MXGP

The 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix concluded in Shanghai, with over 250,000 spectators flocking to the circuit to mark the 20th anniversary of F1 in the city. H&H Sports hosted an impressive MXGP Exhibition at the Shanghai International Circuit, drawing a crowd of more than 80,000 visitors at the MXGP booth throughout the event.

During the Exhibition, the motocross culture and world was showcased, offering an immersive VR experience that left attendees very excited at the prospect of having MXGP coming in Shanghai in September. This provided a fresh perspective for people and children from urbanized location who may not typically have access to motorcycles; sparking a newfound excitement and understanding. Additionally, the extensive display of MXGP introductions, motorcycles, and top-of-the-line helmets garnered significant attention, prompting countless spectators to pause and capture the moment with photos.

A lottery was drawn from hundreds of people from the crowed, and the lucky winner received a professional Just1 J-GPR helmet. A lot of leaders from Fengxian Sports Bureau attended the MXGP booth adding to the enthusiasm and support.

The buzz generated further elevate the popularity of MXGP in China with this success, the MXGP of China in Shanghai promises to be triumphant!

Reigning EMX250 Champion, Andrea Bonacorsi, will step up to the premier class with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team for the remainder of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season, replacing Maxime Renaux who is currently sidelined through injury. 

Bonacorsi, alongside Calvin Vlaanderen, will race a YZ450FM in the premier class following his impressive 450cc debut last year, where he finished third in the Open class at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France. 

The recently turned 21-year-old Italian steps up to the premier class off the back of his best result in his MX2 debut season last time out in Trentino, where he claimed third place in Race Two. Bonacorsi is now fully focused on testing his new YZ450FM, as he looks forward to making his MXGP debut at the fifth round of the Motocross World Championship in Agueda, Portugal. 

Andrea Bonacorsi

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider

“I’m looking forward to moving up to the 450 class. It wasn’t an easy decision after showing that I can run up front in MX2 in Trentino, but I feel like the 450 suits me much better, and my potential is much higher on this bike. My goal will be to learn the bike as quickly as possible and to improve weekend by weekend like I was already doing in my rookie season in MX2. So, for me, the approach will be the same, just in a new class.” 

Alexandre Kowalski

Yamaha Motor Europe Off-Road Racing Manager

“After a challenging start to the season with Jago (Geerts) and Maxime (Renaux) side-lined through injury, we needed another rider to join Calvin (Vlaanderen) on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team. As a rider who is perhaps better suited to the 450 due to his height and weight and after a long chat in the winter in which he expressed his wish to move up, Andrea Bonacorsi was the clear choice. ‘Bona’ raced a YZ450FM at the Motocross of Nations last year, and he was impressive, finishing third in the Open class on his 450 debut. He has just turned 21, and we have already seen what he is capable of. We have full confidence in his ability and believe he will make a great addition to the team. 

While we look forward to having Bona onboard and seeing him progress throughout the season as he builds in confidence and experience, we also look forward to the eventual return of Jago and Maxime, and wish them the absolute best in their recoveries.”

Photo Credit : YAMAHA

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 24 April 2024 – Infront Moto Racing is thrilled to announce that the tickets for the MXGP of Latvia are now available online!

Prepare yourself for an exciting experience as Kegums will host for the 9^th time in a row the FIM Motocross World Championship on the 8^th and 9^th of June.

In 2023 in Latvia, Jeffrey Herlings in MXGP and Kay de Wolf in MX2 dominated their class to climb on the top step of the podium! Who will be the ones to rise to the top this season… Prado, Gajser, Febvre or maybe Herlings again? Let’s find it all out and get your tickets HERE

The MXGP and MX2 classes will be joined by the EMX250 along with the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing.

Considering an upgrade to VIP? Elevate your experience with the VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass - available HERE!

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Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Kegums

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider Jago Geerts is working hard to come back from an injury he picked up at the opening round of the 2024 MXGP World championship, in Argentina in early March. The Belgian, who damaged his elbow and collarbone in the crash, had an operation and is currently recovering at his base in Monaco.

“I had an operation,” Geerts told us. “Because the elbow was also dislocated and they put it back it in Argentina, but some things were in the wrong place, then I had to get some screws in to get it back in the correct place. In early April, I got a check-up and normally after that, I can start doing some exercises and get some mobility back in my elbow.”

Living the life of a high paid athlete does have its benefits, with Geerts resting up in Monaco, and splitting his time in Belgium, where he visits his doctor. While missing racing terribly, Geerts still gets to enjoy some of the things, he usually misses as a full-time motocross racer.

“I stay mainly in Monaco, but I do go back to Belgium to go to the hospital and then I go back to Monaco. Well, it is different now for sure and I start to do some physical things and I am going to the physio every day now, but for sure, I try and enjoy life a bit different now, but I am waiting to get back on the bike, because I already miss it a lot. I can go for a coffee or walk around the city, go to eat and now we have more time to do that than just training and it is different, but I try and enjoy that now. Now just a lot of work on my injuries to get them healed as fast as possible.”

As for a return to racing, the goal is the very tough circuit of Belgium, in the homeland of Geerts and while it might be a tough place to return after months off the bike, Geerts is just happy to have a goal to follow and hopes his body will be fully recovered by the time the MXGP of Flanders comes around in August.

“Yes, I do have a goal for coming back. I want to come back for Lommel, as it is now, Lommel should be possible and then we will see in a few weeks how the injury is healing, if it is longer, or shorter, but for now I am looking at coming back for Lommel.”

Injuries for any rider isn’t fun to see, and for the quiet, but always respectful Belgian, we all hope he can make that home GP return and then build as the final part of the season heads into the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, where he will no doubt want to represent the Belgian team, along with more than likely Liam Everts and Lucas Coenen.

Photo Credit : FullSpectrum 

The latest episode of the acclaimed documentary series Behind The Gate is now available on MXGP-TV, giving a full account of the gruelling MXGP of Sardegna!

Episode 3: “Rock ‘N’ Riola” takes you deeper into the action from the sandy circuit, with a spotlight on the new Fantic Factory Racing team. Their veteran rider Glenn Coldenhoff gets into a spot of bother on the drive to the circuit, and new signing Brian Bogers tells of his off-season worries and sudden call-up to race factory machinery!

Kay de Wolf tells us the secrets of his blistering pace in the sand, as well as the real story behind his blistering move for the lead in MX2! Watch for the moment when his front wheel looks ready to burst through your screen!

The Gabriel SS24 KTM team is a new full-time outfit to the MXGP paddock, so Team boss and former GP winner Shaun Simpson, in his own unique style, introduces us to the team and its riders Josh Gilbert and Cas Valk. 

Cas’ sister Lynn Valk and leading WMX racer Lotte van Drunen take us through the challenges for the top female racers on the planet as they battle brilliantly in the heat of Riola Sardo!

With stunning action you won’t see anywhere else, as well as in-depth analysis from MXGP Commentator Paul Malin and Presenter Lisa Leyland, Behind The Gate continues to show the colourful characters behind this beautiful yet brutal sport. See it first on MXGP-TV!

WATCH EPISODE 3 |“ROCK ‘N’ RIOLA”

When Red Bull GasGas factory rider Jorge Prado failed to win the Saturday qualification race at round one of the 2024 MXGP championship in Argentina, it was something of a surprise, as he had owned the qualification races throughout a lot of the 2023 championship winning season.

Last weekend, his Saturday disappointment hit an all time low as he lost his seat, while running second in the qualifier, had to pit for a new seat and then finished way down in 17th place.

So, with a horrible start gate for Sunday and then a third-place finish in the opening MXGP race, it looked like maybe, Romain Febvre and Tim Gajser had unlocked the door to beat the Spaniard. Wrong, Prado went into the second race of the Sunday and was quick to tell his mechanic on the start line, about his intentions, and his intentions was to win.

“I told my mechanic I was going to win the second one,” Prado said. “I went to the gate saying that to myself and I was able to do that. I felt I could win, and it is something you just feel, and I felt it going into that race. I had a perfect start and coming into the first corner, I went on the inside and that was exactly what I thought before the start. Then I thought, okay, I just have 30 minutes to make it happen and stay focused. They were putting pressure, and I could hold and hold, and I made it happen.”

No doubt in the form of his life, Prado won his fourth Grand Prix in a row, something he hadn’t come close to doing in his previous seasons on the 450 machine. Confidence sky high, and momentum on his side, its going to be tough for his competition to stop Prado this year and he knows it.

“I think I am at my best right. I have never won four in a row in the 450 class, not even two in a row. I am just feeling very good, and I feel I am making the difference and physically I am in really good shape, and I feel I can turn any situation around. Today I was really not feeling good with the track and felt it was very dangerous. I just had to go through it with my fitness and push.”

When victory comes and you are not feeling comfortable about the circuit you are racing and you have the type of bad luck Prado had on Saturday, that shows a man who is very much in control of his destiny.

“I didn’t feel good on this track, the bike was losing grip everywhere and it was kicking around. I was just not one with the bike and I know this track doesn’t allow you to be super smooth, not like in Spain, where you could play with the ruts. Here you have to be tight and so slippery, and I finished P3 and that was enough to win the GP.”

While conditions didn’t suit Prado, his mental edge over his rivals is obvious and he isn’t backing down on his momentum and victory run. The Red Bull GasGas rider is heading to Portugal in two weeks with only victory on his mind.

“Mentally I am really doing well, but I still keep my feet on the ground and I work every day and I still have that margin to improve and I wake up every day with that in mind and working hard and being first motivated me even more, because it makes me happy for the work I am doing and tonight I will sleep really well knowing I am giving it 100% and doing it on the track. Winning just makes me work even harder.”

So, unbeaten until now and going to a circuit he has won at on three occasions in the past. One of the most successful riders around the Agueda circuit and in all-time best form, would anybody bet against him in round five of the 2024 MXGP championship?

Photo Credit: GASGAS

Home to one of the most spectacular venues on the calendar, the fourth round of MXGP that took place at the foot of the saw-toothed Dolomite mountains in Pietramurata, Italy, did not fail to deliver!

Adding a vibrant twist to the already stunning landscape, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams rocked up to the Grand Prix decked out in Yamaha's iconic white and pink anniversary livery.

Inspired by the 1993 YZs, the eye-catching design celebrating 50 years of Yamaha's championship-winning YZ brought a burst of energy and camaraderie to the paddock. "Only real men wear pink!" Calvin Vlaanderen smiled. "You look like a Barbie, a really beautiful Barbie, though," his trainer joked. Throughout the weekend, the uplifting effect of the retro livery was undeniable.

Thriving in the loud and energetic atmosphere typical of an Italian Grand Prix, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2's own Italian stallion, Andrea Bonacorsi, took everyone by surprise. "You see! You were thinking I was not fast! But I come, eh? Don't worry, eh! Be happy!" Andrea grinned. While ‘Bona’, the reigning EMX250 Champion and one of MX2's most exciting young rookies, finally showed what he is capable of with an epic third-place finish in Race Two, the biggest relief was for his teammate Thibault Benistant.

As a rider that has been pegged as a title contender, Thibault finally uncorked a bottle of prosecco after putting his YZ250FM on the box! "Finally! I had to wait too long for this one," the French star said. "Actually, I can be happy, because I didn't ride that good today. I was quite tight, so to be on the podium with such s*** riding, was not too bad."

In between the talk of all things Italian, such as pizza, prosecco and ‘dragons of the night’, Calvin Vlaanderen was FAST! "I felt so good this weekend," the South African said, "I was P1 in Free Practice, P3 in Time Practice, but crashed in the qualifying race. I cross-jumped the triple, landed off the track and went down, so I had to come from last to P7, which was actually really good."

Calvin finished sixth after another average start in Race One but bounced back in Race Two with a lively start followed by a hard-fought second-place finish. He missed the podium by a mere 3 points! "Race Two was fun," he said, "I really enjoyed running up front with the guys. At one point, I could see Jeremy (Seewer) coming, so I just focused on putting in two or three good laps, and then I saw I had a 3-second gap on him, so I was super happy with that. I just kept my focus ahead on (Jorge) Prado, to see if I can keep the pace, and we managed that. It was nice!"

The MXGP of Trentino brought together adrenaline-pumping action, colourful team spirit, and a glimpse of how fast the Yamaha boys really are. With its stunning location and some incredible moments, this round has been one for the memory bank.

Photo Credit: YAMAHA