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MXGP World Championship

Editor Note: Russian Rush

33 days and counting to go.

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It suddenly seems as though the start of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship is not too far in the distance, as the possibility of starting the new campaign in Russia of all places becomes more realistic. The Grand Prix of Russia, run right alongside the Black Sea, is 33 days away at the time of writing and one would think that cancelling within a month of the event would only be done in the most extreme circumstances.

When the current version of the Grand Prix calendar was released, industry folk were full of scepticism and almost disregarded the dates. The tone has shifted a month on though – everyone is frantically attempting to finalise visas for a trip into the largest country on the planet. Now, that is not an easy feat at the best of times and thus there are some concerns amongst those residing in certain nations (the United Kingdom is at the top of that list). There were rumblings that a meeting was held last week, as there were worries that key figures would be denied entry, but it sounds as though the event will still go off.

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Site-Tim-Gajser

Bavo Swijgers

In talking to people familiar with what is going on in Russia, it sounds as though a lot of the restrictions are fairly relaxed currently and Orlyonok could be a reminder of what a regular race is like. 30,000 fans flocked to the Formula 1 round in Sochi late last year, so that is not too much of a shock. Imagine if the fences were heaving with passionate fans to begin the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, a whopping 218 days after the gates last dropped at Pietramurata? That must be a tantalising prospect for all involved, even if it does involve a trip to Russia, and is the main priority for this year.

An interesting prospect now is that there are really not too many opportunities for riders to get pre-season races in the books, if Russia is indeed going to go ahead on the proposed date. It was obvious that most of the teams were going to log time in the Dutch Masters series prior to the season opener – that would have been sufficient. Now that championship has been cancelled, what options are there? Travelling to the ACU British Motocross Championship is more hassle than it is worth and comes with some hefty costs for COVID tests (more than £300 per person in total). Lyng and Canada Heights are not exactly great for MXGP prep either.

Tim Gajser and Glenn Coldenhoff took advantage of the Italian round at Montevarchi, but the next stop on that calendar is not until the weekend before Russia. Would anyone really want to travel south to race just days before taking off to the first round? Exactly, not to mention that the crates would already be en route to Krasnodar. The French national championship is set to start on that same weekend at Ernee, which is actually a pretty good place to prep for Orlyonok. The date is not exactly the kindest though. Driving to France makes a lot more sense than going to Italy though, so maybe some practice bikes get an outing.

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Site-Pauls-Jonass

Bavo Swijgers

The next round of the RFME series in Spain is scheduled for that same weekend, funnily enough. What is it about the first weekend in June that is so attractive to the promoters? No one will travel there, outside of the regulars who have already started the series. The ADAC MX Masters does not begin until July – that is no help. There are very few options for those who have not raced in anger to think about. Riders like Jeffrey Herlings, Antonio Cairoli, Jeremy Seewer, Pauls Jonass, Brian Bogers, Arnaud Tonus, Tom Vialle, Jed Beaton and more are all yet to race. Jonass really jumps off of the page there – he has not raced since March 2020.

If Russia does get postponed, which no one seems to think will happen, then this is a moot point. Everyone will head to France, Spain and Italy at the start of June and log laps at a race pace before things start at the end of June. Simple. If we are dropping gates on June 13, then there are going to be guys with very different prep. It will be a weird dynamic. Heck, even those who did the Internazionali d’Italia series would not have competed in more than three months. That would be considered heinous in normal circumstances.

Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Bavo Swijgers

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Features

Lit Kit Gallery: MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina

The best from round 1.

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Check out some of the freshest fits, helmets and more from the MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina. Lead Image: Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum.

Photo credits: Red Bull KTM – Ray Archer / Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum / Yamaha MXGP – Full Spectrum + Eva Szabadfi / JM Honda / Kawasaki MXGP / Fantic MXGP / Yamaha MX2 – Full Spectrum / HRC MXGP / GasGas – Juan Pablo Acevedo


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MXGP World Championship

Video: MXGP Pre-Season Training with Jeffrey Herlings

Watch now.

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Join Jeffrey Herlings during his pre-season testing after his streak of injuries. Will he get back to his old form?

Lead Image: Ray Archer/KTM

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

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MXGP World Championship

Stark Speaks! Stark believes MXGP should reconsider electric bike inclusion.

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Following numerous questions, comments, and opinions, Stark Future would like to offer its take on the recent Press Conference held at VILLA LA ANGOSTURA (Argentina) on 8th March 2024, during the first MXGP event of the season.

Stark Future, a prominent innovator in motocross, firmly opposes MXGP/ Infront’s proposal to introduce a separate Electric Support Class alongside MXGP events. While recognizing the goal of driving technological advancements, Stark Future believes that segregation is not the solution. Instead, seeing integration as an opportunity for all sides to thrive. By embracing new technologies at the highest level of racing, Stark Future envisions making racing more captivating for fans while fostering the strongest technological improvements across the board.

With a commitment to pushing the boundaries of motocross performance and innovation, Stark Future firmly believes in true competition and integration, where the fastest machines go head-to-head, driving innovation and pushing the sport to new heights. The vision of Stark Future is to build the fastest motocross bike in the world and demonstrate that Electric is not a compromise but a formidable contender.

“As CEO and Founder of Stark Future, I firmly believe that segregating electric bikes into a separate class undermines the essence of true competition in motocross. Our mission is to break barriers and showcase the potential of electric technology on equal footing with internal combustion engines, Motocross thrives on innovation and pushing boundaries, and segregation only hinders our collective progress towards a more inclusive and dynamic sport. World Trials have done a great job on including Electric with combustion and have shown that when the platform is competitive it has it´s place amongst combustion counterparts”

Stark Future understands The creation of a separate class for electric bikes, as proposed by MXGP, compromises the essence of competition and risks stifling progress. Instead of fostering innovation, this approach fragments the championship and dilutes the level of competition. Stark Future advocates for the integration of electric bikes into the existing MXGP grid framework, which would promote innovation and benefit the broader motocross community while offering better viewing figures for MXGP programs.

Stark Future recognizes the importance of innovation in the future of motocross. Integrating electric bikes into MXGP would revitalize innovation within the sport and address challenges such as noise pollution, maintenance costs, and accessibility.

In conclusion, Stark Future urges MXGP/ Infront to reconsider the proposal for a separate Electric Support Class and explore avenues to seamlessly integrate Electric bikes into MXGP and MX2 grids. Stark Future is ready to embrace this challenge, and invites industry stakeholders to join in promoting innovation and ensuring that motocross continues to thrive for generations to come.

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