Italy’s Andrea Adamo finished the weekend third overall at the Italian GP at Maggiora Park, but it was easily enough for him to clinch the 2023 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship title.
The Italian capped a consistent first season as a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider by bringing the team a 15th title in 20 years and is the tenth different racer to earn the gold plate with the KTM 250 SX-F machine.
A rainy climate in northern regions of the country created a soft, wet and muddy first day of the Grand Prix of Italy at the historic Maggiora Park circuit.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing came to the steep hillside venue with Adamo and Belgium’s Liam Everts in 1st and 2nd positions in the MX2 championship and with chances to confirm the title at this 18th round of 19.
Adamo, cheered on by a noisy supportive home crowd, took 4th position in the qualification race on Saturday while team-mate Everts was 17th.
Sunday was sunny, and the improved weather helped to dry a rough and slippery course.
Despite the risks, the pressure and the near misses, Adamo was able to ride to 3rd position in the opening race just ahead of Everts in 4th.
The Italian had carried a 48-point lead to Maggiora.
He made a gain on Saturday and again after the first moto. Everts didn’t have the best start in the second outing while Adamo was able to move up from 5th to occupy another top three slot.
When Everts crashed out of 5th just before the finish line with three laps to go then Adamo mathematically secured the MX2 crown in this third full season in the class and his first with the potent KTM 250 SX-F.
Everts was unhurt but failed to finish and is now third in the standings but tied on points with Simon Laengenfelder and only four points behind the weekend’s winner Jago Geerts, from Belgium.
The British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin will drop the curtain on the MX2 title chase and the MXGP calendar.
Adamo and Everts will not be able to rest too much. Both will represent their respective countries at Ernee, in France, for the Motocross of Nations on October 8.
“I cannot believe it. This really is like a dream,” said Adamo at the end of his weekend.
“Thank you to everyone. I came to Maggiora not thinking about the GP win and mainly about the first chance to take the title. I’m really happy with my motos.
“They were very consistent even though I didn’t have the best starts. It wasn’t easy but I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture too much and just wanted to enjoy the races.
“I saw Liam when I came through to start the last lap and that wasn’t so nice but this is part of the sport. I hope he is fine.
“An unbelievable day for me. Maybe I got lucky at times this season but every single race I tried to do the maximum I could: sometimes it is P2, sometimes P5 and sometimes P1. Nothing more. I can accept when someone is faster than me and I held this strategy all season; now I’m world champion!”
Tony Cairoli, Red Bull KTM team manager said: “We finally did it! Andrea took his first title in what was a surprising season because we didn’t have this expectation at the beginning of 2023, but he rode well from the start of the year and showed that he could be a contender.
“He made good results and also some wins and was the strongest all the way through.”
There is a single fixture left on the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship calendar – The Grand Prix of Great Britain, round 19, will be held on September 24.
Photo courtesy Ray Archer & KTM
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RESULTS & STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 18 of 19:
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), 34:26.934; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:06.611; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:12.500; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:14.193; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:14.994; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:15.897; 7. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:19.805; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:24.197; 9. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:25.117; 10. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Husqvarna), +0:25.709
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), 34:50.402; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:02.578; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:35.057; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:36.125; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:36.580; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:50.681; 7. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:56.675; 8. David Braceras (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:58.744; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Honda), +1:06.447; 10. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), +1:08.017
MX2 – Grand Prix Top 10 Classification:
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 47 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 47 p.; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 30 p.; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 30 p.; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 30 p.; 7. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 30 p.; 8. David Braceras (ESP, KAW), 20 p.; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, HON), 20 p.; 10. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 20 p
MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 779 points; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 706 p.; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 702 p.; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 702 p.; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 558 p.; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 541 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 531 p.; 8. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 523 p.; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 493 p.; 10. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 377 p