you happy, but consistency must be a priority. If both guys can find some consistency around the top five and podium then the rest will come.

Yeah, exactly! I honestly feel like we are in such a good position. The pressure is on the riders who have won Grands Prix the last couple of years, but I really believe that we have a good shot at fighting for wins and podiums. We will see where we end up towards the end of the season! I think it is important that we focus on ourselves and take one race at a time. I feel like we are in an underdog situation – I like the position that we are in! The guys just have to go and do their very best at each round. I really think that we can surprise everyone, but it is such a long season and you have to stay on a good level throughout the year. We just need to start in a positive way – we do not need to finish first and second on Sunday.

2022 MXGP ROARS OUT OF THE GATE WITH BRITISH GRAND PRIX2022 MXGP news

Reigning world champions, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, will open their MXGP Grand Prix campaign this weekend in the UK and with Tom Vialle expected to push for MX2 title honours in 2022. World Champion Jeffrey Herlings is firmly on the recovery path after left heel surgery.

The British Grand Prix at the expansive and popular Matterley Basin circuit in southern England will open the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship for the second time in the last three years with the first of twenty rounds taking place this weekend.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing travel to the Winchester venue on the back of the shortest off-season in recent memory. The final round of 2021 took place in Italy on November 10th – where Jeffrey Herlings clinched the team’s eighth MXGP crown since 2010 – and the 2022 campaign launches earlier than ever (the 2017 Grand Prix of Qatar was held on February 25th). Through this condensed winter period the team have been busy fine-tuning the latest generation of KTM SX-F race machinery for competition at the highest level but also saw Herlings suffer a fractured left heel which will keep the powerful Dutchman on the sidelines for the first few Grands Prix.

The onus falls on 21-year-old Tom Vialle for Matterley Basin. The Frenchman won the MX2 title in his second Grand Prix term in 2020 and pushed again for the crown last year despite small hand and foot issues impeding his progress. Vialle recovered from the left foot ailment in the hiatus and already returned to podium form against his GP rivals with a top-three finish at last week’s Hawkstone Park International in England. Vialle finished 3rd in the 2019 British Grand Prix and 2nd in 2020 (winning a moto) before missing the event in 2021.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will count on even more input from former multi world champion Joel Smets who was appointed Team Manager for 2022. The Belgian has been charting the work of the crew through December and January and in the run-up to the season.

Tom Vialle: “It’s true that we have not had much time this winter and I needed to recover from my foot [problem] but everything has gone very well: both with my training and the testing we wanted to do with the new bike. I’m happy and I feel good. I like Matterley. It’s a big and challenging track and I’ve had good results on the two occasions I’ve raced there. It’s a great circuit to start the championship and I hope the weather stays stable. This weekend is the start of a long season. I saw in 2021 how things can turn very quickly and I think everyone saw how competitive and how close the battle for the championship will be.”

Jeffrey Herlings: “I had the stitches out from my heel a few days ago and now I have to avoid putting any pressure on my foot for around six weeks. I will start physical training again next week with some activities like swimming. Obviously, I’m pretty limited at the moment but I don’t have any pain and now we just have to be a bit patient before we can look at it again, do some rehab and start riding. Best of luck to the Red Bull KTM team this weekend. I wish I was there but we’ll be back soon.”

Joel Smets Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It feels like Mantova is not so far away and the winter has been both hard and positive as we’ve put things into place for 2022. I think every single person in the team and the organisation will be thinking about Rene [Hofer] as we enter the GP paddock this week but, at the same time, we are focussed on the new championship and the new target. Tom is in good shape and we’re excited to see what he can do back at the front of MX2. As many will say: Matterley is a decent place to open the championship and we’ll hope for the best and push on from there.”

Andrea Bonacorsi Stands In for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Thibault Benistant at MX2 Season Opener

Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that Andrea Bonacorsi will replace the injured Thibault Benistant under the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 awning at this weekends’ MX2 Grand Prix of Great Britain. The event marks the start of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, which will take place at the spectacular Matterley Basin circuit in Winchester, England, on Sunday 20th February.

Already a proven talent following a dominant EMX125 title campaign in 2020, in which he celebrated seven race wins, four overall victories and five podium finishes on his way to the crown, Bonacorsi was welcomed into the Yamaha Family at the start of 2021. After a strong rookie season in EMX250 in which he steered his GYTR kitted YZ250F to three podium finishes on his way to fourth overall, the 18-year-old has impressed, earning himself the opportunity to make his MX2 debut with the support of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team.  

Hailing from Bergamo, Italy, the talented youngster will use the wild card experience as part of his preparation for the upcoming 2022 European Motocross Championship, which will start on the weekend of March 6th in Mantova, Italy. 

Andrea Bonacorsi

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider

« Racing for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team is really special and it’s something I’ve always dreamed of ever since I was a kid. It really is a dream come true, and to get this opportunity to race at Matterley… it is one of my favourite tracks. I’m really looking forward to making my MX2 debut there, and I hope to bring home as much experience as possible! »

Alexandre Kowalski

Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Manager

« It has been a great pleasure to offer Andrea a chance to make his MX2 debut as a Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider. It is a symbol of our commitment to the next generation of young riders that are developing within our system. We already know Andrea is an incredible talent, evidenced by his EMX125 title and a strong rookie season in EMX250 last year, where he showed impressive strength and racecraft aboard his GYTR kitted YZ250F. Although he is still young, only 18-years-old, we are very optimistic that he can put in a strong performance at the MX2 opener this weekend. We also have to thank the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team for supporting us and Andrea in taking this incredible opportunity and the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team for making it happen. Of course, our thoughts are also with Thibault, who has had a successful knee surgery last year and will be back on the bike soon. We are wishing Andrea, the team and all Yamaha riders a successful start to their 2022 campaigns at Matterley Basin this weekend. »

TALKING WITH STANDING CONSTRUCT HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S TIM MATHYSSTANDING CONSTRUCT HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING TEAM MANAGER PREVIEWS 2022 MXGP SEASON

The 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship marks the beginning of a new era for the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing squad, managed by Tim Mathys. Eager to see both Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers begin the campaign in their new colours, Mathys looks back on a very busy winter period in this pre-season chat.

Husqvarna Motorcycles: It must have been exciting when Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s new look was unveiled to the world. How special is it to be given the opportunity to lead Husqvarna into the MXGP class?

Tim Mathys: Well, we are very happy that the factory gave us such a chance. It was a very short off-season, of course, so it was a busy period when we were switching bikes and colours. It took a lot of time! We have stayed in the same family, so we already had a good base and working with the Austrian factory is brilliant. They do not make things complicated for us at all! If we have a question or a remark, we send an email and then we have an answer one hour later. That helps so much with the situation that we are in now! Yeah, it was a short off-season. I think we are ready though; the bikes are ready for Matterley Basin and so are the riders.

There are a lot of changes, but you have the same rider line-up with Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers. You must be happy to retain their services, because it seems like you have good chemistry at the team.

Yeah, I think that we have proven that riders are happy to ride for our team. We treat them in a way that ensures that we can get the best out of them and from what I hear they are very happy. It is the same for all of us! Both Pauls and Brian are professional guys; they work hard on the bike and off of it. It was a short off-season for them too, but we are pretty happy and ready for the weekend.

Pauls had a really good season last year. There was only one podium finish, but he could have had more in what was a rebuilding year. What do you expect from him in 2022?

Pauls had a lot of fourths last year – I think that is why some people do not give him credit for last year.  What we also have to keep in mind is that the year before he rode a few Grands Prix but was in hospital and the rehabilitation centre for the rest of the year. Nobody believed in Pauls anymore – he could not find a ride. We believed in him though; I spoke with his former trainers and they explained what a great guy he is. We gave him a chance and I think that he has proven that he deserved it. We are pretty confident that he will do even better this year.

Brian proved how good he is by taking the MX1 victory at Hawkstone Park on Sunday, but he had a really solid season last year too. Do you expect him to be around the top five a lot in the coming months?

Yeah, that is what we hope! Brian had a few top-five finishes last season. The only thing that he has to work on is his starts, because he has the speed! When he is riding in a moto, he is very consistent and always has the same speed. Those starts are so important though. I am sure that he will be much stronger than last year when he has a better reaction out of the gate.  

MXGP is returning to normality this year. We are going overseas and returning to a two-day format. How excited are you to see the series return to a traditional format?

Well, like everything in life, it is also important in MXGP. For me personally, I like the fact that there will be a qualification heat on Saturday. It makes Saturday important and then you can focus on the races on Sunday. We are excited to see the public back at the races too – we can treat our sponsors in the way that they deserve as well. Everyone deserves to come to races and have an enjoyable experience.

new chapter for F&H Kawasaki

F&H Kawasaki enters a new chapter this season as, for the first time since its creation seven years ago, the team will contest both MX2 and MXGP classes of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Dutch-based team has enjoyed success in the MX2 class, claiming the European title in 2019 and GP podiums every year since they entered the World Championship in 2018. For the first time this season the team will have one rider in each of the MX2 and the MXGP series, a new development which is welcomed by everyone in the team. Norwegian Kevin Horgmo joins the team for the first time in MX2, while Australian Jed Beaton returns for his rookie year in MXGP.

“The entire family took the decision to race two classes; we feel it will bring a fresh wind and new opportunities and we are really looking forward to the challenge. We had a great off-season; Jed is back with us and we are very optimistic, together with Kawasaki, that we can give him the opportunity to race up-front on the KX450 because he is a very talented rider. We achieved MX2 podiums with him, and we are happy to give him this chance,” explained team manager Nathalie Fase, who runs the team alongside her father Harry and is enthusiastic after the short winter break.

“With riders in two classes it will be different. We will need a new approach but we have less riders, going from three to two, so we can still focus on both; maybe it will be even better than with all riders in one class,” she added.

Marc de Reuver, a former GP winner who has been coach to the F&H team riders for several seasons, is happy about the preparation with both riders: “It’s going well; it’s even been a little less hectic than in previous years because we now have one MX2 and one MXGP rider so the focus is a little different. When we came back from Turkey last year we had a team meeting, and Harry the team owner suggested the idea to have one MXGP rider and one MX2 rider in 2022. We have had several really good years in the MX2 class and achieved good results but I prefer this solution; it’s a lot less stress.” Marc has already been acquainted with both riders for several years: “I have known Kevin already for a long time; in 2016 he was racing the EMX125 while I was also involved in a team racing that series so I saw him riding. Like most of the guys who are racing at the front in the EMX classes he has the talent to get good results and just needs everything around him to be in the right place. I’m confident for him; it’s coming, as we could see in the pre-season races. I like to work with riders who deserve a chance, and he really deserves it.” Marc is also enjoying working again with Jed Beaton, the man who secured the team’s first GP podium in 2018. “Me and Jed are good friends and I like to work with him. He has a good character; he never complains, he’s a hard worker and it’s good to have him back with us. I’m really happy.”
For Harry and Nathalie Fase, who have both been highly enthusiastic about motocross for many years and who also run their own business outside the sport, a new exciting era commences this weekend when the gate drops at Matterley Basin for the first of twenty rounds of the 2022 FIM World Motocross Championship. After two tough seasons due to the pandemic GP racing returns to the two-day schedule this year and the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team will be present with all of their long-term partners. “We keep the same partners; we have a strong and solid base which we have built since day one of the team. We have so many loyal partners and we don’t like to change; If it clicks it clicks and, even with the obstacles created by Covid, everybody continued to have faith in us and everyone has been really loyal on both sides during this difficult time. Now we can’t wait for the new season to start; to meet and work again with our partners at the races,” concluded Nathalie, who was pleased to see both of her riders battling for podiums during the pre-season races.

Kevin Horgmo:” It was a short offseason this year, but we had 4 good weeks on Sardinia and 2 preseason races which was good. It’s a good group of people working together in the team, and made me comfy on the Kawasaki already after some weeks of riding. Really eager to get to the GP’s!”

Jed Beaton: “The off season went well; we headed to Sardinia which was a first for me. I really enjoyed it there was a nice little island with many tracks, its feels good to be back on the F&H Kawasaki. I think the bike suits me really well and I’m adapting to the 450 nicely, I’m looking forward to the season ahead with goals of improving every round on my results and staying healthy all year!” (Kawasaki Press Release)

BRIAN BOGERS COMPLETES PRE-SEASON PREPARATION WITH MX1 VICTORY AT HAWKSTONE PARKBRIAN BOGERS CLAIMS FIRST WIN IN HUSQVARNA COLOURS; KAY DE WOLF TAKES SECOND IN MX2

Facing treacherous conditions, Brian Bogers was superb in the first MX1 moto and clawed his way up from the cusp of the top five to the front in just nine laps. Bogers refused to settle once in the lead and raced to a fourteen-second lead at the chequered flag. A fall early in the second encounter threatened to thwart his efforts, but he was not to be deterred and charged from outside of the top ten to seventh. Such a brilliant showing was enough for him to take the overall win in the MX1 division. Bogers ended the day with a third-place finish in the ‘Super Final’ that consisted of both classes.

Kay de Wolf experienced similar success aboard his FC 250 in the MX2 class. Starting the day by taking pole position, he moved from the back of the top twenty to third after a fall in moto one. De Wolf was embroiled in an intense battle for the win in moto two and was just one second shy of the eventual victor when the chequered flag waved. Securing the runner-up spot in that moto helped him claim second in the overall classification as well. De Wolf completed his pre-season preparation by finishing as the top MX2 rider in the mixed ‘Super Final’ moto – he was classified in fifth behind four 450F riders.

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing and Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will turn attention to the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship now, which will fire into life this coming weekend. The Grand Prix of Great Britain, run at the popular track of Matterley Basin, will act as the starting point for the twenty-round series.

Brian Bogers: « It was not a bad day! I started fourth and worked my way into first in the first moto, so that was really good. It was unfortunate that I crashed in the second moto, so I was only seventh on a track that was very hard to pass on. I was pleased to salvage an overall victory in MX1! Overall, it was a good day. I am happy with my riding and hope that we can do our very best this season. »

Kay de Wolf: « Today was a good day! I had a little crash after the start in the first moto and had to make my way through – it was quite difficult. We had a little stop for a goggle change too! I still got third, so I knew that the speed was there. I made a few mistakes in the second moto, but still managed to finish second in the race and overall. It was a pretty good day and good practice that we can learn from. »

Results – Hawkstone Park, United Kingdom

MX1 Overall

1. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 39 pts; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 37 pts; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (KTM) 35 pts

MX1 Moto One

1. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 29:37.465; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 29:52.221; 3. Harri Kullas (Yamaha) 29:56.284

MX1 Moto Two

1. Brent Van Doninck (Yamaha) 29:17.915; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (KTM) 29:23.576; 3. Shaun Simpson (KTM) 29:34.558… 7. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 30:10.149

MX2 Overall

1. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 43pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 42 pts; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 42pts

MX2 Moto One

1. Isak Gifting (KTM) 29:31.044; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 29:36.360; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 29:37.220

MX2 Moto Two

1. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 29:10.939; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 29:12.833; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 29:14.364

Super Final

1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 31:42.672; 2. Ben Watson (Kawasaki) 31:45.108; 3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 31:45.976… 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 32:43.953

VIALLE CONTINUES TO PREP FOR MXGP OPENER WITH BRIGHT HAWKSTONE PARK INTERNATIONAL SHOWING 2022 MXGP news

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle finished 3rd overall at the 2022 Hawkstone Park International for what was his final pre-season outing prior to the launch of the forthcoming MXGP championship.

One week after taking a 5th place result at the Lacapelle Marival International on home turf, Frenchman Vialle travelled to the deep, dark and wet sand of Hawkstone Park and was close to the overall win, eventually missing out by just one point.

Vialle, racing at the historic motocropss venue for the first time since he won the 2020 International, was less than two-tenths of a second from Pole Position but rode strongly in the two MX2 motos on his new KTM 250 SX-F. He placed 2nd and 3rd; losing a spot on the last lap of the second race cost him the top step of the podium.

The 2020 world champion then lined-up in the Superfinal event – a mix of MXGP and MX2 machinery – and although he was caught in a start collision, plotted a course back to a decent 8th position. DIGA Procross KTM’s Thomas Kjer Olsen was 3rd overall in the MXGP class with his KTM 450 SX-F. The Dane’s run to 2nd place in the second moto was the highlight of the meeting for the German crew.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now look to the British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin and the opening round of the 2022 FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship on February 20th.

Tom Vialle: “Better than Lacapelle, and good to get into the sand for a race. I had two great starts. I struggled with some arm-pump in the first moto and couldn’t really ride my speed but the second moto was much better; I only lost the overall win on the last lap when I was stuck behind a backmarker. Anyway, the result was not critical here. It was important to work on the bike and we had some difficult riding conditions. I think we made a big step. It was good training and next week we will start the season for real.”

Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “The pre-season races are really for testing and training purposes, especially now with the new bike and the fine-tuning we need to do. Tom is building up and I’m really satisfied with the level we have at the moment. I fell in love with Hawkstone thirty years ago! It is physical, technical and offers everything a GP rider needs to prepare. Overall, It’s been a short winter but we’re ready to go.”

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP & MX2 Teams Look Fast & Furious in 2022

When the gate drops, the talking stops and with the opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship fast approaching, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are revved up and ready to get the new season underway. Back with a familiar yet strong line-up in 2022, both teams are looking fit, fast and motivated for the new MXGP season, which will kick off at the spectacular Matterley Basin venue in Winchester, England, next weekend.

As announced in 2021, the reigning MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux has moved up from the 250cc class, MX2, to the 450cc class, MXGP. The 21-year-old ‘Power Rookie’ was drafted into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team at the end of 2021 and is poised to race a YZ450FM inside the premier class alongside his new teammates Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff. 

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP & MX2 riders took part in a two-day media shoot on the island of Sardinia at the end of January. Are they ready for the 2022 season? You be the judge!

Seewer will again spearhead the charge in MXGP. The five-time FIM Motocross World Championship silver medalist hopes to build on the same Grand Prix winning form he showed at the end of last season. « The MXGP class will be super tough again this year as well, so my goal for 2022 is to get the best out of myself at every single race to be on the podium as much as possible » he explained, « I feel like I’m on a level at the moment I’ve never really been before so this sounds yeah good to me, but you know after, we will see the competition because nobody ever sleeps they all improve! »

Seewer’s search for World Championship glory will not come without a challenge from his highly acclaimed teammate Coldenhoff, who is also motivated to collect more pieces of podium silverware. « The ultimate goal has always been the same, » the Dutchman said, « I live to win. For sure it’s difficult, I mean if you look at the field you know it’s very very competitive, but I think the most important thing is to stay consistent be all the time up there every single weekend that’s with only one goal, and that’s to win. »

As for the rookie, Renaux has quickly become the posterchild of Yamaha’s strong strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions from within its own ranks. The young Frenchman has been with Yamaha for more than a decade and has secured two world titles on his way up to the very top of the Yamaha Racing pyramid. « It’s really nice to be a Factory rider in my rookie season in 450, » he smiled, « I really love the bike and the behavior of the engine really suits my style so I can be more clean and more safe and secure on the bike. I think I’m going to make a big step and I will make a big improvement this season again. »

Last year was one for the history books for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, as they enter their 25th year in blue this season. The team won their first-ever MX2 World Championship with Maxime Renaux in 2021 and became the first-ever Yamaha team to secure the gold and silver medals inside the MX2 World Championship in the same season. As a result, Yamaha also successfully defended the Manufacturers’ world title.

Back for more in 2022, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team has retained its young stars Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant. As one of the most decorated riders in the lower capacity class, MX2, with 53 top-three race finishes, 20 races wins and 27 podiums to his credit, Geerts enters his fifth season with Yamaha and the team determined to achieve the goal of winning the World Championship. « I’m really determined to do well this season, » he reaffirmed, « I’m in really good shape physically and I feel good on the bike, so I’m looking forward to the new season. I was second in 2020 and second in 2021, so for sure, I want a little bit more this year and hopefully I can make it happen. »

Completing Yamaha’s Factory line-up after an impressive rookie season where he celebrated a maiden podium finish and two race wins, Benistant is excited to keep progressing up the ranks in MX2. « I feel really good on the YZ250FM » he expressed, « the more I ride with this bike more I feel good so it’s nice. In 2022, my goal for this season is to be more consistent, more on the box and to take some good starts. »

Motocross fans don’t have long to wait for racing action to commence; the MXGP and MX2 riders will line up for the first Grand Prix of 2022 next weekend. Each class will have two practice sessions and a qualifying race on Saturday 19th February, followed by two championship races on Sunday 20th. Join us on Yamaha Racing’s Official social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Seewer will again spearhead the charge in MXGP. The five-time FIM Motocross World Championship silver medalist hopes to build on the same Grand Prix winning form he showed at the end of last season. « The MXGP class will be super tough again this year as well, so my goal for 2022 is to get the best out of myself at every single race to be on the podium as much as possible » he explained, « I feel like I’m on a level at the moment I’ve never really been before so this sounds yeah good to me, but you know after, we will see the competition because nobody ever sleeps they all improve! »

Seewer’s search for World Championship glory will not come without a challenge from his highly acclaimed teammate Coldenhoff, who is also motivated to collect more pieces of podium silverware. « The ultimate goal has always been the same, » the Dutchman said, « I live to win. For sure it’s difficult, I mean if you look at the field you know it’s very very competitive, but I think the most important thing is to stay consistent be all the time up there every single weekend that’s with only one goal, and that’s to win. »

As for the rookie, Renaux has quickly become the posterchild of Yamaha’s strong strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions from within its own ranks. The young Frenchman has been with Yamaha for more than a decade and has secured two world titles on his way up to the very top of the Yamaha Racing pyramid. « It’s really nice to be a Factory rider in my rookie season in 450, » he smiled, « I really love the bike and the behavior of the engine really suits my style so I can be more clean and more safe and secure on the bike. I think I’m going to make a big step and I will make a big improvement this season again. »

Last year was one for the history books for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, as they enter their 25th year in blue this season. The team won their first-ever MX2 World Championship with Maxime Renaux in 2021 and became the first-ever Yamaha team to secure the gold and silver medals inside the MX2 World Championship in the same season. As a result, Yamaha also successfully defended the Manufacturers’ world title.

Back for more in 2022, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team has retained its young stars Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant. As one of the most decorated riders in the lower capacity class, MX2, with 53 top-three race finishes, 20 races wins and 27 podiums to his credit, Geerts enters his fifth season with Yamaha and the team determined to achieve the goal of winning the World Championship. « I’m really determined to do well this season, » he reaffirmed, « I’m in really good shape physically and I feel good on the bike, so I’m looking forward to the new season. I was second in 2020 and second in 2021, so for sure, I want a little bit more this year and hopefully I can make it happen. »

Completing Yamaha’s Factory line-up after an impressive rookie season where he celebrated a maiden podium finish and two race wins, Benistant is excited to keep progressing up the ranks in MX2. « I feel really good on the YZ250FM » he expressed, « the more I ride with this bike more I feel good so it’s nice. In 2022, my goal for this season is to be more consistent, more on the box and to take some good starts. »

Motocross fans don’t have long to wait for racing action to commence; the MXGP and MX2 riders will line up for the first Grand Prix of 2022 next weekend. Each class will have two practice sessions and a qualifying race on Saturday 19th February, followed by two championship races on Sunday 20th. Join us on Yamaha Racing’s Official social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

The Kawasaki Racing Team makes ready for UK motocross debut

The Kawasaki Racing Team continued their build up to the 2022 MXGP season with a studio shoot for team members at their workshops in Lommel on 8 February. With Romain Febvre making progress in his bid to regain full fitness and Ben Watson buoyed by an overall podium performance at the Lacapelle Marival Masters, the riders and entire team staff met for the first time wearing their new Kawasaki apparel while making the final logistic arrangements to cross the water from Europe to the UK for the final pre-season event at Hawkstone Park. This will be followed by first MXGP of 2022 at Matterley Basin in Hampshire.
 

“We are really starting to create a formidable team spirit in these past weeks since the official announcement was made”, commented, Team Manager, Antti Pyrhonen. “Now all team members have their apparel, and we are seeing Romain and Ben make individual progress. We are really looking forward to meeting the Kawasaki fans at Hawkstone Park and adding the final pieces to the preparation jig-saw before we enter the paddock at Matterley Basin for the first time as an official Kawasaki factory team. We know it’s a big responsibility but there is a real sense of anticipation and optimism right across the team and we are all relishing the challenge.”