MXGP #114 February 2023

YAMAHA SOUNDS THE REBELLION!

CONTENT

P.38TEAM OF THE MONTH COOL SHOT P.10

P.66

HALL OF Sebastian Pourcel

Then content of this

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 Infront Moto Racing in advance and reference is made to the source (©MXGP).

Dear MXGP Friends,

Here we are, in two weeks we will fly to Argentina and the beautiful track of Villa la Angostura for the opening Grand Prix of the 2023 MXGP Season The time has flown since Red Bud and the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations as this winter break was full of work and preparation to allow us to deliver the best season possible to the Motocross fans

In my last editorial I already talked about some changes concerning the increase of freight allocation for the overseas races and the entry fee reduction for the Wild card riders, but January was also a month of innovation and changes for us, in particular on the regulations Together with the FIM and the Manufacturers Association, we decided to implement a new points system for the very popular Qualification Race of Saturday for the MX2 and the MXGP categories

Some years ago, we were the first motorsport promoter to introduce this Saturday Race with the target to give a bigger interest to the Saturday program on the Grand Prix Weekend and to enlarge the actions for the fans From Argentina, the top 10 will score points during this Sprint race starting from 10 points for the

WE DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT A NEW POINTS SYSTEM FOR THE VERY POPULAR QUALIFICATION RACE OF SATURDAY

winner, 9 points for the second and so on …

After the MXGP Sprint race we will organize a Paddock show on a bright new structure to talk with the winners and some special guests with the public The result of the Sprint race will continue to give the starting grid of Sunday Grand Prix races Another big novelty for 2023 will be the qualifications for the MXGP class in case more than 40 riders are entering the GP This change will allow any wild card rider to participate to the MXGP category and try to be qualified for the GP program

In January, we had to modify the end of the season’s calendar and the date of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in France –Ernée to the 7/8 of October First of all, I want to thank the Motoclub of Ernée for their efforts to change the

date and the FFM for their support It was very important for us to do our best to keep a logic on the different calendars of our sport We have a great collaboration with the American promoters, MX Sport and Feld, and to be able to offer the best MXoN ever, it was primordial to align our different calendars I strongly believe that a great collaboration among all the parties is bringing our sport to a higher and brighter future In result of this change of date, we have to guaranty that the best riders of all the Nations will be able to participate to most important Off Road event of the year, for the biggest pleasure of the fans!

Infront Moto Racing has also been present in Asia for the last days, participating to Sportel Asia in Bali, Indonesia, with the aim to enlarge our presence in this market in regards to the media and TV broadcasters

Finally, I would like to have a big thought for Tim Gajser, who suffered an injury last weekend during a preseason race Unfortunately, he will miss the beginning of the season, we wish him a prompt and good recovery

See you in Argentina!

David Luongo CEO of Infront Moto Racing

COOLSHOTS

Photo: KTM, Acevedo

COOLSHOTS

Photo: Yamaha

COOLSHOTS

Photo: Honda, Bavo

2023 season awaits you

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SPECIALFEATURE

Photo: KTM, Acevedo

ALMOST GO TIME

2023 SEASON PREVIEW

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN FOLKS, WHERE THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS ARE ALREADY A DISTANT MEMORY, AS WE SHIFT OUR ATTENTIONS TO THE START OF A BRAND NEW SEASON OF MXGP; AND AS WE GO TO PRINT, IT WILL BE LESS THAN 20 DAYS BEFORE THE ACTION GETS UNDERWAY IN ARGENTINA-PATAGONIA ON THE WEEKEND OF MARCH 11/12. SO, HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING, WHAT’S ‘THE GOSS’ AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT WHEN THE GATES DROP IN VILLA LA ANGOSTURA? HOPEFULLY, OUR PRE-SEASON RACE PREVIEW HOLDS SOME OF THE ANSWERS.

Whilst some of us are still trying to burn off the Christmas excess, the riders have been hard at it, as they seek to gain an advantage over their rivals, and although on paper you might think there are obvious favourites and title contenders, we’ve learned over the years not to take things like that for granted; just ask Jeffrey Herlings or Romain Febvre! Both were left out in the cold before the 2022 season had already begun But, before we delve into MXGP, let’s start with the MX2 class

Young Guns

After claiming his second MX2 world title in thrilling fashion, Tom Vialle has chosen not to defend his crown, favouring a move to the American indoors instead, as he delves into his dream of racing supercross And with the Frenchman

gone, all eyes will be on the next MX2 world champion But who will that be exactly?

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team

Starting off as the favourite has to be Belgium’s Jago GEERTS; the Monster Energy Yamaha rider will line up in Argentina as the most experienced rider in the class Third overall in 2019 and 2nd for the past three seasons, the sixteen-time grand prix winner will be looking to trade silver for gold in what will be his final year in the class

Geerts need look no further than his teammate though; waiting in the wings will be Thibault BENISTANT. The former EMX125 and EMX250 champion claimed six podiums last year, including his maiden win in Germany If the Frenchman gets off to a good start, he might prove tough to beat

Joining Geerts and Benistant will

be the reigning EMX250 champion, Rick ELZINGA, whose reward for winning the title last year was a factory ride in MX2 It will be interesting to see how he fares in his rookie season on the world stage

Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing

After securing the bronze medal in 2022, Simon LAENGENFELDER knows he has a great shot at becoming Germany’s first world champion since Ken Roczen in 2011 He also knows how to win, having won both races at the opening round last year in fine style But unlike last year, he will be the lone wolf under the Red Bull GASGAS awning, so will that bring added pressure perhaps? Time will tell

F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team

2022 was a stand-out year for F&H Kawasaki’s Kevin HORGMO which saw the Norwegian secure a comfortable 4th overall in the standings

A visit to the podium where he was 2nd in Latvia was a dream come true, and after finishing 4th overall on five other occasions, he will be hoping to turn those missed opportunities into more podiums and sil-

verware Is he a contender though?

Horgmo will have the luxury of a teammate this year, in the form of Spain’s David BRACERAS who moves up from EMX250 In 2020, Braceras placed 2nd overall in the EMX125 championship where he claimed five podiums, which also included a win at the round of Limburg, in Lommel

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing

On paper, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing might be one of the strongest teams in 2023, with Kay DE WOLF leading the charge The 18-year-old Dutchman scored four podiums last year, but that maiden GP win still eludes him, so he will be looking to put that right sooner, rather than later

His wingman and fellow compatriot will once again be Roan VAN DE MOOSDIJK who was side lined for more than half the season last year, but the ‘39’ showed he will be a threat as his podium at the final round in Turkey proves

Joining the Dutch duo in a threepronged attack is last year’s EMX250 runner up, Lucas COENEN. The highly talented Belgian won 7 of the

Photo: Husqvarna, Bavo

last 8 races on his way to the silver medal and will be hoping to shake things up in his rookie season

Big Van World MTX Kawasaki

Denmark’s Mikkel HAARUP claimed four podiums on his way to 7th overall in 2022, but the Big Van World MTX Kawasaki rider knows he should have been challenging for at least a place inside the top five Don’t be surprised if you see him as a regular visitor to the podium, and a possible challenger for the title

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

With 2022 world champion Tom Vialle heading stateside, Red Bull KTM have a brand-new look for 2023, with three riders representing the Austrian brand 2022 Lombardia podium finisher Andrea ADAMO, 8th overall in 2022, heads up the squad and will be joined by Liam EVERTS (10th) and Sascha COENEN (19th in EMX250) On paper perhaps, maybe not the strongest team, but don’t be fooled KTM have always had a knack of plucking riders from obscurity and turning them into world champions, and 2023 could be another one of those years

TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team

Last year, Jan Pancar had quite a few standout performances with 8 top ten finishes in the second half the season, ending the year 11th overall; pretty impressive for a rider who runs his own team as a privateer For 2023 he will continue to dance to his own tune as the sole rider on his team Can he be a regular top five guy though?

SM ACTION RACING TEAM YUASA BATTERY

Another rider moving up from EMX250 for 2023 is Cornelius TOENDEL. The Norwegian was a challenger for the EMX championship last year before eventually finishing 3rd He swaps his 2-stroke Fantic for a GASGAS 250 4-stroke, which given his size, might just suit him more than his previous steed

Riley Racing

After a tough season in ’22, which saw him crash out of the GP of Czech Republic as a MXGP wild card, Hakon Fredriksen will shift his attentions back to MX2 with Riley Racing He will be joined by Joel Rizzi, who had his best season in MX2 last year, scoring regular points in the last few GP’s of the year for this Riley Racing team

Photo: KTM, Acevedo

Premier Status Team HRC

After winning three MXGP world titles in the last four years, Tim GAJSER would have started this season as the firm favourite after what was a dominant display of riding in 2022 The Slovenian claimed ten GP victories from the 18 rounds on offer, but sadly the ‘243’ will probably not be lining up behind the gate in the foreseeable future after breaking his right femur in a pre-season international race in Italy, just three weeks before the start of the MXGP season Of course, it goes without saying that we wish Tiga a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him behind the gates again soon

Gajser will have a new HRC teammate for this year in the form of Spain’s Ruben FERNANDEZ, whose rookie season in the premier class did not go un-noticed, and he will no doubt be looking to add to the two podiums he collected in Latvia and Indonesia last year If Ruben can remain calm and consistent, he could certainly be a podium contender for sure

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team

Heading up the charge from Monster Energy Yamaha will be Jeremy SEEWER The Swiss star has been runner up in the overall standings no fewer than five times - with three of those in the last four years Will 2023 finally be his year? The ‘91’ won three GPs last year on his way to 2nd overall in the championship

Seewer will be joined by last year’s rookie sensation and former MX2 world champion, Maxime RENAUX, who bagged 7 podiums on his way to 4th overall But it was Renaux’s double-race win in Spain that caught everyone’s attention, and the Frenchman will be keen to bring that kind of form to the table in 2023

Glenn COLDENHOFF made it three Yamaha’s in the top five last year and if his GP win in Finland is anything to go by, then the Dutchman will need to be considered as a podium contender at the very least A good start in Patagonia will be crucial if he is to realise his full potential though

Photo: Yamaha

Photo: GasGas, Acevedo

Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing

Since his move into the MXGP class, things have not exactly been plain sailing for two-time MX2 world champion, Jorge PRADO In 2020 whilst challenging for the title in his rookie season, the ‘61’ was forced to miss the last four rounds due to catching Covid-19, and in 2021, an untimely injury took him out when he was a handful of points off the points lead A bronze medal last year put some of those disappointments to bed though, and you can bet that a fully fit Prado will be a force to be reckoned with come round one

Prado’s Red Bull GASGAS teammate will be the popular Italian, Mattia GUADAGNINI, who moved into the premier class midway through the 2022 season, where his best finish came at the final round in Turkey, with 5th overall If he can bring his MX2 speed to the table, ‘Guada’ could prove to be the dark horse of the class

Standing Construct Honda MXGP

After a solid campaign in 2022, Brian BOGERS was rewarded with his best overall finish in the MXGP class, with 6th overall, and the Limburg GP winner will be hoping to build on that result this season

Bogers’ teammate will once again be former MX2 world champion Pauls JONASS, whose 2nd overall at his home GP in Latvia was the highlight of his campaign For 2023, the Standing Construct riders will be Honda mounted, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the team can get up to speed, and if they can be regular challengers for the podium

Team Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing

For 2023 Calvin VLAANDEREN will line up as the sole member of the Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha team, but after securing a GP win in Sardinia on his way to 7th overall, ‘CV10’ will be keen to get going again come the first gate drop in Patagonia If Cal can get off to a good start early on, and maintain a good level of consistency, then we could see him as a regular fixture inside the top five

Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP

Having won the final race of the year after what had been a difficult 2022 campaign, Romain FEBVRE will once again line up for Kawasaki Racing Team as he hopes to lift his second MXGP title

A podium and a race win at the final round of the season prove he should still be considered a worthy contender to the throne, so write him off at your peril

Joining the former world champion will be the laidback Aussie Mitch EVANS who swaps red for green

How quickly he can adapt to his new bike and team surroundings will determine the way in which his season unfolds, but a confident Mitch Evans should be a podium contender for sure

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

When a pre-season crash left the defending champion Jeffrey HERLINGS with a broken foot last year, we had no clue at the time that he would miss the entire season as a result of his injury Fortunately for us, ‘The Bullet’ is back and will be ready to prove he is the king of the class

Watching his rival Tim Gajser stroll his way to the title would have been painful to watch, and after a year off from the daily grind of racing, it will be interesting to see which version of Jeffrey Herlings lines up behind the gates this year

Will he need a few races to settle in?

Can he even afford himself that time to settle in? Either way, when the ‘84’ is at the party, it’s always a fascinating watch Oh, and by the way, his new boss is none other than 9-time champ, Antonio Cairoli

SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery

2023 will be Alberto FORATO’S third year in the premier class, and it will be business as usual for the Italian who remains with SM Action His best finish in 2022 was 6th overall in Latvia where he claimed a 4th in the first race It will be interesting to see how a fully fit ‘Alby’ will fare in the new season

MRT Racing Team

For 2023, MRT (Marchetti) returns to MXGP with factory support from Beta Alessandro LUPINO remains with the brand and will be keen to put the 2022 campaign behind him where health issues prevented him from doing more than four GP’s Lupino’s teammate will be Britain’s Ben WATSON; the former MX2 GP winner and factory Yamaha and

Photo:Kawasaki, Bavo

Kawasaki rider maintains his factory status with Beta, and will be hoping to impress in what will be his third year in MXGP

JM Honda Racing

After a couple of seasons in blue, Brent VAN DONINCK will line up for Jacky Martens JM Honda team where both rider and team owner will be hoping to improve on ‘BVd’s’ 15th from last year The second half of the season saw some impressive rides, with his standout performance being Ernee, Race 1, where he placed 3rd

JWR Honda Racing

As a satellite team, you would be mistaken for thinking that JWR Honda was a factory team, such is its presence in the paddock Once again, team owner Johan Westermark aligns with Honda for 2023 in what is a new look for his

team, with two new riders under the awning Alvin ÖSTLUND and Hardi ROOSIORG are the chosen ones for this Swedish-owned, Belgian-based team

TEAM SHIP TO CYCLE HONDA

MOTOBLOUZ SR

After a string of impressive results last year, Switzerland’s Valentin GUILLOD joins the French team which is owned and run by former racer Josse Sallefranque

Joining the former MX2 GP winner will be Stephen RUBINI, who remains with the team, albeit now as a MXGP rider

JK Racing Yamaha

With the demise of iXS Yamaha, Swiss rider Kevin BRUMANN now finds himself at JK Racing

The teenager started 2022 in MX2 before moving to MXGP for the last seven rounds Hopefully he

can put the experience gained from those races to good use as he embarks on his rookie season in the premier class

De Baets Yamaha MX-Team A new private team will join MXGP this year and goes by the name of De Baets Yamaha The Belgian car dealer has long been a fan of Benoit PATUREL and will no doubt look forward to supporting the former MX2 bronze medallist and MXoN winner in 2023

Paturel has always performed well in blue, so here’s hoping he can conjure up some of the magic that took him to two race wins in the 250 class

The opening round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship will be LIVE on www mxgptv com from Patagonia-Argentina on the weekend of March 11/12 We will see you there

Photo: Honda, Bavo

“WE SELL WHAT WE RACE, WE RACE WHAT WE SELL”

MXGPSOCIAL

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With my new training buddies @iamlorisfreidigand @nicholaslapucci211

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SET UP 2023 @gasgas official

Ep 16 | 26 Minutes Behind the Gate | MXGP of Finland 2022: Let’s look back together at the epic 2022 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship with the replay of the 26-min Behind-the-Gate series featuring behind-thescenes look at the events, including interviews, highlights, and more! �� In this episode we see how Tim Gajse get crowned MXGP World Champion!

@airoh_racing @ktmfactoryracingteam is ready to face the 2023 @ mxgp season!

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Camden Mc Lellan – back in Europe http://dlvr it/Shtjx4 #mxgp

@rubenfernandez70 2023 season coming up next Excited to start racing again @ hrc_mxgp

Best of WMX | MXGP 2022: The 2022 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship was an intense one with the title showdown ending in the last round in Turkey; enjoy some of the best moments of it!

The wait is over!

Discover AVIATOR 3 LEGEND the helmet that celebrates the career of Antonio

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Season is approaching; are you ready?

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MXGP 2023 Teaser: 2023

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MONSTERGIRLS

MONSTERGIRLS

TEAM OFTHEMONTH

TITLE YAMAHA SOUNDS THE REBELLION!

NEW FACE, NEW LOOK...THE MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA FACTORY MX2 TEAM CLEARLY SHOWS ITS AMBITIONS FOR 2023: TO KEEP ITS MX2 MANUFACTURER’S WORLD TITLE WHILE SNATCHING THE RIDER’S WORLD TITLE. QUITE A GAMBLE, MADE FOR A BOLD TEAM AS IT SEEMS.

26 years after its inception, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 - formerly known as Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2 before changing its name to a factory team in 2020 - has perhaps never been so close to making history In any case, all the ingredients are there to make this the most successful year yet for the Japanese manufacturer with its team based in Genk, Belgium First, the departure of the reigning World Champion, Tom Vialle, reshuffled the cards of his succession at the top of the MX2 World Championship hierarchy, even if - it has to be said - Yamaha didn’t wait for the exodus of the Frenchman on the other side of the Atlantic to refine its reconquest strategy

In 2018 the manufacturer secured the services of the promising Jago Geerts A choice that quickly paid off as the Belgian performed well in his rookie season Already in his second year he managed to reach the podium in the World Championship and has remained there ever since In the 2021 season the surprise came from his teammate, Maxime Renaux, who ended the 14-year reign of KTM riders (Tim Gajser was the only rider to win with another manufacturer in 2015) by claiming the MX2 title

Last year Jago Geerts dramatically lost the title he was aiming for in race 2 of the last grand prix of the season While he was neck and neck with Tom Vialle for first place at the MXGP of Turkiye in Afyonkarahhisar, he could not avoid his rival’s crash and lost 5 seconds when he got up, time that may seem short in life but is unforgivable in MX A

defeat with a bitter taste, which the Belgian rider had to think about during the whole off-season So in 2023, even if there is no MX2 rider in the class who have ever won the title, this year sounds like a moment of redemption for Geerts, who enters his final season in the class:

“This winter went really well for me It was good I made a small step with my physical condition and I also feel good on the bike, so I am looking forward to getting the competition started in Argentina”, the young man declared “My goal is still the same I want to fight for the World Title and hopefully finish the job I think it will be a good season for the team We have a strong team this year so the results will be there”

A Frenchman replaces another

To maximize its chances, the Japanese manufacturer chose to line up three riders in MX2 since 2021 Thus, they gave all their confidence to their third choice, Thibault Benistant, a talented rider, brilliant at the beginning of his career in EMX125 and EMX250, with two European Championship titles After a 2021 rookie season in MX2 where he finished 8th in the final standings, the native of Avignon, in the South of France, didn’t shirk his responsibilities when his compatriot Maxime Renaux moved to the highest level and finished with a fourth place in the final MXGP ranking in 2022 And above all, in 2022 Benistant got his first Grand Prix win, four race wins and five podiums, which gives him the 5th position in the Championship and a lot of confidence for 2023

“Unlike my first two years in MX2, I am starting this one without any physical problems We had a good preparation I was able to work on the negative points of my riding, especially the dose of aggressiveness and intensity that I lack at the beginning of the race I feel ready for the competition”, the factory rider enthused, while he looks to appreciate the continuity

established by this Yamaha Team: “I have been followed for several years by Michele Lavetti, the team manager

The first year there were some doubts because of my youth, which is normal at such level, but we know each other very well now and we know how to move forward together We are doing a very good job and we are happy with our collaboration”

Lavetti is full of praise for his two experienced riders, but he is also keeping an eye on the development of Rick Elzinga, the third rider and rookie with a promising future The 21-year-old Dutchman, who seems to be following in the footsteps of Benistant, also won the EMX250 European Championship last season

“Being a part of the Yamaha family feels great I started with Yamaha when I was younger, with the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team and have been in blue for a long time now I enjoy working with the team and we have made great progress in the off-season I look forward to keeping momentum, and to ride up front and learn as much as I can this year I know what the team’s goal is so I will work towards that goal I feel like I’m close to the top so that gives me a lot of motivation I’ll just keep up the work and stay focused on progress”, Elzinga explained full of confidence

“I hope we can achieve great things with him He is training very well”, his manager added

with some pride, before being firm about the team’s goals: “With such competitive riders, it is difficult to consider anything other than the title When you represent a factory team, the pressure is higher because everyone is watching you So, we work very hard every week From the drivers to the mechanics, everyone is doing an extraordinary job Now, the sport always has surprises and it’s impossible to predict the outcome of this season”

And, as if to send a message to its competitors, Yamaha has recently redesigned its bikes, insisting on the black and blue colours, to give them a more elegant but also more aggressive look! All are warned

Photos: Yamaha

SPECIALFEATURE

FEATURE

INSIDE THE WORLD OF INFRONT MOTO RACING

WHAT IS INFRONT MOTO RACING?

FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, INFRONT MOTO RACING IS THE COMPANY THAT MANAGES THE EXCLUSIVE TELEVISION, MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL WORLDWIDE RIGHTS OF THE FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, THE MONSTER ENERGY FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS, THE FIM WOMEN’S MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, THE FIM JUNIOR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, THE FIM SNOWCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, THE FIM EUROPE MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE MOTOCROSS OF EUROPEAN NATIONS.

At the beginning of 2020, Infront Moto Racing was announced as the new name of the company that was once known by many as Youthstream The company has continued to operate as usual, with the only change being its name as Giuseppe Luongo continued to be the President and David Luongo the vicepresident and then the CEO of the company

THE STORY OF INFRONT MOTO RACING

From the early beginnings in 1983, when Mr Giuseppe Luongo started to promote motocross races, to the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship starting in just a few weeks, many milestones and developments have happened over the span of 40 years

WATCH THE VIDEO

To mention just a few of them; only a decade after the first motocross race organised remarkably by Mr Luongo in Ponte Egola, Italy, the FIM Motocross World Championship received worldwide TV coverage during the entire season for the first time, thanks to the collaboration of the FIM and Mr Luongo’s Action Group that managed the television rights of the series

Fast-forwarding another decade to 2003, when Youthstream became the new promoter of the FIM Motocross World Championship This coincided with significant development and enhancement in all aspects of the series such as more television coverage, more fans and globally more exposure The evolution of the sport was evident when the FIM Motocross of Nations burst back into life in 2005 in Ernée, France

In 2011, Youthstream made the next natural step to further the evolution of the FIM Motocross World Championship with the creation of MX-Life tv (renamed MXGP-TV com since 2014) MXGP-TV offers live, High Definition (HD) and on-

Photo: Honda

demand coverage of the entire FIM Motocross World Championship, easily accessible for the entire world to enjoy

On the sporting side, Youthstream also founded the MXGP Academy with the aim of developing young talented riders, helping them to reach the highest levels and become the stars of tomorrow in the world of international competition

Throughout the 2010s, Youthstream and the FIM Motocross World Championship kept growing and expanding well outside of Europe and attracted many more international television broadcasters to cover the series

Following numerous successful seasons with many new countries and venues visited along the way, Youthstream was acquired by Infront and Infront Moto Racing was officially introduced to the world in 2020 to carry on developing this beautiful sport While 2020 was disrupted by the global pandemic, Infront Moto Racing along with the FIM and the local organisers worked tirelessly to keep providing a viable Championship Together they were able to successfully achieve this and welcome back racing through innovations such as one-day formats and midweek races Fortunately, since then there has been a return to normality culminating in 2022, with the memorable 75th edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at the iconic Red Bud circuit, where Team USA won on home soil, to an electric atmosphere

Vowing to continue developing and improving motocross, Infront Moto Racing along with the cooperation of the FIM and the manufacturers have implemented several key updates for the upcoming 2023 season with the desire to improve and develop the MXGP series

WORK CARRIED OUT DURING THE GP WEEKEND…

Photo: Kawasaki

Many fans who arrive on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or those tuning in on MXGP-TV or any of the tv partners, may not realise what it takes to manage and organise an MXGP Grand Prix weekend… so we’re here to give you some insight into the process!

LOGISTICS

It takes a lot to move the FIM Motocross World Championship, all the materials and equipment from country to country For this we have a big logistics crew! Made up of more than 30 employees, the logistics crew travel from race-to-race and usually arrive at the venue on Monday/Tuesday to begin the preparations, which last until Thursday

12 trucks are deployed by Infront Moto Racing at all times to transport the necessary equipment This well-oiled machine is able to build up everything from the Pitlane to the Skybox Terrace, Infront Moto Racing Office, Marketing truck, paddock bridge, prepare the tracks, and more - all in around four days! The logistics team delivers an astonishing achievement to prepare the important foundations for a smooth-running event

The logistics department works closely with the Marketing department and a separated logistics crew composed of 4 people who also arrive early, manage exclusively the important placement of sponsors, banners and pitlane logos on the tracks as well as in the Paddock and make sure that they are all well positioned according to plan

On top of the logistics crew, the other departments such as TV and Media, Hospitality, Sport Office, Time Keeping, Paddock, Management, and much more, travel to each race (around 60 people at overseas Grand Prix, while more than 120 people travel to each European MXGP event)

Our teams work tirelessly during MXGP events to deliver the best possible racing weekend

Photo: KTM

PADDOCK & SECURITY

This is a crew of 4 people who arrive on Tuesday/Wednesday Together they are the first contact point with teams, riders, sponsors who arrive on-site as they are the ones to organise the parking of all the trucks from the teams of all classes, they fit the tent of sponsors and generally create the paddock village under the plan of the marketing team

With the development of MXGP, most of the teams now have large hospitalities which means that the paddock crew must be incredibly precise in parking them smoothly for the weekend

TV, MEDIA AND MARKETING

The TV and media department go hand in hand and are basically in charge of everything you see on TV and online across our social media and digital platforms! The postproduction TV and media crews are made up of 14 people, who arrive onsite on Thursday and usually begin filming all the material for the weekend and planning for the events at each GP Each GP is unique and comes with its own characteristics and filming schedules with teams, riders and VIP’s! Of course, the work begins long before the race weekend, with media accreditations, interviews management, promotion of the event and more

There is also the LIVE TV Crew that is composed of more than 20 people and manage the setup of the OB Van, the cabling and camera positions on the track, the studio show area, satellite, TV signal, etc In other words, no matter where you WATCH MXGP LIVE, it’s directed and filmed by this crew onsite

The Business Unit consists of two trucks reserved for TV, one for the LIVE coverage and one reserved for the post productions and TV journalists, and another truck where the timekeeping office and the marketing crew is based

Photo: Yamaha

The marketing department is managing the relations and communication with the sponsors during the contracts’ period and takes care of the advertising plan onsite in relation with the logistics The marketing team also liaises with the passes manager and paddock manager to give them the list of sponsors attending to the event, for them to be placed in the paddock

MXGP’S PRESENCE ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS

Throughout the years, MXGP’s digital presence has seen continuous growth, with MXGP present on all major social media platforms such as Instagram Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube, attracting a lot of interest from fans all over the world As a result, MXGP has become more and more popular Fans now have the opportunity to get a closer look at each event with behind-the-scenes coverage that makes them feel they are literally amongst the teams and riders, helping fans around the world feel ever more connected to this beautiful sport

MXGP now has more than 3 1 million fans on Facebook, 93 thousand followers on twitter, 1 2 million followers on Instagram In 2022, MXGP took the step to increase their presence on TikTok and now boasts more than 93 thousand followers and more than 1 million likes!

Meanwhile YouTube has also seen an impressive growth, accumulating more than 142 million views You can find on the channel everything from highlights, interviews, action clips and much more which give an incredible up-to-date display of what is happening inside the world of the FIM Motocross World Championship

MXGP also has its very own streaming service, MXGP-TV which is available worldwide, allowing fans from anywhere to enjoy the races LIVE and also at any time watch replays with the GP or season pass with a brand-new

Photo: Husqvarna

platform and look of the website being launched recently in 2021

As you know, since you’re currently reading it, the MXGP Mag is a monthly digital magazine which was first published in September of 2013 The magazine features all the latest from the world of MXGP, including cover stories with standout riders and teams, a look at the latest news from the FIM Motocross World Championship with our Racing Catch-Up as well as more exciting features and stories Since the first issue, the MXGP Mag has had over 4 million reads and over 42 million impressions!

TIME KEEPING & SPORT OFFICE

The Time Keeping department are constantly coordinating with the organiser to manage the timing sectors, which is paramount for motor racing sports to keep track of the timing of the riders The MXGP tracks are divided in 4 sections They place transponders on every bike to be able to monitor each individual timing and be able to

share these statistics with the TV department

Linked to the timekeeping is the Sport Office, which is the main department to be in touch with riders and teams for their registration to the event, check all the entry information and documents, prepare the timetables, coordinating with the FIM to make sure that bikes, teams and riders follow all FIM regulations, etc

PASSES & HOSPITALITY

The first stop before entering an event is to collect the pass There is a specific crew onsite who manages the passes which are available at the welcome office

20 people make up the hospitality team including chefs, waiters, waitresses and more, who work in the Paddock Restaurant and VIP Gold Skybox Restaurant and welcome guests throughout the weekend, ensuring that the experience of MXGP and motocross racing is combined with good food and beverages

MANAGEMENT AND OFFICES

We have our MXGP offices onsite, which are the place where our management directors and management coordinators work during the Grand Prix Management directors are present there to have meetings with the paddock collective and FIM as well as coordinating and implementing the new strategies for MXGP

THE FUTURE

Infront Moto Racing is focused on the development and evolution of MXGP to ensure that this beautiful sport continues to grow and improve season after season All departments are motivated to work together in preparation for this exciting upcoming season and what it will bring to everyone who loves the sport With the global reach of MXGP, our mission is to connect people, fans and riders all around the world through motocross and bring together human connections around every MXGP to offer the greatest show, in the best possible way, while always looking towards the future!

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SÉBASTIEN POURCEL

TITLE

WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER CHRISTOPHE, SÉBASTIEN POURCEL WAS PART OF THE FRENCH ASSAULT ON THE GP’S AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY. EVEN IF HE DIDN’T CLAIM A WORLD TITLE AS HIS BROTHER DID, SEB HAD A GREAT CAREER, WINNING SEVERAL GRAND PRIX AND FINISHING THREE MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS ON THE PODIUM WITH TEAM FRANCE. IN FACT, IN JULY 2007 THE TWO BROTHERS MADE HISTORY BY WINNING ON THE SAME DAY THEIR CATEGORY AT THE ITALIAN ROUND OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Born on 11th February 1985 in Martigues (Southern France), Sébastien was only four years old when his grandmother offered him a little bike for Christmas It was a great opportunity for Seb to follow his father, who was himself a motocross rider, and later to enter his first race on a local track at Chateauneuf les Martigues, just a few kilometres from home In 1993 he got his first KX 65 and started racing some rounds of the French minivert series, but due to a lack of budget, he had to wait two more years to do the full series In 1995, which was the year he could race the full series, he claimed the first of eight national titles

As his brother Christophe also started racing at that period, their father Roger had to stop racing and find a job which gave him enough time to prepare the bikes and bring his sons to practice

When Sébastien moved in the 125cc class in 2001 he was successful, as he claimed the French Junior title; two years later he finished runner up in the European championship, tight in the points with Pascal Leuret, and also finished runner up in the European Supercross series In 2004 he moved to Belgium and entered the MX2 World Championship; it was a learning season for him, and he got some great results with several heat podiums and his first ever GP podium at Gaildorf A few weeks later he enjoyed another podium as the French Team, made up of Antoine Meo, Mickael Pichon and Seb, finished third at the Motocross of Nations in the deep sand of Lierop

His move to the MX1 class in 2007 was a great one, as a rookie he did his best ever season in the main category Finishing in the top three at some races in the first part of the season, he was on another planet at Faenza when he won both heats and celebrated his first ever GP win

Three weeks later he became the last winner in the long history of the GP of Namur, and enjoyed another podium at the Motocross of Nations in Budds Creek His second season on the 450cc Kawasaki was another good one, even if he couldn’t improve his ranking in the series; he won two GP’s and he also claimed the victory of the French MX3 round He missed consistency to enter the top five of the series, but he ended the season on a high note at Donington Park during the Motocross of Nations when he did what nobody was able to do that season, he beat James Stewart and helped the French team to get another silver medal

Unfortunately, he suffered a bad hip injury in December while racing a local event in Guadeloupe, and missed most of the 2009 season due to another shoulder injury He went back to the GP’s in 2010 and ended the season on the podium at the final round in Fermo, but he suffered another serious back injury In 2012 he was back again alongside his brother Christophe in team 377; he finished twelfth in the series, won another French title and did three more seasons as a privateer, racing the German and French series before he retired in 2016 Since then, he has been involved in the sport, as he trains young riders racing the French and European Championships

Text and Photos: Pascal Haudiquert

1995: 60 Minivert French Champion (Kawasaki)

1998: 3rd in the 80 Minivert French Championship (Kawasaki)

2000: 2nd in the 80 French Championship (Kawasaki)

4th in the 80 European Championship

2001: 125 Junior French Champion (Kawasaki)

2002: 5th in the 125 French Championship (Kawasaki)

3rd in the FIM Junior Cup

2003: 2nd in the 125 European Championship (Kawasaki)

2nd in the 125 Eurocup Supercross

2004: 125 Elite French Champion (Kawasaki)

12th in the MX2 World Championship (Kawasaki)

3rd with Team France at the MX of Nations

2005: 2nd in 125 Elite French Championship (Kawasaki)

2006: 125 Elite French Champion (Kawasaki)

10th in the MX2 World Championship (Kawasaki)

2007: MX1 Elite French Champion (Kawasaki)

4th in the MX1 World Championship (Kawasaki).

2nd with Team France at the MX of Nations

2008: MX1 Elite French Champion (Kawasaki)

7th in the MX1 World Championship (Kawasaki).

25th in the MX3 World Championship (Kawasaki).

2nd with Team France at the MX of Nations

2010: 15th in the MX1 World Championship (Kawasaki)

2012: MX1 Elite French Champion (Kawasaki)

12th in the MX1 World Championship

2014: MX1 Elite French Champion (KTM)

PADDOCKTALKS

1 AIROH AVIATOR 3 LEGEND - THE SPECIAL EDITION THAT CELEBRATES TONY CAIROLI’S CAREER

2 Kiara Fontanesi and Ufo Plast continue their historical partnership, as Fontanesia will be back competing in the WMX World Championship in 2023

3 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar Update

4 MOTOSPRINT’S CASCHI D’ORO IN RIMINI: Team Italy with Tony Cairoli, Alessandro Lupino and Mattia Guadagnini receiving the “Caschi d’oro” for their Monster Energy FIM MXoN historic victory in 2021 in Mantova.

5 Van de Ven wins major Dutch motorsport awards

6 Elzinga wins major Dutch motorsport awards

7 Herlings will become the longest-serving Red Bull KTM racer by signing a new contract for 2024 and 2025.

8 MXGP-Store wishes you a happy Valentine’s Day

SPECIALFEATURE

WHEN TYLA RATTRAY CROSSED THE FINISH LINE IN FAENZA AT THE END OF RACE ONE OF THE FINAL GRAND PRIX OF THE 2008 SEASON, HE ENTERED THE HISTORY BOOKS AS THE THIRD SOUTH AFRICAN TO WIN A MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, AFTER GREG ALBERTYN AND GRANT LANGSTON. HIS SEASON-LONG BATTLE WITH HIS TEAMMATE TOMMY SEARLE WAS FINALLY OVER. EVEN MORE POIGNANT WAS THAT THIS WOULD TURN OUT TO BE HIS FINAL SEASON IN GP RACING BEFORE HEADING TO AMERICA. THE BIKE THAT TOOK HIM TO THE TITLE WAS A KTM 250SX-F AND IT’S THIS BIKE THAT WE WILL FEATURE IN THIS ISSUE OF MXGP MAGAZINE.

Tyla Rattray first arrived on the GP scene in 2002 where the freshfaced teenager formed part of the Vanagni set-up, on his way to 7th overall in the 125cc class He even secured a podium, with 2nd overall at Genk in Belgium The kid had arrived and clearly had the speed to challenge for a title Whilst there might not have been another visit to the podium in 2003, he did improve his world ranking to 6th but that all changed in 2004, the first year of the newly formed MX2 class, when he placed 2nd overall (on a SX125) to his teammate Ben Townley, who dominated the campaign on the new KTM 250SX-F

2005 could have been his year; an impressive double-race victory at the opening round suggested as much, but by round four it was all over, due to a knee injury After

missing 11 rounds, Tyla bounced back to win the last three GPs of the season The following two campaigns saw him place 4th overall and we were kind of left wondering whether that world title would ever be his

Well, in 2008, that all changed! Rattray dominated the first round in Holland, and whilst he won the first race at a muddy Bellpuig in Spain, he could only manage 17th next time out, and it was clear that his main rivals would be defending champion, Antonio Cairoli, and his teammate Tommy Searle However, Rattray’s consistency was key, and from the first ten rounds, the KTM man would only miss the podium on one occasion, in the mud of Spain And even before Cairoli was forced to exit the championship due a knee injury in South Africa (round 10), Rattray held a 14-point advantage over the Sicilian His teammate Searle sat in 3rd, twentythree points adrift If Rattray could

TYLA RATTRAY 2008 KTM 250 SX-F

manage that gap, then the title could be his And that’s exactly what happened

Despite Rattray and Searle playing cat-and-mouse for the remaining four rounds, by the time they showed up in Italy for the final round, Rattray held a commanding 33-point lead, with 50 points on the table Searle won race one, but when Rattray followed him home in 2nd, it was enough to be crowned world champion His mission was finally complete But what about the bike that took him there?

The Evolution

When Ben Townley won the first ever MX2 world championship in 2004, his all-conquering KTM 250SX-F was not only new, but it was littered with F1 level technology Sounds impressive right? But at the same time, it also proved to be something of a reliability nightmare, if it wasn’t maintained to the highest standards This meant brand new everything, every time it took to the track

That 2004 bike was all gear-driven; it didn’t have a cam chain, and that caused a lot of problems, and the tolerance levels were a lot more finite; the risk for error was higher By the time the 250SX-F was fully in production though, it was cam chain driven From a tuning perspective, this meant the options to improve the engine were down to cam shafts, different crankshafts, and different pistons and conrods

As for the 2008 bike, it seemed like KTM was on track to continue with pretty much what Rattray and Searle had been running in 2007, but something happened that changed all that, and its point of origin was America At the MXoN at Budd’s Creek, Searle’s bikes never showed up at the track from overseas and clearly, something needed to be done to get the Brit behind the gate Searle’s mechanic Gareth Edmunds picks up the story:

‘I don’t know if you remember but our bikes never showed up, so we had to take some bikes from the marketing stand and build some race bikes overnight with all the spare factory engines that were in the KTM North America truck The American riders were running a

slightly different spec bike at the time They were on a production chassis whereas we were actually running hand-built factory chassis in 2007, and when Tommy jumped on it, the feeling was instant to where he said he preferred the feel of the standard chassis more, along with the engine spec ’

Needless to say, when the team returned to Europe after the event, there was a lot of comparison and configuration testing during that winter (2007) on the Dyno By the time the riders arrived at the first test, there were a few options to consider, but both Searle and Rattray were decisive in what they wanted and from that point, their bikes pretty much remained unchanged all year, except for gearing But why is this such an important fact?

Well, during the 2007 season, both riders had so much variation to choose from, with maybe three or four different exhaust systems and different length header-pipes, and as a result there was a lot of confusion throughout the whole year; simply put, there was just too much at their disposal, too much choice and this carried over to the grand prix weekends After Budd’s Creek, it was decided (at the tests) that whatever option felt best, make a decision and stick with it And that’s what happened The 2008 bikes remained constant, there was less confusion which in turn meant

the riders could focus only on the riding part, and that was the big plus factor in all of this With just two header pipes to choose from - one with more bottom, the other with more overrev - the team was set to go

From the outside, both bikes looked identical, but when it came to race weekends, Rattray insisted on everything being brand new for each GP As a result, his mechanic Wayne Lumgair would prepare a new engine after each round and drop it into a brand-new chassis - an off-the-shelf chassis now, as opposed to the hand-built factory item from 2007 - whereas Searle continued to race with the same engine for a couple of rounds or so Same with the chassis; Searle would get a new chassis after five rounds as he preferred a slightly looser feel, and less rigid Did one work better than the other? We will never know, it’s just interesting to learn of the different set-ups of two identical bikes

In a nutshell, the standard chassis housed the factory engine which was littered with an array of special internals from piston, to conrod, cam shaft and crankshaft The front forks were 52mm WP units, married to X-Trig triple clamps with Rattray’s forks a lot stiffer than Searle’s The rear shock was also WP and as this was still a PDS system, the base of the shock unit

was connected directly to the swingarm, meaning no linkage The brakes were factory Brembo, but instead of a floating calliper at the front, the team used a radial brake, similar to what you would find on a road bike where it was two-point fixed to the fork leg KTM was the only team using this system at the time The front disc was 260mm with the rear coming in at 220mm The factory clutch was hydraulic and the exhaust system was Akrapovic The carburettor was from Keihin whilst the ignition was Kokusan As for the wheels, Talon provided the hubs with Exel supplying the rims And with this being the factory team, titanium nuts and bolts were used where possible and necessary with carbon fibre being the light material of choice when it came to protecting the front disc, chain guide, rear brake calliper and skid plate

On his way to the MX2 world championship, Tyla Rattray won 12 races and finished inside the top three, twenty-four times from thirty starts It was the second world title for the KTM 250SX-F and the first 1-2 for the Austrian brand with the 4-stoke machine, with Tommy Searle taking 2nd overall This win also sparked a MX2 world title win streak which saw KTM win 7 titles in a row from 2008 - 2014 inclusively, laying down the marker as the team to beat

TOTHEEDITOR

QUESTIONS

❝ Hey MXGP, I’m thinking of coming to the MXGP of Portugal, where can I find more information on the venue?

❝ Hello MXGP, when is the first GP of the season?

Dear Peter, it is on the 12th of March in Patagonia-Argentina. You can check all the dates and venues on https://www.mxgp.com

Hi Justin, you can find many information on venues, tracks and best way to get to the MXGPs of the 2023 season at https:// www.mxgp.com/tracks

Thanks MXGP

Hi MXGP, can you tell me where I can buy official MXGP merchandising?

Silvia

Hi Silvia, yyou can visit the official MXGP Store website at https:// www.mxgp-store.com

You will find all you need!

Regards MXGP

Best Regards MXGP

Ciao MXGP, is there any discHi there, what does the VIP Gold Skybox package include?

Carla

Hello Carla : along with the access to the MXGP venue, VIP Gold Skybox pass allows access to the most exclusive areas that includes, the MXGP Paddock, the VIP Gold Skybox restaurant, the Skybox Terrace and the VIP Gold Skybox car parking pass. Thanks MXGP

Hi MXGP, where can I see the photos of the last MXoN in Red Bud ?

Hi Lucas, you can find them on the MXGP photo gallery at www.mxgp.com

Thanks MXGP