| On Saturday 19th February, Infront Moto Racing and the organizers of the British Grand Prix announced that the opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship would be delayed by a week due to severe weather conditions onsite at Matterley Basin, caused by storm Eunice. Shortly after the announcement, all five of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 riders, and most team members, immediately returned to Europe to resume training in preparation for the delayed opening round.
After a few days at home, both squads have regrouped and are all set to return to Matterley Basin in Winchester, England, for the highly anticipated start of the 2022 MXGP World Championship.
Boasting 386 Grand Prix starts, 155 top-three finishes, 81 podiums, 30 race wins and 18 Grand Prix wins among its riders Jeremy Seewer, Glenn Coldenhoff and Maxime Renaux, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team aims to fight for the title in 2022.
Spearheading the charge inside the premier class with four silver medals (two in MX2 and two in MXGP), seven Grand Prix wins, and 40 podium finishes to his credit, Seewer is set to enter his fifth consecutive year with Yamaha with renewed motivation. Despite the short off-season, the 27-year-old Swiss rider has regrouped mentally and physically and feels better than ever going into the new season. He also lines up as the most consistent rider on the gate with an unmatched record of 147 consecutive Grand Prix starts.
Following a steep season-long learning curve that yielded two podium finishes and some solid race performances in 2021, Coldenhoff is eager to maximize his potential as he enters his second season with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team and the YZ450FM. Looking forward to the return of the two-day format, instead of the one-day format adopted as a response to the global pandemic, Coldenhoff hopes to add to his impressive list of accolades, which includes five Grand Prix wins, eight race wins and 21 podium finishes.
As announced in 2021, the reigning MX2 World Champion Renaux has moved up from the 250cc class, MX2, to the 450cc class, MXGP. The ‘Power Rookie’ was drafted into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team at the end of 2021, and after an incredible 450cc debut where he went unbeaten at one of the biggest pre-season events this year, the Lacapelle-Marival International in France, the 21-year-old Frenchman is poised for MXGP stardom. |
| Watch the Official 2022 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 Team Launch video
Last year represented a landmark year in racing for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, as it enters its 25th season with Yamaha. The team won its first-ever MX2 World Championship with Maxime Renaux and became the first-ever Yamaha team to secure the gold and silver medals inside the MX2 World Championship in the same season. As a result, the team also helped Yamaha successfully defend the Manufacturers’ world title.
With Renaux stepping up to the premier class, the team has reduced to a two-rider line-up, retaining Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant for another season. However, Benistant will not attend the opening round as he is still awaiting the green light from his medical team following an operation on his left knee in November 2021.
Nevertheless, Geerts, as one of the most decorated riders in the lower capacity class, MX2, with 53 top-three race finishes, 20 race wins and 27 podiums to his credit, will line up as a title favourite. Having secured three medals over the past three years, one bronze and two silvers, the current World Number 2 has one goal as he enters his fifth season with Yamaha, and that is to be World Champion.
Geerts will be joined under the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team awning by 18-year-old Italian Andrea Bonacorsi, who will be filling in for Benistant at the opening round.
Already a proven talent following a dominant EMX125 title campaign in 2020, in which he celebrated seven race wins, four overall victories and five podium finishes on his way to the crown, Bonacorsi was welcomed into the Yamaha Family in 2021. After a strong rookie season in EMX250 in which he steered his Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 GYTR kitted YZ250F to three podium finishes on his way to fourth overall, the young Italian has undoubtedly earned the opportunity to make his MX2 debut with the support of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team this weekend.
Last but not least, the MXGP of Great Britain at Matterley Basin in Winchester, England, will also host the opening round of the EMX125 Championship. Yamaha enters with a potent young line-up of GYTR kitted YZ125 riders. Leading the fray will be last years’ heavy hitters, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 stars Ivano van Erp, Ferrucio Zanchi and Karlis Reisulis. They will be joined on the gate by the winner of the 2021 YZ125 bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup Adrien Petit, who will line up with support from the Aussio Yamaha bLU cRU Supported Team.
Jeremy Seewer Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider “Second try at Matterley this weekend. As soon as we knew about the delay I went straight home. Luckily, it’s not too far from England to get back, so it’s fine. It didn’t affect me too much; I think postponing was the smartest decision to make that weekend. I was fit, on point and ready to go last weekend, but one week delay doesn’t make much of a difference. I went back to Belgium and just continued training and preparing basically the procedure before a GP remains the same, so I am just looking forward to going back, getting it started, and making it happen.”
Glenn Coldenhoff Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider “The weather was a bummer for sure. I was really looking forward to the race. You plan your whole week for that race and then all of a sudden it got postponed. So, we quickly made a new plan. I went home directly and I went training on Sunday in the Netherlands. I did some days of physical training, and as the weather is terrible in The Netherlands as well, we are heading to France for two days of riding. I’m still looking forward to the GP; hopefully the weather is on our side this weekend!”
Maxime Renaux Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider “When I heard Matterley was postponed, I went straight back home to train. This week, we just kept going on my preparation, cycling and riding, just some everyday stuff to keep it in shape. I am really looking forward to this weekend, I think like everybody, we were expecting to ride last weekend and now I really want to get the season started.”
Jago Geerts Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider “We went home immediately after the race was postponed, which was good for me because I had a small problem, but now with an extra few days, I am sure I can fully recover. I have just been in Belgium this week training. The weather is not the best, but we make the most out of it and after the short but intense winter prep, I’m feeling good and well prepared. I’m ready to start the season.”
Andrea Bonacorsi Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider “The postponement of the race didn’t affect me so much as we immediately went back home to The Netherlands. This week we kept on going with our normal training schedule with two days riding in France, mainly because the weather in Belgium and The Netherlands has also been really bad, but anyway, I’m ready and I’m really looking forward to making my MX2 debut this weekend!” |
