MXGP

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 26 January 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is delighted to share the provisional OAT (Officially Approved Teams) list for the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship!

The provisional list gives a breakdown of all the teams that have currently entered to contest in the 2021 season of racing, along with the riders who will represent them. At present, the list features over 30 teams that will take part in the MXGP and MX2 Championships next year.  

With more than 30 teams entered, a large group of the fastest riders in the world and a packed 20-round racing schedule, the 2021 MXGP season will no doubt showcase more of the best action that motocross has to offer!

The 2021 Provisional OAT MXGP & MX2 Lists can be viewed in its entirety below:

Click HERE to download the complete OAT List

Click HERE to download the MXGP OAT List

Click HERE to download the MX2 OAT List

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JWR Racing is proud to announce the rider line up for 2021, with Russian Vsevolod Brylyakov joining the team line-up.

Seva will pilot the second Honda machine in the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship for JWR Racing. Seva in no stranger to the team, having worked together in 2019. As a team we know he trains hard and has not reached his full potential yet. We are super excited to have him on the team again. Seva has good experience from his years as a top rider in MX2 and is a rider that never gives up.

The plan for 2021 is to go for top 10 results in the MXGP series with Vsevolod Brylyakov along with the Dutch Championship. We are building a strong team for the future and want to work with a rider who does not give up and has the speed and we see that in Seva as we see with Miro as well.

On top of this we will run two 450 European Open riders in the EMX Open class the two young promising riders from Sweden Jeff Oxelmark and Maximilan Eriksson who will ride the Swedish championship also for the team.

Vsevolod Brylyakov: “I will definitely be happy to return to the World Championship MXGP!

I have been away for a whole year and of course I have to catch up! But I will say this, after such a calm year at home, at the moment I am full of strength, motivation, energy and will to succeed. And I think that all people who know me or follow my career also know that I am far from being done and far from my limit in this sport due various unpleasant moments! But now we are here, back in the ranks, and ready for an exciting new chapter in my career and life!”

Johan Westermark (JWR Honda Racing Team Owner): "We have the team that we want now. We had a plan with Seva already last year but due to COVID-19 it did not happen but now we are loaded with a strong squad. He works hard and gives it his best.  I know he can ride a bike and has showed very good speed before if you have been on a MX2 podium you have it, and we want to work with speed. Seva will be an asset for the team and good training partner to Miro also. So now we can look ahead and focus on 2021 and then prepare 2022 for the next chapter for JWR Racing”.

Photo Credit: JWR Honda Racing 

While some are enjoying that well-deserved ‘off-season’ break, others already have their sights set on the 2021 season. Not too long ago, a provisional calendar of the FIM Motocross World Championship was released featuring 21 venues, 5 of which are new to the series!

With the 2020 championship season concluding so late in the year, due to COVID-19 and the numerous changes that the racing calendar endured, the racing will kick-off later than usual this year, as the first gate drop is scheduled for the 2^nd – 3^rd of April.

In the latest issue of the MXGP Magazine, we take a look at the provisional racing calendar and the awesome venues we are set to visit in 2021! Read the full feature HERE!

With 2020 now out of the way and the 2021 season drawing closer and closer, there is a positive vibe among the motocross community. Riders are now working hard to be ready for the opening round, set for Oman on April 3.

Infront Moto Racing President, Giuseppe Luongo, is excited and also happy that the season should run well, and while he knows that there could be some roadblocks, he also knows that being optimistic is the only way forward, no matter what the future brings.

“Never give up and think positively,” Luongo said. “Have an open mind and be ready to make any changes which in normal circumstances you would never think to do. We follow closely the evolution of the virus and the vaccination, I believe we will know more at the end of February, but our goal remains to make a full championship with spectators, even if we have to start one or two months later than the actual calendar.”

Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing Team rider Pauls Jonass, who is working his way back from injury hopes that we can do the calendar that is in place, as he is excited to once again travel the world and race on circuits like in Argentina, or Indonesia.

“I like the calendar,” Jonass said. “When I look at it, I hope it goes like that, and if it stays like this then everything will be fine”.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing's Jeremy Seewer is coming off the back of his best season of his career, with a GP victory and some really strong results.

“Honestly,” Seewer said. “I saw it, but I didn’t look too close yet. We need to see how COVID is and what happens there, but the calendar looks alright. If we started the season like normal (In February), it would have been too tight, not enough time to recover and get ready again. It seems fine to start later. I am not complicated, and I hope we can start going overseas and see the GPs like before.”

So now, we all wait, and hope that as we arrive to April, that we all get on a plane and head to the exotic places in the middle east and enjoy some great racing and a little sunshine in Oman.

The Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing team have already confirmed Calvin Vlaanderen and Brent van Doninck for the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship season but the team are excited to make another rider announcement.

The experienced Belgian rider Kevin Strijbos will be the third rider In the Dutch MXGP team. The team is convinced he can bring his knowledge and experience to the team in order to perform even better during the upcoming season.

Strijbos will participate the MXGP World Championship as well as the Dutch Masters of Motocross. The Belgian has a lot of experience with developing and will help the team with the testing side of things.

The MXGP World Championship is scheduled to get underway at Oman on the 2nd and 3rd of April and the team are very motivated for the upcoming season.

Kevin Strijbos: “I have signed the contract with Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha for 2021. I am happy that they did everything in their power to try and make it work. Also, from my side, we both wanted to make it work and we did it the best way we could. I’m really happy that we could find an agreement so I can go on for another year.

“I am looking forward to getting back on the Yamaha, I think it’s a great bike already from stock. Looking at last year I think the Gebben van Venrooy bikes are really good so I can’t wait to throw my leg over the bike and see how it goes. I want to thank Gebben Van Venrooy Racing for this opportunity, my sponsors like HENS because they’ve been there for me the whole time since I’ve been racing GP’s. He’s a friend, a private sponsor for me and always been a big help so a big thanks for making it work. I am happy with how everything is looking for the season ahead”.

Klaas Hattem (Team manager): “The Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha team are delighted to confirm this agreement with Kevin Strijbos. The team are delighted to have such an experienced rider to support the younger riders with their further development in MXGP. Kevin will contest the MXGP World Championship in 2021 as well as developing the YZF450 Yamaha for the team.

There is no doubt that with the experience Kevin has he can help bring more balance to the team. It is important the riders have a benchmark in training that ensures they can make each other stronger. Kevin Strijbos has a lot of experience, is well structured and can certainly contribute to bringing the team to a higher level. The structure of the team fits in seamlessly with Yamaha Motor Europe Branche Benelux (YMBNL) who supports the Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha team”.

Photo Credit: Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing Team

The Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team is pleased to welcome Ivo Monticelli to contest the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship in Green.

For the first time in its long history KRT will line up an Italian rider to race alongside Romain Febvre. Twenty-six-year-old, Ivo Monticelli will enter his tenth season in the FIM World Championship and his fourth in the MXGP class. After finishing in the top five at several rounds of the premier class in 2019 Ivo defied a persistent knee injury last season to regularly claim top ten results and showed resilience to end the season with top eight results during the last few GPs. Based in Lommel, Ivo had surgery immediately after the final round of the 2020 MXGP series and is now ready to start riding the KX450-SR Kawasaki. Both Ivo and Romain will work closely with Jacky Vimond as the French coach has renewed his cooperation with the team managed by team owner Thierry Chizat Suzzoni assisted by technical manager, Vincent Bereni.

Ivo Monticelli: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join KRT and a factory team; there aren’t so many factory rides in MXGP so for me it’s an honour and a kind of dream-come-true. I already spent some time with the staff and everything feels perfect! I didn’t test the bike yet as I had knee surgery after the last GP; I struggled with my knee all-season-long so the doctors cleaned it up and fixed the meniscus which had a small crack. I had to rest for a few weeks but I was able to start training physically and now I’m ready to test the bike; it’s just a matter of days now and I can’t wait to ride the KX450-SR. I already start working with Jacky Vimond and the team physiotherapist; I’m so happy to work with such professional people. I have known Jacky for a long time but it’s the first time in my career that I have had the opportunity to work on a daily basis with a trainer; I’m sure it will help me to improve a lot with all these people around me. My aim is to be consistent; I really want to race for top-five results and I’m sure that it’s possible if everything runs to plan. I’m sure that I will learn a lot racing alongside a former world champion like Romain; I can’t wait to start riding with him.”

Thierry Chizat Suzzoni (Team Owner): “We are very happy to have Ivo with us; he has plenty of experience as it will be his fourth season in the MXGP class and we’re convinced that he will be a good representative for Kawasaki and our main sponsors Monster Energy, Motorex and Alpinestars. I’m sure that working with two former world champions - Romain and Jacky - will help Ivo to make the next step and be regularly in the top ten of the races. Concerning Romain we now know each other very well after one year together; when he joined us last year he had to miss the first two rounds due to a former injury but he showed that he’s a podium contender and I’m sure that he will again be fighting for victories and podiums. He now has a perfect synergy with the KX450-SR, he has a strong motivation and we have every faith in his ability; we know that you need consistency to be champion and that several riders have the same goal but we are confident.”

Steve Guttridge (Kawasaki Motors Europe - Racing Manager): “Very late last season we wished our MXGP veteran Clement Desalle a happy retirement which left us with some big (Alpinestars) boots to fill inside KRT for this season. We met with Ivo as a potential candidate at the final round, his home race in Italy. His targets and motivation were immediately clear and impressive! So, the team will work hard on his testing programme and his KRT machine package whilst Ivo on his fitness, speed and riding skills. With those proven combinations in place, I’m sure that we will see some impressive race results from Ivo within this season”

About Ivo Monticelli:

Birth Date: 16/08/1994

2020: 15th in the MXGP World Championship

2019: 11th in the MXGP World Championship

2018: 23rd in the MXGP World Championship

2015: 16th in the MX2 World Championship

Photo Credit: Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 14 January 2021 - Infront Moto Racing and Milestone are pleased to announce the release of MXGP 2020 on PlayStation®5. The latest chapter of the beloved series of the official FIM Motocross World Championship, is now coming on next-generation along with a lot of exclusive features.

Thanks to the innovative DualSense Controller, MXGP 2020 will have amazing haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, giving a real dirt bike experience to players. Additionally, PlayStation®5 gives the opportunity to upgrade resolution up to 4K with strong 60 FPS, increasing details and immersion for a smoother motocross experience. Last but not least, riders who really love competition will now have the chance to compete in online races up to 14 players.

In MXGP20 you can enjoy the adrenaline of the current MXGP season, competing with 68 riders from MXGP and MX2 categories on all the 19 circuits of the season. Building your career starting as a rookie will be just the first step for glory: players will be able to join an official team or build their own one, personalizing their experience to fit their dream as a competitive rider. Track Editor is back with some new features added in. With Heightmaps feature, players can replicate the real MX tracks configurations, often built on hills and mountains, adding realism and all the challenges that real riders face during races. Four different types of terrain will allow players to choose and customize the element in order to create the track of their dream. Those tracks could be shared online with friends and community.

MXGP 2020 on PlayStation®5 is available from January 14^th, 2021.

LINKS

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The motocross world has been saddened by the news that Belgian motocross legend Joël Robert passed away at the age of 77 on Wednesday 13th of January 2021 after a cardiac arrest.

Robert was an inspiration for many of the upcoming talents in Belgium, after becoming the youngest World Champion at the age of 21 when he secured the 250cc title in 1964. He then followed that up with five more titles, two more with Czech brand CZ in 1968 and 1969, and then three consecutive wins with Suzuki in 1970, 1971 and 1972.

In addition to the impressive six world titles, the list of achievements includes 250 victories in both the 250cc and 500cc categories, as well as a with at the Motocross des Nations with Team Belgium in 1969, alongside teammates Roger De Coster, Jef Teeuwissen, Sylvain Geboers and Jaak Van Velthoven.

Following his career, Mr Joël Robert remained involved in racing, and was the Team Manager for the Belgian Motocross of Nations team between 1997 and 2006, during which time the Belgian’s won five times.

His impressive career received a special recognition by the FIM in 2019, which celebrated all his achievements. He also joined in the festivities as he awarded the trophies to the 2019 FIM World Champions in the off-road disciplines.

Copyright: Photo: FIM

There is no doubt that Gautier Paulin has earned himself a spot among some of the most successful racers in the FIM Motocross World Championship since he first made his debut in 2007. While his first two seasons were a learning curve, since then the Frenchman has consistently secured himself as one of the main championship protagonists, with success in both MX2 and MXGP. In the last 14 years, Paulin has racked up a total of 59 podiums, 30 race wins and 12 Grand Prix victories, not to mention those 5 consecutive Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations titles with Team France!

But much like anything in life, all good things must come to an end eventually and it was towards the end of the 2020 season, that Paulin announced his decision to take a step back from racing.

Looking back on his career, the 30-year-old has had quite the journey, that saw him consistently challenging at the top end of the field and become known as royalty at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. Having represented Team France for 11 years, those 5 consecutive wins between 2014 and 2018 are a standout for the Frenchman, who always seemed to be on a whole another level when it came to the annual team event.

MXGP sat down with the Frenchman at the end of the 2020 season, to re-live some of his best moments of his racing career and to learn more about his journey to the top – here is Gautier Paulin in his own words… Read the full interview in this month’s MXGP Magazine HERE!

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 7 January 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is thrilled to share that the 89^th issue of the MXGP Magazine is now online!

The January 2021 issue of the monthly online magazine features a special interview with Gautier Paulin who talks about his impressive racing career, his success at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations and more!

The 89^th edition also includes the Racing Catch-up which takes a look at the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar, along with two extra features about the 2020 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion Courtney Duncan and MXGP-TV’s newest OTT platform!

Additionally, this month’s Hall of Fame will take a look at Vladimir Kavinov racing career, as well as more throwback moments in our vintage bike section!

You can find all this plus more in the 89^th issue of MXGP Mag, which you can download for FREE on the Apple Store or Google Play.

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.

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