Making history, enjoying both GP winning results and stand-out rookie performances, while also frustratingly seeing riders sidelined through injury, GASGAS Factory Racing have successfully completed the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Ending the season in style, Isak Gifting placed fifth overall in the MX2 class on his MC 250F at the MXGP of Garda Trentino, courtesy of the super-Swede’s 6-3 results. Gifting’s DIGA Procross teammate Michael Sandner enjoyed another point-scoring GP, securing 20th overall on the day. In the MXGP class, Standing Construct’s Ivo Monticelli enjoyed some time out front on his way to securing 13th overall.
Isak Gifting joined the DIGA Procross Factory Juniors team at round nine, arguably becoming the stand-out rider of the 2020 MX2 World Championship. Since then, he’s done nothing other than deliver impressive results and the MXGP of Garda Trentino was no different! A sixth-place finish in the opening moto set a positive tone for the day, with the MC 250F rider charging to an impressive third in race two. In claiming fifth overall, it elevated the Swede to 12th in the final championship standings despite the only contesting 10 of the 18 rounds.
Isak’s teammate Michael Sandner also ended the season strongly, scoring points despite crashes in both races. Since joining the DIGA Procross team, Sandner’s shown true determination by battling for position in each and every moto, with the Austrian’s best overall result of 12th coming at round 16.
In the MXGP class, Standing Construct’s Ivo Monticelli fired out of the gate to claim the race one holeshot! Leading for two laps, he showed he has the pace to run up front in the MXGP class before disaster struck. With a rock damaging his front brake it forced the Italian to slow his pace, dropping down the running order and ending the moto in 17th. Frustratingly, moto two didn’t see Ivo produce quite the same start as he had in the opening race. Battling for position just outside the top 10 for the whole moto, he claimed 12th for 13th overall. In a season blighted by injuries and illness, Monticelli enjoyed four holeshots along with five top-10 moto finishes on his way to placing 15th in the final standings.
Absent from the tail end of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship was Standing Construct’s Glenn Coldenhoff. After claiming GASGAS Factory Racing’s maiden MXGP moto and overall wins during the summer, the Dutchman was poised to secure a top-three championship result. Unfortunately, a heavy crash at round 13 ended his season early and despite missing six rounds, he finished eighth in the final standings.
Enjoying a successful first term in MXGP, GASGAS Factory Racing secured their first MXGP overall win, multiple holeshots in both classes, podiums, and top-five results throughout the year. Now, with the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship complete, the Standing Construct and DIGA Procross teams will take a well-earned rest following 16 Grands Prix within the last 13 weeks.
Isak Gifting: “A great end to the season for me. I felt good on the bike all day and it showed in the results. Physically I felt strong, which is good this late in the season. Another podium finish in race two is another great result for me and the team. Joining the team to end the season as a fill in rider has been fantastic. It was a great opportunity that I grabbed with both hands and it’s been a great experience. It has helped me to improve every part of me. My physical strength, my mentality, and most of all, my riding. Knowing that I will return to the DIGA Procross team for next season means that I can focus on my training over the winter. I am in good hands with the team and I can’t wait for next season to start already!”
Michael Sandner: “It was a big a struggle for me today but I still scored points in both races, which is good. Some mistakes in both races cost me some positions, which is disappointing and in the first race I was in the first turn crash so it was good to get into the points in that one. Being part of the DIGA Procross team for just over half of the season has been an amazing experience. I am really thankful for the opportunity and the team has been great to me. They are so professional and welcomed me into the team and I’m happy that I was able to score points for them in nearly every race. Thanks guys.”
Ivo Monticelli: “The final GP of the year started off so well for me with the holeshot in race one. I then led for two laps, which was nice, and it was good to be up front and race with the top guys. A good start is what I’ve needed and I got it, so I was really pleased with how my race was going. Unfortunately, a few laps into the race a rock damaged my front brake, so it was difficult to stop for corners and caused me to crash a few times. Race two was ok, but it was difficult to pass, so 12th was the best I could do. This season has been very challenging, with a shoulder injury, stomach virus and a sprained ankle but I always gave my best effort. I had four holeshots and one today so it’s always nice to be leading races! Overall, not quite the season I was looking for but I have to thank the Standing Construct team. They have been behind me the whole time and built me a great bike. We’ve been together two years with many highlights so I wish them well for the future.”
Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 18
MXGP – Overall
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 47; 3. Gautier Paulin (Yamaha) 38… 13. Ivo Monticelli (GASGAS) 13
MXGP - Race 1
1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 19 laps, 33:44:705; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 33:46:651; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:12:297… 17. Ivo Monticelli (GASGAS) 35:34:374
MXGP - Race 2
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 19 laps, 33:53:636; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:09:613; 3. Gautier Paulin (Yamaha) 34:13:000… 12. Ivo Monticelli (GASGAS) 34:56:195
MX2 – Overall
1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 45; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 41; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40… 5. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 35; 20. Michael Sander (GASGAS) 7
MX2 - Race 1
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 19 laps, 34:05:231; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:11:364; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 34:12:349… 6. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 34:20:038; 19. Michael Sandner (GASGAS) 35:57:662
MX2 - Race 2
1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 19 laps, 34:17:030; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:17:918; 3. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 34:31:996… 16. Michael Sandner (GASGAS) 35:48:952
Championship Standings – After Round 18
MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 720pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 618; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 599… 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 375; 15. Ivo Monticelli (GASGAS) 219
MX2
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 759pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 679; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 581… 12. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 248; 29. Michael Sandner (GASGAS) 67; 30. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 59; 32. Jeremy Sydow (GASGAS) 35