Fantic Factory Racing MXGP is excited to confirm Jörgen-Matthias Talviku as a fill-in rider aboard the Fantic XXF 450 ahead of the team’s home GP in Flanders, Belgium.
With Alberto Forato continuing his recovery following successful surgery on his left scapula, Jörgen-Matthias Talviku will line up alongside Brent Van doninck, allowing Fantic to field two factory XXF 450 machines at the much-anticipated MXGP of Flanders. The 23-year-old from Estonia has already appeared in selected GPs this season, with an impressive eighth-place finish in MXGP race 2 in Latvia as his best result to date.
Jacky Martens, Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team Owner:
“Alberto’s surgery went very well and his recovery is progressing according to plan, but it is still too early to give an exact timeline for his return. With our home GP coming up, we are pleased to give Jörgen-Matthias Talviku this opportunity aboard our factory bike. He is a young rider, still only 23 years old, and he delivered a strong performance in Latvia. If you can score a top-10 race finish in MXGP, it shows you have the potential and the skills to compete at this level. We are happy to give him this opportunity and hopefully help him take the next step in his career. For our team, as well as for Fantic and all our partners, it is important to have two bikes on the grid – especially at our home round in Lommel. We are confident that Jörgen-Matthias will fit in well.”
Jörgen-Matthias Talviku:
“I am extremely happy to get a chance as a fill-in rider for the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP team. First of all, I would like to wish Alby a fast recovery, because it is never good to see someone get hurt. Of course, this is an opportunity of a lifetime for me. It has always been a dream to ride in a factory team and I have a lot to gain from this project. The first few days with the Fantic crew have been amazing. The team is super professional and a cool group of people to work with. We have already done some good testing and I have enjoyed the factory bike from day one. The feeling on the practice track is already quite good. We are going to do some more testing during the week to be ready for my debut in Lommel. I would like to thank Fantic and the team for the opportunity, and all the sponsors for helping me get to this stage.”
Photo credits @shotbybavo
