MXGP

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of MXGP lifelong’s friend, Wolfgang SRB. After a long and courageous battle with illness, Wolfgang left us, leaving behind an irreplaceable void in the MXGP and motocross community.

Wolfgang’s dedication to motocross over several decades as he became a pillar within the whole MXGP and FIM community. As the President of the FIM Motocross Commission and a President of FIM-Europe, his leadership and vision were instrumental in shaping the sport we love today. His unwavering commitment to the sport helped it moving forward and bringing it to new heights of popularity and success.

He lived and breathed the sport, always striving to make it better for the riders, teams, and fans. His efforts were not just professional but deeply personal. He cared about every aspect of motocross and as a key decision-maker, Wolfgang’s contributions were instrumental in shaping the image of FIM. His vision and leadership ensured that the sport remained strong, respected. 

The motocross community is profoundly affected by his loss. As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life and the incredible impact he had on everybody around him. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence, passion and unwavering dedication.

Our thoughts go out to Wolfgang’s family during this difficult time.

Infront Moto Racing President Giuseppe Luongo: “It’s an extremely sad day.  Wolfgang was a great man, strong like a rock, he was a great President for the FIM Motocross Commission and a great President of FIM-Europe.  A lot of improvements to the Motocross World and European Championships are thanks to him.  His life was dedicated to Motorsport and his family.  He left his life as he lived his life, strong and proud, nobody had been informed about is illness and right up until that last moment he said that everything was OK.  Not only was he great in his duties to the sport, but above all he was a dear dear friend.  He will be missed, but he will remain always strong within our hearts.  In this sad moment my family and all the MXGP family are close to Brigitte and Cornelia.”

The 7th and latest episode of "Behind The Gate - Mirage" is here, offering you an exclusive look at the behind-the-scenes action of MXGP!

Want to know what happened to Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer during the Monster Energy MXGP of France? Episode 7 of BTG brings you all the intense moments and drama as it unfolded. See the real stories behind the headlines and get a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of your favorite riders.

On top of that, there's plenty of fun too! Meet the “new aspiring commentator of MXGP” Kevin Brumann, as he lives his dream as an MXGP rider.

This episode also takes you into the trenches of the St Jean D’Angély track, battered by the elements and delivering a grand spectacle for all the fans. Witness the riders as they tackle one of the most challenging tracks and conditions !

Tune in to "Behind The Gate - Mirage" Episode 7 now and get the full experience of what really happens in the world of MXGP. From behind-the-scenes drama to fun moments with new talent, this episode has it all!

Watch it now on MXGP-TV.com and stay connected with MXGP!

Two weeks after defying a painful thumb injury to mount the podium at the French MXGP Romain Febvre was forced to withdraw from last weekend's German MXGP. The Frenchman had further medical examinations this week and the diagnosis is that he will have to rest for several weeks to allow his injured thumb to recover.

With six podiums during the first seven rounds of the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship Romain Febvre was clearly established as one of the four main protagonists of the series. The French round of the series was one of mixed emotions - a melange of joy and sadness; he raced in intense pain after injuring his thumb during a practice session but was able to win the Qualifying race and finish runner-up in the MXGP. The short break between the French and the German rounds was insufficient to permit a full recovery from the injury and, after finishing a brave third in the Qualifying race at Teutschenthal, he was forced to retire from the first GP moto as the pain became too intense.
Heading back home straight away Romain, accompanied by KRT team manager Antti Pyrhönen, visited a specialist this week to have further examinations. These confirmed that the thumb had ruptured/torn ligaments, which require no operation, and also inflammation and bruising to the bone. The healing process requires time and rest, thus forcing Romain to miss the up-coming GPs.
 
Romain Febvre: “It's tough to have an injury at any time of the season but this is especially difficult. It's not a bone injury as such and there is no way to "short-cut” the recovery time. It could happen to anyone; it's just a shame it happened to me.”
 
Antti Pyrhonen (Kawasaki Racing Team manager): “We feel extremely sorry for Romain considering how well the season and the Championship battle were developing with six podiums in seven races and a clear contender for the title. When one remembers how his strongest part of the season only started from Indonesia last year we were awaiting a decisive battle until the end. Nevertheless we are very proud of our rider how bravely he tried to keep the dream alive, defying the injury to almost win the French GP and finish third in the Qualifying race in Germany. Jeremy Seewer will continue his consistent success and also wishes a rapid recovery to his teammate.”

Photo Credit : KAWASAKI

We all remember that sensational 2021 MXGP championship battle when Jeffrey Herlings beat Romain Febvre and Tim Gajser, for a fight that didn’t end until the final moto of the season. Now, three years later in 2024, we have a similar story, but this time there are four men in the fight for the MXGP World title.

With Romain Febvre failing to finish the German Grand Prix last weekend, it more than likely takes him out of the fight for the 2024 MXGP championship. His injured thumb causing too much discomfort last weekend, but don’t count the Frenchman out just yet.

The man of the moment is without question, defending champion Jorge Prado, who has won five GPs this year and holds the red plate, but it hasn’t been as easy as it might seem. Confidence though isn’t something Prado lacks.

“I know what I am capable of,” Prado said. “I know my speed and my fitness, and I know I can win, every time I go out on the track. This makes me relaxed. I don’t have to think about anything else, just ride the way I know how to ride, but I am confident, and I hope we keep the red plate until the end of the season. Many races left, but we keep charging. Jeffrey isn’t that far away and with Tim, we are basically on the same points, and we have many rounds left. I know if I ride how I know, they shouldn’t beat me. I was just focused on myself.”

As for five-time Motocross World  Champion Tim Gajser, he has often been the forgotten man, despite his huge success in the sport, but he is at the moment the biggest rival to Prado and the Spaniards challenge for a fourth MX World title. Gajser though knows the best is still to come and he is working on not giving up until that final round, just like in 2021.

“What gives me the confidence is,” Gajser said. “We know where we have to work to be better, you know. The only part that is missing is starts, speed is there, because I always start behind and I always come close to him, but then it is not easy to pass, because he is really fast, and the pace is similar. It is similar between me, Jorge, Jeffrey and even Romain. You know, from track-to-track other guys can join us and we know where we have to work and starts are even more important this year. I mean, like, 2021 was intense, and we were also in the COVID times, so we had three races in the week. It was a different era, but even this year, with Jorge, we are really, really close and it is difficult to make a points gap, but we know it is early in the season and when we reach half way, the goal is to continue riding well, being consistent, not too many mistakes and be there until the end.”

And then there is Jeffrey Herlings, also a five-time Motocross World Champion, and the man with the record of most Grand Prix wins in the history of the sport. It’s been a while since the Dutchman has won a Grand Prix, and you just know that GP wins are coming. Can win number 104 come in Latvia in a few days’ time?

“The speed is getting better and better,” Herlings said. “I think I am like 65 points behind now. You can see how quickly change happens. It isn’t over until it’s over and even though we are 60 plus points down, it can change really quickly. We have only done 40% of the championship and we had all the most challenging tracks for me, and the better tracks are coming, like Kegums, Lommel, Arnhem, I like those tracks more. The bikes on track performance and suspension I am really happy, but we will practice starts in Germany this week. We have some new stuff; some updates and I hope it will make it better. It would be nice if we can get better start more often.”

So now, it is onto Kegums in Latvia, a circuit all three big men have won on, and while Herlings is a favourite around the sand circuits of Europe, both Prado and Gajser have won on the toughest sand circuit in the World at Lommel, so who will win in Latvia is the big question.

Photo Credit : Ray Archer

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 5 June 2024 – The 2024 FIM Motocross World Championships head straight from Germany to the MXGP of Latvia as the Zelta Zirgs Motocenter near the town of Kegums welcomes the ninth round of the series to its sandy terrain! 

Kegums has hosted 18 MXGP rounds since it first ran an MX3 Grand Prix back in 2005, won by the Belgian Sven Breugelmans. It has been on the MXGP calendar every year since 2009, when Antonio Cairoli and Rui Goncalves took the wins in MX1 & MX2, apart from 2014 when it saw a hard-fought Motocross of Nations, won by Team France at the start of a five-year winning streak.

Kegums has been a happy hunting ground for Jeffrey Herlings, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing legend notching up a record 7 Grand Prix wins in the soft terrain, including his most recent one, just over a year ago when he registered his only perfect 60-point scoring weekend to date, winning Saturday’s RAM Qualifying Race as well as both races on Sunday. 

Last year’s MX2 winner was this year’s points leader, Kay de Wolf on the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing machine.  Both victorious Dutchmen would sadly get injured very soon after to leave them unable to challenge for the 2023 world titles.

The EMX250 Championship reaches its halfway point as the sixth round of eleven, and Mathis Valin holds the red plate on his Bud Racing Kawasaki after two straight overall wins. Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Cas Valk and Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors star Valerio Lata are just four points apart in second and third, but the Dutchman is 26 back from Valin. One half of Latvia’s favourite teenage Motocross brothers, Karlis Reisulis, is 8th in the points for VRT Yamaha Racing, and after representing Latvia in last year’s Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations he will get the crowd behind him for sure!

The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing series also returns, with Hungarian Noel Zanocz  leading for the Fantic Factory Racing EMX125 team, while Racestore KTM Factory Rookies star Gyan Doensen is 17 points back in second! Zanocz’s Italian teammate Simone Mancini has won the last two rounds to lift himself up to third, just 7 points back from the Dutchman. Local rider Markuss Ozolins is 9th in the points but has reached the top five in a few races on his GASGAS and will enjoy a lot of vocal support from his home crowd!

The reigning MXGP World Champion, Jorge Prado of the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team, will be praying that the weather doesn’t throw up any surprises at Kegums, as it is only when the rain has poured that he has not emerged victorious from a Grand Prix so far in 2024!  Even though he enjoyed his sixth GP win of the season at the Liqui Moly MXGP of Germany, he still lies just two points ahead of Team HRC’s Tim Gajser, who has been the model of consistency and taken advantage when Prado has struggled in wet conditions.

Jeffrey Herlings has moved up into third in the series for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, sitting 66 points behind the leader and in dire need of breaking his one-year winning drought if he is to mount a challenge for this year’s world title.  He passed the Kawasaki Racing Team front-runner Romain Febvre for the season, as the Frenchman pulled out of race one in Germany due to pain from his injured right thumb, and is questionable for this weekend’s event.

Herlings’ record of 7 victories at Kegums consists of three wins in MX2 – in 2010 (his second ever GP win), 2013, and 2016, while he took MXGP honours in 2017, ’18, the third race there in 2020, and of course last season.  He also holds the race wins record of 14. Gajser has won the overall at Kegums four times - 2016, ’19, ’21, and ’22 – with 6 race wins, but Prado has only ever taken the winner’s trophy away once, back in his dominant 2019 MX2 campaign. His only 450 win there was back in 2021. Febvre has been on the podium five times but never quite taken the overall verdict in Latvia, despite taking race wins in 2015 & ‘16.

Another active rider with fond memories of Kegums is Fantic Factory Racing MXGP star Glenn Coldenhoff. Two of his six career GP wins have been here, one in 2015 for Suzuki and more recently the first ever GP win for GASGAS in the first of the three 2020 events.

Pauls Jonass  sadly suffered arm and shoulder injuries in a first corner crash at Teutschenthal last weekend, which leave him unable to compete at his home Grand Prix. A sad blow for the Latvian hero who was enjoying his best season in the class so far, and we all wish him a speedy recovery.
With Jonass out of action the Latvian crowd will have two wildcards to cheer on, in the shape of Tomass Sileika and Uldis Freibergs, son of former Grand Prix rider Lauris.

A win for any of the leading contenders would be a massive psychological boost at one of the toughest tracks of the season, and the battle is sure to be as intense as ever!

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 402 Points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 400 Points;  3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 336 Pts; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 327 Points; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 Pts; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 267 Pts; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 263 Pts; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 231 Pts; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 161 Pts; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 151 Pts.

Main Photo: MXGP Start Kegums 2023

Bottom Photos: 1. Jeffrey Herlings; 2. Jorge Prado

The MX2 class has seen the momentum swing in three different directions so far, with Kay de Wolf taking the first three GP wins for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, Liam Everts the next two for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, and now it is the other Husky-mounted star Lucas Coenen who has an active streak of three in a row.  This has seen him climb to second in the standings, 59 points behind his red plate holding teammate.  Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing man Simon Laengenfelder has been knocked back to third, but that is still credible for the German after he suffered a collarbone break in Portugal. He sits four points back from Lucas.

Everts and his teammate Andrea Adamo, the reigning Champion in the class, are fourth and fifth, while Mikkel Haarup has moved up to sixth for Monster Energy Triumph Racing.

De Wolf is the only previous winner at Kegums to line up in MX2 this year, after his perfect 60-point haul in 2023 which earned him his first red plate.  He will be keen to put a stamp on the series again as a GP winner, something he has not been able to repeat since the MXGP of Sardegna, two months ago.  No one else in the class has even stood on the podium at this circuit before, although Lucas Coenen took a second in race two last season.

The big question is now who can stop the Husqvarna express train as they roll into another sandy venue which is where both of their riders are so strong!  It could be a battle of the teammates, but don’t be surprised to see any of the other top seven challengers to fire themselves into contention!

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 396 Points; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 337 Pts;  3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 333 Points;  4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 304 Pts; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 299 Pts;  6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 252 Pts; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 249 Pts; 8. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 226 Pts; 9. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 178 Pts; 10. Quentin Prugnieres (FRA, KAW). 152 Pts.

Main Photo: MX2 Start Kegums 2023

Bottom Photos: 1. Lucas Coenen; 2. Mikkel Haarup

Don’t miss your chance to watch the MXGP of Latvia this weekend. Get your tickets HERE!

All the photos from the MXGP of Latvia will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

TIMETABLE 

SATURDAY: 8:20 EMX125 Group 1 Free practice, 8:50 EMX125 Group 2 Free practice, 9:20 EMX250 Free practice, 9:50 EMX125 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 10:30 MX2 Time Practice, 11:00 MXGP Free Practice, 12:20 EMX125 Group 2 Qualifying Practice,13:00 EMX250 Qualifying Practice, 13:40 MX2 Time Practice, 14:15 MXGP Time Practice, 15:00 EMX125 Race 1, 15:45 EMX250 Race 1, 16:35 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 17:25 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

Kegums
 

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 4 June 2024 – Infront Moto Racing is delighted to have collaborated with Mips, the Official Safety Partner to MXGP, during the Liqui Moly MXGP of Germany. Mips arranged the first European Safety Symposium in Teutschenthal, together with IMR, the FIM, brand partners and Team Mips ambassador Tim Gajser.

Held on the eve of the Grand Prix on May 31st, in the presence of invited media, the Safety Symposium aimed to elevate the conversation of rider safety in the sport, giving helmet safety the attention, and action, it deserves.

Starting with the talent of tomorrow, the MXGP Academy youth riders and their parents were first educated on the importance of choosing protective equipment, specifically helmets, based upon safety as a priority. Demonstrating the ‘action’ to the ‘attention’, each of the aspiring MXGP stars was then given a helmet equipped with the Mips safety system to ensure they are riding with the added safety it affords.

Joining Mips CEO Max Strandwitz on stage were Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo and FIM CMS Director Antonio Alia plus representatives of three brands choosing to adopt the Mips safety system – Fox/Bell, Shot and Thor. Highlighting the rider perspective was Team Mips ambassador and five-time Motocross World Champion Tim Gajser.

Let’s all give helmet safety the attention, and action, it deserves.

Max Strandwitz, Mips CEO: “I am very pleased with our Safety Symposium in Germany. For us we want to elevate the conversation around helmet safety, and bringing together some of our great brands and of course our own ambassador Tim Gajser along with MXGP and the FIM was a really important step in pushing that awareness and action. It’s been a great event with a lot of interest and we’re really happy with the discussions as we continue with our mission to lead the world to safer helmets.”

David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing CEO: “We have great pleasure in welcoming Mips to the MXGP family officially. Safety is always a top priority which we are always pushing to improve, and this shared vision with Mips means we can continue to develop the level of rider safety not just in MXGP but also for the wider sport of motocross. Joining so many key people from our motocross family together to increase the conversation around safety is something we are very happy to be able to be a part of with Mips.”

Antonio Alia, FIM CMS Director: “Developing increased safety systems for our riders is a key mission for us, and it’s clear that Mips shares that vision. Rotational motion is a very important consideration in accidents, which is why it’s now included in the latest ECE 22.06 regulations, but there is always work to be done and Mips are right at the forefront of this. I am confident that all together we can continue to work towards making our sport safer and reducing the effects of crashes, and we welcome this increased conversation around helmet safety.”

Tim Gajser, 5x World Champion: “The sport is developing really fast, the bikes are getting faster, and so the only right thing is that the safety equipment is also developed to be safer, and that’s what Mips are doing. As a rider and an athlete, we all want to have as little equipment on us as possible to feel light, and to know the Mips system is there but not feel it inside the helmet is an amazing feeling. As a rider it’s really important to know that you’re protected.

“Since using Mips with Fox from 2018, I haven’t ridden without Mips. If there’s a safer option available, why wouldn’t you take it? When we go behind the gate we all want to win, but in the end we want to come home safe as well. When you know there is that extra level of safety there it gives you more confidence. ”

“I was also young and you always want that your helmet looks nice, but it’s really important to consider how the helmet is built. For me, it’s the most important thing to choose a helmet on safety and technology, and I would definitely suggest Mips.”

Glen Dempsey, Thor EU: “There is so much that consumers can research on products now, which is great, but as a brand you need to give them the best options possible. That’s why we choose Mips to give our riders, from grass roots all the way to MXGP, the best level of safety for their hobby and sport."

Jean-Baptiste Rollet, Shot: “I think at the moment we need to teach the young generation in particular about the importance of helmet safety because, as Tim says, there is still a big focus on the look and the design. But we all know that crashes are always a risk in this sport. So we need to talk, we need to educate, and to make safety right in the middle of the discussion and thought process behind helmets. This is also why it’s great to have Tim, as a very strong ambassador not only for Mips but also for the sport in general, speaking so openly about safety to encourage other riders to make smart choices.”

Thomas Ramsbacher, FOX, BELL (Revelyst) VP Market Development: “We mind about protecting our riders in the best possible way, and this is what we are always looking for. We will never sell a product where we are not 100% behind its safety and performance, and this is why we use Mips. Let me give an example: all the cars we are now driving have airbag systems. At the end of the day the best situation is when we never feel the airbag, but it’s there and we know it makes us better protected. In the moment when we need it it’s there, and this is the feeling the Mips systems gives our riders. Buying a car without airbags isn’t even a consideration, and it should be the same with helmet choices and the Mips system.”

About Mips

Mips specializes in helmet-based safety and is a world-leader in this area. Based on an ingredient brand business-model, Mips' safety system is sold to the global helmet industry. The technology is based on over 25 years of research and development together with the Royal Institute of Technology and the Karolinska Institute, both located in Stockholm, Sweden. Mips’ headquarter with 82 employees engaged in research and development, sales, marketing and administration is in Stockholm, where its product and technology test facility also is located. The Mips share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Currently, Mips has partnered with over 150 helmet manufacturers. Since its inception, the Mips® safety system has been included in more than 1,000 helmet models worldwide. 

Further information: www.mipsprotection.com

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MIPS
 

MONACO (Principailty of Monaco) 3 June 2024 – The 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship is all set to go straight to Kegums for the MXGP of Latvia on the 8th and 9th of June.

Checkout the Timetable and Entry Lists for the MXGP of Latvia below:

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

EMX250 ENTRY LIST

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing ENTRY LIST