MXGP #90 February 2021 by MXGP MAG

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MXGP MAG Chief Editor: Marionna Leiva Photos: MXGP INFRONT MOTO RACING MEDIA World Trade Center II Rte de Pré-Bois 29 1215 Geneva 15 Airport Switzerland MXGP Mag #90 February 2021

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AME F F O

The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of Infront Moto Racing.

L A I R O T I D E

David Luongo CEO of Infront Moto Racing

Dear MXGP Friends, We are entering into February with a lot of hopes. We witnessed during the last couple of weeks an acceleration of the vaccination campaigns worldwide, and in Europe, the number of people that received the first dose of the vaccine is growing faster every day. This situation is giving us a lot of confidence that the worst is now behind us. But despite all those efforts and improvements, the situation remains complicated. There are still a lot of restrictions in the countries especially for the sport and entertainment industry. As I mentioned many times in the past, the essence of sport is to share emotions between the athletes and the fans, and last year was a heartbreaker for all of us to not be able to host you during the season. For 2021, the target to host public is still in our main goals. For this reason, in the upcoming days, we will communicate on the calendar of the 2021 season and

THE ESSENCE OF SPORT IS TO SHARE EMOTIONS BETWEEN THE ATHLETES AND THE FANS it will probably receive some adjustments to start the season a bit later and to give us more flexibility in order to finally organize Grand Prix with public. As always, I would like to underline the fantastic cooperation we have with all the organizers of the Grand Prix that put together with us and the FIM all their efforts to make it happen. We are still very confident that we will be able to run the full championship in its classic format, but as last year, if the situation would remain complicated, we would be ready to adapt ourselves and the format to deliver the best championship possible for all the stakeholders. At a moment when most of the teams are entering into the preparation mode for the

start of the season, Infront Moto Racing published the 2021 Officially Approved Team (OAT). We are very proud to announce 22 MXGP OAT that will participate to the full season with 36 riders and 23 OAT with a total of 37 riders in the MX2 class. This is an impressive number, and show the resilience and strength of the stakeholders of the MXGP World Championship. Then, we started to receive the first feedback from the users of the MXGP-TV new platform, and they are very positive. We cannot wait to experience it during our live production for the first Grand Prix. I invite all of you to visit the channel on www.mxgp-tv.com as there is still an early bird offer for the full season access. Finally, during the winter break, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to follow our various social network platforms to receive the latest news about riders, teams, line up, and industry novelties. I wish you a good month!

S T O H S L COO

P U G H N ATC I C A C R

E R A S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; T A O O 1 G 2 0 2 DY TO A E R

MX2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

AS THE NEW SEASON OF MXGP PREPARES TO COUNTDOWN FOR THE SEASON OPENER, ALL EYES WILL BE ON THE MAIN FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PROTAGONISTS TO SEE WHO WILL STRIKE FIRST TO TAKE THAT EARLY ADVANTAGE. BUT, BEFORE WE EVEN CONTEMPLATE WHO WILL BE DOING THE WINNING, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OFF-SEASON MOVES AND SHAKERS, AND THE RIDERS WHO HAVE EITHER CHANGED CLASS, BIKE, TEAM OR ALL THREE! HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OFFICIALLY APPROVED TEAM’S FOR 2021, STARTING WITH THE MX2 CLASS.

2020 was a blast for Tom VIALLE who realised his childhood dream of becoming MX2 World Champion in just his second season in the class with Red Bull KTM. The Frenchman notched up 14 podiums on his way to the title, including 7 GP wins. His teammate will once again be Rene HOFER, who’s 2020 campaign was ruined by injury. Vialle and Hofer will be joined by former Junior 125cc world champion Mattia GUADAGNINI, although the Italian will be under the watchful eye of Claudio De Carli.

SM Action Racing Team

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 After picking up the silver medal in last year’s title race, Monster Energy Yamaha’s Jago GEERTS will be keen to resume his battle with Vialle as he hopes to reverse the tables on his French rival. Geerts scored 6 GP wins and 12 podiums in 2020 but crashes and inconsistency left him playing catch up for much of the season. Expect Geerts to come out swinging from the get-go. This season the Belgian will have two new teammates alongside him, both of them French! Maxime RENAUX has been promoted to the factory team after placing 3rd overall last year, whilst EMX250 champion Thibault BENISTANT gets set for his MX2 season debut as a rookie.

There’s been quite a shake-up at SM Action; the Italian-based team placed 3rd last year with Maxime Renaux, but has since traded the blue of Yamaha for the red of GASGAS and will now be known as SM Action Racing Team. Alberto FORATO and Andrea ADAMO are the chosen ones and both riders will be looking to stay healthy after injury-hit campaigns last year in MX2 and EMX250 respectively, where Adamo scored his first EMX250 podium. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Changes are afoot at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing as Thomas Kjer Olsen moves into MXGP, leaving Australian Jed BEATON to head up the team in his final year in MX2. Beaton enjoyed his best year-to-date last year on his way

to 4th overall in a season that saw him take his first race win as well as three more podiums. He will be partnered by the ‘Teen Wolf’ Kay de Wolf who was unlucky to drop out of the top three in last years EMX250 championship after crashing out of the final round. F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team Official Kawasaki representation in MX2 once again lines up in the form of F&H Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team. The Dutch-based outfit placed 7th overall last year as Roan VAN DE MOOSDIJK added five more podiums to his tally, including three box-visits in Latvia. ‘RVDM’ also claimed his maiden race win in Lommel and will no doubt emerge as one of the favourites for the title. The team remains unchanged which means Mikkel HAARUP and Mathys BOISRAME will line up alongside the Dutch ace. Haarup placed 3rd at the season opener last year whilst Boisrame secured two podiums of his own in Latvia. After lengthy spells on the side lines last year, both riders 19

will be keen to remain injury free this year. Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee The glory days of multiple British teams in the MXGP paddock is becoming more and more a distant memory, so it’s good to see Roger Magee’s Hitachi KTM team, fuelled by Milwaukee coming back for another year as he hopes to secure his first world championship title. His team remains unchanged and it’s possibly a case of ‘now or never’ for Magee’s star pupil, Conrad MEWSE who placed 8th overall last year. The former 85cc EMX and Junior world champion found a new level of consistency in 2020 but needs to up his game if he is to be considered a genuine title threat. His wing man will once again be Bas VAESSEN, and who knows, if the Dutchman can stay off the side lines, he too could be a top five contender. Adam STERRY will once again line up for the team in MXGP. Team Honda Racing Assomotor After his most consistent season to date where he placed 10th overall, Stephen RUBINI will once again spearhead Honda Racing Assomotor’s campaign. The French rider has struggled to recapture the form that saw him top the podium in his EMX125 and EMX250 days, but since teaming up with his trainer Yves Demaria last year, Rubini is gaining confidence and selfbelief all over again. Expect him to be fighting for regular top fives. His teammate is the former child prodigy of Antonio Cairoli, Gianluca FACCHETTI, who moves up from EMX250. DIGA Procross GASGAS Factory Racing After joining forces with GASGAS in 2020, the fortunes of DIGA Procross were elevated to another level, especially after Swedish sensation Isak GIFTING joined the squad at Round 9, the first of the Mantova GP’s last

year. Gifting showed he wasn’t afraid to mix it with the more established stars of MX2 and his ambition has been rewarded with a factory contract. He led a race in Mantova and claimed two top three positions as the season drew to a close. Expect this kid to stir the pot even more in 2021. His teammate will be Simon Langenfelder who collected a knee injury at Faenza, but the 16 year-old had already proved he could be the next German superstar. Honda 114 Motorsports Cast your minds back to Latvia when we witnessed ‘The Terminator’ in action. Well, after impressing throughout the season with some hard riding, Ruben FERNANDEZ will be hoping to improve on his 9th overall in the championship as he moves from SDM Corse Yamaha to Livi Lancelot’s Honda 114 Motorsports Team. Having already tasted a top three race finish at Kegums, the Spaniard will be aiming for regular visits to the podium. Joining him will be an MX2 rookie in the form of Joel RIZZI who originates from Wales in the United Kingdom. Bike It MTX Kawasaki Formerly known as DRT (Dixon Racing Team) Bike It MTX Kawasaki once again reunites with its former title sponsor. After the teams sole MX2 rider Wilson TODD picked up an injury at Round 2 at Valkenswaard, Steve Dixon focussed on WMX where they once again secured the world title with New Zealand’s Courtney DUNCAN. As for Wilson Todd, we never got to see his full potential, and the Aussie import will be on a steep learning curve having missed the entire season. Apart from bike set-up, Todd will be visiting new circuits for the first time as well as trying to find his feet in the fiercely competitive MX2 class. The newest member to the team is homegrown talent Taylor HAMMAL, who has previously dipped in and out of EMX competition.

WZ-Racing If you follow the EMX championship then you will be familiar with WZ-Racing. Last year Denmark’s Bastian BOEGH DAMM went 1-1 at the opening EMX250 round at Valkenswaard, only to suffer a huge crash as we emerged from the Covid-19 lockdown just before racing resumed in Latvia. Sadly, ‘BBD’ never regained the same form but 2021 is a new year and a new chapter. When he won in Holland, he beat eventual champion Thibault Benistant and Isak Gifting, and they are now factory riders in MX2. Boegh Damm’s teammate will once again be Lion FLORIAN. MXGP Team HRC HRC enter the new season once again as defending world champions and the line-up of Tim GAJSER and Mitch EVANS remains unchanged. Last year Gajser claimed his third MXGP title in a year that saw him pushed to the brink on more than one occasion, but the Slovenian overcame adversity as only great champions know how and will start as favourite when the season kicks off. As for his teammate, Mitch EVANS showed he is more than capable of mixing it at the sharp end, as his 3rd in Race One at Matterley Basin last year showed. It was a shame that he picked up injuries that hampered his rookie season. Expect both riders to come out swinging from the get-go. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Monster Energy Yamaha’s Jeremy SEEWER accomplished new goals last season during a campaign that saw him not only take his third career silver medal, but also one where he secured his first MXGP race and GP victories. For 2021, the Swiss star will have two new teammates in the form of Glenn COLDENHOFF and Ben WATSON. ‘The Hoff’ returns to blue for the first time since 2011, but this time as a factory rider in the premier 22

Photo: Yamaha Racing

class and he will no doubt be keen to impress his new paymasters. As for Watson, the Brit found the podium six times last year before rounding out his MX2 career with a race and GP win at the final round of the campaign in Italy. Will he bring that new-found confidence to MXGP in his rookie season? Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Red Bull KTM will be hoping for a better year than 2020 where injuries got the better of all of its riders. Jeffrey HERLINGS led the championship by 60 points before crashing out of Round 7, another title falling by the wayside. But when he was healthy, he was the man to beat. Antonio CAIROLI lost out on 2nd position in the series at the final round and will be hoping to add that elusive 10th title to his impressive portfolio, but will all eyes be on Jorge PRADO? The 2-time MX2 champ missed the last four rounds after contracting Covid-19 as he was set for a possible 2nd overall in a very impressive rookie season. Will he be the man to beat when the gates drop? Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team Having missed the opening two rounds of the season after picking up a knee injury shortly before last year’s season opener, Romain FEBVRE rewarded his Monster Energy Kawasaki Team with a podium on his first race back at Round 3, even if it was 154 days after Round 2. A race and GP win soon followed and the 2015 MXGP world champion eventually took 4th overall in the series. With the retirement of Clement Desalle, Febvre will be partnered with Italian Ivo MONTICELLI. ‘The Don’ had an inconsistent campaign last year and will be keen to make amends in 2021. Standing Construct GASGAS Factory Racing Over at Standing Construct GASGAS it’s all change as 2017 MX2 world champion Pauls JONASS replaces Glenn Coldenhoff, as he hopes to resurrect his MXGP career. 6th 25

overall in his rookie season in 2019, last season was over before Round 3 so the Latvian will be looking to impress. Another year older, wiser and stronger, ‘PJ41’ will be amongst the favourites when the new season kicks off. Also hoping to make his mark is his new teammate Brian BOGERS who last year gained in confidence after two seasons marred by injury, but armed with factory machinery once again, this is exactly what the Dutchman needs to get his career back on track as well. Honda SR Motoblouz Another team that’s had a bit of a clear out is Honda SR Motoblouz as Jeremy Van Horebeek and Valentin Guillod make way for Benoit PATUREL and Nathan WATSON. Paturel’s career has been in a downward spiral since he placed 3rd overall in MX2 in 2016 and last year was no better after he crashed out of the series at Round 5. He will be hoping that his French team can help him regain the kind of form that saw him previously win races in MX2. As for his teammate, Nathan WATSON makes a welcome return to MXGP after trading world motocross for world enduro, his return to MXGP no doubt fuelled by his bronze medal for Team GB at the 2019 MXoN. With younger brother Nathan Watson moving into MXGP, this will be the first time since the Pourcel brothers in 2012, where two siblings will take to the world championship grid. BETA-SDM Corse MX Team There’s another new manufacturer in MXGP in 2021 as BETA takes the plunge for the first time in the toughest motocross series in the world. The Italian brand has opted for experience in the form of Jeremy VAN HOREBEEK, who last year placed 9th overall as a privateer. During the Belgian’s two-year stint at Honda SR, ‘JVH’ claimed nine top five’s and twenty top ten finishes, the kind of results that BETA will be hoping to achieve during this new chapter. Van Horebeek will be joined by Frenchman Jimmy CLOCHET, 26

Photo: Red Bull

who stood on the top step of the podium twice in last year’s EMX Open championship. MRT Racing Team KTM After years of running teams in both classes, Marchetti Racing will now focus on MXGP only. With a new team name, MRT Racing Team KTM have acquired the services of Italian Alessandro LUPINO. It’s not the first time Elio Marchetti and Lupino have collaborated and a quick look through the history books will tell us that their relationship dates back to 2006 when Lupino won the FIM 85cc Junior world championship. Despite standing on the third step of the podium on two occasions in MX2 in 2013, ‘Lupo’ is yet to experience that same feeling in MXGP despite a handful of top six places during his term in the premier class, but will this move to an Italian team enable him to make it to the podium once again? Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing It’s not often we find ourselves talking about a factory team this deep into a report, but that’s exactly what we are doing here with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, who’s 2020 season was one they would rather forget where injuries to both Pauls Jonass and Arminas JASIKONIS meant the team was parked from Round 9. Jonass’ shift to GASGAS makes way for the arrival of Thomas KJER OLSEN where the former bronze and silver medal winner hopes to utilise his size to good effect on the FC 450. As for ‘AJ’ it was a cruel end to 2020 after the big Lithuanian was starting to leave his mark in the premier class. Among his achievements last year were three Pole Positions, two podiums and a first career race win.

Photo: Husqvarna

Team Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha Racing There are changes at Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha and whilst Calvin VLAANDEREN remains for a second term with the Dutch based team, the 2019 MXoN winner will be joined by Brent VAN DONINCK and Kevin STRIJBOS. After underestimating 29

the difference between MX2 and MXGP at the opening two rounds, ‘CV10’ took advantage of the lockdown situation and started to impress immediately, and with a year under his belt, expect him to be more of a threat. As for his teammates, Van doninck impressed as a fill-in rider for the team at the last six GP’s, and his efforts have been rewarded with a full-time ride. Perhaps the surprise addition is that of Kevin STRIJBOS; the veteran’s role will not only be as a racer but as a test and development rider as well which is great to see. It would be a shame to see all that experience going to waste. JM Honda Racing After setting up a new team last year, Jacky Martens returns with his JM Honda Racing team with two new riders, and both of them swapping blue for red. Michele CERVELLIN and Henry JACOBI were MXGP rookies last year, and both found the going tough, but with a year under their belts, and with the guidance of the 1993 world 500cc champion, who himself has a year of working with Honda to fall back on, hopefully we will see this team go from strength to strength. JT911 After setting up on his own, former MX2 world champion Jordi TIXIER started to find his feet towards the end of the season and was rewarded with 11th in the overall standings. Whilst his longterm plan might be to introduce new riders to his JT911 KTM team, for now, the Frenchman is content to go it alone against the might of the factory teams. Will he be a regular fixture inside the top then though? SS24 KTM Another rider who went solo last year was Shaun SIMPSON, and the initial signs were that it was a good move for the SS24 KTM rider who proved to be more than a match for the big guns of the class. In Holland, Round 2 he fell 30

Photo: JM Honda Racing

from 5th but followed up with a 4th in Race Two, so if he can get back to that kind of form then the rider from Scotland will be more than happy. Sadly, crashes marred his progress; one in Latvia and one later in the season as he prepared for the Belgian GP, but he is not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Hostettler Yamaha Racing After spending the past four years as a factory Yamaha rider, Arnaud TONUS remains in blue but will now line up with a new Swiss based team. ‘AT4’ endured a nightmare campaign last year after placing 5th in 2019, so the former GP winner will be hoping for an injury-free season to re-boot the confidence. Tonus will be joined by fellow Swiss Valentin GUILLOD, and the three-time MX2 GP winner will also be hoping this new outfit can rejuvenate him. Both riders are stylish and silky smooth but will need to dig deep if they are to succeed in this MXGP class. JK Racing Alvin ÖSTLUND moves into MXGP after ‘ageing-out’ of the MX2 class and switches from red to blue as he lines up with JK Racing. The Swede’s best finish came at the final round of the season where he placed 8th overall. Whilst he will be the sole rider for JK Racing in the MXGP class, he will share the rig with a newcomer to MX2 in the form of Gerard CONGOST who moves up from EMX125. JWR Honda Racing

Photo: Crunch

One team that has a real good presence in the paddock is that of the JWR Honda Racing team but like many other teams, this year they have re-structured. In 2017, Miro SIHVONEN looked on course for an EMX250 title but after taking a win and a 3rd at the first two rounds, succumbed to an untimely shoulder injury. At the time of writing, the Finn will be joined by an as-yet undisclosed teammate.

FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

RESULTS

L A I C O S P G X M

@dhanisdamon Hoodie weather!â&#x2DC;&#x192;ď¸? â&#x20AC;˘ #pauls #jonass #mxgp #gasgas #art #artwork #cartoon

@imelisatorresan Vorrei tanto tornare lĂŹ, a quei momenti, a quelle sensazioni, a quando si stava bene... inspiegabile đ&#x;Ľşđ&#x;&#x2DC;?

EP.1 Best Actions of 2020: In need of a motocross fix? Look no further as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got something cool for you! Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing an episode of the Best Action of 2020, starting with the MXGP of Great Britain in Matterley Basin! Take a look at some of the most awesome battles and re-live the 2020 MXGP of Great Britain!

@masaniellophoto Motocross World Championship loket MXGP Repubblica Ceca đ&#x;&#x2021;¨đ&#x;&#x2021;żđ&#x;?&#x2020;

2020 Season Recap: đ&#x;?&#x2020;We are beyond excited to step into 2021 and have another awesome season of the FIM Motocross World Championship... BUT before we do that, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at some of the best moments of 2020 with our season recap! What was your favourite moment of the year?

@apesschaniiago Vector Cartoon For Tim Gajser. I am a Tim Gajser 243 Fans @patstottdesigns Still working on photo manipulation. Quick Herlings edit!

@starsystemf @czech_wonderboy #ThrowbackThursday @ mxgp of Czech Republic 2019đ&#x;&#x201D;Ľ Work with @ lisaleylandtv and @eurosport

@zzriders_14 Avec Jordi Tixier en juin 2020

RĂŠception dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hier et je vous en parle bientĂ´t sur le #blog ! #gaming #ps5 #mxgp2020 #milestone #kochmedia

EP.2 GoPro Lap of 2020: Jump on-board with F&H Kawasaki Racingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roan Van de Moosdijk, and re-visit the official GoPro Lap of the Sandy circuit in Valkenswaard during the 2020 MXGP of the Netherlandsđ&#x;?&#x2020;

@alwaysbelieve331 Could not be any more excited to start off 2021â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s additions to my collection than with this! My favorite @alpinestarsmx kit that the @mxgp @ kawasakiracingteammxgp wore last season of my favorite current rider in the world during his final season. What a special jersey!

P G X M # D OF ORL W HE IN T

@aneb_design Jed Beaton đ&#x;&#x2018;&#x2039;đ&#x;?ť Australian rider

R E S T L S R I N G MO

H T N RE MO E D I RF TH O

: I N I N G A D A A U F G O A I Y T T I T E N A L TU M TO ITR P P O TIME E F I L

THE ITALIAN CLAIMED THE EMX125 DOUBLE CROWN, BECOMING EUROPEAN AND JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPION IN 2019 AND THEN FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A STRONG SEASON IN THE EMX250 CLASS AS HE QUICKLY BECAME ONE OF THE TITLE FAVOURITES – THOUGH IT WAS THIBAULT BENISTANT WHO WAS THE EVENTUAL CHAMPION, FOLLOWING A HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE. NOW GUADAGNINI WILL TAKE AN EVEN BIGGER LEAP, IN TERMS OF HIS RACING CAREER, AS HE JOINS THE DE CARLI SIDE OF RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING – ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TEAMS IN THE PADDOCK.

Mattia’s motocross story began at the age of four, when the young Italian was gifted his very first bike by his father. He was no stranger to racing and the paddock atmosphere, as his dad was an enduro rider who competed at a national and regional level, thus inspiring him to pursue a career in off-road racing. A young Guadagnini first entered some local races before taking part in national competitions and winning his first Italian title in 2011. He then continued racing the national series in Italy for the following couple of years, while also making some European appearances, and by 2014 he secured his second Italian Championship in the 85cc class.

Three years later, the Italian raced his first full season in the EMX125 category where he finished 14th and in 2018, he was second in the Junior World Championship while also claiming the 125cc title at home. This was just an indication of what was to come from Guadagnini, who then realised that he could take his racing to the next level. “I realised that I could take my career to pro level a few years ago, when I won some EMX125 races, and from that moment I knew that with hard work and the right people behind me I could really reach my dreams,” shared Mattia, adding “now after some years of hard work and good results, I can say that I’ve reached one of my biggest dreams [joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing], but it’s just the beginning and I have to work harder now”.

2019 was the season that Mattia took triple gold, as he secured the Italian, European and World titles in the 125cc class. In the EMX125 Championship, his scorecard contained 6 race wins, and 7 out of a possible 7 podiums, three of which he was first overall, in Valkenswaard, Trentino and Lombardia. Following an incredible season, Guadagnini then made his first Grand Prix appearance in China as he made the trip across to Shanghai for the Chinese MXGP. Lining up against the MX2 boys, the Italian did not crack under pressure and had a very strong ride, finishing 10th in race one and 12th in race two which placed him 11th overall. “The 2019 season was amazing, almost perfect!” explained Guadagnini. “It was unbelievable to finally take the EMX125 title and also the Junior World Championship. After finishing second in both of them in 2018, I was really motivated to take

the win and I gave my best throughout the season. Taking the EMX and JWC titles, as well as the Italian 250cc Championship, really gave me a lot of motivation,” he added. In 2020, the Junior World Champion made the move up to the 250cc category as he fought for the EMX250 title. He was with a group of tough opponents, one in particular was Thibault Benistant, who quickly became his biggest title rival. Benistant and Guadagnini were neck in neck for the entirety of the season, often taking it in turns to win the race and claim the top spot of the podium. By the end of the year, Guadagnini finished with 9 race wins, while Benistant was victorious 8 times. Though the Frenchman was able to stay ahead of the Italian in terms of points, with his 7 overall victories and 7 podiums helping him along the way. The pair arrived at the final two rounds in Lommel separated by just a few points and that’s when things really heated up. But we 45

already know how that all went down, and eventually Benistant was crowned Champion with 423 points, 46 points ahead of Guadagnini. It would have been interesting to see how things would have turned out if Guadagnini didn’t suffer two DNF’s, one in Mantova and the second in Lommel when he crashed out of the race, but then again that’s racing, and we can always sit there and say what if. “Last year was a good one for sure, battled the whole season with Thibault for the title and tried my best until the end but two occasions where I scored no points didn’t help for the championship. For sure I learned a lot and gained experience on the 250cc,” explained Mattia. Now the young Italian is about to embark on a very exciting journey joining the Red Bull KTM Factory squad, gaining two very reputable teammates, 9-time World Champion Antonio Cairoli and 2-time MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado. The De Carli side of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing is without a doubt one of the strongest teams in the paddock and there’s one thing that they know what to do and that is nurturing world champions. Cairoli won all of his titles with Claudio De Carli and Prado was brought on by the team since 2018, the year he would win his first MX2 title. Both Cairoli and Prado have turned out to be some of the most successful competitors in the FIM Motocross World Championship, with Cairoli ranking second when it comes to the record of world titles, which of course Stefan Everts leads with 10, and there’s Prado who has two MX2 World titles to his name and now has become a huge threat for a potential World Championship in the MXGP category. Though what does the father-son duo of Claudio and Davide De Carli team have that others don’t? It is clear that they have a winning system in place, there’s no doubt about that. Resources as well as 46

years of experience and a clear eye for talent would just be a few of the things. Though what also sets this team apart from the rest is that they do things differently. Many of the Grand Prix teams are based in Belgium and while De Carli’s Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team have a base in Belgium just like the rest, they spend the majority of their time in Italy and this is clearly working very well for them. Now Mattia will be joining a world championship winning team who will no doubt bring the best out of him and nurture him into a future world champion no doubt. But where did this all begin? “At the end of the season, I started talking with Davide [De Carli] about the opportunity to join their team, I was very excited as this is my dream since I started riding dirt bikes. They are for sure one of the best teams in the world and I’ve always dreamed to work with them. They are professional and hardworking people and I know that they can help me reach my goals,” said Mattia. “We were already following Mattia for a while and we really liked him, his way to race. Last year he won many races and he was really fast even if he did not get the EMX250 title,” revealed Davide De Carli. For a young rider like Mattia, being picked up by such a respectable Factory team such as Red Bull KTM is a big deal – an opportunity of a lifetime if you will… “They are a professional team with the right people and also two of the best riders in the world, I have two multi-time world champions as teammates and I can learn a lot riding with them, plus they are two of my favourite riders, so it will be very nice to train with them,” explained Guadagnini. Joining a factory team and riding a factory bike is no doubt an adjustment for the Italian who will line-up for his first full season in the MX2 World Championship.

every race, we will see!” explained the Italian.

the Italian also made a pretty successful wildcard appearance at the MXGP of Città di Faenza. “Training has been going very good so far, I’m really enjoying the new bike. I’m feeling good and we are working strong to be ready at the start of the season,” added Mattia. “We’re working really good with Mattia, he’s a serious guy and we have a really nice harmony with the team. To be competitive in the 2021 season he needs to work hard step by step,” explained De Carli. Though what can be expected from the MX2 rookie? Well, he has already proven that he can race well on a 250cc machine, he showed this through his performance in the EMX250 category last season. Though in addition to his EMX title chase, 50

He placed 7th overall with a 6th and an 8th place finishes in the races, though what stood out was the opening heat, when the Italian led the way for an impressive 6 laps ahead of the series leader, Tom Vialle. This was just an indication of what can be expected when he finally makes a move to the World Championship. “This will be my first full season in MX2, I’ve already done some races the past years with some good results and of course experience that will help me this year. Faenza last year was very good, I showed good speed and led almost half of the race. I know that I’m already on a good level and we are working hard, and I will try my best and get better and better

And of course, this upcoming season, Guadagnini will be a full-fledged factory rider on one of the best 250cc machines out there, which will no doubt give him an advantage over his competitors and allow him to challenge for podium positions. “Considering that Mattia is coming from the European Championship, I would be really happy if he could be top 5 at the final standing. If he could be top 3 then it will be better!” shared De Carli. The main thing will be how he handles the full MX2 season as it will be a lot more intense than the EMX Championship. Going from a series that is usually on average of 10 rounds, to a 20 Grand Prix World Championship, may be tough. Though of course that intensity will be exactly what the off-season training will be for and of course we can expect big things from Guadagnini who no doubt will add some Italian flavour to the 2021 title chase.

E L R A U I T C A E E SP F

N A OF

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WHAT IT TAKES TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE TOP STARS OF THE FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP… BEING A MECHANIC FOR A WORLD CLASS TEAM OR RIDER IS NOT AN EASY TASK. MUCH LIKE THE RIDERS THEMSELVES, THE MECHANICS PUT IN HOURS UPON HOURS OF HARD GRAFT AND HAVE TO MAKE A SERIES OF SACRIFICES IN ORDER TO SPIN THE SPANNERS FOR SOME OF THE BEST RIDERS IN THE WORLD.

After all, the rider needs a fast and reliable machine to do their part on track, and while the bike is a piece of a huge puzzle, it is however one of the most vital ones and it falls on the guy working on that machine to make sure it can perform at its peak – thus giving the rider a better chance to achieve better results. Though what does a mechanic actually do? To put it simply, their ‘official’ list of duties revolves around the maintenance of the bike and making sure it’s ready to go for every practice session or race day, and of course attending each practice day and GP weekend is a given. But the true responsibilities of a mechanic go far beyond that and their role in a team is very important. Often the mechanic will be one of the closest people to the rider – their friend and someone they can confide in, so a connection between the pair is key. If the rider trusts the person and the work that they carry out on the bike 100%, this leaves no doubt in their mind when it comes to throwing their leg on the machine and lining up for the races. With trust comes confidence and with confidence comes, more often than not, success. It’s quite simple, if the rider has every confidence in the bike and what it can do, this leaves no doubts, which allows them to push further when they’re out on track and hopefully deliver better results. A strong relationship between the rider and mechanic can take some time to build – much like a marriage… Each must learn one another’s character and what works for them. When encouragement is needed and when you’ve got to be tough on one another to avoid mistakes and continue to grow and improve. Things that after time will come naturally. You often see that each duo (rider and mechanic) will have their own rituals and their own way of communicating. You see it in every handshake or gesture before

the gate drop and the way they correspond during the races. Pit board signals vary from rider to rider, most will always want to know their position on track, their lap time and the gap to the rider in front or behind – and then there’s the key words and small signals. Each word you see on the board or every hand signal or wave has it’s on very particular meaning that is only known to those two people. The mechanic will be able to read their rider and know exactly when each signal or encouragement is needed. So being a mechanic is no easy task and if you’re someone who would like to one day be in the shoes of these guys, be prepared for long days of work and a fastpaced lifestyle. On race day these guys have a schedule by the minute, though usually much work on the bike is not required other than general checks and washing the machine after each session. The work is done beforehand in the workshop, that’s when the real graft takes place. Each bike is stripped and put back together after every Grand Prix to ensure it’s good to go for the next one, spares are prepared and loaded and that’s how the season goes. TYPICAL ‘OFF-SEASON’ OF A MECHANIC: WITH CIPPA! While the off-season is a bit quieter, the real work continues. Luigi Rossini, more affectionately known in the paddock as ‘Cippa’, has been in the game since 2008. The Italian has plenty of experience in the FIM Motocross World Championship, having worked with the likes of Marco Maddii, David Philippaerts, Joel Roelants, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Henry Jacobi and Jeremy Seewer. In 2020, Cippa was the mechanic of Henry Jacobi for what was the German’s MXGP rookie season. Unfortunately, this was cut short due to injury. Though for 2021, the Italian will once again work with Seewer at Monster Energy Yamaha

Factory Racing as the pair set their sights on chasing the world title. Now with just a couple of months until the first gate drop, Cippa is using this time for much more than lounging around on the sofa, unlike the rest of us… These final moments before the new season begins is when most of the development on the bike takes place. “Now I’m trying to find something new with the bike, like improvements for example, so I’m busy with this at the moment because it’s not always easy to improve in a good direction,” shared Rossini. “I’m also preparing a lot of the spare parts for the season,” said Cippa, “now is the moment to prepare the brakes, the wheels, the frame, like this everything is ready and when the races start it’s much easier to build a bike completely,” he added. And of course, daily tasks like heading out to practice with Jeremy are part of his normal weekly routine. Along with staying close to the Swiss rider to build upon the nice bond that the pair already have. “Sometimes I also join him in the gym, that’s just for fun, but it’s also important for me to see what he does,” he revealed, adding “I want to spend as much time as I can with him right now”. GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE MECHANICS OF MXGP! Towards the end of the 2020 season, we sat down (very quickly, as the guys are pretty busy during the race weekends) with several mechanics for the top teams in the paddock to learn more about their pre-race rituals, strategies, must-have tools and what a typical day for a mechanic of the FIM Motocross World Championship looks like… ‘CIPPA’ aka LUIGI ROSSINI IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Henry Jacobi, Team SM Action -M.C. Migliori – J1 Racing IN 2021 MECHANIC FOR: Jeremy Seewer, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MXGP

NATIONALITY: Italian WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE? “No doubt, water. The riders always want to have a drink… After that I always take some paper to clean the goggles, the 8mm and 10mm t-wrench and some other basic tools to quickly fix something if needed”. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL? “The torque wrench, like this I’m sure that every part of the bike is ok”. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES? “This is really important. I take care of this to be sure that I have everything that I need and don’t waste time looking for the spare parts. I prepare the truck based on the track that we are going to, if it’s sand or hard pack; I also check the forecast to have an idea of what I’ll need when I’ll be onsite”. YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM? “The most important thing is to know the rider really well, the better feeling you have with the rider, the better you will know what the correct thing is to write and the good moment to help him. For example, for Henry it was his first year on the 450cc and the first lap he usually rode breathless, so I just used to remind him to breathe and calm down. Another thing that is really important is to tell the rider about the sectors. Normally on Friday we do a track walk together and like this we know exactly where we need to improve or where he is making mistakes”.

“On race day, I start the day by checking the bike, but most of the job is done before in the factory where I built the bike. At the races I do only the basic things, like checking the clutch, the brakes and that everything is okay, in case the rider had a crash in the qualifying session or something”. “On a normal day, the rhythm is quieter. I split the bike completely and change all the parts that need to be changed. I rebuild the engine and everything that is needed to have the bike ready for the next race. It is also important to prepare the bike based on the track, if it is sand or hard pack or whatever”. BEING A MECHANIC IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE? “The psychological side is even more important than the mechanic side. Over the years I have understood that it is really important to know exactly what you have to say to the rider, which makes a difference. Only with years of experience you learn how important it is to say the right thing at the right moment. It is also really important to have a good feeling with your rider, not too much, as there must be a limit between the roles. When a rider makes a mistake, for example, it is important that you tell him that, even if you have to be tough about it”. DID YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH HENRY? “We didn’t do anything special, only when we are alone behind the gate, I always tried to give him good advice, to calm him down and tell him to get the best results that he can”.

NICOLAS NOGE WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE?

IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Tim Gajser, Team HRC NATIONALITY: French

WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE? “The basic tools like the tools for the wheels if something happens. I also put inside things for the rider like, goggles, spare gloves, some paper to clean the lenses and that’s it”. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL? “The 8mm T wrench. It’s the one I use more for the plastics, the levers and so many other parts of the bike” HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES? “Yes, of course, I load the truck, this is one of the most important things because when you arrive at the track for the race you must have all the spare parts you need. Especially for us because HCR has very special parts that are not standard, so it’s even more important for me to have everything inside the truck in the correct place.” YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM? “We don’t have a specific strategy; it depends on the position that he [Tim] is. So, I give him advice on if he needs to push or not, in case, for example, he didn’t make a really good start”. WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE? “On race day, we start checking the bike to make sure everything is ok. You must use the time you have really well because we are always in a rush and we cannot relax for one second and it is forbidden to make any mistakes”. “On a normal day, the situation is quieter. I work on the bike, but I can do everything and take my time without needing to rush”.

BEING A MECHANIC IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE? “Of course. The rider and the mechanic have a really strong relationship. The rider has to believe 100% in your work and not have any doubts about what you do on the bike, like that he can be relaxed and focus only on the race. Sometimes we even understand each other without speaking”. DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH TIM? “Nothing special. Just before the start I wish him “good luck” and that’s it, I’m always sure that he’ll do his best”. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MECHANIC OF A WORLD CHAMPION? “I’m proud to be the mechanic of Tim Gajser, and of course I’m really happy to be in this position”. BART DIRKX IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Jorge Prado, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing IN 2021 MECHANIC FOR: Jorge Prado, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing NATIONALITY: Dutch WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE? “Basic tools, the tools that you need to do something quick on the bike in case the rider has a little crash, things that you can fix in 2 minutes. Like a bent lever, the tank cap…Then I always have a plastic cap replacement, some tissue, some fuel, especially for the sand races, because we are always on the edge with the fuel amount.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL?

“Torque wrench is my favourite. Like that I’m sure that all the bolts are at the correct Newton/ meters, even if you have a really good feeling with all the bolts of the bike, with the t-wrench you cannot go wrong!” HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES? “It is really important, because you need to know exactly where all the spare parts are. You need to be able to go inside the truck, open the draw and immediately find the parts that you need even without thinking about it. I think that it is really important that mechanics load the truck for this reason, this is why I always want to be on site when we load the truck like that I know exactly where all the parts are and I’m sure that all the things that I need are there”. YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM? “Yes, especially when you’re together with a rider after a few years you start to understand each other even with small signs that you give to him. It doesn’t have to be a sentence, only a basic keyword that you use every time. Even the way I look at him or the way I move my hands or my fingers in pitlane, he knows exactly what to do. So it is really important to always keep those same key words and the feeling I have with my rider”. WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE? “Race day I start with a coffee. We then unload the bikes and all the stuff out of the stands, the carpets, the tools… After that, even if it’s not necessary, I check all the bolts again, fill up the tank and do the general checks you have to do on the bike, but as fast as I can. At the end I will check my backpack again, even if I already did so the day before. I check that I have the pit board markers, some tissue, some papers, just basically all the

things you must have in pitlane. For me this is normal, and I do all these checks even without actually thinking about it”. “Then on a normal day, when we go to the workshop, we completely split the bike in all its parts, check all the parts that need to be changed and clean all the other parts. This takes a long time and you really need to be focused and precise to have the best outcome”. BEING A MECHANIC IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE? “Yeah, that’s really important. That doesn’t mean we train together for that, but he puts all his trust in my work. When he goes out on track and makes jumps of 30-40 meters with the bike, it means everything must be built in a proper way. We spend a lot of time together and we really trust each other. It’s like in the army, people that spend a lot of time together have a real connection; that doesn’t mean that we have to be on the phone every day or that we speak all the time… If he has a problem, he tells me, especially because I’m much older than him and knows that he can trust me, we speak about it and we find a solution”. DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH JORGE? One thing that Jorge likes to do is to put both of his feet on the foot pegs on the start, this is to make him feel quieter and more relaxed. When we are on the start line, I always stay on the opposite side of the silence, I put the bike on my side and I tell him “ok Jorge, you can put the feet on the bike” and he puts both feet on the pegs and immediately is much calmer and everything is ready, and he is ready to go as well”. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MECHANIC OF A WORLD CHAMPION?

“To be honest for me it doesn’t change anything because I have done this job already for so many years, it is exceptional and everybody likes it, but for me it’s not the most important thing. I really love this job, so I put the same effort working with a rider that finishes 10th in the World Championship and now with Jorge, who has won the World Championship, for me that doesn’t make any difference”. MICHELE LAVETTI IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Jago Geerts, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MX2 IN 2021 MECHANIC FOR: Jago Geerts, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MX2 NATIONALITY: Italian WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE? “The most important things are the basic tools, the scoop to clean the mud, some zip ties and some tape… Basically, all the things that you need to have, in order to do the essential things just before or during the race”. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL? “The t-wrench, size 8-10-12mm those are the ones I like and I use the most often to fix the plastics, the exhaust and all the other parts of the bike”. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES? “This is really important, because in the truck you always need to have all the parts for the bike. We always have all the spare parts to do the 3 GP’s plus something more, like plastics, chains, sprockets. It is also important to know where all the parts are and to find them as soon as possible during the race weekend”.

YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM? “There is no specific strategy behind it because it changes from rider to rider; some riders for example need few laps to get into the rhythm and you need to push them only when they are ready. It is up to me to push him when I know he can do it, for example if the rider in front of him is close enough. Basically, the beginning of the season we decided together some keywords and we use them during the year”. WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE? “On race day, we start by checking the bike to make sure everything is ok and after we go ahead with the timetable. Sometimes it can happen that the rider asks for some changes to be made on the bike, so you need to be fast and understand what he really needs and how to do it as soon as possible. Of course, we have a really tight schedule so we need to be super focused and avoid any mistakes – everything must be ready on time”. “On a normal day, after the races, I start by taking apart the bike completely and checking what must be changed, in case we have some new parts to put in the bike and then after I put the bike back together again and like that it’s ready to go for another GP”. BEING A MECHANIC IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE? “Of course. There must be a good connection between the rider and the mechanic. First of all, the rider must trust you and the work that you do on the bike 100%, like that when he jumps on the bike he’s relaxed and can 65

give his best. Through the years you build the feeling with your rider and like this you can work together properly”. DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH JAGO? “We don’t have real rituals, but before the start the way we put the bike on the gate and small things like that do help us both to feel more relaxed and ready for the race”. LOIC PARFAIT IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Clement Desalle, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP NATIONALITY: French WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE? “The most important things that I always carry in my backpack is the rider’s replacement goggles and of course some tools in case I need to fix something quickly”. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL? “The t-wrench 8mm is for sure my most used tool, 80% of the bolts of the bike are 8mm so it’s the one tool I used more often when working on the bike”. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES? “This is very important. I need to be sure that all the parts that we may need are in the truck, even more this 2020 season with many races in a row. This preparation of the truck is vital because we need to think also in case we have some crashes and the bike must be fixed between the races or the GP’s, so we need to be able to do this as soon as possible which means that basically we need many parts”. YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM? 66

“Personally, I’m not a big fan of the keywords, I use them only when I see that my rider needs a little boost to overtake somebody that is in front of him. I try to stay clear and simple, so I write his lap time, the gap with the rider behind and his position”. WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE? “During a GP, we start the race day with a meeting with the riders to prepare the bike in the best way we can, using the info taken from the race there last year and the training done on the track. Between free and time 68

practice I adjust the bike as the rider requests and then after the time practice, we have another meeting to see if we can improve something on the bike before race one. Every rider has his own thing, Clement for example likes to do some test starts at the test track straight after practice”. “A normal day not at the races is much quieter. I take the whole bike apart and double check everything carefully to see which parts need to be changed”. BEING A MECHANIC IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED

TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE? “Yes of course. The rider needs our support during the good and the bad days, so it’s really important to have a strong connection with your rider, like that you can understand each other without wasting any time”. DID YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH CLEMENT? “Not really. I’m not superstitious, but I know when we have a good first race, I always try to do exactly all the same thing I did before for the second race. It’s nothing special and we’ll know if it helps or not”.

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DARRYL KING IN ITS LONG HISTORY THE FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HAS ALWAYS WELCOMED RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND FOR FOUR DECADES NOW NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN PODIUM CONTENDERS. First ‘Kiwi’ able to finish on the podium of a World Championship was Darryl King, though he never claimed a gold medal. However, with several GP wins and four overall podiums he has been one of the best representatives for his country. Born in Hamilton on 31st December 1968, Darryl was involved in the sport since a young age as his father was a racer and run a motorcycle business. Of course Darryl and his four brothers were very young when they sat on a motorcycle for the first time, but even if he had this opportunity when he was three years old, Darryl had to wait until his 10th birthday to enter his first local race. In 1984 he won the first of his nineteen national championships, in the 80cc class, and joined the senior class the following season. Winning his first race in the senior categories – double win in the 125cc and 500cc class – Darryl claimed his first main title in 1986 when he dominated the New Zealand 125cc championship, and two years later he won the Pro125cc and over. Traveling to Europe to race a few selected GP’s from 1988 to 1992, Darryl

entered the full series as a privateer in 1993 and was immediately successful as he won one race in Austria – second round of the 500cc championship - and scored points regularly to finish sixth in the standings. In 1994 his season was interrupted by an injury just after winning one race at the French GP, and in 1995 he used all his experience to do a consistent season and to finish third of the 500cc campaign. At the same time, he raced in his native New Zealand in wintertime and won the 125cc title in 1995 and 1996. That season a Kiwi finally won the 500cc World Title, but the honours were for Shayne King, his older brother. At the end of 1996, Darryl finally signed for the first time in his career a contract with a factory. With a better support he regularly fought for GP wins, winning three GPs in 1997 and one more in 1998; twice vice World Champion, he had the honours of the podium at the Motocross of Nations, where team New Zealand claimed their first ever podium in this 71

competition. The following season was more difficult as he got injured at midway through the year, but in 2000 he went back to Europe to finish his career with a fifth position in the 500cc class. Then after eight seasons travelling all over Europe to race more than 100 GPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and many International events, Darryl went back home to New Zealand and stopped his MXGP career but never stop racing. Opening his own riding academy, Darryl signed with Yamaha and won on both sides of the Tasman, claiming titles in New Zealand (2002, 2006, 2011, 2012) and also in Australia (2001, 2003, 2004) to break records with a total of twenty-two national titles. But as a true motocross fan, Darryl couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the opportunity to come back a few times to Europe to visit his friends and to race the FIM Veteran World Cup; he won it in 2012, finished twice runner up in 2014 and 2015 and remains the most successful New Zealander in the history of our sport. Text & Photos: Pascal Haudiquert

1969:

41th in the 250 Motocross World Championship

1991: 52th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki)

1992: 34th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) 1993:

6th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) won one heat Sittendorf

1994:

11th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) won one heat Blargies

1995: 3rd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) 1996:

5th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Honda). Winner of 1 GP

1997:

2nd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna). Winner of 3 GP

1998:

2nd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna). Winner of 1 GP

3rd at the MX of Nations with Team New Zealand

1999: 15th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna) 2000: 5th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna) 2012:

Winner of the FIM Veteran World Cup (Yamaha)

2014:

2nd in the FIM Veteran World Cup (Yamaha)

2015:

2nd the FIM Veteran World Cup (KTM)

S K L A T K C O D PAD

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08 09

Antonio Cairoli using the lockdown period to try out a new career…

2 Ivo Monticelli goes green for 2021 as he joins Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team! 3 Ben Watson showing off his Alpinestars kit for the upcoming season. 4 Kevin Strijbos signs with Gebben Van Venrooy Racing!

5 Kiara Fontanesi switching up her stretching routine… The multi-time WMX World Champion will use Dunlop tyres for the 2021 season! 6 Back to business! Rene Hofer and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing putting in the work ready for the new season. 7 A quarantine project come to life! Jeremy Seewer sharing his book which has given an insight to his career and personal life…

8 Jorge Prado stepping into his 20’s like… 9 Baby Simpson #2 is here! Shaun Simpson and wife Rachel welcomed a baby girl in January. 10 Jeffrey Herlings putting in those winter sessions ready for the 2021 season. 11 Welcome to the world Nina! Romain Febvre and Megan had a baby girl in the beginning of January.

E L R A U I T C A E E SP F

MICKÄEL PICHON’S 2002 SUZUKI RM250 WS02 78

MICKÄEL PICHON STARTED HIS GRAND PRIX CAREER IN THE FIM 125CC MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AS A 16-YEAR OLD IN 1992, AND WHILST HE WON A GP IN 1994, HE LEFT EUROPE FOR AMERICA AT THE END OF THE SEASON FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF RACING INDOORS.

their bikes for the mainstream consumer which in short, means the normal everyday racer or rider. After a fall-out with Honda in the middle of 1999 he returned to Europe to race for Sylvain Geboers’ factory Suzuki team where he went on to claim two world championship titles in 2001 and 2002, and it’s Pichon’s 2002 Suzuki RM250 WS02 that we will feature in this issue of MXGP Magazine. Racing in the FIM Motocross World Championship means racing at the highest level, in the toughest conditions, with the best riders; but aside from that, it’s also the platform where the leading manufacturers are permitted to experiment with prototype machinery as they look to improve

After winning the 250cc world championship in 2001, Mickäel Pichon entered the 2002 season with what was essentially a prototype-production Suzuki, meaning that his 2002 race bike was pretty much the base model for the 2003 production RM250. However, with Pichon racing for Suzuki Japan, his factory bike was known as a RM250 WS02, and much of what he raced during that season made it to the 2003 production bike, which was set to be an ‘all-new’ production machine, and this development work had been ongoing since the end of the ’99 season, when he returned from the USA, as Pichon recalls:

‘When you are a factory rider you pretty much change everything on the bike, and I know that in 2001/2002 we worked a lot on everything, and each time the bike was always improving as far as the chassis and engine. For me there was not so much improvement between ’01 and ’02 because the first ‘big work’ we had to do was at the end of 1999 when I came back from the US; the bike then was really bad and so we started almost from zero to be able to make something quite good for 2000. And from 2001 until 2002, the bike didn’t change much but we always made a lot of new things and that’s the best thing about being a factory rider. Also, at that time, the Japanese were always there during the tests and at the races.’ So, let’s take a closer look at the bike that took Pichon to his second world title, shall we? 79

The cylinder came with casting from the 2003 prototype model and tuned to Mickäel’s selected porting and timing, and along with that, the exhaust valve and governor system were also tuned to his selection for timing via the main exhaust valve and side port valve. The cylinder head also came with casting from the prototype 2003 model and was always calibrated / matched with the porting and compression ratio. The piston was a factory item from Japan and even though the crankcase was from the 2003 production bike, the crank itself was factory with Pichon having the final say on what worked best for him. The outer clutch cover, basket, inner hub and pressure plate were provided by Hinson but the clutch plates remained as standard, as was the 5-speed gearbox, which came from the 2003 production bike; although this was polished up for better efficiency. Other factory parts included the 36mm Keihin carburettor, but there was also the option of using a 38mm unit, as-and-where necessary. The ignition was also factory. As for the chassis, this was based on the 2003 production bike and the dimensions remained unchanged although the subframe was titanium for weight saving gains. The footpegs were also titanium, with the size and final position determined by Pichon during the off-season winter testing period. However, there was a notable change to the swingarm, and whilst this was based on the standard production item, it was lengthened by 15mm for improved traction. Holding everything together were 48mm KYB, USD full works forks, complete with gas chamber, with the rear shock also a full factory unit by KYB. Factory billet-type triple clamps finished off the front-end with the off-set selected by Pichon. ‘We worked so much on the chassis and from that side it was really special, and during my three or four years with Suzuki, every year they (the technicians) would come with two or three new chassis for me to try and that was so nice. Maybe it didn’t always turn as good as some of the 81

other bikes but at the same time, I was not really looking for that; the tracks were really fast at that time and mostly hard pack so I just wanted a bike that would stick to the ground. We also worked to get the chassis nice and low with a longer swingarm because at that time there was only one race per GP and so the starts were so important; were also working to have a bike that didn’t wheelie and I don’t think anybody else had that idea at that time.’ The factory wheels came from Japan, complete with billet-type hubs, whilst Excel provided the rims. As for stopping power, Nissin provided works callipers and master cylinders complete with factory hoses, with the master cylinder piston sizes were selected by Pichon. Brake discs however were provided by BRAKING, the front of which was a semifloating, 270mm type; the standard production disc was 260mm, so an increased diameter of 10mm for extra stopping power. The rear disc was standard, although both the front and rear disc’s thickness was matched to the race and weather conditions. The final touches of trickery came from the titanium nuts and bolts for the chassis and the engine, whilst the fuel tank, skid plate and brake protectors were all carbon fibre from CRM in Italy. As with anything factory Suzuki, final RPM numbers remain undisclosed but in the hands of Mickäel Pichon, the RM250 WS02 was one heck of a race bike and more than capable of winning the title; in fact, the 2002 season was almost perfect for Pichon and Suzuki. After winning the first two GP’s, Pichon’s only blip came at round three at Teutschenthal in Germany where he placed 8th after crashing at the start with Fred Bolley. After that, nobody saw the Flying Frenchman, who then dominated the next nine rounds, winning every race along the way, the title being won with two rounds remaining at Gaildorf. So, what was it like to ride and how was the power delivery on this worldbeating machine? 82

Photo: ‘The power was really good, but the thing for me was that we could play a lot with the power valve. We could adapt the bike just by playing with some springs in the valve; we had three or four kinds of spring, A, B, C and D and I think we used mostly B and C, and then once you put the spring inside you could tighten or loosen it to make the bike smoother or more aggressive. At that time, it was so good because compared to now, the tracks were so hard pack and sometimes slippery so it was nice to be able to play around with the power like that. If the track was heavy, we could put a lighter spring to enable the power to come in much stronger 84

and if we were in Gaildorf, where it is hard and slick, then we could put a stiffer spring, and more tight so the power could come in more slowly. It was also good for the start because back then we didn’t have the holeshot device and there were many starts on the grass. I wouldn’t say the power was really aggressive, but it was powerful from bottomto-mid and I never really used the top end power so much. We had so many options and during my career, it was the only team where I had so many options to choose from, from pipes, CDi, cylinders, heads … at one time I got quite lost, but then at some point you have to stop and make a decision about what the setup should be. It would drive my

mechanic (Frank Schroyen) crazy sometimes.’ When Mickäel Pichon clinched the title on August 18th 2002, it would be his second and final world title. It also marked the end of an era as it was not only Suzuki’s last world title, but Suzuki’s last 2-stroke title and the last for the brand from Hamamatsu in the premier (250cc) class. From 2000-2002, Pichon claimed 24 GP wins for Suzuki in the 250cc class, with eleven of them being won in the 2002 season alone, and after winning the final GP of the year in Russia, Pichon’s victory ensured that Suzuki bowed out of the 250cc category with a total of 104 GP wins.

S N R O O I T T I S E ED E U QO TH T ❝

Where can I buy the videogame? Brandon

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Kevin

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Hello Neomie At the moment the 2021 Season Pass is just €114.99 which is a special promo price Thanks MXGP

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