MXGP #62 October 2018

RACING CATCH UP

RIDERS OF THE MONTH Jorge Prado & Jeffrey Herlings

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INDEX

COOL SHOT

MONSTER GIRLS

HALL OF FAME Frederic Bolley

MXGP MAG: Chief Editor: Marionna Leiva Photos: Youthstream YOUTHSTREAM Media World Trade Center II Rte de Pré-Bois 29 1215 Geneva 15 Airport Switzerland MXGP Mag #62 October 2018 The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of Youthstream.

Then content of this publication is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time the articles were written.

The copying of articles and photos even partially is forbidden unless permission has ben requested from Youthstream in advance and reference is made to the source (©Youthstream).

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EDITORIAL Dear MXGP Friends,

Giuseppe Luongo President of Youthstream Group

centers where the press could work comfortably Yet another MXGP Champi- from, comfortable seating onship has come to an end, areas for the spectators time flew by and the racing with great views of the season has been outstand- racing and hard standing ing in all aspects. paddocks for the teams, and at both venues a spectacA special tribute goes to ular traditional Motocross Jeffrey Herlings and to circuit was built. In Assen Jorge Prado who well dethe Motocross track was a serve their victories. It’s typically sandy Dutch track, the first title for the Dutch- and in Imola it was a typiman in the main MXGP cal Italian Motocross track; class and the first MX2 hard, compact with a nice World Championship title elevation. In both cases ever for a Spanish rider. the fans loved this successful cocktail and showed The last 2 events this year their appreciation with were at road racing cirtheir massive presence, cuits and the results were loud cheering and Mexican fabulous; there was all the waves. infrastructure of a permanent venue with media The fans present at these

two events were double than a ‘normal’ MXGP event in the Netherlands and Italy, and we observed many more families and women than traditional MX venues where mainly the hard-core fans come – those who were present or who watched these events on TV, MXGPTV or simply followed the race via social media would have realized the success of these two events. After saying that, I want to make it clear that we do not intend on bringing the whole MXGP World Championship to RR circuits, but we do want to continue with this successful trend of making a Championship in traditional tracks and man-made tracks, we want to keep the varied

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types of soils and layouts, we want to continue going around the world to experience different weather conditions and cultures; all this makes the FIM Motocross World championship unique, and this is how the World Championship riders become the fastest riders on the planet, because they are the fastest on all types of tracks, in all kinds of conditions and face all kinds of life-style obstacles.

The formula of having wide varieties makes it not only interesting for the show but it is essential for growth of the riders.

Since we have been using this formula, and since the

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European Championship has been brought together with the World Championship we have seen a tremendous development in the youth and we are seeing more and more of these young riders come up into the main categories and taken by factory teams. Another important aspect of the man-made tracks is that we are able to reduce the speed and increase the safety, which has become a necessity due to the recent escalation in performance of the bikes mainly generated by the electronics and the quality of suspension. So, if the MXGP was to race on the old traditional tracks of 15 - 20 years ago that were on a field of grass with some fences pegged into the ground,

with a starting straight of 100m – 150m long and just a few jumps, the riders would reach speeds of 150/180 km per hour and it would just become road racing on dirt.

Year by year we strive to created tracks that follow the evolution of the bikes, we surely cannot, and do not want to, stop the progression of technology and that is why we have to adapt the tracks accordingly and to lower the speed, increase the safety and improve the riders’ skills while maintaining a great spectacle for the fans.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of MXGP MAG which is dedicated to our great 2018 World Champions.

COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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Final Fox H 16

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HOLESHOT

Holeshots of 2018 17

All 20 rounds of the 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship are complete and so too is the 2018 Fox Holeshot Competition. The final 2 races and 4 Fox Holeshots of the sea-son wrapped up the competition at the MXGP of the Netherlands at Assen and at the MXGP of Italy in Imola.

chalk line, the Spanish rider still nicked the black plate away from Hunter Lawrence who was just behind. Race 2 was another flying start for Prado but without the loss of traction he took it more defiantly ahead of Lawrence and Thomas Covington.

HOLESHOT

neck and neck with another Italian on a Yamaha, Samuele Bernardini, but Thomas Covington was long gone with his 5th Fox Holeshot of 2018.

With all the available Fox Holeshots claimed the results were tallied and the clear winners were Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio This season the Red Bull KTM Fac- MXGP of Italy Cairoli and Jorge Prado. Cairoli tory Racing riders have dominated The final round of the championship managed to 19 of the 40 available both the MXGP and MX2 categowhile Prado took an impressive 26. and competition at the MXGP of ries. With 40 Fox Holeshots up for Italy saw both Her-lings and Prado grabs in each class 59 total went to take one Fox Holeshot each but The pair were then awarded the the KTM team.

2018 Fox Holeshot Competition Gebben Van Venrooy Kawasaki’s prize of 10,000 Euro in MXGP and Ales-sandro Lupino and Rockstar 5,000 in MX2 by Fox Head Europe’s Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Covington took the MXGP of the Netherlands Marketing Manager Austin Hoover other two. MXGP Race 1 was the In the Netherlands all 4 Fox Holeat the 2018 MXGP Awards! shots were taken by KTM with An- first Fox Holeshot of the season for tonio Cairoli and Glenn Coldenhoff Lupino and by large margin! A fast each scoring one in MXGP, while starter on many occasions Lupino MXGP: Jorge Prado took both in MX2. impressively had over 2 bike lengths Antonio Cairoli 18 MXGP’s Race 1 Holeshot in Assen on Gasjer in second. MXGP Race Jeffrey Herlings 7 was taken massive by Cairoli with 2’s black plate went to the new Tim Gajser 2 Alessandro Lupino and Herlings MXGP Champi-onship gold plate 3 bike lengths further back. Race holder Herlings, who had an even MX2: 2 was taken by Coldenhoff with an bigger gap than Lupino in Race 1 Jorge Prado 23 even more impressive gap over over Gajser and Desalle.

Pauls Jonass 4 Julien Lieber and Herlings.

Thomas Covington 4 MX2 Race 1 saw the final Fox HolePrado came flying into the first turn shot of the season for Jorge Prado as he barely edged out Simone in MX2 Race 1 and even though Furlotti. Race 2 Prado again was he lost traction coming across the

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RACING CATCH UP

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THE CROWNING GLORY

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After the challenging ‘threein-a-row’ MXGP rounds in Switzerland, Bulgaria and Turkey most teams were afforded the luxury of a rare weekend off. For those involved in the upcoming Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations though, that spare time was used in order to start the preparation process of getting the shipping crates and paperwork sorted, because with two rounds of MXGP left to run, there would be little precious time left in which to do so.

Fortunately, the first of those two rounds was a short drive north from the majority of the team’s workshops and whilst it may have been in Holland it very much felt like a ‘home’ GP to many.

The MXGP of The Netherlands took place once again at the TT Circuit in Assen on September 15th / 16th for the fourth consecutive year and the venue usually known as ‘The Cathe-

dral of Speed’ because of the tarmac races that take place there was once again turned into a survival course with the addition some 250,000 tonnes/ cubic metres of military grade sand from a local military training ground.

Of course this part of the world is no stranger to hosting GP’s; just a few kilometres away the FIM World Motocross Championship used to be staged at the very tough, very sandy circuit of Norg which took place through the forests not too dissimilar to Lierop for instance. A total of nine GP’s were hosted there from 1959 – 1995 and included winners such as Jeff Smith (GBR), Heikki Mikkola (FIN), Harry Everts (BEL), Jacky Martens (BEL) and Alessandro Puzar (ITA).

The town of Assen itself takes around two hours to reach by car from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, heading

northeast. The original racetrack first staged a race in 1925 for the Dutch TT (Tourist Trophy) and it was held on country rounds throughout the surrounding area. It wasn’t until 1955 that the circuit as we know it now was built and it is one of the best known and most liked circuits to anyone who goes there, as a rider and as a fan. As well as MotoGP and WSBK it also hosts a round the British Superbike Championship due to the circuits’ popularity amongst it British fans.

As for the motocross track, it is built within the confines of the existing infrastructure, totally transforming the look and feel of what we see there for 49 weeks of the year. In past visits we have been unlucky with the weather for at least one of the two racing days, but this year the weather God’s were beaming down on us for what was about to become a very memorable weekend indeed.

This year the circuit had a slight ‘makeover’ in that the start straight was longer and was angled slightly more to the left, with Pit Lane on the left hand side as well. The first turn was now 180˚ right instead of a 90˚ right and 90˚ left, therefore the run from Turn 2 to Turn 3 was longer than before. Also, over on the back side of the circuit, working back towards the start, the infield paddock section saw a longer straight and instead of the rider’s bursting back into view over a tabletop jump to the right of the start gate, they looped around the back of the SkyBox and waiting zone to appear to the left of the start gate instead.

Ahead of the racing, the usual media activities took place including one with the event organizers who unveiled the 2019 MXoN logo; if you’re not up to speed then maybe now is a good time to point out that Assen will host next year’s

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event, and if the atmosphere we witnessed this year is anything to go by then it should prove to be another fantastic event.

As for the racing, the fans were there for one reason only, and that was to see Jeffrey Herlings lift his first MXGP world title, and The Bullet did not disappoint. In fact it was the perfect weekend, especially if you were Dutch. JH84 topped every single session apart from Sunday morning Warm Up, although it was Glenn Coldenhoff who bagged that session so it was still a home-boy who topped the charts. In MXGP Race One Antonio Cairoli took his nineteenth FOX Holeshot of the campaign but Herlings only needed one lap to break the Sicilian down before making his pass for the lead in front of the main grandstand, which was packed to the rafters. The noise was phenomenal when the ‘The Bullet’ made the pass as well and those cheers only got louder, and as he rounded out

the final turn, the fans were on their feet saluting their hero as he cruised to the line for the win which was followed by complete and utter pandemonium as you can imagine.

As the craziness ensued during the break between races, the ‘84’ still had a job to do; he wanted to win his home GP. With two hours of interviews and mayhem out of the way, he lined up for Race Two a little blurred perhaps but his focus was brought right back to the fore early in the race as he tipped over in a slow corner whilst thinking about a pass on his teammate Glenn Coldenhoff, who had just scored his second FOX Holeshot of the year; his first was at Lommel, also in Race Two. When Herlings remounted he was briefly in tenth but rallied quickly and by the halfway stage he was back in front.

From there he controlled the race to make it a 1-1 for the

overall, the perfect way to celebrate his first MXGP world championship title. Dethroned nine-time champ Antonio Cairoli was the first to congratulate the successor to his throne, but you get the feeling from TC’s side, that Jeffrey is only there to keep the seat of his throne warm; as far as he is concerned, it’s on loan for the next twelve months only. Herlings was joined on the podium

by Cairoli (2-2) and Max Anstie (3-4), with the Brit taking his third podium of the year. Perhaps that came as no surprise really since his other two were in Ottobiano and Lommel.

Over in MX2 the gap going into Assen between Jorge Prado, who had held the championship lead since Loket, and Pauls Jonass was twenty-four points; not impossible to overcome but the Latvian was now looking for ‘friends’ to get involved in the fight by putting themselves between himself – if he were to win the next four races – and Prado, in order to bring that

gap down to less of a deficit.

from the final round at Imola in Italy to be crowned champion.

The battle for third was on as As for the podium, the two well between Thomas Olsen and Tom’s, Covington and Olsen Ben Watson with Thomas Covrounded it out in second and ington an outside contender, third respectively meaning the certainly for fourth at least.

Dane now was now forty-eight During the Free and Timed clear of Watson in the fight for Practice sessions, Prado played the bronze medal. his cards close to his chest but that all changed when the Also on ‘the bill’ at Assen was gate dropped for the Qualifying WMX, EMX250 EMX125 preRace, which he won comfortsented by FMF Racing. In the ably from the two Huskies of WMX Class, the ‘Kiwi Girl’ TKO and T-Cov. By now it was Courtney Duncan held a twenapparent that Pauls Jonass ty-one point lead over Kiara was hampered by a knee injury Fontanesi and Nancy Van De picked up in Turkey as a reVen, who were tied for secsult of that crash with Prado in ond, with Larissa Papenmeier the first race and it was clear fourth just two points adrift. it was going to be a difficult However, just days before we weekend for him to even get arrived Duncan announced that close to JP61. she would not be lining up and that her season was over after And that’s pretty much how it a crush injury to her right foot played out; Prado danced to weeks earlier, sustained at a a couple of race wins whilst race in France. It was heartJonass struggled to 8-6 for break for the series leader who sixth overall. The gap had alup until that point had scored most doubled from twenty-four five race wins, two second points to forty-six meaning that places and a sixth and had Prado only needed six points never finished off the podium

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at any of the first four rounds.

Her title dreams were dashed for another year. That effectively meant that three girls were now right back in the mix, separated by just two points.

The first to blink was ‘L-Pap’ and her 6-6 pretty much ended any realistic hopes of a first title win, and last year’s winner, home girl Van De Ven didn’t fare much better, but at least her 3-2 kept her in the title hunt. As for Fontanesi, the five-time champ, held her nerve to record the perfect score to put eight points of daylight between her and Nancy to set up a crucial final round in Italy two weeks later.

Stateside with an EMX victory in his back pocket. He was joined on the podium by Kevin Horgmo and Tom Vialle. For Horgmo it was his first visit to the podium despite some outstanding performances during the season, whilst Vialle made it two podiums in as many rounds.

He ended the year with three in total.

In the hotly contested EMX125 championship presented by FMF Racing, Yamaha’s Thibault Benistant arrived at the final destination thirty-nine points ahead of Mattia Guadagnini who was effectively second with the absence of Rene Hofer, who was injured, and both riders suffered from championship nerves heading into Race One, With EMX250 already decided where if all went to plan, Beniin Bulgaria, this round was all about going out in style and Jett stant could wrap up the title.

In what was an error-strewn Lawrence certainly did that. race for both, the title was The fourteen year-old Australian rounded out his final week- decided on the final lap when end in Europe with an emphatic the French teenager crossed display of riding, mature beyond the line in twentieth, which was enough to put the title beyond his years by going 1-1 to head

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the reach of Guadagnini. As for the final podium of the season, it couldn’t have been any better with three Dutch riders topping the box; Raivo Dankers got his first win the class in what was his final EMX125 race before moving into EMX250, and he was joined by Rick Elzinga and Kjell Verbruggen, the latter making his debut appearance on the podium.

Making history And that brings us to the MXGP of Italy; it’s hard to believe that it’s almost over for another year but after nineteen rounds we had arrived at the season finale where history was all around us and another page was about to be written. For as long as the FIM Motocross World Championship has been in existence since 1957, the series has never gone beyond nineteen rounds, yet here we were in Imola re-writing the history books as the riders prepared to line up for the final round ‘MXGP 20’.

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We were also back at Imola for the first time since 1965, which was the last of nine consecutive GP’s to be held there and it was ironic that this GP featured on the 500cc calendar back in the inaugural world championship season. The winner that day was Sweden’s Bill Nilsson riding an AJS and he went on to win the first ever world championship in the 500cc class at the end of the year.

the hillside in front of natural fan zone, utilising the seated grandstand areas already in place.

With the MXGP track situated inside the final double-apex turns known as Rivazza, in order to get to that uphill climb, the riders crossed the asphalt circuit about 100m before the pit lane entry on the Autodromo. Once at the top end of the hillside, the riders took advantage of the clever design by Situated 40km east of Bologna utilising the elevation no fewer in the north of Italy, the Authan four times. Even better, todromo Internazionale Enzo e was the fact that this half of Dino Ferrari was built in 1953 the circuit was all built up on and over the years has underdirt, giving it more of a natural gone various circuit layouts but none more so than the final feel, given the circuit location, and actually as a first effort it round of the MXGP season. was surprisingly good. For the However, unlike Assen two fans it was perfect because weeks earlier where the whole they could see the whole circuit entire motocross circuit relies from their elevated vantage on sand to build the whole circuit, at Imola it was about 50%. point; they even had seats to watch from as well. Winning!

The start area and first nine The riders would only cross turns consisted of a clay dirt base built up on the asphalt of a the asphalt circuit on one other occasion and that was for the spacious paddock area but the clever use of the venue utilised final run down to the finish line.

Of course, it goes without saying that whenever MXGP comes to this type of facility the infrastructure is outstanding. The teams can make the most of the hard-standing paddock in order to maximise their hospitality areas for instance, whilst fans old and new can appreciate the same hard standing under foot to get around. The use of permanent buildings such as the very impressive Media Centre help to make everyone’s work much more pleasurable and in the case of Imola, the on-site ‘Carburo Bar Ristorante’ was a great place to ‘take a coffee’ or a bite to eat, especially at 07:30 in the morning just as the sun was coming up over ‘Rivazza’.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about this Imola circuit is that it is about as old school as it gets, and by that we mean it has not been spoilt over the years. Yes, it is a modern circuit with very modern facilities but step outside the Paddock gate and you have a main road that leads to the town instead

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of the perimeter of the circuit where the public parking would usually be for a more modern circuit.

Beyond those paddock gates, you can traverse the start-finish straight of the Autodromo via the street tunnel, and if you turn right after you’ve passed through you enter the Parc Acque Minerale which is located on the infield of the circuit.

The infamous Tamburello Turns are on your right as you pass through what is a scenic, tranquil space, which would be a hive of activity on any race weekend.

Walk a little further and if you’re a F1 fan, you will know exactly why you took that walk in the first place. Before long you come across a small bronze plaque on the back side of the circuit wall that reveals the line across to the opposite side of the circuit where the legendary Ayrton Senna lost his life

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in 1994. In fact, when you look up from that spot on the opposite side there is a placard that also does the same. About 50m from there, further along the pathway is the bronze statue of the legend himself, sitting on a square pedestal looking the picture of calm that you’d imagine him to be. If we go back there for MXGP in the future, or even if you’re passing through there, take a moment to pass by; it really is quite a humbling experience to say the least.

that consists of Kemea, Wilvo and Rinaldi that are already in place. What followed the announcement was quite possibly one of the best experiences on a media event ever as the media had the opportunity to ride a selection of Yamaha T-Max and X-Max scooters around the historic racing circuit, a great way to round off the day.

With the MXGP title wrapped up two weeks earlier, the focus shifted to MX2 and WMX. Up first were the Women, and with On Friday afternoon, one of the only eight points separating Media Opportunities was an an- Fontanesi and Van De Ven, it nouncement from Monster En- was always going to be a fasergy, a major partner of MXGP cinating contest more so bewho pledged its support to the cause we were in Italy where series for a further five years. the Dutch rider would want to On top of that it was announced exact revenge on the Italian that Yamaha would receive who’d just gone 1-1 at Assen. additional support for a further Naturally, there was a lot on three years and would now in- the line; for ‘KF8’ it was an uncorporate all of its major teams precedented sixth title and for adding the Yamaha Europe Nancy it would be her first.

MJC 125cc and Astes4-Tesar EMX250 teams to the official list In pre-race interviews both

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have stated that there was no pressure and if there was it was on the other as opposed to themselves, and as the gate dropped for Race One it was the ‘85’ that showed the most intent by barging past Papenmeier in the first turn to lead at the first opportunity. Fontanesi was placed fifth but quickly found her way into second, but Van De Ven was just too good to break down. As ‘VDV’ cruised to her second win of the year, the gap was down to five points; if VDV won Fontanesi needed to be second to be assured of the title without it going to ‘countback’ which is what would happen if the Italian finished third.

However, there was never any danger of that as Fontanesi kept a cool head to lead every lap of the final race of the year to nail an historic sixth championship win. To do it at home in Italy, at the infamous Imola venue in front of packed crowd was about as sweet as it gets.

For Nancy, she will no doubt go back to the drawing board, and

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come back fighting next year, along with Papenmeier, Duncan and the rest.

to withdraw. After Turkey he went for an MRI scan, which showed no damage to the MCL but his knee was too swollen to As for MX2 there was drama determine if there was damage before we even turned a wheel to the ACL. Because the MRI as defending champion Pauls was inconclusive as a result Jonass released a statement of the ACL diagnosis he raced saying he would not be linin Assen regardless, in pain ing up in Italy, opting for knee and discomfort. He had ridden surgery instead, as a result of just once since Turkey prior to his crash in Turkey. This meant Assen, and a further scan after that Jorge Prado was crowned the Dutch round proved more world champion by default. conclusive. If that was deemed Of course, there was a lot of serious enough to warrant survarying comments from within gery then who are we to argue the MXGP fraternity over PJ’s with that? With a forty-six point decision not to even ‘give it a deficit it was always going to be go’ but as a neutral you could an uphill task, and with anothunderstand why he made his er ten days off the bike leading decision. in to Imola he needed JP61 to suffer two DNF’s and for himMotocross is, has been and self to go 1-1 to win. It was always will be, one of the near impossible. If he was five toughest sports out there and or ten points behind you know careers are determined by luck, he would have shown up, even injury or both. Jonass is just at the risk of further injury. He twenty-three years old, and also has one eye on his move has a very bright future ahead into MXGP next year as well and of him, and no one will be more further damage in Imola would disappointed than him at having have resulted in more invasive

surgery and a longer recovery period on the sidelines, prolonging a return to action at the risk of missing vital training and testing on his 450. From that side you would have to say it was the right decision.

As for Jorge, in some ways it would be very easy to say the title was a ‘hollow victory’ in how it was finally decided and that he didn’t deserve to hear that he was world champion via the team’s group app messaging system, but actually if you take one step back and see what he has done this year, it is nothing short of remarkable.

Prado’s season started with an elbow injury in December of last year where he needed time off the bike, setting his own season back by a few weeks. In Argentina he finished eleventh overall and had to watch Jonass walk the first three rounds without challenge. By Trentino, round four, Prado was already FORTY-FIVE points off the lead and was third in the champion-

ship standings. What happened next was astonishing, the wins started coming and so too the overall victories and by Czech Republic, the 17 year-old had taken the lead by eleven points, and from there his lead just got bigger and bigger. When he took Red Plate from Jonass there was an element of risk attached to it in that the Plaque Rouge comes with added pressure, but not once did he flinch not did he blink and if anything it only gave him super-human strength and an unassailable belief that he was destined to win the championship this year.

Do you think he would have wanted to find out via SMS that he was world champion?

Of course not, but the flip side is that he had already done enough to say that this year he WAS the best, and it came without ego or gloating or fuss!

When he won Race One in Imola the team that has backed him all the way, duly gave him the title celebration he deserved because he DID deserve it. In

doing so he became Spain’s first MX2 world champion, thus creating a little piece of history in itself, and from here, right now, it is difficult to see who can match him in 2019.

The podium featured the same three riders as the previous GP albeit in a slightly different order. Prado won the final GP of the season (1-1) but this weekend was flanked by Thomas Olsen (2-4) and Thomas Covington (7-3), the American signing off from his MX2 duties was very fitting and we wish him all the best in his next adventure. Spare a thought though for Hunter Lawrence who led Race One until four laps to go fro Prado when he suffered a technical ‘flumsie’. It would have been nice to see him get a race win before he too heads overseas for 2019. We wish him well too.

In MXGP Jeffrey Herlings ended the world championship season in perfect fashion with another dominant display

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of riding to secure career win number 84. The Dutchman really broke the mould this season and raised the bar even higher and his ‘numbers’ are astonishing: 33 Race Wins, 18 podiums, 17 GP Wins, 12 Pole Positions, 465 Laps Led, 15 Double Race Wins, 8 Double Wins in a row.

He only finished outside the top two in one race all year long, in Russia Race One and from the GP’s he raced, never finished lower than 2nd and that was only twice. Over a twenty round campaign it’s not easy to maintain that kind of consistency but The Bullet found a way to succeed. Stand up and take a bow sir!

Italy was also the scene of the Yamaha YZ125 bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale in which thirty-nine Yamaha 125cc riders were all vying for a shot at winning a Factory Yamaha ride for 2019 with Monster Energy Yamaha Eu-

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rope MJC, and to do that they at least needed to finish inside the top three positions overall.

Failing that, they needed to do enough to get noticed as two wildcard places were also up for grabs. Following on from this race thos five riders, aged 14-16 would be sent to a Masterclass boot camp where the winner will be selected later in the year. With such a fantastic prize up for grabs it’s hardly surprising that the racing was intense, and the outright winner with a perfect 1-1 was Kevin Brumann from Switzerland who egded out Great Britain’s Joel Rizzi (2-2) and Magnus Smith from Sweden (5-4).

The weekend was rounded off with the annual MXGP Awards Ceremony that took place on Sunday evening, and to find out who the winners were you can read about it elsewhere in this issue. However, there was one award that provided the biggest and the loudest round of ap-

plause, and it was for the MXGP Fairplay Award. At Assen, Anthony Rodriguez from Kemea Yamaha was involved in a first turn crash in the MX2 Qualifying Race, along with the two Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s of Thomas Covington and Thomas Olsen. The latter had his leg wrapped around the rear wheel of his teammates bike and as soon as ‘A-Rod’ saw this he put his own interests aside and rushed to TKO’s aid to free him danger and potential injury. We don’t see those ‘acts of kindness’ that often, but when we do it says a great deal about those who help out. Congratulations A-Rod and ‘Fairplay’ for doing what you did; you have done yourself and your family proud.

Next up is Red Bud for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. We will see you there.

Ciao tutti!

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FIM Motocross World Championship

Standings MXGP CHAMP. STANDINGS

MX2 CHAMP. STANDINGS

1. J.Herlings (NED, KTM), 933points 2. A.Cairoli (ITA, KTM) , 782 p.

3. C. Desalle (BEL, KAW) ,685 p 4. T. Gajser (SLO, HON) ,669 p.

5. G. Paulin (FRA, HUS) , 574 p.

6. R. Febvre (FRA YAM) 544 p.

7. G.Coldenhoff (NED, KTM) 534 p.

8. J. Seewer (SUI, YAM),469 p 9. J.VanHorebeek (BEL,YAM),433p.

10. M. Anstie (GBR, HUS), 386p.

1. J. Prado (ESP, KTM) ,873 points 2. P. Jonass (LAT, KTM) , 777 p.

3. T. Olsen (DEN, HUS), 673 p.

4. B. Watson (GBR, YAM),602 p.

5. T. Covington (USA, HUS) ,599p.

6. C. Vlaanderen(RSA, HON), 543p.

7. M. Cervelli (ITA, YAM), 397 p.

8 J. Geerts (BEL, YAM) ,391 p.

9. H. Lawrence (AUS, HON), 353 p.

10. H. Jacobi, (GER, HUS), 343 p.

MXGP MANUFACTUERS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

KTM Kawasaki Yamaha Honda Husqvarna Suzuki TM

997 704 685 684 643 289 245

points points points points points points points

MX2 MANUFACTUERS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

KTM Husqvarna Honda Yamaha Kawasaki TM

MXGP-TV Youtube Channel Numbers 5,514 Videos uploaded 139,578 Subscribers 71,975,899 Views 241,971,902 Minutes Watched 2018 Numbers 40,386 Subscribers 13,736,515 Views 50,150,424 Minutes Watched Top 5 Countries: USA 9.7% France 9.1% Italy 9% Indonesia 8.5% UK 5.9%

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968 814 693 680 457 119

points points points points points points

RIDERS OF THE MONTH

Victory Circle: Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado 40

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Even now and then riders have impressive races, starts, lap times, etc. but the combina-tion of all of these things is what takes a rider and turns them into a champion. This year the victory circle was a common place to find the two new FIM Motocross World Cham-pions of Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

It was just weeks ago at the MXGP of the Netherlands that Jeffrey Herlings made history by taking his first ever MXGP World Championship title after achieving 3 other FIM Mo-tocross World Championship titles in MX2. Meanwhile Jorge Prado took his career first World Championship title in MX2 even more recently at the MXGP of Italy. At only 17 years old and in his 2nd professional season Prado joins Herlings and Ken Roczen as an MX2 Champion at such a young age.

Herlings first competed in the

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FIM Motocross World Championship in 2010 during the MXGP of Bulgaria in Sevlievo. Since his first MX2 race in Bulgaria at age 15 the Dutchman has gone on to win 84 World Championship GP’s including the MXGP of the Netherlands in Valkenswaard only 2 weeks after his premier in Bulgaria. Prado on the other hand completed his first professional race at the MXGP of the Netherlands in 2016 and had a miraculous podium finish. 2017’s MXGP of Trentino is where Prado would score his first career victory followed by 2 more wins at Lommel and Assen before the season complet-ed.

In only his second season in the premier MXGP class Herlings has won 33 of the 40 races held across 16 different countries. In the 20 rounds this year Herlings has only missed the podium once at a race he didn’t even attend. In 17 of the podiums achieved, Herlings took the top spot and

the other 2 marked his worst finishes of the year in 2nd only to Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Clement Desalle and 9-times World Champion also from Red Bull KTM Antonio Cairoli.

Also in only his second season in the class and even more impressively his second pro-fessional season Prado won 17 of 40 races and 10 of the 20 qualifying races on his way to 12 overall GP wins on the season and 15 career MX2 wins. The final victory of the year came in Italy and put him tied with Tyla Rattray as the third winningest MX2 rider in history behind only Herlings and Cairoli.

Herlings nickamed the “Bullet” from Geldrop, Netherlands, had not only a consistent sea-son but a dominant one, leading 466 laps Herlings has led 209 laps more than the rest of the field combined.

Winning the first 2 rounds of the championship in Argentina

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and Valkenswaard with fights through the pack and past defending Champion Cairoli, the Dutchman showed he was more than ready to fight for his first MXGP title.

Born January 5th 2001 in Lugo, Spain, Prado a less dominant season but still an impres-sive one with 331 laps in the lead. The season start was rough for Prado when he took 11th at the MXGP of Patagonia Argentina after a preseason injury. Making a swap to the Italian De Carli side of Red Bull KTM, Prado’s new program and comfort level showed when he took second at the MXGP of Europe behind his teammate and defending MX2 World Champion Pauls Jonass. From Valkenswaard on the pair fought for wins with Pra-do taking his first of the season at the Italian

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circuit of Pietramurata. Aside from the sea-son opener Prado’s worst finish was 6th as he scored 17 overall podiums.

In the MXGP fight competition from Cairoli pushed Herlings to be on his game at all times especially after losing to the Italian at round 3 in Spain.

Herlings quickly took the fight back to Cairoli his home round, nicknamed the “Lions Den” by Herlings, in Trentino, Italy, for round 4 and again in Portugal. The second defeat for Herlings came in Russia to De-salle but, unaffected by the loss, he went on to win the next 12 rounds entered via 11 double race wins.

Herlings’ season was also not without problems though as he suffered a broken collarbone just prior to the MXGP of Lombardia and was forced to sit the weekend out.

Questioned by many if his form and fitness would stay true after the injury Herlings re-turned to racing at the first of 2 Indonesian rounds and proved that he had barely skipped a beat and even with the pain of a healing fracture was faster than the other competitors.

The combination of impressive races, starts, lap times, fitness, mental strength, consisten-cy and resilience have crowned Herlings and Prado as Champions of the 2018 FIM Moto-cross World Championship season. The season will long be remembered with Prado be-coming the first MX2 World Champion from Spain and Herlings taking his first premier MXGP title leaving the popular question of “who can stop the Bullet” unanswered.

Special Feature

“Out of the bLU” YZ125 bLU cRU Cup 46

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The weekend of 29th and 30th September, the Italian circuit of Imola hosted the 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship, the last round of the WMX and EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing plus the YZ125 bLU cRU Cup SuperFinale.

Wrapping up a perfect weekend with victory in race two, young Swiss rider Kevin Brumann became the 2018 YZ125 bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale overall winner. Claiming the runner-up spot in race two Great Britain’s Joel Rizzi secured second overall, with Denmark’s Magnus Smith earning the third spot on the final podium.

Kicking off the race action at the Imola motocross circuit on Sunday, the second and last race of this year’s SuperFinale saw YZ125-powered youngsters continue their quest for an invitation to Yamaha’s bLU cRU Masterclass.

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39 young racers stormed out of the Imola starting gate aboard their GYTR-kitted Yamaha machines, but it was Great Britain’s Joel Rizzi who took the holeshot in the second race. Leading the way through the first few corners, the young Brit was then passed by Brumann right before the end of the opening lap.

The two youngsters Brumann and Rizzi were involved in a close battle for a chance to represent Yamaha Racing which eventually led to Swiss rider Brumann opening a small gap at the front of the pack.

With Brumann getting the victory, Rizzi crossed the behind the winner to claim the runner-up position.

The double race victory brought Kevin Brumann to the top step of the podium at the YZ125 bLU cRU Cup SuperFinale putting him straight to the bLU cRU Masterclass along with the

other SuperFinale podium finishers Joel Rizzi and Magnus Smith. Strong performances at the SuperFinale from Liam Hanstrom and Simon Depoers were also noticed providing them wild-card entries into the bLU cRU Masterclass.

All five of the aspiring, young talents who made the final selection will attend the bLU cRU Masterclass which is a three-day event supervised by highly acclaimed Yamaha ambassadors. Yamaha’s Arnaud Tonus and Kiara Fontanesi have already confirmed their participation at the 2018 edition of the event.

Designed to inspire and educate young motocross riders, the 2018 bLU cRU Masterclass will also determine the 2018 YZ125 bLU cRU Cup winner who will automatically secure a place on the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team to race a GYTR-kitted YZ125 machine in the 2019

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days Tony will see how Jorge is pushing and then he starts to push while Jorge watches how Tony rides and tries to do the same.”

The week point for Prado in 2017 didn’t seem to be speed but more fitness and physical prowess. Now with his new training regimen and maturity the difference is clear. For example last year at the Ottobiano circuit the heat and physical demands of the circuit left Prado unable to compete, while this year no remnant of the previous weakness is visible.

Being only 17 has its benefits in the way of excitement lack of nagging previous injuries and more, but Prado is well aware of the

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physical maturity deficit for which he faces and has to compensate for. “There is a lot of difference between my body and that of anyone else in the class. I am only 17 so the power and the fitness is not the same, I tried to work hard and harder than them to catch up so that I can fight. They are 2, 3, or 4 years older than me, so for sure in 4 years my body will change but for now I have to train harder to keep up with them,” Jorge admits.

With the help of De Carli and Cairoli this season the results are clearly positive as Prado holds the red plate, has 8 qualifying race wins, 13 race wins and 10 overall victories leading 277 laps along the way. The future for Pra-

do is bright as it is for De Carli as the team has just renewed their agreement with KTM. “Jorge is only 17 but this season he is doing something amazing. He is still growing and even race by race you can see him learning and improving, I think he has a good future ahead,” Claudio De Carli said.

Time will tell for the kid from Spain but the path he has chosen was surely the correct one and could very well lead him to become champion this year.

Doing so would make Jorge only the 3rd rider in recent times to win the FIM Motocross World Championship at 17 and join motocross phenomenon’s such as Ken Roczen and the “Bullet” Jeffrey Herlings.

MXGP SOCIAL

TWITTER, FACEB IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP @PigginBen I reckon Prado and Hunter we’ll be top two in mx2 at Nations #mxgp

@lauren harris What a day for motor sport! @AnaCarrasco_22 and @ kiarafontanesi two female legends kicking ass #RideLikeAGirl #YamahaRacing #Supersport300 #MXGP

@contractfurngp A big congratulations to Ben Watson @benwatsonmx for finishing 4th in this year’s MX2 World Championship!

An amazing effort from

@OntrackOffroad In MXGP Clement Desalle will also looking to secure the bronze medal this year.

The Belgian is one of just two riders on Japanese machinery to have won in 2018.

@DunlopMoto We’ve a long winning history @autodromoimola in CIV #superbike & European #LeMans , but it’s the first time we’ve got muddy here.

It’s #MXGP weekend #MXG-

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@yamaharacingcom @Vanhorebeek89 ends the season with a top-five finish in the final #MXGP race of the year. #YamahaRacing | #RevsYourHeart

@lisaleylandTV The @MXGP Awards last weekend with @pmalin11 in Imola. That means it’s official...it’s the end of the season! #mxgp #mx #imola #italy

Watch The GoPro Lap Preview from Assen, Italy featuring national Hero Jeffrey Herlings:

Sentence ‘Quiz & Win with Moto Master! All you need to do to enter the draw and have the chance to Win • A Moto Master Front Brake Kit for your bike • The 2018 MXGP-TV season package MXGP Pro Videogame

Team HRC Report featuring Tim Gajser, Calvin Vlaanderen and the impressions of the coming back from Brian Bogers:

BOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE

@andrea_bocchi Last stage of the MXGP World Championship in Imola! #mxgp #mxgpimola

@andreadovizisio Cool weekend in #Imola watching #MXGP and these talents!

@piergiacomodomizi great rider and a great person! Thanks so much @thomasc64 good luck for the new adventures

@archiejay100 Good luck this weekend boys @benwatsonmx @ tommysearle @maxanstie smash it!

@enzorotunno #MyLove #MXGP #autodromoimola #Imola #Italy

IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP 53

MONSTER GIRLS

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MONSTER GIRLS

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F 58 Photo: MEYER

MXGP MAG 2017 2013 MXGP.COM 2018

F

HALL OF FAME

Frederic Bolley ‘Bobol’

Winning everything in France in the 50cc and 80cc classes when he was a kid, Fred ‘Bobol’ Bolley had to wait ten long seasons after his GP debut to clinch his first World title in 1999. After a second one in 2000, he just did two other campaigns before moving to road racing and later Supermoto.

Born on the 17th of February 1974 in Marseille, Frederic was always surrounded by bikes and bicycles as his father was a Honda dealer in Southern France. He was only nine years old when he entered for the first time a local race, and a few weeks later he won on his 50cc Honda a round of the Minivert series. It was the first act of a long story, as Fred won three Minivert titles between 1983 and 1986 and then claimed his first ‘main title’ when he dominated the 80cc French Cadet Championship. Then the ‘Little Prince’ struggled when he moved to the 125cc class due to his small size, but finally

finished runner up in 1989 in the French Junior championship.

Fred was just sixteen when he entered the GP’s in a private team, on a standard K TM; he scored his first points during the French GP in Ernée, he was selected in the French team at the 1990 Motocross of Nations in Sweden and ended his season dominating the French Supercross series. Signing with Yamaha France he became a pro rider and improved his GP results in the 125cc class with a seventeenth and a thirteenth position, before moving to the 250cc class in 1993.

It was a learning season for him, who claimed his first GP podium in Finland but also missed some races due to an injury. Bolley became the motocross French champion that year and he improved his results in 1994 with a top ten finish and a podium result at the Motocross of Nations.

Although 1995 was one of his

worst seasons with a fourteenth position after missing a five GP’s, he showed enough potential to become a factory rider in the Kawasaki team of Jan de Groot the following year.

The French rider finished fifth in the 1996 campaign with a strong end of the season including his first GP win in Switzerland and another podium at the Motocross of Nations. In fact, Bolley became one of the favourites for the title in 1997. However, a broken foot before the Spanish GP and another mid-season injury ruined his chances and forced him to change team at the end of the season.

Joining Stefan Everts in the official Honda L&M team the Frenchman delivered a consistent season until he broke an arm during the Polish round of the series! Working closely with Yannig Kervella - a former French GP rider – he had some extra pressure on his shoulders when his

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teammate got injured in a pre season race! Leader of the team supported by the HRC ‘Bobol’ had a perfect season and won six GP’s to finally beat Pit Beirer during the final round of the series. Again second at the MX of Nations with the French Team, he was again one of the main title protagonist in 2000; his main rival was Mickael Pichon and both were fighting for the title until his rival got injured in Belgium.

Fred secured his second consecutive crown with six GP wins, the last ones of his Motocross career; in 2001 the racing format changed with only one heat per class, and after two more seasons in the MX World Championship and a couple of podiums Bolley entered another challenge in road racing. He was not really successful on asphalt,

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but then he ended his career with some success in Supermoto on the revolutionary

twin Aprilia SXV. Photos & Text: Pascal Haudiquert

1983: French Minivert Champion (50) 1985: French Minivert Champion (80) 1986: French Minivert Champion (80) 1987: French Cadet Champion (80) 1989: Runner up in the Junior French Championship (125) 1990: 32nd in the 125 Motocross World Championship (KTM)

French Supercross Champion (125) 1991: 17th in the 125 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1992: 13th in the 125 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1993: 14th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha)

French Elite Champion 1994: 9th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha)

2nd at the MX of Nations with the French team 1995: 14th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1996: 5th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki).

Winner of 1 GP

2nd at the MX of Nations with the French team 1997: 8th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) 1998: 5th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Honda) 1999: 250 Motocross World Champion (Honda). Winner of 6 GP

2nd at the MX of Nations with the French team 2000: 250 Motocross World Champion (Honda). Winner of 6 GP 2001: 7th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Honda) 2002: 6th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha)

PADDOCK TALKS

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Paddock Talks 01/The current Fiamme Oro motocross team along with former member John Gian Pio Ottone at the historic Imola circuit!

02/The “50 Years of Motocross� collection was inaugurated at Imola with many of today top riders taken part!

03/The new look for the Monster Yamaha teams in 2019 was on display at the MXGP of Italy!

04/The MXGP of Italy hosted an impressive physio clinic for all the riders, teams and staff!

05/Riders4Riders had a Ride for Life presentation at Imola!

06/MX2 Riders took part in a moment to honor the many victims of the recent Indonesian earthquake and tsunami.

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04

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Paddock Talks 07/The top quality Swiss prize from Tag Heuer awarded at the 2018 MXGP Awards ceremony!

08/Youthstream Vice President David Luongo and Mr. Sadikin Aksa, President of Ikatan Motor Indonesia at Imola.

09/Italy’s Imola circuit hosts a lot of history but even more so with all of the former Italian riders awarded on site during the MXGP of Italy!

10/The organizers of the MXGP of Belgium signed a new agreement to keep Lommel on the calendar for the upcoming years!

11/Yamaha stepped up their bLU cRU program to include YZ125, YZ85, and YZ65 next year!

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Special Feature

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Amazing MXGP Awards Ceremony Caps off 2018 Season

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The 2018 MXGP season was full of amazing moments, venues, racing, and more, to honor all those working towards making MXGP the best racing championship in the world an awards ceremony was held at the final round Italy. Hosted just a short two hours after the final race of the 2018 MXGP season completed the elegant awards ceremony took center stage.

The prize giving ceremony for the entire season of accomplishments was held on the stage of Imola’s top of the line media center.

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The awards were hosted by Paul Malin and Lisa Leyland and live streamed worldwide on MXGP-TV. com and the MXGP Facebook page from start to finish.

Youthstream President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo and FIM/CMS Director Mr. Tony Skillington personally handed out the awards to the 2018 FIM Motocross World Champions Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado along with all the industry award winners. Besides, they also handed the awards to the FIM Junior, WMX and VMX World Cham-

pions Bailey Makiewicz, Caden Braswell, Braden Plath, Kiara Fontanesi, and Martin Zereva.

Dr. Wolfgang Srb joined Mr. Luongo on stage to award the 2018 European Champions Mathys Boisrame, Brad Anderson, Thibault Benistant, Camden Mc Lellan and Brando Rispoli.

Robert Jonass presented a cheque of 10,000 euro as a donation to the Wings For Life charity while Kemea Yamaha Official MX2 rider Jago Geerts received 5,000 euros as the win-

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ner of the Jan de Groot award which honors the most promising young talent. Last year’s Jan de Groot winner Jorge Prado showed just how much of a difference one year can make as a young and upcoming rider with his MX2 title this year.

Geerts’ Kemea Yamaha Official MX2 teammate Anthony Rodriguez came into the team as a fill in rider but had some impressive performance but one of the most notable was his helping of Thomas Kjer Olsen who was tangled in another riders bike during the MXGP of the Netherlands.

The selfless act of kindness was awarded with the

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newly conceived Fair Play Award along with a check for 5,000 euro. When Rodriguez received the award he fittingly took the opportunity to express his gratitude but also remind others not to forget that even in the most competitive level of the professional sport all the riders, whether rival or not, are human.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado were not only awarded as the winners of the MXGP and MX2 championship but both also topped the respective Tag Heuer Fastest Lap competitions where the received exquisite watches as an award.

Fox Head Europe’s Marketing Manager Austin Hoover also joined Mr. Luongo on stage to award 9-times motocross world champion Antonio Cairoli and 2018 MX2 Champion Jorge Prado with their cheques for 10,000 and 5,000 euros as winners of the Fox Holeshot competition. Cairoli took 19 of the available 40 in MXGP will Prado took an impressive 26.

Various other awards were also handed out to the top media members, top tracks, organizers and more. The evening was perfect way to cap off one of the best seasons full of action and intense racing. The full list of award recipients is below:

MXGP Manufacturer World Champion: KTM MX2 Manufacturer World Champion: KTM WMX Manufacturer World Champion: Yamaha MXGP Winning Team: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2 Winning Team: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing WMX Winning Team: MXFonta Racing Yamaha Mechanic of the Year: Peter Tillerkvist - KTM Motocross Technical Coordinator Lifetime Career Award: Harry Everts Steve Bruhn Award Journalist of the year: Juergen Schrooten Photojournalist of the year: David Bulmer Best Digital Platform: Juan Pablo Acevedo/MX1ONBOARD “Jan De Groot” Award: Jago Geerts FairPlay Award: Anthony Rodriguez Motocross MXGP Best Cooperation: MXGP of Russia Motocross MXGP Best Race Track: Argentina, Neuquen Motocross MXGP Best Media Centre: MXGP of Italy, Imola Motocross MXGP Best Paddock: MXGP of Switzwerland Motocross MXGP Best Promotion: MXGP of Indonesia Motocross MXGP Best Infrastructure: MXGP of Turkey Wings For Life: Heinz Kinigardner EMX 65 European Champion: Brando Rispoli (ITA) EMX 85 European Champion: Camden Mc Lellan (RSA) EMX 125 European Champion: Thibault Benistant EMX 250 European Champion: Mathys Boisrame EMX 300 European Champion: Brad Anderson 65cc Junior World Champion: Braden Plath (AUS) 85 Junior World Champion: Caden Braswell (USA) 125 Junior World Champion: Bailey Malkiewicz (AUS) Veterans’ World Cup Winner: Martin Zerava (CZ) Women’s World Champion: Kiara Fontanesi (ITA) TAG HEUER Best Lap Challenge: Jeffrey Herlings & Jorge Prado FOX HOLESHOT Award: Antonio Cairoli & Jorge Prado Motocross MXGP Best Organizer: The Netherlands, Assen MX2 World Champion: Jorge Prado MXGP World Champion: Jeffrey Herlings

1987-1988 Factory Yamaha YZM500 - OW83

There aren’t many motorazine.

But that all changed when cycles that command that the Japanese figured out ‘WOW’ factor but every now Ever since the FIM upa way to compete with the and then, one such bike graded the 500cc Europeeuro brands, and after Joel might come along where an Championship to world Robert clinched the 250cc you are left astounded by championship status in 1957 world championship for its presence, in awe of its it was always seen as the Suzuki in 1970, his compabeauty, its aura. That happremier class of motocross triot Roger De Coster did pened in the motocross fraracing. Quite simply put, if the same for Suzuki in 1971. ternity in 1987 when Yamaha you won this championship, From there it was Japan all unleashed the revolutionary you were world champion, the way. than Heikki YZM500 OW83.inAtthe theEuropean time the best rider inusually the world.

The 125cc– class Championship puts a spotlight onOther the next Mikkola’s win in 1974 for it was pure exotica, 101% The 250cc class eventually big name in motocross.

In fact both of the 2015 FIM Motocross World Champions Husqvarna, which and was the full factory and we had never followed suit in 1962, with last for a European seen anything like it before, vice-world champions Romain Febvre, Gautier Tim Gajser and Pauls Jonass manuthe 125cc classPaulin, being infacturer until 1993, Japan or since. With its aluminium troduced world status have all won the EMX125 championship onto their paths to in motocross supremacy. dominated. frame it did more than stand 1975. Despite the other two out from the crowd, and it’s classes though, the 500cc Yamaha took back-to-back this very special motorcycle class always ruled supreme, titles in 1974/1975 at the that we will feature in this with European built bikes hands of Mikkola but would months issue of MXGP Maginitially leading the way.

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not win again in the premier class until Hakan Carlqvist in 1983. Around about the same time, Yamaha had already started work on the blueprint to create something special but it was so radical that it was delayed from breaking cover for another FIVE years, and that was partly due to the new world champion himself, Hakan Carlqvist, but more on that later.

Fast forward to 1987 when it finally made its appearance, the two riders who Yamaha entrusted with this work of art were Finland’s Kurt Ljungqvist and Sweden’s Leif Persson. Ljunqvist was moving up from the 250cc class where he’d placed 9th overall whilst Persson had already guided

his YZ490 to a race win at the Swedish GP in the ’86 season on his way to sixth in the championship, so from that side they were the natural choices. It also helped that they were both Yamaha riders. Crucially, for Persson, he beat Carlqvist who finished the season in eighth before the Super Swede left Yamaha at the end of the season. With ‘Carla’ no longer on the scene the YZM500 was given the go ahead.

The first race could not have gone any better for the new bike and in front of more than 100,000 spectators in northern France, Leif Persson took the YZM500 to victory in one of the toughest beach races on the planet, the 1987 Le Touquet Beach

Race. Disguised to look like a Dakar Rally bike the white plastics were switched for Yamaha France blue, but there was no mistaking the new aluminium frame, but to win first time out was an achievement and an historic victory to boot. It was Yamaha’s second win in the history up to that point and the first since 1981, and the first on a wter-cooled Yamaha.

During the ’87 season both riders registered a race win, coincidentally at their home GP’s; Ljungqvist at Ruskeasanta in Finland, on his way to fourth in the overall standings, Persson at Kristianstad in Sweden; Persson ended the year sixth overall and would switch to KTM for the following season. That meant

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to an end after just six days.

He had just won the world championship and went back to France after six days of testing to celebrate his ‘Leif and me made the tests victory in Paris with three in Sweden close to Stockhundred friends and media holm airport and close to guests. He was due to reOHLINS. After every test we turn two days later. The plan had a debriefing session. We was to lower him into the ‘I rode it the first time after had just fifteen days to depacked hall by suspended my accident in September velop our custom-made bike; cables from above, but when ’87 at the last GP in Switit was September 1986. the cables broke he was zerland at Roggenburg; I With the frame we tested the sent crashing to the floor finished one time second caster angle, the position and sustained career ending and one time I had a probof the footpegs, the height back injuries. The fact he lem with the electrics there, and length of the swingThe 125cc class in the European Championship usually puts a spotlight ontothe next in less was able recover ignition problem, but I did arm, handelbar position, than twelve monthsand and reonename time second.

It was In a big big in motocross. fact both of theof2015 FIM Motocross World Champions position the engine within turn to the track in 1987 at surprise because I was one the frame and Paulin, the OHLINS vice-world champions Romain Febvre, Gautier Tim Gajser and Pauls Jonass the highest level was a real year with no riding. It was a front and rear suspension. have all won the EMX125 championship on their paths to motocross testsupremacy. of his character, but it good memory.’

With the engine we tested could have been much, much the cylinder, cylinder head, worse.

Work was swift and at the carburettor’s ignitions and end of the 1986 season, the flywheels.

The YZM500 was revolutionnewly crowned world chamary with its aluminium frame pion headed to Sweden for a But for Vimond the test came that Jacky Vimond, Yamaha’s 250cc world champion from 1986 was enlisted for the 1988 season, after pretty much a year out of action due to a back injury. And this is a bike he remembers fondly:

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fifteen-day test programme which sounds every bit as tough as it reads:

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design, but there was more to it than that. The subframe also housed the airbox and so in one adjustment you could remove that whole rear section of the bike, so that was a revolution in itself. It was also the first ever water cooled bike that Yamaha produced, and from that side, liquid-cooling was overdue, as Vimond recalls: ‘Of course the bike was a revolution, but I think it was more than that you know, because the Yamaha was so late with water cooling compared to their rivals. I heard it was because Hakan Carlqvist didn’t really want water-cooled, because he thought the 490 was already a really strong bike; but for that they lost so much time and so after that they really wanted to make a factory

bike right on the top, and that’s when they came with the water-cooled bike with aluminium frame, the first one.’

To say the bike was unique is an understatement; just EIGHT of these bikes were ever produced, six in 1987 and two more in 1988 so from that side they were like gold dust, but that also meant that these things, in some ways, had to be handled with kid gloves. According to Vimond, ‘we got two bikes and we got four frames and at that time we did the tests from September, and they built the bike for the season, including the spare parts which were limited and it was impossible to have more.

‘It was a case of “this is what you get, and if you run

out, that’s it, it’s finished”.

We had a choice of a different frame with a different angle and Yamaha told me, “don’t make a mistake, because otherwise you can use the frame from Persson.

We’ve got four for you and four for him and then there are no more, so if you make a mistake then you have to ride with his, the other one”; not mine all year. There will be no more frames.’

As far as factory bikes went, it didn’t get any more factory than the YZM. In fact, the only parts that were not factory were the front and rear fenders, and they were straight off the YZ490. As for everything else, nothing from the 490 was used as the frame was different, the sub-frame was new, the suspension was only for this

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was the power? bike, the side panels, linkage, ‘Yamaha made one step ‘It was really soft power exhaust, silencer; everything higher, but we still had some but really good and really was specially made to create problems with the geometry strong and if I remember this unique motorcycle. Even of the frame and that’s why well, I think it was about the hubs were Magnesium! we could not use the upside 60bhp which for a 2-stroke Even the radiator shrouds down forks (which were now was quite a lot. Compared were specially made as it commonplace, ever since to the Honda, it was much was the only water-cooled Brad Lackey rolled out the smoother power but the Yamaha in existence. On top Simons Forks on his ’82 title difference between the 490 of that, not one bolt was winning Suzuki). So, we had and the 500? Simple; the the same as the 490 so they to use conventional forks, 490 was a ‘ring-a-ting-tingcouldn’t even use those. All but I think also, because upting-ting-ting’ coming into of this added to the overall side down were still not good the corners! It was terrible, cost and it would probaenough at that time to put but anyway the power was bly not come as a surprise on that bike because they clear between the two bikes. to suggest that these were were too heavy on the front.

The 125cc class in the European Championship usually puts a spotlight on the next Way different. It was a good possibly the most expensive With the upside down forks bike atChampions the start, because big name in motocross.

In fact both of the 2015 FIM Motocross World and bikes on the planet at that it was impossible to ride, so the power was so good and I time. we used traditional OHLINS vice-world champions Romain Febvre, Gautier Paulin, Tim Gajser and Pauls Jonass always had a good start. (conventional) on the front, have all won the EMX125 championship on their paths to motocross supremacy.

Clearly, from the outside the and on the rear we had OHWhen it came to cornering YZM500 was a revolution LINS mono shock.’ though the YZM500 was but that doesn’t mean to say probably about as good as it didn’t come without its So, what about that all-imit got, as Jacky was keen to problems: portant power plant? What point out: was it like to ride and how

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‘I can tell you a story! One time in Switzerland I dislocated my right knee just before that race in ’88, and I felt that it was not possible to ride because my knee was so big, so swollen. But I said, ok, I will try the qualification.

I knew in the right corners I had to turn with both feet on the pegs because I didn’t want to put my foot down. In both races I was maybe 15 seconds in front, leading, and then Thorpe passed me in the first heat, I finished second, and the second heat two guys passed me on the last two or three laps but I was leading until the end. So I can say that even with my knee, I could turn with two feet on the pegs easily, and I finished second overall that day.’

The Best Ever

With the aluminium frame and removable sub-frame the YZM came with certain benefits; the frame meant it was much more rigid but the sub-frame created more flex at the rear which was better for Vimond. “It’s funny, because at that time, we were never happy with the suspension, never! But understand, the year after when you change the bike, you’d say ‘shit, the bike was way better last year, even the suspension!’ Unfortunately I had to change the bike the year after because the project with YZM stopped, and when I changed I realised how good that YZM really was. It was so good.”

In 1987 Kurt Ljungqvist and Leif Persson both brought race wins to the table but unfortunately were unable

to bring the YZM500 to the top step of the podium. Jacky Vimond went one better by taking two race wins; the first was in Sweden at Limhamn in Race One, the second was in Italy at Lombardore.

After winning the opening race in Sweden, Vimond was halfway to taking the overall victory, something which had never previously been achieved with the YZM, and when he crossed the line at the end of Race Two it was if he had just won the world championship, and for the usually sedated, shy and retiring Japanese it was a chance to really let loose: ‘In Sweden, I won a race and the GP and I was the only one to do this on the YZM500 in two years, ’87/’88. It was the only GP won with me on this

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bike and the Japanese got completely drunk and kissed me.’

Vimond and Ljungqvist ended the year fifth and sixth overall respectively but sadly, neither rider would return on white for the 1989 season. The YZM500 project came to an end after just two years due to a combination of the costs involved in producing such a radical motorcycle and demand; the demand was just not there for such a bike. But as Jacky says, ‘the championship was also changing. They started to invest more in the 250cc and at that time everybody was on the 500cc and from ’89 everybody moved to the 250cc class and the budgets

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went more in that direction than the 500cc.’

This was evident with the riders that were in the 250cc class at that time; John van den Berk, JMB, Alex Puzar, Trampas Parker … the big hitters were on the move, the 250cc class was the new premier class and within a few years, Yamaha were not the only ones pulling out of the 500cc class. The last word goes to Jacky Vimond though on what was an exciting, but brief spell for the Yamaha YZM500: ‘If I want to really talk about a weakness point on that bike it was the front fork.

It made the bike feel heavy

with the conventional fork because with the upside down fork you ride more on the back, but with the conventional forks, sometimes when you land off the jumps it would twitch, feel nervous, twist when I landed.’

‘The 490 wasn’t heavy and it was fun to ride but the engine was a little bit different; it was old and you could feel it was old as well.

But the YZM500, I realise now it was the best bike I ever rode, the best one in my memory, but I can only realise that now! I could never complain about the engine but the suspension I always wanted something better but overall it was my best bike.’

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QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR

QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR Hi MXGP, Hello I am wanting to watch the MXoN this weekend‌ but how do I go about doing it?

Thanks, Ross Hi Ross, Hello, thanks for the message!

You can subscribe and watch the entire weekend from RedBud on MXGP-TV.com.

Regards MXGP Hi MXGP, Hi there, I wanted to ask if the MXoN is available to purchase on MXGP-TV as a replay after the race?

Thanks, Lewis Hi Lewis, The Motocross of Nations one event pass can indeed be purchased after the weekend is complete to watch on demand!

Regards MXGP

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Dear MXGP, Hi, my friend and I are thinking about buying the MXoN package this weekend, but can we both watch it live at the same time on the same account on two different computers?

Thanks, Simon Dear Simon , thanks for the message!

MXGP-TV can be watched on any device with an Internet connection anywhere in the world. However, only one device can be logged in at a time.

Best Regards MXGP

Hi MXGP, Hello, I am from Australia, can I buy tickets through MXGP-TV to watch the MXoN here?

Thanks, Melissa Hi Melissa yes you certainly can. Best regards and enjoy the races! #MXGP Thanks MXGP Hi MXGP, I have the 2018 season pass on MXGP-TV and was wondering when is best to buy the 2019 season?

Thanks, Vanessa Hi Vanessa the best time to get the new season is during our Early Bird Promo which will start just after the Motocross of Nations at Redbud!

Thanks MXGP

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