The fourth MXGP round of the season takes place in Sardinia, Italy where the deep sand track of Riola Sardo awaits the four Honda HRC riders, who are gradually building momentum as the championship starts to take shape.
Five-time champion Tim Gajser has won the last two rounds, winning all four the motos, as well as the qualification race in Spain, so the Slovenian is looking extremely impressive already and has a commanding 29-point lead in the title standings. Those two rounds were muddy affairs, where the #243 has consistently been head and shoulders above his rivals, but with this being the first sand round of the season, he’ll be hoping to stamp his authority on this treacherous terrain as well.
While things didn’t end so well in France for Ruben Fernandez, the Spaniard had previously been building towards the podium spots with a third in qualification and a fifth in the first moto. These results saw him climbing the MXGP rankings and after missing a large portion of 2024, we were starting to the best from the Honda CRF450R rider. The race two withdrawal in St Jean D’Angely was a set-back, but overall, his progression is in the right direction, and while Riola Sardo isn’t his favourite venue, he’s got a point to prove and plenty of skill to do so.
Ferruccio Zanchi has also been displaying his speed in recent weeks, after his podium performance in Spain, and some excellent laptimes in France. Unfortunately, he couldn’t translate those times into the points he deserved, but after a second place in a Dutch National in the weekend-off, his sand skills are in no doubt and the young Italian is excited to race in Sardinia and show them off to the world audience.
Also motivated is the newest recruit, Valerio Lata, who continues to impress in the Italian Championship races. He won both motos at the sandy Mantova facility and now heads to Sardinia looking to challenge at the front in the MX2 class against the world’s best. The #18 has been steady in the three rounds to date but is just missing a spark to really get his season going and he’ll hope to find it at the first of these two Italian rounds.
Riola Sardo is this weekend, followed by the Pietramurata round in Trentino on April 12-13, and then the week after that is the MXGP of Switzerland, as the World Motocross Championship hits a critical period of racing.
Tim Gajser 243
Having won the last four motos, I’m feeling very good heading into Sardinia. I know that it’ll be a tough challenge and I know I’ve had some difficult races there in the past, but last year went well and I believe that the work we’ve done over the winter will show itself and I’ll be able to get some good results in the deep sand. The most important thing is to keep this momentum going and try to enjoy it as much as possible.
Ruben Fernandez 70
Last time out in France didn’t go so well, but before that second moto, I was very happy with my riding and my performances. Unfortunately, that’s how motocross goes sometimes, and now I’ve just been focusing on trying to be ready for Riola Sardo. It definitely isn’t my favourite track, but it is a place I want to show people that I have speed in the sand and hopefully I can do that this weekend.
Ferruccio Zanchi 73
I wasn’t able to ride Riola last year, which was a shame as I feel like I am very good in the sand. I had a good race at Lommel last year and I think I would have done well in Sardinia too. Of course, this weekend is my chance to prove it and I feel like I am in good shape. I had a mixed weekend at the Dutch National, with a crash in race one and then second in race two, so I know my speed is there, I just had to keep it consistent, which definitely won’t be easy at this tra
Valerio Lata 18
I’ve had a solid start to my Honda HRC career, with some decent results, but nothing as good as I would have liked so far. Of course the weather hasn’t made it easy, but I know I have to keep improving as we progress through the championship. This will be my first time in deep sand with the team, however I’ve raced in Mantova a couple of times, including last weekend and it went well, so I’m feeling good and hopefully this can be my breakout event.
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC General Manager – MXGP
Having Spain and France back-to-back was a real challenge for the whole team, but everyone worked really hard and in the end we had two very successful races. Tim dominated in both rounds and Ferro got himself onto the podium, and I think both of those things really helped lift the whole team. Now we have two ‘home’ GPs for the team members, with Sardinia followed by Trentino, so things should be a little bit easier, and even with Switzerland the week after, none of them are too far from our base. Still, now we have to go out and make sure everyone is as ready as can be, to keep the momentum going and show that Honda HRC is one of the best teams in the paddock.
