While ‘back in the day’ sports like motocross were typically considered ‘a man’s sport’, such a statement couldn’t be further from the truth in this day and age. Today, the FIM Motocross World Championship is full of leading ladies who have taken up a role in all areas of the sport from media to mechanics, to riding and managing teams and everything else in between!
It’s exciting to see women taking centre stage and breezing through some of the toughest roles in any sport, proving that gender has no limits when it comes to getting the job done. And while there are still steps to be taken to further diversify the industry, there’s no doubt in the fact that women are well and truly making their mark and helping the sport reach new heights.
MXGP Magazine caught up with some of the leading ladies in the MXGP paddock to learn more about their background, the role they play in the industry and what is like to work in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
With so many ladies to talk to and learn about, the special feature has been split in two parts with the second part coming next month!
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 17 May 2021 – Infront Moto Racing and Gaerne step into another season of FIM Motocross World Championship together to continue their firm partnership in 2021.
Gaerne has established itself as one of the leading boot brands in the motocross industry and has been a part of MXGP for many years now and this upcoming season we will continue to see the Italian brand inside the most competitive off-road championship in the world!
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 quality mountain wear, before the firm’s growth saw the brand move into other sectors including the production of motorcycling boots and then cycling shoes in the mid-seventies and eighties.
Gaerne’s SG-12 is the top of the range boot designed for those who aspire to rise above the competition and are the choice of top MXGP and MX2 stars, such as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis and Thomas Kjer Olsen, as well as, Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing riders Isak Gifting and Simon Langenfelder, Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Kevin Strijbos, Brent Van doninck and Calvin Vlaanderen.
In addition, you will also see Team Maddii Racing Fantic Factory riders in Gaerne boots during the 2021 season, along with Shaun Simpson, Jimmy Clochet and others!
The 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.
To find out more about Gaerne visit their website www.gaerne.com
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 12 May 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is very excited to announce the opening of ticket sales for the MXGP of Great Britain, that is due to take place at the famous Matterley Basin venue on the 26th and 27th of June.
The FIM Motocross World Championship is excited to welcome back the British Grand Prix to the 2021 racing calendar this summer and even more for the fact that fans will be able to join us for the occasion!
Matterley Basin will hold the second round of the series, hosting all of the fastest MXGP and MX2 riders in the world on Sunday, along with the additional EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing support classes on Saturday.
The venue located in Winchester, England, offers the viewing for fans, with almost the entire racing circuit visible from any spot around the track.
Don’t miss out on an exciting weekend of racing as Great Britain welcomes back the FIM Motocross World Championship! Get your tickets HERE!
MONACO (Principality of Monaco), 12 May 2021 - Infront Moto Racing is pleased to announce that the partnership with Vertex Pistons will continue for the 2021 and 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship seasons.
Vertex Pistons are the multi-titled pistons that for decades have accompanied the champions of off-road specialties to victory, thanks to the solid know-how that the Italian manufacturer has begun to develop since 1953, the year of its birth. An innovative technology that has produced a line of high-performance racing products developed specifically for motocross, enduro, rally and Moto3, thanks to which the Vertex Pistons brand has become the reference in the sector.
Vertex Pistons won several awards in the recent 2020 racing season, over 20 world titles starting with the MXGP one achieved by Tim Gajser on the Honda HRC underlined by the 2nd place of Jeremy Seewer, who also relied on Vertex performance as well as Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin who classified respectively in 4th and 5th place.
In MX2 Vertex Pistons was instead a protagonist with Jago Geerts and Maxime Renaux, who finished the 250cc season 2nd and 3rd overall, also obtaining the constructors' title with Yamaha, while in the FIM Women's World Championship it was Dutch Nancy Van De Ven who put Vertex on the podium, finishing the season equal on points with the champion.
The results obtained by Vertex Pistons in enduro are also exceptional, where the riders equipped with pistons made in Reggio Emilia have won 18 world titles: the entire podium in the Enduro GP, Enduro1, Enduro2, Enduro Junior and Enduro Junior1 classes, the victory in Enduro3 and the first two places in Enduro Junior2.
The 2021 season will see Vertex Pistons equip the bikes of the best enduro and motocross teams, including the likes of Team HRC, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory, KTM Marchetti, Honda Assomotor and Gas Gas SM Action.
The Vertex Pistons product range is not limited to pistons, as the Italian company also distributes major technical component brands on the market such as Wrench-Rabbit, All Balls Racing, Arrowhead EP, Cylinder Works, Fuel-Star, Hot Cams, Hot Rods and Pivot Works.
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 10 May 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is pleased to share that the May issue of MXGP Magazine is now online!
The 93rd edition of the monthly magazine features Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team on the cover as we see how the squad are preparing for the new season and how it is dealing with some of the changes within the team.
The May issue also looks at the women in the FIM Motocross World Championship with the ‘Leading ladies in MXGP’ special feature, along with a look at the ‘Road to Maggiora’ as the iconic Italian circuit prepares for its comeback in 2021!
In addition, the Vintage Bike section features Mickael Maschio’s 2002 Kawasaki KX125, while this month’s Hall of Fame features Australian Andrew McFarlane, as we dive deeper into his racing career!
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.
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 6 May 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce the newest MXGP partner, FC-Moto, who will join the FIM Motocross World Championship for the next three years.
FC-Moto is one of the world’s largest online stores (www.fc-moto.de) for motorcycle clothing and equipment, with over 150,000 items from more than 150 well-known brands in the industry, offering great prices with worldwide shipping.
The company started out in 1996 with a small retail store in Aachen, Germany, and three years later the FC-Moto online shop launched as one of the first online shops in the motorcycle sector. Since then, the one-man company has developed into a young and dynamic team of 120 employees and today delivers to customers all over the world.
Infront Moto Racing is thrilled to welcome FC-Moto and to begin this exciting brand-new partnership that will continue to take motocross to the highest level.
David Luongo, CEO of Infront Moto Racing: “We are very proud to announce our new partnership with FC-Moto. After one of the most challenging years of the history of the sport industry, MXGP continues to show its fantastic development. We cannot wait to start this exciting season and welcome the fans on-site!”
Farshid Chalatbari, CEO of FC-Moto: “We are proud to announce our partnership with MXGP for the next 3 years and would like to support the Motocross World Championship MXGP and promote motorsport in general!”
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 5 May 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce the extension of agreement with Automoto La Chaine, that will see the FIM Motocross World Championship, including the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations broadcasted in France in 2021 and 2022!
For the next two seasons, the French TV channel will broadcast the MXGP & MX2 races LIVE on Sunday, providing the French motocross fans with even more coverage of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Infront Moto Racing is delighted to continue working with Automoto La Chaine in order to bring more exposure to motocross worldwide.
About Automoto La Chaine:
AUTOMOTO, LA CHAÎNE, part of Mediawan, is the leading channel dedicated to motoring in France. Bringing together experts and automotive superfans, AUTOMOTO, LA CHAÎNE offers the best competitions, original lifestyle TV shows and premium documentary series.
Created in late 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, Mediawan soon became one of the main independent European studios producing premium content. Mediawan brings together best-in-class talents in audiovisual creation by operating on the entire value chain: production of drama, cinema, documentary, animation and unscripted shows (Mediawan Studios) thanks to over 50 production labels in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland and Senegal, but also distribution of audiovisual content (Mediawan Rights, LS Distribution and Telmondis Distribution) and publishing of channels and digital services (Mediawan Thematics).
The JM Racing Honda MXGP team is in full preparation for the start of the coming FIM Motocross World Championship season. The team enjoyed a positive winter preparation period and the Honda CRF450 provides a solid base with which to go on the hunt for MXGP success.
During the long period, the team focused primarily on training to maintain rider fitness. They also utilised the time to fine tune the Honda CRF450 bikes according to the wishes of the riders. Now that the date of the first GP has been announced as 13 June in Russia, the team will increase the intensity of their preparation work, aiming for a good kick off to their GP campaign.
"We have a great winter preparation period behind us. The Honda CRF450 is simply amazing, and the riders are in rapture over the bike. In Henry Jacobi and Michele Cervellin, we have two good riders, and I expect that we will be able to make strides forward with them. It will be a long season, seeing as there will be races all the way into December, but we are ready and anxious for the first drop of the start gates, "Team owner Jacky Martens said.
"The atmosphere within the team is great and everything blends well. Last year, I was too overawed by the big names in the MXGP class, and I want to establish myself as a contender this year. I want to take the battle to them and see how we progress. It is great to have an experienced person like Jacky by your side. He has helped me so much already with bike settings, and that boosts my confidence greatly, "Henry Jacobi said.
"The season is coming soon and I am so anxious for the start gates to fall. I feel great in the team environment and I am confident that we can jointly make great progress. I started bike training a bit later than ideal due to a slight wrist injury, but we still have time until the first GP kicks off. We will do a lot of bike training in the coming weeks so that we are fully prepared, "Michele Cervellin remarked
MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 30 April 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is proud to announce that JUST1 and MXGP have extended their partnership for the upcoming 2021 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
JUST1 Racing, a top helmet, goggle and racing apparel manufacturer based in Italy, was founded back in 2011 and has been part of MXGP since the beginning. Following another successful season of the FIM Motocross World Championship, this partnership has been extended for another year.
The brand is also part of the H&H Group, who organised the very successful 2019 MXGP of China in Shanghai, which saw Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado victorious in the MXGP and MX2 categories.
JUST1 Racing have had real success in the FIM Motocross World Championship, securing five world titles – 2013 with Klemen Gercar (MX3) and 2015 and 2016 with Tim Gajser (MX2 and MXGP), along with two Women’s World Championship titles with Courtney Duncan in 2019 and 2020.
During the upcoming season, many of the top FIM Motocross World Championship teams will be using JUST1 products, including Beta SDM Corse, with Jeremy Van Horebeek and Jimmy Clochet, along with SM Action Racing Team’s Alberto Forato, Andrea Adamo and Kevin Horgmo, as well as the entire JK Yamaha Racing, DRT Kawasaki Racing’s Courtney Duncan and Wilson Todd, and MRT Racing Team KTM, to name a few.
Additionally, the JUST1 Racing NERVE MX goggle will offer clear vision throughout the year to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP riders Arminas Jasikonis and Thomas Kjer Olsen.
Infront Moto Racing are very pleased to continue the partnership with JUST1 Racing and look forward to a successful 2021 season.
Back with an extraordinary line-up in 2021, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP & MX2 teams are looking fast and motivated as they set their sights on the first FIM Motocross World Championship gate-drop of the new season.
Boasting some incredible stats and a wealth of experience, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team will line up with three popular names inside the premier class, MXGP. Jeremy Seewer will remain on the team for a third consecutive season (fourth with Yamaha) and will be joined under the awning by hot new recruits, Glenn Coldenhoff and Ben Watson.
Spearheading the outfit in 2021, five times silver medallist Seewer hopes to steer his YZ450FM to the top step of the podium. "I've finished second in the world five times, two times in MX2, two times in MXGP and one time at the Junior World Championships" the 26-year-old Swiss rider said, "and these are not bad stats, you know, but of course I want to win, and yes, I think I can!"
"Usually, we race in 19 different countries and on different tracks, sand, hardpack, hot, cold, winter, summer, you know, so it's such an open book," Seewer continued, "it just takes a lot, a lot, a lot and at the base, I think it's hard work from everybody."
Seewer's search for World Championship glory will not come without a challenge from his new teammate Coldenhoff. "Yeah, I think there's a lot of hard work," the 30-year-old Dutchman agreed, "not only for myself, but I also think from the whole team. I think I was ready for a big change this year, which I actually did, and I really feel good already within the team. I feel like I have really good people around me, and the goal will always be to get the world title."
While his teammates strive for more race and Grand Prix wins, 23-year-old rookie Ben Watson hopes to soak up their knowledge and experience as he gets set to get his feet wet. "For me it's a really big opportunity, to join the Yamaha Factory MXGP team" he said "and something I'm really grateful for because obviously the beginning of the season in MX2 last year, it wasn't going really the way I wanted and the opportunities to show myself were coming less and less. Fortunately, at the end of the season I found myself and started to ride how I know I can, so it was definitely my time to take this step to the 450."
Yamaha has a strong strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions from within its own ranks, and as Watson progresses up the Yamaha Racing pyramid, so too will young Yamaha stars Maxime Renaux and Thibault Benistant as they join title favourite Jago Geerts inside the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team for 2021.
"It means a lot to me to become a Yamaha Factory Rider for the MX2 team. For sure, it was a goal. It's the highest team in the MX2 class that we can have in Yamaha" Renaux said.
It's no secret that Yamaha is on the hunt for FIM Motocross World Championship glory as the riders aim to secure the MX2 Championship gold plate while defending Yamaha's title as the MX2 Manufacturer of the Year.
"I will try to fight again for the world title," Geerts stated. "The benefits of staying in the same team for a couple years is you get to know the people very good and we made really some improvements with the bike this year, for sure suspension wise and setup of the bike."
As 21-year-old Geerts gets set to focus on consistency, his 20-year-old teammate Renaux is not holding back… "this year I really want to get back on the top step of the podium" the Frenchman said, "I want more moto wins, more GP wins, and to do better let's say."
Meanwhile, Benistant is enjoying the move from the GYTR kitted YZ250F to the fully-fledged Factory YZ250FM. The 18-year-old sets his sights on a promising rookie season. "Of course everything is a little bit different," he said, "the engine, suspension, everything is a little bit more strong and to be a rookie, I think I have a little bit less experience than the more older, but it's similar because we have almost the same hours on the bike, just not in the same championship, in MX2 I won't have pressure. I know what I need to do and I'm working for."
The 2021 FIM Motocross MXGP and MX2 World Championships are expected to kick-off on the 13th of June in Orlyonok, Russia.
