Campionato mondiale MXGP

MXGP of Turkiye: Rider Debriefs

MXGP and MX2 stars share their thoughts.

Published

3 months ago

September 3, 2023

Edward Stratmann

Read what a host of MXGP and MX2 riders had to say about their respective weekends at the MXGP of Turkiye.

MXGP

Tim Gajser: “I felt confident coming into this weekend and once I rode the track, I knew it was going to be a good weekend. Even though the storm meant we didn’t race yesterday, I had the first gate-pick and that really helped me get two good starts on my Honda CRF450R, giving me the opportunity to lead the races early on. The first race I had arm-pump so I had to settle for second, but race two I was just feeling so good on the bike. I had a really good lead, and even though I made a mistake, I was able to stay in front and then pull out a gap all over again. A big thank you to all the team, my girlfriend Spela and all the fans who have supported me this year when things haven’t gone my way. I’m really happy to show everyone that I am back and now I’m really excited for the final two rounds.”

Romain Febvre: “I never had a really good feeling for this track in all the years we have been coming here; I think this is only the second time I have been on the podium. I didn’t feel comfortable yesterday but I have always ridden better in racing than timed practice and I managed to turn it around today. There was a lot of drama at the first two turns both motos but I could come out of there third each time. In the first moto I saw that I was faster and had good lines to take the win, but in the second race I was third all moto; I could keep the distance to Maxime but I couldn’t find anywhere to make the difference so in the end I had to settle for third. I have gained many points in the championship this weekend and it’s never over until the end but my only solution is to win what I can and hope Jorge makes mistakes. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the last two rounds. I love Maggiora – I have good memories from there – and I think everyone enjoys England; it is such a great track, so let’s keep it going.”

Maxime Renaux: “I’m happy to be back. I had quite a bad injury on my foot, and even now, I still have some trouble with it. But I’m progressing well and building back to 100%, and today I think we made a good step. It’s only my third round back from injury, and I’m on the podium. I am really happy with that. There are still some things to work on. I still don’t feel 100%, but we are focusing on building toward 2024 to be ready for the title fight.”

Alberto Forato: “The first P5 overall! First moto I struggled a lot with arm-pump for the first 20 mins, but overall a good race. Thanks to everyone. I’m hungry for more.”

Ruben Fernandez: “The second moto was much better for me, and much more the level that I expect from myself. After not getting the opportunity to improve upon my 14th position in timed practice, I didn’t have the best gate-pick but I still had a good start in race one. However, another rider collided into me before the second bend and I was picking my bike up practically last. I got back to 11th, but it was a pretty frustrating race. Thankfully race two went a lot better and I was able start well and keep the top three in sight for the entire race. A big congrats to Tim for his victory and I really hope we can see each other on the podium in these last two rounds.”

Glenn Coldenhoff: “It was a difficult weekend for me after two weeks on the couch recovering from sickness. The weekend got off to a tough start for me, with the rain cancelling the qualifying race. I didn’t get a good time in timed practice, so I already had to start from a tough gate pick. Both my starts today weren’t too good, which made my life difficult. I managed to pass some guys in the end and still scored “okay” points, but I couldn’t really expect more from this weekend while struggling a bit with my health.”

Jeremy Seewer: “I felt so good here yesterday, and although today was a little different after all the rain, I actually liked it because it was a little bit more technical. Although, this made it very one-lined and we were all running the same speed. I feel like I rode well today, but in race one, I got a good start but got cleaned out by another rider at turn three, and then in race two, I got caught out by the track preparation massively. It’s difficult to catch up here, but I had a good ride. I really think that if I rode the same as I did today, without the issues, I would have fought for the win. At the end of the day, after the crash in race two, I have to be happy that I come away from here in one piece because it was a really big get-off, and I got run over by a lot of riders too, but still, I managed to get points and finished both races. Now, I will regroup and be ready to get some good results at the next two GPs.”

Mattia Guadagnini: “I did not know what to expect this weekend. I was off for a long time! I felt good on my MC 450F. I found my way into third in the first moto, which was a bit surprising. I struggled with arm pump after that and did not want to make any mistakes. I was seventh in moto one – I was happy with that. We can take some positives from this weekend. I will be more ready when we head to Maggiora in two weeks.”

Jorge Prado: “It was not a perfect weekend! I think that I could have been on the podium, had I got good starts. I had to charge hard today. It is very hard to pass on this track – I struggled with that today. I am hungry to get back to winning motos.”

MX2

Liam Everts: “Super-happy. I made a little mistake in the second moto, but otherwise I felt comfortable all weekend and that’s not normal because these high-speed tracks are not my thing, but I was fast and in control. As I’ve said before, the championship was not really my goal coming into the season; just to get on the podium was good and then a GP win was unbelievable but I’m a believer, and I will never stop until the last lap and last corner!”

Kevin Horgmo: “We have been working hard for this moment all season. It should have come much earlier; little things always seemed to go against us, but we have kept working and turned it around. My only regret is that my mom and dad were not here this weekend, like they usually are, to enjoy this moment. It’s a pity for that one small mistake in the first moto but I had the best times all through the last few laps of that race and I still believed in the podium. That career-first GP moto victory was special; I rode smooth and consistent, stayed second and kept pushing so I was able capitalise on Liam’s mistake.”

Jago Geerts: “I’m happy to be back on the podium. Despite the circumstances with my shoulder and also my physical condition, I can be proud of what I did today. It was not easy, but it feels good to be back on the box, and I look forward to making more progress in my recovery to be fitter in Maggiora.”

Simon Langenfelder: “There were positives and negatives from my weekend. I had good speed in the first moto, and I managed to win that. I did not feel the best heading into the second moto and my start was not great. I could not find the good lines in that one – I struggled for rhythm on the fast track. I am looking forward to the next race.”

Roan van de Moosdijk: “There were good and bad points about my weekend. I am happy with my speed and the fact that I led laps, but it was a shame to miss the podium. We have made good progress in my second race back from injury – we will keep working to improve.”

Andrea Adamo: “Not the best weekend. P11 in the quali race meant it was quite hard for the start today and if you don’t make the starts then it is not easy to catch the guys at the front. I crashed in the first moto and that was my fault. I need to keep calm and not make these mistake because they cost me a lot of points. I came back very fast in the second moto and was riding good. We have two weeks now to rest, regroup and try again in Maggiora.”

David Braceras: “We keep improving every weekend, but of course I am just a little disappointed about my mistake in the second moto. My start was not so good in the first race, but I passed a lot of riders already on the first lap to finish eighth; my distance to the winner was the closest of all season so I knew I could improve even more in race two and I was comfortable in seventh until that one stupid mistake cost me a lot of places. But we will keep working for Maggiora and England … and my congratulations to Kevin and the team; they really deserve it!”

Rick Elzinga: “I bounced back from a difficult day yesterday, but starting from an outside gate today was quite hard. In the first race, I tried to cut to the inside at turn one, but a few riders were already on the line, so I was forced to start from the back. The track here is a bit one-lined, but I made a couple of good passes and fought my way from 11th to seventh. In the end, I was a bit tight and my shoulder was tired. I rode much better in race two, although the result was not as good. But, my technique was quite good; I just struggled to pass. It was still decent to end like this, and I look forward to seeing what I can do in a couple of weeks when my shoulder is stronger.”

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Related Topics:Afyon MX2 MXGP of Turkiye MXGP Rider Debriefs

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Breaking News

Alberto Forato signs up for Standing Construct Honda MXGP

Published

1 day ago

December 4, 2023

James Burfield

Although it’s been speculated for a while, it’s always great to get the official PR! One of the rider’s favourite teams to work under, Standing Construct Honda have secured the young and talented Alberto Forato for 2024. Along with Pauls Jonass the team will surely be not just one of the professional in the paddock but fun and friendly! A great match.

Standing Construct Honda MXGP is delighted to announce the signing of Italian sensation Alberto Forato for the upcoming 2024 MXGP season. The 23-year-old talent is set to campaign a Honda CRF450R alongside Pauls Jonass in the highly anticipated 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Forato first made waves on the world stage in 2013 in the European Championship EMX150 class, where he competed on a Honda CRF150 and finished as the championship runner-up. Since then, his remarkable talent has propelled him through the ranks.

Starting his 450 career in 2021, “Alby” has demonstrated consistent improvement each year. After finishing 18^th overall in his first full season in MXGP, he has progressed impressively, and finished 11^th in 2022.

Continuing his upward trajectory, the charismatic #303 achieved four top-five race finishes in 2023, which includes a thrilling third-place finish in Race 1 at his home Grand Prix in Maggiora.

He was also one of only six riders to win a Qualifying Race and ended his 2023 campaign ranked seventh in the world.

Alberto Forato:
“I’m happy to be back with the Honda family and to join the Standing Construct Honda MXGP team. It’s so important to have a solid team behind you and a strong bike, so I’m really looking forward to the new challenge and seeing what we can do in 2024.”

Tim Mathys:
“We are pleased to welcome Alberto Forato to the team for the 2024 MXGP season. We’ve been watching him in MXGP over the past two years, and his progress has been nothing short of impressive. He will be a great addition to our team, and we look forward to seeing what he, together with Pauls Jonass, can achieve!”

Monster Energy Supercross

Jorge Prado To Race The First Three Rounds Of AMA Supercross in 2024

Read now.

Published

4 days ago

December 1, 2023

Edward Stratmann

A two-week shakedown in Southern California training at RD Field is all it took for defending MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado to make the decision to try his hand at AMA Supercross, set to make a fascinating cameo appearance across the opening three rounds of the 2024 season.

Words: Press Release | Lead Image: GasGas

MXGP World Champion to make AMA Supercross Championship debut in 2024
Partnering with the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team
Planning to line up in 450SX Class at Anaheim 1, San Francisco and San Diego
That’s right, our Spanish sensation is in for Anaheim 1, San Francisco and San Diego this coming January, equipped with the GASGAS MC 450F in what will be his first-ever American Supercross start – straight into the premier 450SX ranks on debut. And we’re stoked to see it!

Fresh from clinching the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship in the MXGP category, which was a milestone achievement for both himself and GASGAS with the Davide De Carli-managed squad, Jorge had expressed his lifelong dream of sampling the sport of Supercross – and potentially making a 450SX start! – in the United States.

From there, accompanied by a blitz of media attention throughout his brief off-season excursion, the capabilities of the talented 22-year-old were evident from the outset while applying his craft within the tighter confines of training on a full-scale supercross track layout.

Together between Jorge, his regular Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team and the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team, it was decided that he will go on to contest the opening three rounds of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in a bid to gain experience via a series of gate-drops and race mileage in the U.S. during what will still be the Grand Prix off-season.

Jorge Prado: “Since I started riding my dream has always been to one day race in the U.S., specifically to race Supercross. I have watched it my whole life on television and always thought it must be great to race under lights with a huge crowd and atmosphere! And more specifically, it must be great to race at an iconic stadium like Angel Stadium. I was lucky enough in 2015, while visiting and training in the U.S., to go to Anaheim 1 – it was a great experience and made me want to try it even more. So given I won the MXGP title this year and am totally healthy and looking for a new challenge, I thought it was the perfect time in my career to come and train in USA properly to prepare for a few Supercross races. I don’t want to waste another whole year wondering if I could or should, so I am here and I am going to try it out. I’m really looking forward to it and am lucky enough to have the full support of my Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team back home with Claudio and Davide de Carli, and the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team here in the USA behind me.”

Roger De Coster (Director of Motorsports, North America): “The main goal for Jorge in 2024 is to defend the world title he earned this past season, but of course we are excited to see what he can do on a Supercross track. We all know that he is very talented, given he’s already a multiple times Motocross World Champion, having won in MX2 and being the current MXGP Champion. However, we also know that Supercross at the highest level is extremely competitive and to race with the top here requires a lot of toughness besides talent, so this will be a huge challenge for him. We wish him the very best and are glad that with the support of TLD GASGAS we are able to support his wishes to try Supercross!”

Davide De Carli (Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager): “Jorge fulfilled his dream in Europe to become MXGP World Champion this year and we are so proud of him. His desire now is to train in the U.S. and to try Supercross, because he hasn’t had the opportunity until now and from our side he completely deserves it. We, as a team, along with Pit Beirer and Robert Jonas have been completely open since day one with Jorge about giving him the opportunity to race Supercross and we will support him from Europe! We can’t wait to see him line up at A1 as it’s important for him to race those first three rounds to clarify in his mind where his racing future is, as he’s still really young and can try it out. It’s also good winter training for him before the start of the MXGP season, where his goal is to defend his number one plate in 2024. Good luck, Jorge!”

Following his scheduled three-round appearance in the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, Jorge will return to Europe and prepare for his MXGP World Championship defence, which will open at the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina on March 10, 2024.

Features

Stat Attack: Top Fours of 2023

Check it.

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2023

Edward Stratmann

As we look towards the 2024 season, MX Vice and Paul Pearcy have joined forces again to deliver some quality statistics, as we’ll be running through the top 10 in each championship across 2023 (MXGP, MX2, 450, 250 – AMA Supercross, SMX and Outdoors). Here all the riders that secured 4th in their respective title races.

MX 2

4) Liam Everts

Qualifying Race Podiums: 7; Liam only missed scoring points in the qualifying race at 1 round, Maggiora.
Race Podiums: 14
Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at Teutschenthal
Race Laps Led: 39
GP Podiums: 8
GP Wins: 3; Teutschenthal, Arnhem, and Afyonkarahisar

Averages

Timed Practice: 8.421
Qualifying Race Finish: 5.105; (3rd best in class)
Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 7.157
Qualifying Points: 118; (3rd best in class)
Race Finishes: 6.157 in Race 1, 5.111 in Race 2
GP Overalls: 5.526
Race First Lap Position: 6.894
Race Points: 308 from Race 1, 308 from Race 2(3rd best in class in Race 2 points earned)

Series Points: 734

MXGP

4) Glenn Coldenhoff

Qualifying Race Podiums: 4
Qualifying Race Wins: 1; Lommel
Qualifying Race Laps Led: 6
Race Podiums: 9
Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at Sardegna
Race Laps Led: 48
GP Podiums: 5

Averages

Timed Practice: 7.421
Qualifying Race Finishes: 6.778
Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 7.944
Qualifying Race Points: 81
Race Finishes: 5th in Race 1(2nd best in class); 6.368 in Race 2
GP Overalls: 5.631
Race First Lap Position: 6.973
Race Points: 319 from Race 1, 295 from Race 2

Series Points: 695

250 West Supercross

4) Enzo Lopes

Heat Race Podiums: 3
Heat Race Win: 1; Denver
Heat Race Laps Led: 11

Averages

Qualifying: 4.778
Heat Race Finishes: 3.571
Heat Race First Lap Position: 4th
Main Event Finishes: 6.444
Main Event First Lap Position: 9.481

Series Points: 149

250 East Supercross

4) Jordon Smith

Heat Race Podiums: 6
Heat Race Wins: 3; Houston, Indy, Nashville
Heat Race Laps Led: 26; (Tied for 2nd most in class)
Main Event Podiums: 4
Main Event Laps Led: 19

Averages

Qualifying: 2.5
Heat Race Finishes: 4.111
Heat Race First Lap Position: 2.778; (2nd best in class)
LCQ Finish: 7th
LCQ First Lap Position: 20th
Main Event Finishes: 6.111
Main Event First Lap Position: 7.518

Series Points: 159

450 Supercross

4) Ken Roczen

Heat Race Podiums: 11; (Ken landed on the podium in the Heat Race 78% of the time)
Heat Race Wins: 4; Oakland, East Rutherford, Denver, and Salt Lake City
Heat Race Laps Led: 52; (Most Heat Race Laps Led in Class)
Main Event Podiums: 6
Main Event Win: 1; Indy
Main Event Laps Led: 33; (3rd most in class)

Averages

Qualifying: 4.882
Heat Race Finishes: 2.428; (2nd best in class)
Heat Race First Lap Position: 2.5; (2nd best in class)
Main Event Finishes: 5.705
Main Event First Lap Position: 5.689

Series Points: 304; (Tied for 3rd with Cooper Webb, Webb got 3rd in the Championship because of having more Main Event Wins on the season)

250 American Outdoors

4) Haiden Deegan

1st in Qualifying: 1; High Point
Moto Podiums: 9
Moto Wins: 3; Moto 1 at Hangtown, 1-1 at Washougal
Moto Laps Led: 49
Overall Podiums: 6; (Haiden landed on the podium 54% of the time)
Overall Wins: 2; RedBud, Washougal

Averages

Qualifying: 5.909
Moto Finishes: 7.454 in Moto 1, 5.454 in Moto 2
Overall Finishes: 5.545
Moto First Lap Position: 6.318

Series Points: 371

450 American Outdoors

4) Chase Sexton

Moto Podiums: 15; (Chase Landed on the Podium in 93% of the Motos he started, He missed 3 rounds throughout the Championship)
Overall Podiums: 7; (Sexton finished on the overall podium 87% of the time, he competed in 8 rounds of the Championship)

Averages

Qualifying: 2.25; 2nd best in class
Moto Finishes: 3rd in Moto 1(2nd best in class) , 2.125 in Moto 2 (2nd best in class)
Overall Finishes: 2.375; 2nd best in class
Moto First Lap Position: 4.375; 3rd best in class