Jorge Prado has been the class of the MXGP pack since the first round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship and cemented that position earlier on – he was crowned world champion with three motos to spare. The championship was the first for GASGAS' MC 450F. Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing finished the historic day with another double podium.
Jorge Prado clinched his world title via a brilliant victory in the first moto – the power within his MC 450F helped him jump into the early lead and he controlled proceedings from that point on. A minor fall in the second moto robbed him off the overall victory – he eventually ended sixth and lost the win via a tiebreak – but the grand prize was firmly within his grasp. 10 pole positions, 219 laps led, 16 Grand Prix podiums and 14 moto wins underline the dominant campaign that resulted in him being crowned champion. The statistics that Prado compiled will become a benchmark for years to come.
Jorge Prado: "I am so happy! It is a pity about that mistake in the second moto, but I am the new world champion. So much hard work has gone into this, from myself and the team, and I knew that I could make this happen. I have held the red plate since round one – I cannot ask for anything better. This is a dream."
Simon Längenfelder operated on top form once again – he was on the gas all day and gave his team even more to celebrate. A dominant win in moto one took his tally of victories to seven, the second highest in MX2, and put him in a brilliant position to contend for the overall. Unfortunately, he just missed out on a tiebreak via a second in the final moto. 1-2 scores put him second overall at the Grand Prix of Italy and kept him in contention for a silver medal in the final championship standings.
Mattia Guadagnini continued to make some progress in just the second race since he returned from injury. Eleventh was a solid start to the Grand Prix, after starting fourteenth, and he followed that with a thirteenth in moto two. 11-13 scores put him twelfth in the overall classification.
Simon Längenfelder: "It was almost a perfect weekend! I won the qualification race and had two holeshots today. I won the first race with a nice gap! I had a hard fight in the second moto – it went all the way to the end! I ended up going 1-2 for second. It was still a great weekend! I am looking forward to the finale."
There is a single fixture left on the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship calendar. The Grand Prix of Great Britain, round nineteen, will be held on September 24. Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing will attempt to finish their title-winning term in fine form.
Results – 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Eighteen
MXGP – Overall
1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 40pts
2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 40pts
3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 36pts
12. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS) 18pts
MXGP – Moto One
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha)
3. Alberto Forato (KTM)
11. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS)
MXGP – Moto Two
1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki)
2. Tim Gajser (Honda)
3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda)
6. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
13. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS)
MXGP – Standings
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 890pts
2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 807pts
3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 719pts
12. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS) 249pts
MX2 – Overall
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47pts
2. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 47pts
3. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 40pts
MX2 – Moto One
1. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha)
3. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
MX2 – Moto Two
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha)
2. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS)
3. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
MX2 – Standings
1. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 779pts
2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 706pts
3. Liam Everts (KTM) 702pts
4. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 702pts