MX2

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain) 25 February 2020 – With the off-season over and the final preparations done, the time has come to begin another year of the FIM Motocross World Championship. We begin this season with the MXGP of Great Britain as the popular British circuit, Matterley Basin, hosts the opening round of the 2020 championship in Europe for the very first time since 2012.

The fast-flowing track based in the south of England has become a staple of the MXGP racing calendar, hosting more Grand Prix’s than any other British venue in the last 30 years. The first FIM Motocross World Championship event was held at Matterley Basin in 2006, with the legendary Stefan Everts winning in the MX1 class, now known as MXGP, meanwhile David Philippaerts was victorious in MX2.

In the last decade, the hard-pack circuit has become a big favourite among riders and fans for its unrivalled panoramic views of the entire circuit and the awesome track design.

Over the past years the MXGP of Great Britain has hosted some epic races, including two ‘Festival of Motocross’ weekends, that saw a huge line-up of youth, women’s and veteran classes. The circuit has also been home to two Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations events, including the most recent edition in 2017, that saw Team GB make a return to the Monster Energy FIM MXoN podium for the first time since 1997.

The European 125cc Championship and the Women’s World Championship will also be joining the MXGP and MX2 riders at Matterley Basin. The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing class line-up is impressive, with a total of 85 riders, entered for the event.

Looking for a good start this season will be Liam Everts, who after finishing 8th in the Championship in 2019 will be keen on improve upon his previous result and challenge for the title. Meanwhile, Marchetti Racing Team's Valerio Lata will be hoping for a strong debut in the 125cc series, following his move up from the junior 85cc class after being crowned the 2019 EMX85 Junior World Champion. Local riders, Eddie Jay Wade and Joel Rizzi will also line-up in the competitive youth class and will be fighting for top results in front of their home fans.

Meanwhile, in the Women’s World Championship, Courtney Duncan will be hoping to defend her title from Larissa Papenmeier, Nancy Van de Ven and Amadine Verstappen. She will also have to look out for the returning 6-time WMX World Champion, Kiara Fontanesi, who will be looking to add another title to her name and make things interesting in the series.

In 2019, the MXGP of Great Britain presented some intense racing between Red Bull KTM Factory’s Antonio Cairoli, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory’s Gautier Paulin and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Fans were treated to a front row seat to what was the beginning of the Gajser v Cairoli battle, that saw plenty of action out on track.

Gajser’s huge crash in the opening race gave the 9-time World Champion the upper hand in terms of points, allowing him to clinch the overall that weekend and his 5^th GP victory at Matterley Basin since 2011. Gajser finished second just a further two points back, with Paulin filling the third step of the podium.

There has been a total of 5 different MXGP (previously known as MX1) winners at the circuit, including the likes of Stefan Everts (2006), Antonio Cairoli (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2019), Clement Desalle (2013), Tim Gajser (2016) and Jeffrey Herlings (2018).

Coming into the weekend as the defending champion, Gajser, will be looking for a strong start to the season. With a programme that worked well for him last season, along with a solid winter prep, the Slovenian is a top favourite to be out front leading the rest of the field. And he’s had practice winning at the circuit, with his first victory at Matterley Basin dating back to his youth days, when he raced in the EMX125 championship in 2012 which he won the very same year.

Antonio Cairoli will line-up at Matterley Basin with the possibility of a 10^th world title on his mind as he makes his return following an unlucky season in 2019. Having taken the time to fully recover, we can expect to see the 9-time world champion back to winning ways, and maybe he will add another win at Matterley Basin to his scorecard.

Of course, Cairoli will not be the only one that will challenge Gajser for the overall British GP victory, as fellow Red Bull KTM Factory rider, Jeffrey Herlings, will also be making his big return to the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Herlings, often referred to as ‘The Bullet’, has had a tough few seasons that have been overshadowed by complicated injuries, but back on form for 2020, he is one rider we can rely on to be a serious contender when it comes to winning races. He has a won a total of 3 times in Great Britain, with two of those victories from his MX2 days in 2014 and 2016.  

While Gajser, Cairoli and Herlings may be the top three most talked about riders as we head into round one, the truth is the MXGP class is fully stacked with talented riders who are all more than capable of challenging the three world champions.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory’s Jeremy Seewer, who ended the 2019 MXGP Championship in second with fellow team-mates Gautier Paulin and Arnaud Tonus are among the top riders who can shine in Great Britain. This year the entire Monster Energy Yamaha Squad look in a good shape to shine.

Also, Team HRC’s newest recruit and MXGP rookie Mitch Evans, along with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s, Arminas Jasikonis and Pauls Jonass, are riders that have impressed during the off-season, with the three of them more than capable of mixing it up with the MXGP veterans. Plus Jonass has won in Matterley Basin twice before, in 2013 when he was racing in the EMX125 class and in 2018 in MX2, the year he was crowned world champion.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Clement Desalle and Romain Febvre will also be looking for a good start to the season, as both riders make their return from injuries. Febvre will begin his season as the newest addition to the Kawasaki squad and will also debut his brand-new race number, #3.

Desalle missed half of last season following a crash in Russia but has been working hard on his recovery and could be another rider that we will see at the top end of the field. Having previously won at Matterley Basin in 2013, the Belgian knows what it takes to win on the hard-pack circuit.

Standing Construct GasGas MXGP’s, Glenn Coldenhoff and Ivo Monticelli are two riders who will stand behind the gate with their brand-new GasGas machines as the manufacturer makes its MXGP debut. Coldenhoff a past winner in Britain (2013 in MX2) and coming off the back of one of his most successful seasons where he secured 3 Grand Prix wins and of course the Chamberlain Trophy at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Assen, could also be a real threat for the podium chase.

British riders, Shaun Simpson and Adam Sterry will be more than ready for their home GP, and with their local fans on their side, it is possible that we could see the Brits mixing it up at the top end of the field.

It is difficult to pick one winner, as the line-up this season is highly competitive, with a large number of really good riders. And adding to that field is a new class of rookies. MX2 World Champion, Jorge Prado is one big names that we will see on the start-line in MXGP, along with other MXGP rookies, Calvin Vlaanderen and Thomas Covington of Gebben Van Venrooy Racing and Henry Jacobi of SM Action MC Migliori.

2019 MXGP of Great Britain Top 3:

1. Antonio Cairoli
2. Tim Gajser
3. Gautier Paulin

Main Photo: MXGP Start - MXGP of Great Britain 2019

Bottom Photos: 1. Tim Gajser & Antonio Cairoli; 2. Jeremy Seewer

While things are sure to be exciting in MXGP, the MX2 class is guaranteed to showcase some action in Matterley Basin too. With the 2019 MX2 World Champion, Jorge Prado making the move to MXGP this leaves the door open for new talent to lead the way and one rider who we can expect to do so is Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory rider, Thomas Kjer Olsen.

Olsen has been one of the main protagonists of the MX2 title for the last few years and in 2019, he secured his first Grand Prix victory of the year in none other than Matterley Basin. He won both races and with that took the overall and the championship leaders red plate. Back for more in 2020, he will be determined to not let the title slip again.

Though the Dane is not the only fan favourite heading into round one, with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 riders, Jago Geerts and Ben Watson looking to challenge for the title this season. We can expect to see Watson aim for the podium at the British Grand Prix, as he will be able to put on his best performance in front of his home crowd. Fellow Brit, Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee rider Conrad Mewse will also be looking to impress at his home round.

Red Bull KTM Factory riders, Tom Vialle and newest recruit Rene Hofer, are also strong contenders for the win. Vialle with his rookie season behind him, can be expected to be at the front once again. He placed third overall at the MXGP of Great Britain last year, despite being the new kid he quickly found his feet and was able to challenge for podiums on many occasions, and if his new team-mate follows in his footsteps, we could see another KTM dominated podium giving us flashbacks of when Prado and Jonass battled in the class.

New kids on the block, F&H Racing’s Roan Van de Moosdijk and Mikkel Haarup will be making their season debut in MX2 and are also among the group of strong contenders for the podium in Matterley Basin. Last year Van de Moosdijk, was third on the podium in the EMX250 class and also finished the season as the 2019 Champion of the group.

The third F&H Racing rider Mathys Boisrame will line-up in Britain with the hope of improving upon his 9^th place finishing in the 2019 MX2 World Championship standings and will aim for a top result to his 2020 campaign.

During the MXGP of Great Britain Livia Lancelot will also unveil her brand-new Honda 114 Motorsports squad with MX2 riders, Nathan Crawford and Bailey Malkiewicz who will make their debut in the FIM Motocross World Championship as they line-up at Matterley Basin for the first race of the season.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Sydow and Simon Laegenfelder will debut for the new GasGas Factory Juniors and will be hoping to place their GasGas machines high in the charts.

2019 MXGP of Great Britain Top 3:

1. Thomas Kjer Olsen
2. Henry Jacobi
3. Tom Vialle

Main Photo: MX2 Start - MXGP of Great Britain 2019

Bottom Photos: 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen & Jago Geerts; 2. Ben Watson

The 2020 MXGP season is set to be one of the most competitive seasons in the history of the Motocross World Championship, with a field of riders that are all considered strong candidates for the title as well as new faces emerging from the youth divisions, the challenge for the MXGP and MX2 championships has never been so close.

Make sure you tune-in and watch the MXGP of Great Britain LIVE on MXGP-TV.com!

TIMETABLE in Local Time (GMT/UTC)

SATURDAY: 07:50 WMX Free Practice, 08:15 EMX125 Group 1 Free Practice, 08:40 EMX125 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 09:50 MX2 Free Practice, 10:20 MXGP Free Practice, 11:10 EMX125 Qualifying Practice, 11:45 EMX125 Qualifying Practice, 12:25 MX2 Time Practice, 13:00 MXGP Time Practice, 13:45 WMX Race 1, 14:30 EMX125 Race 1, 15:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 16:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 08:25 WMX Race 2, 09:25 MX Warm-up, 09:45 MXGP Warm-up, 10:30 EMX125 Race 2, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Great Britain

Infront Moto Racing is excited to reveal that the ticketing sales for the MXGP of Spain are now open!

Following a one-year break, the MXGP of Spain is back and in 2020 the Spanish Grand Prix will be stop number five on the FIM Motocross World Championship calendar, as the series heads to intu-Xanadú in Arroyomolinos on the 18th and 19th of April.

Last time the MXGP visited Spain was in 2018, held at the popular training facility, Red Sand. That time around it was Antonio Cairoli who was dominant in MXGP, meanwhile in MX2 it was Pauls Jonass who was victorious. But who will it be this time? Make sure you’re there to find out!

This upcoming season the MXGP of Spain will be hosted at the hard-pack track in intu Xanadú, located just 22 km from the centre of Madrid. This will be the first time that Madrid will host the MXGP, with huge crowds expected to attend as the Spanish fans celebrate their two-time World Champion, Jorge Prado, on home soil.

The Spanish GP is set to be action-packed from start to finish, as fans will not only be treated to some awesome race action from the MX2 and MXGP riders, but also joining us for the weekend will be the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and the WMX riders.

Enjoy the weekend with us and get your tickets for the MXGP of Spain TODAY! – Click HERE.

Infront Moto Racing is pleased to inform that the 2020 Travel Guide for long distance MXGP events is now available and can be downloaded in a PDF format at the link below.

2020 Official Travel Guide

The Official MXGP Travel Guide features some useful information on the countries that will host MXGP events taking place in Argentina, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey and China. Inside the guide, you will find information about each country, including travel and visa requirements, local food and drink specialities, plus much more!

Click HERE and download your 2020 overseas travel guide

The 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship is about to kick off in Matterley Basin, Great Britain this weekend, on February the 29th and March the 1st. 

Timetable & Entry List for the event are available for download in PDF format at the links below.

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

WMX ENTRY LIST

EMX125 PRESENTED BY FMF RACING ENTRY LIST

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 24 February 2020  – Following a successful first year Infront makes the move into the FIM Motocross World Championship, as the MXGP promoter announces the change of name from Youthstream to Infront Moto Racing.

Infront Moto Racing, previously known as Youthstream, will manage the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world-wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship, the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the Motocross European Championship and the Motocross of European Nations.

Infront Moto Racing will continue to operate as in the past with the management unchanged headed by Giuseppe Luongo as President, David Luongo as CEO, Daniele Rizzi as COO, Nikos Gounaris as Director of Organization, Didier Henriod as Chief Marketing & TV Officer and with all other line managers and staff running the same departments.

Infront Moto Racing is getting prepared for a new chapter of the FIM Motocross World Championship, as the opening round takes place in Great Britain, at the famous Matterley Basin circuit, which will officially kick-off the 2020 season on the 28^th February – 1^st March.  

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 21 February 2020 – Youthstream is proud to announce GreenlandMX and MXGP have extended their partnership for a further two years as the brand continues to be a part of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

GreenlandMX is an online and physical store based in Spain, known as one of the most specialized retailers for off-road motorbikes in Europe. Their online store offers an impressive catalogue of the highest quality brands in the industry, with the best pricing to match! The company has experience of more than 15 years in the internet e-commerce world and has now become the go-to company for European customers.

Passionate about motocross the GreenlandMX strives to provide excellent service to its customers with parts and accessory specialists and is committed to fast delivery, easy and secure purchasing. Another one of their passions include the support for sports, that’s why they work hard to support riders, events, motorcycle clubs and organizations that work on a daily basis

Their passion doesn’t stop there, as the company supports riders, events, motorcycles clubs and organizations that work on a daily to make our sport better.

Visit GreenlandMX.com to check out their impressive range of products!

Copyright: Photo: Diego Muñoz

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

GreenlandMX

No doubt about it, while the MXGP class of 2020 has a strong feel about it, the MX2 boys are also going to be putting on a massive show. Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jorge Prado dominated last year, adding his second MX2 championship to his name, with him now moving up to the MXGP class, it leaves the door open for a bunch of young riders to pick up a World title.

Red Bull KTM Factory team manager Dirk Gruebel, like many can see Tom Vialle as a little bit of a dark horse, possible of actually taking over the reigns of last year’s MX2 champion Prado. Gruebel also wouldn’t be surprised to see their other rider Rene Hofer make a statement in 2020.

“Tom is looking good” Greubel said. “He needed to improve his starts and he felt he could beat Prado, but Jorge always beat him at the start and he analyses videos. I think again, he will surprise a lot of people again in 2020, I am sure about that. As for Rene Hofer, same thing, he will surprise people. Riding in practice now, 20 or 25 minutes, he has the same speed as Tom, which is very good, and he looks good on the bike. He needs to improve his starts and at his first Grand Prix for sure he will be nervous and that was his problem last year, training and racing are two different things. He will overcome this, and we will help him with that, but the confidence is there”.

Rasmus Jorgensen, the team manager of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team is excited for his riders Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton in 2020. With MX2 champion Jorge Prado out of the picture, the second man in line is Olsen, and Jorgensen feels his man can go on with the job.

“I think Prado was the better man last year, that is no secret. Anyone else, was in the shadow of that and at one point we tried to beat him every single weekend and we succeeded once or twice. You are absolutely correct, Thomas just cruises along, doesn’t get that much attention, but people forget he was third in his rookie season, third in his second year and now second in 2019. He has been very consistent. He has been on the podium a lot of times and you cannot take that away from him. With Prado gone that opens up a lot of opportunities for Thomas, but it also opens up opportunities for a lot of the young guns coming up. Thomas is aware he might be the title favourite coming in, but he also knows he can’t go to sleep. He needs to give his all, because there are also Vialle, Geerts, Watson and all these guys. It is what it is, he has been ready every single season, ready when we got to the first round and we won’t change the formula, because he has the good formula. If we can improve in some small areas of course”.

British legend Dave Thorpe hopes that a British rider can win in 2020 of course, and he feels Ben Watson has all the tools to become World champion. It won’t be easy, but Thorpe, who himself has three World 500cc motocross championships knows that anything is possible in that very tough MX2 class.

“Ben is definitely in with a chance,” Thorpe said. “He is in a difficult class, and he is in a brilliant team, which is important, and he has the potential to do it. With the age restrictions it is difficult, with a lot of pressure when they get to around 22, but he has potential to do it, and he has the right team, and that makes a difference.”

So now we move onto the opening round at Matterley Basin in a little over a weeks’ time, and who will stand on top of the podium in England will have a pack of wolves chasing him down.

Photo Copyright: Bavo Swijgers

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 18 February 2020 – Youthstream is pleased to reveal that MXGP and the Italian boot brand, Forma Boots will continue their successful partnership for 2020.

The collaboration between MXGP and Forma Boots has gone from strength to strength since it began in 2016 and from then on, both parties have worked closely together towards the same goal of growing the interest of motocross all over the world.

Since launching in 1999, Forma have worked hard to produce the most advanced boots in the world and thanks to its own research and continuous technical developments, the brand has been able to offer the market a complete product range with only the highest quality standards guaranteed.  

That is why Forma Boots and its Predator 2.0 high-end boot, is a favourite amongst the off-road and MXGP riders all over the world. This upcoming season you can expect to see some of the leading FIM Motocross World Championship riders wearing Forma boots, including Brian Bogers, Evgeny Bobryshev, Kevin Strijbos, Jordi Tixier, Tanel Leok, Kevin Horgmo and Iker Larranaga.

We look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership with Forma Boots as we aim for greater heights in 2020.

The 2020 collection can be found on www.formaboots.com and the Forma Facebook and Instagram pages.

Copyright: Photo: Bavo Swijgers

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

Forma Boots

Dear MXGP Fan!

With less than two weeks until the opening round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship at Matterley Basin, Great Britain, this is your perfect chance to get ahead of the game and secure your VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass TODAY!

Enjoy an adrenaline fuelled weekend and get even closer to the action with our most exclusive ticket available. With the MXGP VIP GOLD SKYBOX you will get access to the most exclusive areas of the MXGP venue including paddock access where you will have the opportunity to meet your heroes, the best teams in the world and the leading brands in the industry.

As a MXGP VIP you will also have access to our VIP Gold Skybox Restaurant, where you will be able to enjoy amazing food and the finest range of Italian wines thanks to our friends at 958 Santero Wines and to top it all off you can watch from a designated VIP area with the best views of the track! But of course, what is racing without the atmosphere, and you’ll get plenty of that with a front-row look of the pre-race rituals from our famous and VIP exclusive Skybox Terrace!

With the VIP pass, not only you will have access to the most exclusive areas of the MXGP venue, but you will also be treated to VIP Parking to make your weekend even more special from the moment you arrive at the track.

Don’t miss out as you will not get this experience elsewhere, so join us for an unforgettable weekend at any selected FIM Motocross World Championship round (Europe Only), as well as the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations that will take place in Ernée, France this year and do it in style with our VIP pass!

Get ahead of the action and purchase your exclusive VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass HERE!

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 13^th February 2020 – MXGP and Gaerne have been working together for quite a few years now and in 2020 will continue this wonderful partnership as we head into one of the most exciting seasons of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Based in Coste di Maser in the Province of Treviso, Italy, Gaerne was founded in 1962 by Mr. Ernesto Gazzola, who gave the company its name using the first initials of his name. Gaerne started producing good quality mountain wear, before the firm’s growth saw the brand diversify into other sectors including the production of motorcycling boots in the mid-seventies and then cycling shoes in the mid-eighties.

Gaerne has been part of the motocross industry for many years, creating high-quality products since the need for motocross boots became a must for any rider. Their boots are made in Italy, with the highest quality of materials available, combined with 58 years of tradition and expert Italian craftsmanship.

For over 58 years GAERNE has been developing cutting edge products that have supported the world's best athletes push the limits of their sport, set world records and win gold medals.

The SG-12 Boots are the choice for riders who aspire to rise above the competition. Gaerne’s SG-12 boots are made in Italy by practiced hands that step-by-step layer support, security, and comfort into each boot. The premium SG-12 offers a streamlined toe box for precision control, a dual-stage pivot system for more aggressive riders, an anti-shock composite sole for better connection to the pegs, slimline inner grip guard panels for better control and grip of the bike, memory foam interior for a customized fit, and an adjustable shin plate for more room around the calves. In addition, their buckle system makes it easy for riders to get in and get going, so they can focus less on the gear and more on the ride.

Gaerne SG-12’s is the choice of many of the top FIM Motocross World Championship riders including Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis and Pauls Jonass, Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen and Thomas Covington, Team Maddii Racing Husqvarna’s Mattia Guadagnini and Alberto Forato, plus Shaun Simpson, Petar Petrov, Samuele Bernardini and Jonathan Bengston among others!

Copyright: Photos: Huqvarna Racing

To find out more about Gaerne visit their website www.gaerne.com

Links

Youthstream

FIM

Gaerne