MX2

It is with sadness that Infront Moto Racing has learnt of the recent passing of André Malherbe, the former three-time FIM 500cc Motocross World Champion, at the age of sixty-six. Born in Huy, Belgium André first made his mark on the international off-road scene by winning the FIM 125cc Motocross European Championship in both 1973 and 1974.

Born the son of a motorcycle dealer, young Malherbe started racing at just seven years, then took his first World title in 1980 and was successful in defending his 500c crown the following year after having missed out on winning the 250cc series in 1977 when he finished third overall.

The Belgian warrior secured his third and final 500cc championship in 1984 before retiring from motocross with forty-one victories to his name. Soft spoken, polite but with a strong character and will to succeed, André Malherbe inspired respect, a true gentleman on and off the track. He was one of the Motocross greats of the eighties. His battles with Hakan Carlqvst and Dave Thorpe are legendary.

Sadly, Malherbe crashed heavily during the 1988 Paris Dakar Rally and sustained serious injuries that left him paralysed.

On behalf of Infront Moto Racing, the FIM and the whole Motocross collective we would like to extend our sincere condolences to André's family and friends for this difficult time.

It was way back in 1988 that a French racer won the first ever FIM Motocross World Championship MX2/125cc for that country when the sensational Jean-Michel Bayle defeated former champion Dave Strijbos and future champion Pedro Tragter for the number one plate.

Since that victory by Bayle, a handful of French riders have captured the MX2 championship, from Sebastien Tortelli in 1996, Mickael Maschio in 2002, Christophe Pourcel in 2006, Marvin Musquin in 2009 and 2010, Jordi Tixier in 2014 and as mentioned Vialle and Renaux in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

With Tom Vialle being the last Frenchman to win the MX2 World Championship, there has always been a long list of French riders who have captured the MX2/125cc Championship and a long list waiting to be the next from to win again. The next Frenchman in line is Thibault Benistant, a rider very capable of becoming a World champion.

Benistant won the FIM Europe Motocross European Championship EMX125 Championship in 2018 and was a contender for the FIM Europe Motocross European Championship EMX250 title the following year at his first attempt. Realising his obvious potential and proving that hard work pays, Benistant celebrated eight EMX250 race wins, six round wins and seven podium finishes on his way to securing the 2020 EMX250 title.

“I have been with Yamaha for a long time,” Benistant said. “Since I was racing on a YZ125, so I am happy to continue with them for at least another two years. I feel good on the factory YZ250FM, and I have a lot of confidence in the team around me, so I’m certain we can be contenders for the World Championship title. Thanks to my team for their support and thanks to Yamaha for believing in me.”

Benistant finished fifth this year in MX2 Championship points - his final position was in fact after missing the first three rounds at the start of the season. Racing for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, Benistant has all the tools to take out another MX2 title for the country of France.

With Vialle winning the MX2 championship in 2020 and 2022 and Maxime Renaux winning it in 2021, it would be a huge boost for the French motocross scene if they can take four titles in a row.

Now, with current MX2 Champion Vialle leaving the MX2 class, it won’t just be up to Benistant for a French title winner in the MX2 championship, but he will be considered the favorite from that rich motocross country. He will have to go up against Monster Energy Yamaha team-mate Jago Geerts, who finished runner-up in 2022 and should be the guy everyone is looking at to lead this young field into 2023.

Geerts vs Benistant and possibly throw in the name Everts with Liam now racing for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, then you have a very favourable story-line as Benistant goes for France fourth MX2 championship in a row and the two Belgian riders Geerts and Everts try and win the first MX2 championship from the country of Belgium since Steve Ramon back 30 years ago in 2003.

Photo copyrights: Yamaha Racing

Dear MXGP Friends,

As we are entering the break for winter time, Infront Moto Racing staff is already preparing the next season and its opening Grand Prix in Argentina.

The usual off-season started last week with EICMA, the International Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition, in Milan, where most of the motorsport industry was represented in the Fiera Milano compound. We were present as well to meet all our partners and to celebrate the great season we just ended. Besides, Infront Moto Racing was also present at the 2022 edition of Sportel, the annual Sport Media and Broadcasting convention, in Monaco. We were present to meet existing partners as well as discuss TV rights for the upcoming season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Then, the FIM Awards will conclude the year to honor all the World Champions, and we will use this opportunity once again to organize our annual seminar with all the 2023 MXGP season organizers to debrief on our past experiences and to prepare the best season possible.

I would like to thank all our partners, the FIM, the organizers, the riders, teams, manufacturers, the media, TV and press and the photographers.

I wish you a great off-season!

David Luongo, CEO of Infront Moto Racing

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 17 November 2022 – Infront Moto Racing is pleased to share the November issue of the MXGP Magazine!

The 111^th issue of our monthly magazine is now available! The November’s cover features the 2022 WMX Champion Nancy Van De Ven as the rider of the month.

The magazine will also include two special features, first introducing and getting to know more about the 2022 EMX Champions, as well as an article on team VRT which will receive KTM’s factory support in 2023.

In this month’s Hall of Fame we will discover more about Mike Brown while the Vintage Bike section will introduce Stefan Everts’ 1996 Honda 250.

You can find all of this and more in the 111^th issue of MXGP Mag, which you can download for FREE on the Apple Store or Google Play. Read it HERE

Users who have already downloaded other issues on their iOS device can automatically download the new issue by opening the News Stand and clicking on the cover of the MXGP Mag. Whereas those readers using an Android device will be able to download the magazine for free thanks to this app: http://bit.ly/IssuuOnAndroid.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXGP Mag 111

Paolo Mencacci, manager of the Racestore KTM Racing Team is pleased to announces the new rider for the 2023 season. 

The team that will take part in the MX2 World Championship, has decided to entrust the brand new KTM 250 SX-F to the young Spanish rider Yago Martinez, winner of three Spanish championships and with already good experience in the classes of the World Championship and European Championship where he has entered the top five several times in the past seasons.

Yago has already started winter training in Italy on his new bike, to be ready for the start of the world championship scheduled for March 12 in Argentina.

Paolo Mencacci team manager: "I am satisfied to have found an agreement with Yago, he certainly has the experience and talent to do well and we will try to put him in the right conditions to do well”.

Photo copyrights: Racestore

Fantic Racing is extremely happy to announce the 2023 lineup. 

Tom Guyon will lead the team in the FIM Motocross World Championship MX2; Hakon Osterhagen, Cas Valk and Alexis Fueri will race in the FIM Europe Motocross Championship EMX250, while Elias Escandell and Maximilian Werner in the EMX125.

The cherry on the cake is Lynn Valk riding the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship.

The Team looks very strong and motivated with the same goal and vision: giving their best every day.

Before the start of the season the Fantic Team will work to be ready and sharp for the first gate to drop.

Photo copyrights: Fantic Racing

What’s new this week? The Paris Supercross will be held this weekend on November the 12^th and 13^that the Paris La Défense Arena. The best Supercross riders and international stars will gather for this amazing show and the whole weekend will be LIVE on MXGP-TV!

Big names such as Cooper WEBB, Eli TOMAC, Marvin MUSQUIN, Ken ROCZEN and much more will line up this Saturday and Sunday. This is the off season event you don’t want to miss!

The Supercross MXGP-TV pass is already online and available for purchase worldwide; it includes 4 hours per day LIVE and OnDemand starting from Saturday at 7 pm local time while Sunday’s LIVE show will start at 3 pm local time.

The SX weekend pass gives you access to the opening ceremony, SX1, SX2, FMX Session and the Honda/KTM Show. Additionally MXGP-TV voice Paul Malin will comment the event LIVE in English from Paris for all fans home.

What you need to do is to REGISTER on MXGP-TV.com and purchase your SX MXGP-TV pass. Click HERE and be sure you get your Video Access for the weekend.

Pass is valid for VOD until next Tuesday 15th November.

While fans from France and French speaking countries can watch the event exclusively on Automoto La Chaine this weekend. 

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 4 November 2022 – Infront Moto Racing is delighted to share that tickets for the 2023 edition of the Monster Energy FIM MXoN taking place at the legendary Ernée circuit, France, are now on sale.

The Raymond Demy circuit hosted several GPs through the years including a successful 2022 event and two unforgettable Monster Energy FIM MXoN, in 2005 and 2015.

The last edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernée was in 2015 where Team France won in front of thousands of passionate spectators. On October the 21^st and 22^nd 2023 all eyes will be again on Team France, who will go to Ernèe to repeat the 2015 affair and have back the Chamberlain Trophy. Plus the best worldwide riders will gather together for the MXoN glory. The spectacle will be unique!

A special early bird offer is now available until January 31^st, featuring a special discount on all general admission tickets, which allow to witness the most thrilling and prestigious race of the year in an action packed weekend.

Don’t want to miss the best off-road event of the season. Tickets are available for purchase HERE

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Monster Energy FIM MXoN Ernée

THE 2022 FIM MOTOCROSS SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE IT THAN WITH THE BIGGEST RACE OF THE YEAR; THE MONSTER ENERGY FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS. WHILST ‘MXON 74’ WAS MEMORABLE AS THE ONE WHERE ITALY WON ON HOME SOIL AT MANTOVA, THE 75TH EDITION WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE ONE WHERE LIFE WAS FINALLY BACK TO HOW IT WAS PRE-COVID, AND WITH THE EVENT HEADING BACK TO AMERICA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2018, ALL EYES WERE ON THE HOME TEAM AS THEY LOOKED TO LIFT THE CHAMBERLAIN TROPHY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A DECADE.

When the curtain came down on the FIM Motocross World Championship season in Turkiye at the beginning of September, all gossip and attention immediately turned to the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations which was now just three weeks away. Not since 2019 had the keyboard warriors and paddock chatter been so loud ahead of the biggest race on the motocross calendar, and no matter where you went, it seemed as if everybody had booked their ticket long in advance in order to witness this fantastic spectacle.

Read more on the feature from the issue 110 HERE

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 28 October 2022 –The 2022 Edition of Sportel, the annual Sport Media and Broadcasting convention, just concluded in Monaco. Infront Moto Racing was present to meet existing partners as well as discuss TV rights for the upcoming season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Infront Moto Racing renewed partnerships with current major broadcasters such as Eurosport for the next 3 years, same for Motorvision that had the pleasure to extend for further three years in order to air the “Behind the Gate” magazine and some selected MXGP events LIVE.

Once again Sportel was the occasion to extend the partnership with Automoto La Chaine to broadcast MXGP in France for the next three years, in Spain TVG renewed for the next two years while TV3, who experienced a first Live Coverage of the WMX in 2022, is willing to do more WMX LIVE Coverage in 2023.

Long time Belgian TV Partner Telenet met Infront Moto Racing and it was the perfect occasion to share their positive words on the MXGP series coverage and to consider a further renewal. Same for MTV Finland which has been partnering with MXGP in the last two years showing the MXGP Race 2 LIVE plus the full MXGP of Finland. The deal, which is still on until the end of 2023, might be renewed for 2024 including for other 4 years of coverage.

MXGP is growing interest every year with current major broadcasters confirming and increasing the successful cooperation with Infront Moto Racing such as Teledeporte in Spain and CBS SN in USA and RAI Sports in Italy.

In addition to meetings with the TV broadcasters, Infront Moto Racing’s technical partners including Cleeng, MXGP-TV payment service provider and TMG, Antipiracy provider and Eurovision, SNG provider and coordination, were also present at Sportel. TMG celebrated the 20^th anniversary which was the perfect occasion to also discuss future improvement of the MXGP services.

TV Department Director Charlotte Menard was in attendance and had the chance to meet several potential digital and technical services providers who could cooperate for MXGP future steps.

As a result the convention was very positive with important discussion and potential further negotiation in place which will improve even more the coverage and visibility of MXGP worldwide.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Sportel