The Fantic Factory Racing MXGP team has kicked off the season in the best possible way, securing podium finishes in the first pre-season races on two occasions: Glenn Coldenhoff took victory at the Hawkstone International, while Andrea Bonacorsi claimed third place at the opening round of the “Internazionali d’Italia” in Mantova. It was also the season debut for the Fantic Factory Racing EMX riders, with newcomer Francesco Bellei narrowly missing out on a podium finish in the 125cc class.
The Internazionali d’Italia traditionally mark the start of the motocross season in Italy. Fantic Factory Racing MXGP lined up in Mantova with Andrea Bonacorsi, making his race debut on the Fantic XXF 450. Despite the challenging track conditions caused by heavy rain, “Bona” quickly found his rhythm. Second in timed practice, finishing just behind five-time world champion Tim Gajser, Andrea had a great start in the first moto, placing himself among the front runners. Maintaining a consistent pace, he crossed the line in third place.
In race 2, the 21-year-old Italian got off to an even better start, holding second place for the first part of the race. With another solid performance, he finished third once again. Thanks to these results, Bonacorsi secured an impressive third overall, bringing the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP team onto the podium in their first race of the season.
Meanwhile, his teammate Glenn Coldenhoff was on a mission at the Hawkstone International, one of the most prestigious pre-season events on the calendar, which once again attracted many top riders. After an intense battle with the likes of Romain Febvre, it was the Fantic Factory rider who came out on top. “The Hoff” went 1-2 in the motos to secure the overall win in the MX1 class. But he didn’t stop there—Coldenhoff also crossed the finish line first in the Superfinal, where Brian Bogers achieved his best moto result of the day in sixth place.
Andrea Bonacorsi:
“I am very happy with the results achieved in the first race of the season – third place in both motos as well as overall. The work done on the bike during the winter was amazing; it really feels like my bike. We have great potential, and I can’t wait to be in Montevarchi in a few days to try and improve this result.”
Glenn Coldenhoff:
“I pulled the holeshot in race 1, Febvre was pushing me the entire moto, but I managed to hold on to the lead despite not feeling fully comfortable yet. My start in the second moto wasn’t as good—I was fourth and quickly moved into second behind Renaux. I tried to make a pass, but the track was pretty one-lined, and I knew that second place would be enough for the overall win. The start to the super final was quite hectic with all the MX2 guys starting in front, but my riding felt good in that third moto. I also won the super final, which is always great. We still need to figure a few things out, but winning always feels good – we did it last year here in Hawkstone and we have done it again this year. I would say it has been a positive start to the year!”
Photo courtesy Scott Dunne
FANTIC FACTORY RACING EMX
The season also kicked off for the young 125 riders, with Francesco Bellei making his debut with the Fantic Factory Racing EMX team aboard the Fantic XX 125. The talented rider from Trentino showed great speed from the very first laps, setting the fastest time in his qualifying group. In the first race, he got off to a perfect holeshot and led into the first corner, fighting hard to maintain his lead. Despite the challenging track conditions, he secured a promising third place. In the second race, his start was not as fast, and after a slight mistake, he lost a few positions. He crossed the finish line in fourth place, narrowly missing out on a podium with P4 overall.
After moving up to the Fantic XXF 250, Simone Mancini secured a solid eleventh place in the first race, competing against a strong MX2 field. His start in the second race was even stronger, as the Fantic Factory EMX rider battled within the top ten during the early stages. However, a crash in difficult conditions forced him to retire, compromising his final result and leaving him in sixteenth place overall. Nevertheless, the outlook remains highly positive as he focuses on his main objective—preparing for the EMX250 European Championship.
Unfortunately, the third Fantic Factory Racing EMX rider, Douwe Van Mechgelen, was forced to withdraw from the Internazionali d’Italia due to a left-hand injury sustained during training. The young Belgian will focus on his recovery, with his sights set on the EMX125 European Championship, which begins in mid-March in Cozar, Spain. All other Fantic riders will be back in action next weekend in Montevarchi at round 2 of the Italian preseason series.
Francesco Bellei:
“All in all, a solid start with good sensations on the bike. We are taking away two major positives: the start and the qualifying. The track was really tough, and I am not fully satisfied with the outcome of the race because I couldn’t push as much as I wanted. This was just the first race, and we still have to work on some details. We will keep doing that and will try again in a week in Montevarchi.”
