PRADO SHINES, LÄNGENFELDER SOARS, AND LATA DOMINATES!
A Trentino thriller saw Jorge Prado clinch his 42nd Grand Prix victory, Simon Längenfelder secure a podium finish in MX2, and Valerio Lata dominate EMX 250 from start to finish.
Jorge Prado overcame a challenging start to win the MXGP of Trentino, claiming his fourth consecutive win this season.
Simon Längenfelder shredded his way to his second win of 2024; securing third overall in MX2.
Valerio Lata dominated the EMX 250 class, securing double wins in front of his home crowds.
In the shadow of the majestic Dolomite mountains, the fourth round of the MXGP season unfolded amidst the electric atmosphere of the iconic Il Ciclamino track in Trentino, Italy. Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado led the way for the entire team in awesome style – securing his 42nd Grand Prix victory in MXGP, while Simon Längenfelder finished third in MX2, and Valerio Lata dominated EMX 250 from start to finish.
During Saturday MXGP qualifying, Prado experienced an unusual technical hiccup when he lost the seat unit of his bike, and was forced to pit for mid-race repairs. This resulted in a 17th place start position for Sunday’s opening moto. Despite the middle-pack start gate position however, Prado showed nerves of steel; and rocketed through into the lead at turn one; claiming the FOX Holeshot Award. By the second lap, he had already built a 1.4-second lead over his closest rival, Romain Febvre. Prado set the fastest lap of the race at 1:49.435 on lap five.
MXPG Trentino, Italy, 2024, Rider: Prado
A bar-to-bar game of cat and mouse ensued with Febvre, who eventually passed Prado, dropping him to second and later third after defending aggressively against Tim Gajser. Prado finished the first race in third place, an impressive feat considering Saturday’s early setback. Prado ripped into the second moto with a clear focus. He delivered a flawlessly managed performance, leading from start to finish and capturing another FOX Holeshot (his sixth of the season so far). This commanding victory marked his fourth consecutive Grand Prix win and his 42nd Grand Prix victory overall. What’s more, with 83 podiums to his name and maintaining a record of never finishing outside the top three this year, things are definitely looking on track for the defending champion!
In MX2, Simon Längenfelder’s performance during this weekend was a study in grit and determination. Despite a challenging start to the first race, where he found himself in 13th place after the first lap, Längenfelder showcased his speed by fighting his way to 8th position by mid-race. However, a crash on turn eight saw him momentarily drop back down to 10th. Undeterred, he continued to push, eventually securing a commendable 9th place finish.
With the scorching sun high in the afternoon sky – baking the rocky dirt – Längenfelder was determined to flip the script for his second moto at Trentino. After taking the lead in the opening lap, and winning the FOX holeshot for the second time this season, he left little doubt about his intentions. By lap three, Längenfelder was the fastest rider on the track, pulling a clear 3-second lead over the pack. His mastery of the track only grew as the race progressed; by the sixth lap, he had extended his advantage to five seconds, and from there, he never looked back. His performance was flawless, crossing the finish line an astonishing 13.5 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor. This victory marked his second race win of the season and the twelfth of his career.
Meanwhile, team mate Marc-Antoine Rossi impressed with a strong start in the first moto, quickly taking fourth position and maintaining a solid top-six presence throughout, ultimately finishing 6th. However, Sunday’s second moto presented significant challenges for Rossi, beginning with a multi-rider pileup at the first corner – relegating him to the back of the field. From 30th place, Rossi fought hard to climb up the ranks, showcasing his determination and resilience, though he only managed to finish in 20th position – giving him 13th overall in the final standings.
Valerio Lata delivered a masterclass performance in the EMX250 championship round at Trentino. Dominating from the outset, Lata set the fastest time in practice, immediately laying down a marker for his rivals. This blistering pace translated seamlessly into race day, where he controlled both races from the front, showcasing his awesome blend of race craft and raw speed. Race 1 saw Lata executing a perfect start, quickly establishing a lead that he never relinquished. His ability to manage the race pace while under pressure highlighted his growing maturity and racecraft. Heading into Race 2 with high confidence, he repeated his dominant performance, securing a clean pair of double wins on home soil. Lata’s team mate finished 10th overall – finishing 9th and 14th across both motos.
The Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing and MXGP paddock now enjoy a two week breather before moving to Agueda in north west Portugal on the 5th May.
MXPG Trentino, Italy, 2024, Rider:
MXGP – #1 – Jorge Prado: “Starting from P17 in the first moto wasn’t easy, but I have been saying that I’m a good starter – and I think I proved that today! In the first moto I didn’t really have a good flow; I tried but the conditions were sketchy and I felt like the guys were riding a little bit better than I was. In the second moto, we made some very small bike adjustments. I think we just touched the right clicks on the bike and made it work. We had a great start again, and I had a fun battle with Febvre in the first laps – but then he fell. Honestly I’m just really happy to come away with the win from this weekend – things could easily have gone in the wrong direction, but we turned it around. Four in a row – let’s keep going!”
MX2 – #516 – Simon Längenfelder: “Finally I got a good start, and I know I can win. I know I have everything I need to get these results, and finally I made it happen in the second moto! I just tried to control the race – I knew I was lapping faster than everyone, so it was just a case of bringing it home. Thank you to all my team who are always behind me. Also a special mention to my trainer – who came to see me race for the first time in three years, I’m so happy he made it here. Going home with a trophy -third overall – and now a great feeling before we race in Portugal!”
MX2 – #28 – Marc-Antoine Rossi: “After a good start in qualifying and a strong performance in the first race, it’s fair to say the weekend had a mix of highs and lows for me. 7th in qualifying was really good, and managing to fight through to 6th in the first moto, especially after some tough battles with Haarup, shows our potential. We had a good rhythm, and I felt good in the conditions. The second moto, however, was a completely different story. The start was crazy with that big crash. I had to grit my teeth because of the pain. Finishing 20th wasn’t what we aimed for, but it’s all part of racing.
Overall, taking 13th place is something we’ll learn from. Thanks to everyone for the support, and we’ll be pushing hard to turn things around at the next round!”
EMX250 – #53 – Valerio Lata: “What a weekend! Truly, it was a perfect weekend! Starting off strong, I secured the first position on Saturday, and today, on Sunday, I managed to clinch a double win—it’s been an incredibly fun and memorable weekend here at Il Ciclamino. I’m overflowing with happiness about everything we’ve accomplished these past two days. To achieve such a result right here in Italy, in front of a home crowd, is just unbelievable. A huge thank you to my entire team for their support; we worked hard for this, and it paid off. Looking forward, we’re all excited and fully focused on carrying this momentum into the next race in Agueda.”
EMX250 – #51 – Mads Fredsoe: “This past weekend marked a positive step forward. In the first race, I managed a decent start and maintained a steady pace to finish in 9th place. In the second race, unfortunately, I was involved in a crash right at the start, which left me near the back of the pack. Despite this setback, I pushed hard and managed to climb up to 14th position. Overall, I secured 10th place for the weekend. Looking ahead, I’m focused on maintaining this momentum throughout the season. A huge thank you to the entire team for their relentless effort and support. Let’s keep this progression going!”
MXGP of Pietramurata (Trentino) Results:
MXGP – Overall
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 45pts
- Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 41pts
- Tim Gasjer (Honda) 40pts
- Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 32pts
MXGP – Moto One
- Romain Febvre (Kawasaki)
- Tim Gasjer (Honda)
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
- Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
MXGP – Moto Two
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
- Calvin Vlaanderen (Yamaha)
- Jeremey Seewer (Kawasaki)
- Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
MXGP – Standings
- Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 219pts
- Tim Gasjer (Honda) 206pts
- Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 174pts
- Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 164pts
MX2 – Overall
- Liam Everts (KTM) 42pts
- Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 40pts
- Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 38pts
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 38pts
- Andrea Adamo (KTM) 29pts
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 23pts
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS) 17pts
- Sacha Coenen (KTM) 10pts
MX2 – Moto One
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna)
- Thibault Benistant (Yamaha)
- Liam Everts (KTM)
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS)
- Andrea Adamo (KTM)
- Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna)
MX2 – Moto Two
- Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
- Liam Everts (KTM)
- Andrea Bonacorsi (Yamaha)
- Andrea Adamo (KTM)
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna)
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna)
- Sacha Coenen (KTM)
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS)
MX2 – Standings
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 213pts
- Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 187pts
- Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 148pts
- Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 147pts
- Andrea Adamo (KTM) 139pts
- Liam Everts (KTM) 128pts
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS) 101pts
- Sacha Coenen (KTM) 90pts