The FIM Motocross World Championship continues this weekend with the second round of the series heading to Mantova for the MXGP of Lombardia, an event that will also see the women kick off their world series.
Last season, Mantova was at the forefront of some of the most memorable moments from the 2021 season and even in history of the sport, including the victory of Team Italy on home soil at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, the intense title showdown between Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and the last race of the legendary Antonio Cairoli.
This time around Mantova will have a lot to live up to, but, if the actions of the British Grand Prix last weekend, are anything to go by, nothing less can be expected.
Joining the MXGP and MX2 stars this weekend will be the EMX250 and Women’s Motocross World Championship riders, including New Zealand’s defending champion Courtney Duncan, for the opening rounds of their respective 2022 campaigns.
New Zealand’s Courtney Duncan (Kawasaki No.1), prepared and eager to defend her women’s world championship crown in 2022, starting this weekend in Mantova, Italy.
Honda star Gajser will enter the second round with the red plate on his 450cc bike. There is no doubt that the Slovenian will look for that 1-1 that he so narrowly missed out on in Matterley Basin, after he crashed out of the lead in race two.
Gajser has won twice in Mantova, which was back in 2016 and 2020, but another win could be highly likely if he carries the momentum on from his weekend in Great Britain.
There to keep him on his toes once again will be Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who finished overall runner-up last weekend and won the second race after fending off Gajser for most of it.
The starts have been a big advantage for Prado, who has been able to get out in front early doors, so the same can be expected this weekend as he will once again battle for the podium, especially the top step which he is yet to achieve in Mantova in the MXGP category (although he did win there in the MX2 class in 2019).
Dutch defending world champion Herlings and Febvre will once again miss out on the Grand Prix, with their return yet to be confirmed.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, Maxime Renaux and Glenn Coldenhoff were out in full force in Great Britain with the trio finishing third, fourth and fifth respectively.
For Seewer, it was his first time ever finishing on the box at the opening round of the championship and he will no doubt be motivated to make it back-to-back podiums and add a second GP win in Mantova, to the one he got in 2020, which was also his first ever GP victory in the MXGP class.
Meanwhile Renaux was impressive to say the least on his first outing in the MXGP class, so it will be interesting to see if he can bring this competitiveness once again.
MXGP rookie Jed Beaton from F&H Kawasaki Racing Team delivered some strong results during his first race in the premiere class finishing sixth overall. It would be nice to see him at the sharp end again this weekend as he gets to grips with the new category.
Same goes for Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez who looked promising in Matterley Basin.
The Spaniard got unlucky in race one but had a much stronger second race where he placed fifth and definitely has the potential for something more in Mantova.
Alberto Forato of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery was also impressive at the British round as he delivered his first top 10 overall result of the season, finishing seventh. Heading to his home round, it would be nice to see him build upon his previous result.
While his fellow countryman Alessandro Lupino of Beta SDM Corse will hope to bounce back after a disastrous first outing with the new team. Lupino did not finish either of the MXGP races and therefore scoring zero points last weekend.
For Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis it was much of the same, as the Lithuanian struggled in both races. He DNF’d race one and placed 20th in race two and will no doubt be looking to improve in Mantova.
Photos courtesy MXGP
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MXGP – World Championships top 10 classification after round one:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 43 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 35 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 30 p.; 7. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 28 p.; 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 24 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 23 p.; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 23 p.
MX2 – World Championships top 10 classification after round one:
1. Simon Längenfelder (GER, GAS), 50 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 36 p.; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 33 p.; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 27 p.; 7. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 27 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 22 p.