This time last year, a 13-year-old Filippo Grigoletto signed up for the Honda 150 European Championship without knowing what was around the corner but eager to carve a career in motocross.
Twelve months down the line he is now preparing for his first ever EMX250 race having won last year’s Championship and earning himself a graduation with Honda.
The prize for this year’s Honda 150 Champion will be the same as Grigoletto is now enjoying – a ride in the EMX250 series aboard a Honda CRF250R with a top Honda team.
“This Championship has been the best one I’ve ever raced in,” said Filippo Grigoletto. “The organization was professional, and bike assistance always impeccable. At each event we had new tyres and a suspension check; we were always looking for the best bike setting. I was very happy about all this attention towards me, I felt like an important rider and all this thanks to Honda and their staff.”
The Honda 150 European Championship was set up to nurture young motocross talent, and to provide the future stars the chance to shine on four-stroke machines that now make up the grid in both MXGP and MX2.
“I would suggest the Honda 150 Championship to everybody,” Grigoletto offers to aspiring new racers. “It’s a great experience, and you can watch and speak with the best riders in the world as they are not only on TV but beside you in the paddock. And moreover, everybody is using the same bike, so what makes the difference is just the rider. Before this, I always rode two-stroke bikes, but racing on four-strokes is so important before you can jump on the bigger 250s.”
Giacomo Gariboldi, owner of the Honda Gariboldi squad that is running Grigoletto in 2014 also praised the young Italian and the championship: “Filippo is clearly a very good rider on either 150cc or 85cc bikes and he showed it last year in the Honda 150 Championship. Now he’s taken the step up to the new “big” CRF250R bike and he has to take his time to learn, but from what I have seen he is adapting fast and his experience last year on the CRF150R four-stroke is certainly helping.”
“The Honda 150 Championship is the ideal platform for any rider who wants to ride one day in the Motocross European or World Championship” said Davy Dousselaere, Off-Road Motorsports Manager for Honda Europe. “This is the only opportunity for youngsters to ride competitive four-strokes at World Championship tracks on the MXGP race card. Riders also benefit from development support from our works team and riders, and of course the winner will be boosted into the next step of their career in 2015.”
“Modern motocross on a world level is all about four-stroke machinery so it’s essential for youngsters to start developing their experience of four-stroke machines from an early age. The Honda 150 European Championship allows them to do just that in the easiest way possible – just turn up and race.”
Interest in the Honda 150 European Championship is high and places are filling up, but you can still apply at www.honda150championship.com or by emailing enquiries@honda150championship.com.