E Dear MXGP friends,
EDITORIAL Giuseppe Luongo President of Youthstream Group
There have been 2 very important arguments over the last few months; we have previously discussed one concerning riders’ injuries during practice sessions. Currently there are more than 6 MXGP riders injured and the majority from the same scenario; practicing on motocross tracks together with many amateur riders on the circuit at the same time, no flag marshals, no ambulance, no doctors, etc. During the next meeting in Maggiora between FIM, team/manufacturers and YS this topic will be discussed and assessed, and all together we need to find a solution. Riders’ health is crucial and we all need to work together to solve this problem to permit riders to prepare and train in safe conditions. The other most important issue, which has arisen recently, is concerning MX2’s 23 year age limit Regulation. The large majority of teams and manufacturers are supportive of this rule, however there are a very few who, for their own business, try to change these rules by spreading rumors that these rules will be changed next year; this is completely false. Youthstream’s position is very firm; these rules were created for
2 main reasons, the first is to give access to all talented riders from the European Championship to a good MX2 team, and the 2nd is to reinforce the MXGP class making it really the major class with all the big stars racing together, and now after experience this works perfectly. This is one of the most successful Regulation changes made over the last years; every year talented riders from the European Championship come and find a place in a top MX2 team, and the average age of this class continuously descends motivating more and more young riders to take part in the European 125cc and 250cc Championships. We don’t have anymore, as was often seen in the past, stagnant older riders with no ambition to move up to the MXGP class but just happy to remain in the MX2 class taking some points and blocking the road for young, ambitious, skilled riders with a future ahead of them. And thanks to this Regulation change the MXGP class becomes increasingly strong at every level; the MXGP class must be exclusive and it must be for the unique, riders who take part are proud to be amongst the elite. To have the MXGP brand printed on a rider’s race shirt means to be within the top 30 in the world, it means to be the diamond point of a
large pyramid. We are proud because with this rule and with the MXGP track design, which becomes more and more technically and physically demanding each year, the overall level of all the riders involved from the European 125cc up to the MXGP has significantly improved and this trend will continue. With England, France, Italy and Germany, we are back to classic MX venues. The value of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which is the first off-road series in the world, is made up by the diversity of the race tracks and conditions, they go from the classic ones like Maggiora, Talavera and St Jean d’Angely to the very modern ones like Brazil and Qatar, from the deep sand of Lommel to the very hard packed dirt of Arco di Trento, and from the extremely hot and humid conditions of Thailand to the freezing cold of Valkenswaard; not one track is similar and not one condition is the same; to be an MXGP rider, the rider needs to be talented, physically and mentally strong, and be ready to affront the various tracks, cultures, travels, lifestyles and conditions. This is what makes the MXGP riders the most unique in the world, and this is why an MXGP World Champion is without-a-doubt the best rider on the planet. MXGP MAG 2014 MXGP.COM