In front of Ernée’s packed hillside, Fantic Factory Racing MXGP’s Andrea Bonacorsi delivered another rock-solid performance, securing a career-first holeshot and finishing fifth overall to wrap up a challenging French GP on a high for the Italian brand.
The iconic Raymond Demy track in Ernée, slightly revised in the upper section but still highly technical and challenging to tackle, hosted round nine of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship. This time, rain fell only on Sunday morning, but the challenges were no less demanding, while the stadium-like atmosphere remained electric throughout the weekend. The Fantic Factory Racing MXGP trio took some time to find the right feeling, with Glenn Coldenhoff the only one scoring points in Saturday’s qualifying race, finishing ninth. Andrea Bonacorsi and Brian Bogers ended just outside the top 10, in 12th and 13th place respectively.
But the all-important races are held on Sunday – and once again, “Bona” delivered! The 22-year-old Italian has established himself as a consistent presence in the top 5 during his first full season in the premier class. At the French GP, he launched his Fantic XXF 450 out of the gate to claim his first-ever holeshot in race 2 and went on to secure a strong fifth overall. Already off to a great start in race 1, Bonacorsi immediately joined the battle for the top 5. The pace was intense and the racing fierce, and the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP rider eventually crossed the line in sixth.
For his teammate Coldenhoff, race 1 was an uphill battle after getting tangled with other riders on the way into the first turn. He used all of his experience and determination to come from mid-pack to secure 10th place, despite not feeling 100% physically. Brian Bogers fought just outside the top 10 and crossed the line in 13th.
Race 2 featured a spectacular start, with all three Fantic Factory Racing MXGP riders at the sharp end heading into turn one – and Bonacorsi grabbed the first holeshot of his World Championship career. Bogers lost ground after making a few poor line choices during a hectic opening lap and slipped just outside the top 10. Meanwhile, Bona and Coldenhoff settled into fifth and sixth during the early stages of the race.
Not being at his physical best, Coldenhoff couldn’t hold the pace for the full race and slipped to ninth. Bonacorsi, on the other hand, fended off all attacks for most of the race, with only Herlings managing to pass him at the start of the final lap. In the overall GP classification, the Italian secured a strong fifth place. The “Hoff” rounded out the top 10, while Bogers finished 12th in race 2 and 13th overall – and most importantly, with a good feeling for this intense triple-header. From Ernée, MXGP now heads to Teutschenthal, Germany, before moving on to Latvia the following week.
Andrea Bonacorsi:
“It was a good weekend! I struggled a bit on Saturday but didn’t want to take too many risks either. On Sunday, we started well with fifth in the warm-up, then took two sixth places in the races – and my first holeshot, hopefully the first of many – actually, I am sure of it. The key? The team atmosphere, how calm we are before going to the gate, and above all, the bike, because at the start you need to get the power to the ground. The whole package is helping me improve a lot. I am happy with the steps I am taking. We are becoming more and more consistent in the positions that matter. Now the goal is to take the next step to get on the podium. I have to thank the whole team and everyone at Fantic because we are doing a great job.”
Glenn Coldenhoff:
“I am facing some issues with my body. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I immediately felt that I wasn’t at my best – and you could see it in race 2. Normally, I am physically strong, but I was really dropping back. The mind wanted to go, but the body said no. Of course, I am disappointed with a 10-9 – these are not the positions I should be in. We have to accept it for now and focus on getting better for next week. Hopefully, I can recover well and be back where I belong in Teutschenthal.”
Brian Bogers:
“Feeling-wise, it was one of my better weekends. Still, these are not yet the results we want, but the feeling is getting better and better. I am also happy with my start in race 2, because that is one area I used to struggle with. The riding was quite good in the second moto as well, especially towards the end. So that was another positive. We need to take all these good things into the next weekend – and we will get there.”
FANTIC FACTORY RACING EMX
EMX250 rookie Simone Mancini was not at his best in France due to dealing with illness in the week leading up to the GP, but he still gave it his all. He got off to a great start on his Fantic XXF 250 in race 1, holding third place for the first part of the moto before slipping back two positions. With a great display of determination, he crossed the finish line in fifth. However, he was later docked five positions due to a penalty.
Sunday’s race 2 also got off to a strong start for the 17-year-old Italian, who was running in sixth in the early stages before being forced to retire due to a technical issue. Despite the setback, he still sits sixth in the championship standings.
It was a challenging weekend also in the EMX125 class, although the championship battle remains wide open – with Francesco Bellei now sitting fourth in the standings, just 18 points off second. In Ernée, the 16-year-old Italian finished race 1 in 16th after a strong comeback, and retired in race 2 after damaging his radiator in a crash. His speed was there and he showed it in the first race, when he recovered impressively after being involved in two incidents on the opening lap, forcing him to restart in last and far behind the pack.
Bellei’s 20th overall at the French GP does not reflect his true potential – and the same can be said for Douwe Van Mechgelen. The newly crowned 125 Dutch Masters champion suffered a heavy knock to his knee in a crash during timed practice. He gritted his teeth to bring home a top-10 finish and a 16th place after a fall in race 2, finishing 14th overall.
Francesco Bellei:
“It was a tough weekend. I couldn’t find the right feeling, and we were also quite unlucky. In race 1, someone landed on my hand and I went off track on the first lap. Shortly after, I ended up on the ground and had to restart from last, far behind the group. I still managed to score a few valuable points. In race 2, the conditions were tricky, I crashed, and unfortunately couldn’t finish the moto. But now we are already looking ahead – we will try again at the next one!”
Douwe Van Mechgelen:
“I was hopeful of carrying the good momentum into the French GP, but it turned out to be a difficult weekend. I had a hard crash in time practice and had to ride through the pain. Sunday was especially tough in the mud, as I couldn’t put my foot down the way I needed to – but we still salvaged 14th overall.”
Simone Mancini:
“I came into the weekend not feeling my best, and I had to dig deep on Saturday to cross the line fifth – which would have been a solid result, all things considered. After that, things just seemed to go against us. Of course, it is frustrating, but I know we are capable of doing it, just like we did when we made the podium in the Italian Championship last week.”
