MXGP

Great Britain will count on just two Grand Prix winners in the MXGP class for 2021 and one of those, Shaun Simpson, will be fighting back from a forgettable year of injury and frustration. The 32-year old will again compete in the FIM World Championship and British Championship from the confines of his own team and posted an image on his official Instagram channel last month of six brand new KTM 450 SX-Fs being collected from the Austrian factory in Mattighofen. “Those six bikes will be my race machinery for 2021 and we’re already busy getting the preparations made,” the Scot said.

Converting a stock SX-F into a racer good enough to hold-its-own in MXGP requires a number of modifications and Simpson will again rely on his effective technical collaboration with Dutch specialists Volleberg Motorsports – the tuning acumen behind his 2015 GP win in Belgium. Simpson is currently at his home in Scotland (and awaiting the arrival of his second child with wife Rachel in the next two months) but has work and plans in place both in the UK and his workshop/base in Belgium.

“I have two of the bikes at home with me in Scotland,” he said. “We’ve stripped one already and gone through the engine to make a few adjustments. John Volleberg will tune the heads and we’ll get the unit built-up as a race engine. We try and keep everything as standard as possible, especially with regards to the bottom end and the gearbox; the KTM 450s are generally fantastic, so there is not much more you have to – or need to- do.”

“Overall the six bikes will be stripped down and certain parts replaced, like the HGS exhaust, the carbon fibre from CRM, the X Trig clamps, the Renthal bars, Talon wheels, Michelins, R Tech plastics and then the Enjoy stickers kits,” he adds. “The engines will be tuned by John in Holland and we’ll use the Carrot ECU just to get the whole package sorted. We’ve put the WP 48mm cone valve aftermarket suspension as well as the TRAX shock and, more-or-less, that’s how we turn a stock bike into my KTM race bike.”

Simpson, who won a moto and took 2^nd place overall at the 2020 Hawkstone Park International and was running top five in the Grand Prix of the Netherlands – round two of MXGP – before the Covid-19 induced lockdown, has been off the bike since a practice crash in Austria led to two fractured vertebrae. The recovery time has enabled the multi British Champion to take care of the management side of the SS24 KTM set-up; the squad is now nearing a full year of existence and has managed to retain the same small fleet of loyal sponsors but is on the hunt for more for what could be a racing term of thirty weekends. He is also sifting through the 2020 equipment. “Most of the 2020 bikes didn’t have the hours we anticipated because of the lockdown and the injuries,” he says. ‘So, we’ll modify some slightly and put them up for sale. There’s a chance for anyone to own a SS24 bike actually. Normally we’ll race one and once it has a set number of ‘hours’ then we’ll convert it to a practice bike, use it a bit more, then overhaul it and prepare it to be sold. That’s how it works every year.”

“I’ve kept two of the 2020 racebikes, they’ve done a little under ten hours each and are in really good knick, so they’ll be my winter training bikes,” he adds.

Simpson has fully healed from his injuries and has begun training with Kevin Maguire (the same specialist who helped Dean Wilson and Max Anstie, as well as Simpson on-and-off since 2015). He expects to be back in the saddle for the first time since the summer by mid-December when he aims to start WP suspension testing. “We’re busy in both territories with planning but obviously there is not much we can do in terms of travelling,” he comments. “I’ve been to look at a new training track in Scotland, which is actually sandy, and I’m really happy with that. I’ll be back on the bike in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait.”

After having recently confirmed that Calvin Vlaanderen will be under the Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha awning for the 2021 season, the team are delighted to announce another signing for the season ahead. 

The team have agreed a deal with Belgian talent, Brent van Doninck for the 2021 MXGP World Championship campaign. The Belgian has a lot of GP experience having contested the MX2 World Championship for several years with Factory Kemea Yamaha, DIGA-Procross Husqvarna and Assomotor Honda. 

The 2020 season was van Doninck’s first season in the MX1 class on the 450cc and he spent the year mainly racing in the UK. However, after Vlaanderen picked up an injury he couldn’t race the last three rounds of the championship, so the team drafted in van Doninck in his absence. 

Despite no time on the bike, van Doninck really impressed at the Arco di Trento triple header with overall finishes of thirteenth, ninth and tenth to outline the potential he has. With a full winter to prepare for the 2021 season he could be one to watch out for on the Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha.

Brent van Doninck: “Of course, I am really excited about this deal. Gebben Van Venrooy give me the chance to ride the last three MXGP rounds in Italy and we were all very happy with my results. I know already that the bike is working very well, and I think it will only get better as soon as we start testing. I really cannot wait to start working with the team”

Klaas Hattem (Team manager): “The Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha team are pleased to have signed a contract with Brent van Doninck for the 2021 season. As a Yamaha supported team we are always looking out for young riders with potential and the right attitude. Brent has shown this at the last three MXGP races of the year. We really look forward to the 2021 season with great confidence”.

Photo Copyright: Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 1^st December 2020 – To celebrate this special time of year, MXGP is very proud to present the official 2020 MXGP Advent Race Calendar!

With Christmas fast approaching and MXGP are here to help you count down the days to the most magical time of the year with 24 of the best and most epic races of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar, the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and European Championships!

For the next 24 days, MXGP-TV will unlock a new race every day, which will be available to watch on MXGP’s YouTube channel, starting with day 1, today! 

We kick things off with the opening MX2 race from the MXGP of Great Britain, that saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle claim the first Fox Holeshot of the season, though a small mistake later in the race allowed Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts benefit from that, as he was able to close in and take over the lead, to secure his first race win of the season!

Click HERE to watch the full race, or check it out below.

Don’t miss out on the moment a brand-new race in unlocked for our 2020 Advent Race Calendar and make sure you subscribe to the MXGP YouTube channel! Click HERE to subscribe.

For the 2021 season, the KTM Sarholz Racing Team has signed the talented rider Cyril Genot. The 21-year-old from Belgium will race selected MXGP events onboard the KTM 450 bike. 

Andre Sarholz: “We are excited to have big talented rider Cyril Genot in the team. Cyril has shown his impressive speed already in the motocross circus. Now, we want to support him doing the next steps in his career. If he stays healthy, he will definitely fight for some great results. We are really looking forward to next season”.  

Cyril Genot: “I’m super excited! Andre and the team have been so kind to me throughout these past few weeks. I didn’t have an easy decision to make, staying on the 250 or joining the big guys, but I’m totally ready to give it my all on the 450 SX-F! Together I’m sure we can do great things. I’m really looking forward to 2021”.

Photo Copyright: KTM Sarholz Racing Team

The eleventh issue in 2020 of a monthly motorcycle sport magazine with some of the best interviews, features and Blogs from the heart of MXGP, MotoGP, AMA Motocross/Supercross and WorldSBK as well as tests and reviews of bikes and products from the motorcycling industry. Here are some of the highlights of OTOR #205:

- The Then & the Now: we speak to previous generations of MXGP race winners to ask what they think of the differences in the sport as time marches. Also a look into Hitachi KTM and how Yamaha found MX2 speed

- MotoGP in Portugal: 2020 reaches the chequered flag with a thrilling home performance and discovery of a special new circuit. Blogs and photos inside. Stories with Rossi/Yamaha and Honda

- Blades, Americans & Zach Osborne: more feature articles as Roland rides the latest Honda ‘Blade, we can Zach Osborne at home and the story of Garrett Gerloff

Read it HERE! 

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Arminas Jasikonis is very much on the mend after the Lithuanian rider crashed at the Mantova round of the FIM Motocross World Championship and suffered a serious head injury. Jasikonis has been making small steps forward and looking at coming back to racing in 2021, something we all look forward to.

Team Manager of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory MXGP team Antti Pyrhonen gave us an insight to how his rider is improving and what a great feeling it is to have his good friend on the recovery. No doubt relieved that his rider was able to recover from such an injury and excited for the future together.

“So,” Pyrhonen said. “AJ is basically recovering really well. It was a very serious accident, and he was in a severe condition after the crash in Mantova. He had heavy impact to the head, and he was due to that two and a half days in a medical coma. When he woke up on Tuesday afternoon, he did a very good recovery, an unbelievable recovery actually. He could leave the hospital after a week and then he could travel back to Lithuanian and he didn’t need to go back to hospital or any recovery centre. He moved back home and was living with his girlfriend and doing some physical training and he can now drive his car.”

As for Arminas himself, as he resides in his home with his girlfriend, he can see improvements and is being as patient as possible in letting his body improve slowly as his brain starts to remember things as he comes back to full recovery.

“There are days when it’s worse,” Jasikonis said. “There are days when it’s better, but not bad at all compared to the first days after an incident. I still feel shoulder pain, but I’ve been working on that and since two weeks ago, I started driving a car. Everything happens gradually, I’m on my way forward, but you can’t overdo it. There’s a lot of desire for me, but I can’t do it all at once because I don’t know how the brain will accept it. I started running, the balance is good. In Finland, the medical profession will look at how far I have moved forward. The plan is to come back, it really is, but I can’t promise it. I’d like to be back in half a year. I just slept and woke up. I’m almost unscathed, just a little bit of a shoulder pain at the moment, but I’m working on it now.”

Now, as the winter months give Jasikonis the time to recover without the frustration of watching his fellow MXGP riders enjoying the sport, he can relax and slowly improve his balance, his memory and finally come back to a full recovery.

For the third year in a row team Honda France SR Motoblouz will compete next season in the FIM Motocross World Championship, with a new line-up. Joining the team for the Beach Races Nathan Watson will be back in his favourite series and will have Benoit Paturel as teammate.

A few weeks after introducing the line-up for the Beach Races (Nathan Watson, Lars Van Berkel and Richard Fura, with Matheo Miot as support rider), Josse Sallefranque is pleased to confirm that the SR team will also enter in 2021 the French and World Motocross Championships. He offers Nathan Watson a great opportunity to be back in Motocross, after being forced to move successfully to Enduro and Beach Races and gives another chance to Benoit Paturel who has been unlucky since his move in the MXGP class.

Nathan, third of the 2019 MX of Nations with Team Great Britain, had a taste of MXGP during the last Belgian round of the series, where he scored an eleventh position in one race. Winner of the 2016 MX of Nations with Team France, Benoit scored several top eight results this season despite missing several rounds due to an injury mid-season. Both riders will be trained by Christophe Meyer and will enter the French Elite (first round on March 14th in Castelnau de Levis) and the MXGP Championship (first round on April 3rd in Oman).

Nathan Watson: “I’m really excited to get back into MXGP! I’ve been wanting to get back motocross racing for the last few years and now I have the opportunity, I want to make the most of it!”

Benoit Paturel: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity and want to thank Josse who trust me and offers me a good ride; I’m happy to continue riding a Honda as I have such a great feeling with this bike. It will be nice to work again with a French team, to be back in the French series and I can’t wait to start working with Christophe Meyer.”

Josse Sallefranque: “I’m very happy to have a new and young team, after two years alongside Jeremy who brings us his experience. We will defend our French MX1 title, and in the MXGP we expect to be again the best private team with top twelve results. With our trainer Christophe Meyer, we will offer all our experience and knowledge to Nathan and Benoit; we know their potential, now it’s up to the team to help them to get the results we all expect.”

Photo Copyright: Team Honda France SR Motoblouz

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 20 November 2020 – With the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship settled, this is the perfect opportunity to re-live some of the best moments of this intense season with replays of MXGP’s 26min Behind the Gate Magazine!

Over the next weeks, every Friday, we will unlock a brand-new episode, which will be available on MXGP’s official Facebook and YouTube pages.

This week we will take a trip down memory lane to the opening round of the season in Matterley Basin for the MXGP of Great Britain, as we take a look at everything that happened during the races of the British Grand Prix, including some exclusive behind-the-scenes clips too!

Check out the 26 min Magazine from the 2020 MXGP of Great Britain below:

JM Honda Racing is proud to announce a completely new and exciting rider duo for 2021. Former junior world champion Henry Jacobi and Michele Cervellin will be lining up on the brand-new Honda CRF450R for their second season in MXGP.

Henry Jacobi captured two MX2 podiums and a strong fifth overall in 2019 before moving up to the premier class. The hard-charging 24-year old German rode to a strong MXGP debut in Matterley Basin where he finished 9th but injuries kept him from realising his full potential.

Known for his strong work ethic and determination Jacobi still recorded a promising 8th place moto finish at Mantova 1 and two 11th overall placements. With a good winter preparation, the 2018 ADAC MX Masters champion should be capable of creating some surprises and challenging the MXGP establishment.

Italy’s Michele Cervellin (24) returns to Honda after spending two years in the MX2 world championship on the CRF250R. The double European SX and seven-time Italian champion has made a name for himself with his impressively smooth style and bike control.

After a string of top-5 results and a career best seventh in MX2 two years ago “Micky” adapted quickly to the bigger bike in what was his rookie season in the MXGP class. Cervellin showed flashes of his ability and ran top-10 pace at several rounds. Due to a big getoff in Faenza Michele’s progress was unfortunately halted.

Henry Jacobi: “It’s been a very busy and also quite stressful year for everyone in the motocross world championship. However, this is an amazing way to cap off the season for me! I’m really looking forward to start working with the JM Honda Racing crew. I’m sure to be part of a really good team and it will be cool to tap into all the know-how that Jacky (Martens) has. From the bike to the parts and the support around me I will have everything at my disposal to get good results. When I was on Husqvarna I was already looking up to Jacky because he ran the factory team in MX2, and I wanted to get on that program. Like we all know that didn’t happen, but now I still get the opportunity to work with him and the JM Honda Racing team!”

Michele Cervellin: “I’m really, really happy with this deal! JM Honda Racing will give me a great opportunity to grow as a rider because I will move to Belgium to work closely with Jacky Martens and the team. To take the next step in my career with such a good team is super motivating, I cannot wait to start working for the new season! Of course, it’s also nice to be back with Honda. I was on Honda bikes for ten years; I began on the CRF150R and made my way through the ranks with the brand. Especially now with the awesome new CRF450R the timing could not have been better to re-join Honda.”

Jacky Martens, team manager: “We’re super pleased with our rider line-up for 2021 and very excited about our technical package based on the all-new CRF450R. Our first year in the MXGP class and all circumstances surrounding the past racing season have been extremely challenging, but we’ve proven that the foundation is right. Henry is a very dedicated rider who’s committed to keep improving. He already showed great things in MX2 and there’s no doubt that he can make things happen in MXGP too. As for Michele we’re very keen to provide him with the tools to fully exploit his bike skills. He’s a rider I’ve been following for a while and his first test on the CRF450R was already impressive. To be back on a Honda is like a homecoming for him, for JM Honda he’s the perfect fit to head into the 2021 season!”

Gordon Crockard, Honda off road racing manager: “After the turbulence of 2020, we are delighted to go into 2021 with such promising young riders partnered with JM Racing. When I think of the new CRF450R, it aligns with the JM Honda Racing Team, Henry and Michele in the 450cc MXGP class in many ways, young, fresh, exciting and full of potential. The new riders, with the new bike, in the new season all makes for vibrant energy. I think the MXGP calendar starting point in April is an advantage for our new riders to build development and grow with Jacky and his team. I am very happy and welcome Henry and Michele into our Honda family.”

Photo Copyright: JM Honda Racing / Honda Pro Racing

With the 2021 MXGP calendar was released a week or so ago, we contacted two team managers to ask what they thought of the look of next year’s season, including Antti Pyrhonen from the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and Shaun Simpson from his own SS24 KTM MXGP, with the pair both excited for 2021 to get started.

Pyrhonen who is from Finland knows that it isn’t an easy job getting a calendar organized in such a tough time in the World. He is also looking forward to his own home Grand Prix at the magnificent Iitti-KimiRing road racing facility.

“Yes,” Pyrhonen said. “Sure, I like it. It is very complete and we have good tracks in Europe and we have the overseas and I like it a lot and I hope we can have this calendar, but we all need to wait and see how the COVID 19 situation is. For sure we all learnt a lot this season and Infront Moto Racing managed it well with the protocol, but I hope we can have some public on site in 2021. The track for the Iitti-KimiRing will be typically Finnish sand and the facility is awesome, a brand-new road racing facility. Good training tracks around and a great place.”

Simpson who runs his own privateer effort with SS24 KTM since this year, is always happy to see a new calendar and goes into 2021 with the same attitude and anticipation as he had since he first arrived on the Grand Prix scene more than a decade ago.

“I like the calendar” Simpson said. “You should be motivated to go to the places we go, and it is a tough job for Infront to make a calendar.”

So now, as the competitors and other paddock people nestled into their winter break, the excitement for the 2021 season to begin is already apparent and no doubt, once April comes around and the trucks start rolling into the first Grand Prix, we will see happy faces from around the World, and also from these three men above.