MXoN

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain) 05 October 2024 – The 77th Edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations burst into life today at the Matterley Basin circuit, as the RAM Qualifying Races took place to decide the gate picks for tomorrow’s main races, as well as putting the top 19 teams into those races and not the dreaded B-Final!

The winners of the MXGP, MX2, and Open class races each helped their teams into the top three overall, as recently re-crowned MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado took the MXGP class win, former double World Champion Tom Vialle the MX2 RAM Qualifying Heat, and AMA Supercross Champion Jett Lawrence easing his way to the Open class victory.

With great back-up from Ruben Fernandez, Team Spain have earned themselves the first gate pick ahead of defending Champions Team France and last-year’s runners-up Team Australia.

Behind them, Team Great Britain produced a brilliant fourth place in front of their home crowd, with Team Germany dealing brilliantly with the last pick on the gate to finish the day in fifth.

As expected, the line-up produced some epic battles between several modern-day legends of Motocross to give us a tantalising prospect for the main races tomorrow!

Fresh from the conclusion of their year-long battle for the MXGP World Championship, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing talisman Jorge Prado fired around the fast first corner at Matterley in the top two positions.  Prado had been fastest in the morning Free Practice session, and immediately took the lead into the second corner, as Gajser had to deal with his fellow HRC rider Hunter Lawrence, Kawasaki Racing Team’s number 1 plate holder Romain Febvre, and the Standing Construct Honda of Alberto Forato!

Immediately into the fray, wearing the unfamiliar #52 on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine, was Jeffrey Herlings, but shortly after passing Forato for fifth, the Dutchman fell in the corner after the GoPro waves and gave himself a big fightback to take on.

From the very outside of the gate due to his team drawing the final choice of start position, Ken Roczen had fought through with customary intensity on his HEP Motorsports/Progressive Suzuki to pass Forato for fifth before the end of the first lap. 

As Prado streaked away out front in his familiar style, “The Bullet” was charging back through the pack. Passing the JM Honda Racing machine of Brent van Doninck on lap four, then Forato again a lap later, suddenly Herlings was under pressure from the rider many consider to be his stateside equivalent: Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Eli Tomac!  Amazingly, the highly decorated duo then caught up to Roczen, and fans were treated to three of the most famous off-road racers of the last decade battling for fifth position! Jeffrey got through with three laps to go, but Kenny was able to hold off Eli for sixth.  Forato took eighth ahead of Swedish JK Racing Yamaha rider Isak Gifting and the Kawasaki Racing Team pilot Jeremy Seewer, whose Swiss team had drawn a starting choice only one place better than Germany!

There was one last twist at the top, however, as Hunter Lawrence fell in some difficult ruts from third on the final lap, gifting Febvre third place, but Prado won by over five and a half seconds from Gajser, making it the perfect start for Team Spain!

 Jorge Prado: “Happy for team Spain, sitting first now in the in the classification for tomorrow so number one gate pick is also important over here. I had a good start as the guys were coming in fast from the outside but I could control it and have a good breaking into turn two. The track was quite sketchy with so many ruts it was crazy. I had to be very focused all the time and couldn't afford any mistakes so I lost a front at one point I almost went down but for the rest it was a good good race I had fun I love the ruts so let's see how it goes tomorrow”

Main Photo: Jorge Prado

Photos: 1. Tim Gajser 2. Romain Febvre

RAM Qualifying Race MXGP – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 24:12.517; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:05.630; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.471; 4. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:23.964; 5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:25.547; 6. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:31.869; 7. Eli Tomac (USA, Yamaha), +0:38.105; 8. Alberto Forato (ITA, Honda), +0:46.176; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +1:04.284; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +1:05.276 

He may have been away from MX2 racing for the two years since he won his second world title, but Tom Vialle proved that he can still pull a great Fox Holeshot for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the start of the MX2 Ram Qualifying Heat, while behind him it was a sea of blue bikes as Cooper Webb and Max Anstie on their Monster Energy Star Racing Yamahas were joined by the teenage Karlis Reisulis on his Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 machine!

However, Team HRC guest rider Kyle Webster was looking to impress on his European debut and made a great move through the third corner to claim second place! Sadly for him, three corners later he lost balance and fell onto an inside bank, dropping to fifteenth.  A further fall and recovery saw him back to thirteenth by the finish, but Team Australia must be pleased that he has the pace to back up the Lawrence brothers in tomorrow's main races.

Webb, on unfamiliar 250cc machinery, dropped back to an eventual seventh, but Anstie was on the move, holding second ahead of the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing duo Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen, who had used Team Belgium’s first gate pick draw to recover from a poor jump at the gate and salvage a good position on the first lap.

By lap four the top two in the MX2 World Championship this year had both got past Anstie, but Vialle was already a distance ahead of them. Simon Laengenfelder had battled from the poor German start gate and was up to fifth for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing by the halfway point. On lap seven, he pulled a stunning round-the-outside pass on the Monster Energy Triumph Racing hotshot Camden McLellan, who was trying to pull South Africa into a Qualifying position.

On the same lap, De Wolf crashed out of second, freeing up Coenen, the fastest in Free Practice, to tear up the circuit in pursuit of Vialle. Behind Webb, Mikkel Haarup fought through from a bad start to take eighth for Monster Energy Triumph Racing, with Oriol Oliver’s WZ Racing KTM in ninth and Red Bull Factory Racing KTM’s 2023 MX2 World Champion Andrea Adamo in tenth.

Coenen mercilessly closed on Vialle in the closing laps, but the Belgian got an off-camber rut slightly wrong and fell with two laps to go, denying him the chance of improving on second. Laengenfelder made a last lap pass on Max Anstie to claim third, with De Wolf fifth ahead of McLellan.

Vialle’s win put Team France in a leading position from the first two races ahead of a surprising Germany and Spain in third.

Tom Vialle :  “was excited for that. I was like, Lucas, obviously, is the man of the championship. Him and Kai are really close, and I was like, okay, I took the hard shot, and I really want to win that moto. Lucas was catching me a little bit, and then I pushed again the last three laps, and I could win so it was really nice to start the weekend like that I mean the qualification are not always... that's not where you win but it's really important. That's pretty good”.

Main Photo: Tom Vialle 

Photos: 1. Lucas Coenen 2. Simon Laengenfelder

RAM Qualifying Race MX2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 24:42.952; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:09.653; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:16.742; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), +0:22.311; 5. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:26.730; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:42.113; 7. Cooper Webb (USA, Yamaha), +0:47.414; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:47.931; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:58.805; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:58.966 

With a late switch to the MX Open class, Team HRC’s Jett Lawrence was fastest in Free Practice ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP pilot Maxime Renaux.  However, few would have predicted the Fox Holeshot being taken by Brazilian Champion Fabio Aparecido dos Santos on his Yamaha Monster Energy Geração machine!

The South American proved to be no pushover however, as Team HRC’s Spanish fast starter Ruben Fernandez took nearly a lap to get past, as Lawrence and Renaux also just worked past Dos Santos before the end of the first full circulation.

Lawrence was racing with his customary style and flow, and made the pass on Fernandez for the lead, at the bottom of the biggest uphill jump on the circuit, look like a piece of cake.  From there, Lawrence, Fernandez, and Renaux held station, with the battle brewing behind them!

Crendon Tru7 Honda rider Conrad Mewse, with the locals in the crowd urging him on, had passed Fantic Factory Racing star Glenn Coldenhoff for sixth on lap two, and closed in on Dos Santos, who had Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP pilot Andrea Bonacorsi already giving him hassle! The Brazilian lost both positions in the space of two corners, before an inspired Mewse got past the Italian a lap later!  The Brit was relishing the technical conditions, and his fourth position put the host nation in fourth for the day!

In the end, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Team USA star Aaron Plessinger fought through to sixth behind Bonacorsi, ahead of the Schmicker Racing KTM of Cornelius Toendel from Norway and the TEM JP253 Racing KTM of Slovenian Jan Pancar. 

Coldenhoff had a mechanical issue drop him down the order, but The Netherlands still claimed sixth on the day ahead of Slovenia, Belgium, USA, and Italy. After his holeshot heroics, Dos Santos finished in tenth spot, with Brazil qualifying for the main races in 16th.

Jett Lawrence did look ominously fast in this division, but the truly mouth-watering clash will come in the final race of tomorrow’s programme when all the 450 men are together!

It promises to be an enthralling spectacle on a superb circuit, so don’t miss out on this incredible day’s racing at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations for the Chamberlain Trophy!

Jett Lawrence: “On the start, my holeshot button came down at the bottom. So I kind of messed up my start a bit. But yeah, following Fernandez for the first, what was it? Ten, five minutes, I would say. So it was good. Got a little bit of a battle the first lap, going back and forth. It was fun. The track's pretty tricky. You definitely can't override it. It's fun just to kind of hop around, bounce around like a kangaroo, you could say. We got the win. So nice P3, same as last year. Let's hope we just get some better starts for tomorrow.”

Main Photo: Lett Lawrence

Photos: 1. Ruben Fernandez 2. Maxime Renaux

RAM Qualifying Race Open – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS, Honda), 25:03.375; 2. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:06.145; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:24.348; 4. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Honda), +0:38.368; 5. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:45.036; 6. Aaron Plessinger (USA, KTM), +0:46.068; 7. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), +0:56.545; 8. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:58.669; 9. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +1:00.169; 10. Fabio Aparecido dos Santos (BRA, Yamaha), +1:04.762

Nations Qualification - Top 10 Classification: 1. Spain 3 pts 2. France 4pts 3. Australia 5pts 4. Great Britain 8pts 5. Germany 9pts 6. The Netherlands 10pts 7. Slovenia 10pts 8. Belgium 11pts 9. USA 13pts10. Italy 13pts

All the photos from 2024 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.
 

WEEKEND TIMETABLE (CEST)

SUNDAY: 08:35 B-Final Warm-up, 09:20 bLU cRU 125 Race, 10:00 MXoN Group 1 Warm-up, 10:20 MXoN Group 2 Warm-up, 11:00 B-Final, 12:40 Parade Lap, 13:10 MXGP & MX2 (MXoN Race 1), 14:40 MX2 & Open (MXoN Race 2), 16:08 Open & MXGP (MXoN Race 3).

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXoN Matterley Basin

Monster Energy

MATTERLEY BASIN (United Kingdom) 5 October 2024 – Infront Moto Racing is thrilled to officially announce that the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will return to Ernée, France in 2026. After the unforgettable success of last year's event, fans can once again look forward to witnessing the world's best motocross riders battle it out on the iconic and one of the sport’s most beloved venues.

With the great support of the Motoclub of Ernée, FFM and an outstanding team of organizers led by Philippe Lecomte, the confidence is high in that the 2026 event will be in the continuity of the very successful past events run in Ernée. The 2026 edition promises to be electric once again with an always fierce French team aiming for victory on home soil backed by the incredible supporters and an atmosphere charged with passion from fans across the globe.

Infront Moto Racing CEO, David Luongo: “Today is a big day for announcements. I think everybody still remembers last year’s Motocross of Nations in Ernée. So, here we are today to announce that the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations will be returning to Ernée in 2026. For all the French fans and everyone with those great memories from last year, you can already prepare to return to this beautiful racetrack in Ernée. The event will once again be organized by Philippe Lecomte and his team, who delivered what many consider one of the biggest events in motocross history. We are confident that their efforts will raise the bar even higher than last year. We will have a competitive French team, and it's a great pleasure for us to work with Philippe and the FFM on this project. France is a country with a passionate motocross fan base and we will come back regularly. Every time we have a race in France, the public turns out in massive numbers. The atmosphere is always fantastic. So, it’s a big honour for us to return, and we can’t wait for 2026 already. Great news for motocross!”

FFM Motocross Comission President, Jean-Pierre Forest: “We are very happy to return to Ernée for the Motocross of Nations, and we want to thank the Motoclub of Ernée and Philippe Lecomte for organizing an amazing event last year and another one in 2026. We are collaborating with the Motoclub of Ernée and the FFM, and this collaboration is what truly makes the event great. We regret that Philippe Poirier (FFM President) could not be here, but he is ecstatic about this news. I would also like to thank David Luongo and Infront Moto Racing for the excellent collaboration we have with both Infront Moto Racing and the Federation. We are really excited to return to Ernée."

Moto Club Ernée President, Philippe Lecomte: “We are so happy to welcome the Motocross of Nations once again. Last year was amazing, and we are excited to repeat the experience. All of our partners are ready to join us in this project and we need every one of them to make it happen. The staff and volunteers are prepared and eager to run the event, and they are just as excited as we are. Lastly, I would like to thank Infront Moto Racing, the FIM, and the French Federation for their confidence and support. Thank you."

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM
 

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain) 4 October 2024 – The 2024 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations Media Day at Matterley Basin built the expectation with the Teams Press Conference in the Media Centre, followed by the crescendo of the Teams Presentation in front of a massive crowd of fans who made sure the teams knew they were behind them!

The Teams Press Conference gave the top teams a chance to state their expectations for the weekend ahead and express their gratitude for being able to represent their countries. The line-up included the strongest teams such as  Team France, Team Australia, Team USA, Team Spain, Team Germany, Team Italy, Team Belgium, Team Switzerland, Team Netherlands, and finally the home squad of Team Great Britain.

Defending Champions Team France will run the #1, #2 and #3 plates this weekend, and have kept their winning line-up from last year. The machines of Romain Febvre, Tom Vialle, and Maxime Renaux will also run the red plates, and many of their passionate fans, already in fancy dress and face paint, have crossed the English Channel to make their support known at maximum volume!

Team Manager Gautier Paulin: “The three riders co-operate super-well, they know each other, they have a nice memory together from last year, so it’s been a great week so far.”

Last year’s runners-up Team Australia have made a late tactical switch for the weekend, putting Hunter Lawrence into the MXGP category, and Jett Lawrence in the MX Open class, meaning that he will race some of the other leading contenders in just the final race of the day.  It’s an interesting move as they attempt to grab their first ever MXoN victory, and many in the green and gold have made the massive journey to support their boys!

Team Manager Michael Byrne: “These boys want to win bad. They’re used to winning, they’ve all had a great season. All three of them have won Championships before, everybody’s healthy, but you never know at this race, anything can happen.”

Photos: 1. Team France at the Team's Press Conference 2. Team Australia
 at the Team's Press Conference

Team Germany return with last year’s individual MXGP winner and global superstar Ken Roczen, as well as Simon Laengenfelder and the veteran Max Nagl, all trying to improve on last year’s fourth position to get onto the overall podium.

Ken Roczen: “After so long away from it, last year felt like my first time at the Nations again! Coming back to Matterley Basin, this has been my favourite track for a really long time. Granted, I haven’t been here since 2011, it’s been a really long time, but I think this track is right up my alley, so it was a no-brainer for me to come out and race.”

The most successful nation in the history of the MXoN, Team USA, are optimistic about their chances to win again despite some last-minute changes due to injury, with the final line-up of Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, and Aaron Plessinger trying to improve from their eighth position from Ernee last season, and the riders were instantly impressed by the Matterley Basin circuit.

Team Captain Eli Tomac: “We just finished walking the track, and it looks like it has a good flow to it, the first turn looks nice, it’s very deep, like maybe the deepest we’ve ever run here, but yeah we’re ready, and it looks nice! A podium is OK, but winning is all that matters. You don’t go home really happy unless you win.”

Photos: 1. Team USA at the Team's Press Conference 2. Team Germany at the Team's Press Conference
 

With the new double MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado in their ranks, Team Spain will come with high confidence to make a great result, especially after drawing a strong fourth gate pick for the RAM Qualifying Races. Ruben Fernandez and Oriol Oliver will once more join the Champ to try and climb their first ever MXoN podium.

Team Captain Jorge Prado: “I’m always happy to represent Spain, it moves a lot of people to come to the event, and the track is nice, bigger jumps than we usually have in MXGP, so we try to enjoy the track. My job is done for the season, it’s nice to ride with no pressure and enjoy the riding.  I feel way more relaxed, for like a few months it’s been difficult to sleep because I’ve been worried about the title. I’ve had a great week, just enjoying life, and now we are here to do our best for the Spanish team, enjoy the weekend, and hopefully we have a great Motocross of Nations.”            

Team Great Britain closed the Press Conference, and all three riders were hopeful of repeating their 2017 podium finish, with Max Anstie back to the circuit where he took the win in that event, joined by Tommy Searle and Conrad Mewse. 

Team Manager Mark Chamberlain: “For me with selection, I have to pick on current form when it gets to this level, and for me these three were the best guys to do the job this weekend.”

Photos: 1. Team Spain at the Team's Press Conference 2. Team GB at the Team's Press Conference

Then came the moment to introduce the 36 teams participating in the battle for the Chamberlain Trophy this weekend. Each country proudly presented their trio of riders who will carry their flag at the 2024 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. The riders embarked on a small tour by the starting gate, each team on the back of a RAM Truck, in front of a boisterous crowd who have only just begun to enjoy the weekend-long party that is the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations!

Cheers, horns, hooters, and bladeless chainsaws greeted each team, and the volume increased as the major players of Team Spain, Team Italy, Team Germany, and Team USA made their way out in front of the crowd! Team Australia, Team France, and finally the home squad received a huge response from the patriotic British fans. Every team knows how much their fans will be behind them as Nations fever grips the slopes of Matterley Basin!

Today’s events, including the press conferences and the team presentation, are available to watch on MXGP’s YouTube channel, while the racing this weekend will be streamed LIVE on www.MXGP-TV.com

You can find the results of the ballot which determines the starting grid for tomorrow HERE! Watch the full video of the Team Press Conference and the Team Presentation to the crowd on MXGP’s YouTube channel

WEEKEND TIMETABLE (CEST)

SATURDAY: 08:00 bLU cRU 125 Free/Timed Practice, 08:40 bLU cRU 85 Free/Timed Practice, 09:20 bLU cRU 65 Free/Timed Practice, 10:00 MXGP Free Practice, 10:50 MX2 Free Practice, 11:40 Open Free Practice, 13:10 bLU cRU 65 Free/Timed Practice,13:45 bLU cRU 85 Race, 14:30 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race, 15:30 MX2 RAM Qualifying RACE 16:30 Open RAM Qualifying Race, 17:30 Paddock Show. 

SUNDAY: 08:35 B-Final Warm-up, 09:20 bLU cRU 125 Race, 10:00 MXoN Group 1 Warm-up, 10:20 MXoN Group 2 Warm-up, 11:00 B-Final, 12:40 Parade Lap, 13:10 MXGP & MX2 (MXoN Race 1), 14:40 MX2 & Open (MXoN Race 2), 16:08 Open & MXGP (MXoN Race 3).

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXoN Matterley Basin

Monster Energy