The Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes at the MXGP of Great Britain in Foxhill. While Alberto Forato was forced to withdraw due to injury, Brent Van Doninck showed that his upward trajectory is back on track.
Forato’s weekend started in promising fashion. The 26-year-old Italian posted the sixth-fastest time in timed practice and looked set for a strong result. However, disaster struck in Saturday’s qualifying race when he crashed heavily on the opening lap, injuring his left shoulder.
Following further medical examinations in Belgium, Forato was diagnosed with a fractured shoulder blade. He successfully underwent surgery on Sunday afternoon and will now focus entirely on his recovery. As a result, he will miss the upcoming rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
For Brent Van Doninck, the weekend unfolded much more positively. The Belgian quickly felt at home on the classic hard-pack circuit of Foxhill and built on his 14th-place finish in the qualifying race. In the opening moto, however, he struggled to find the right lines to make passes and had to settle for 16th place.
The second moto was a significant improvement. Van Doninck delivered a strong performance and crossed the finish line in tenth place. That result earned him 11th overall for the day, just outside the top ten, and he now heads to the next Grand Prix in the Czech Republic full of confidence.
Brent Van Doninck:
“It was my first time racing at Foxhill and I really enjoyed it. The organisers did an amazing job, both with the track and the overall event. My riding in the first moto wasn’t actually bad, but the level in this class is so high that it’s incredibly difficult to make passes when you’re stuck further back in the field. In the second moto I was in a much better position after the opening lap, which allowed me to ride a strong race with a consistent pace. It was great to finish back inside the top ten. I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made. We also made a few changes to the bike setup that worked really well. I’m going home feeling positive, and it’s been a while since I could say that. The last few races have been mentally tough, with the crash in Montevarchi followed by illness in South Africa. We’re moving in the right direction now, and there are still a few tracks coming up that suit me well. We’ll keep working hard and never give up. Hopefully we can achieve even more top-ten finishes.”
