Honda Gariboldi Racing’s Tim Gajser will be gunning for the red plate, signifying the lead of the MX2 World Championship, in this weekend’s MXGP of Lombardia in the Italian city of Mantova.
Gajser is currently just four points shy of the championship lead on his CRF450RW. With the top seven riders separated by 46 points, and with four rounds and 200 points still on the table, the fight for the MX2 World Championship crown has never been tighter and is guaranteed to go down to the wire.
Mantova’s Crossodromo International track is a sand venue located between Verona and Modena in the north of Italy, and is another home round for the Italian squad.
Sand is not Gajser’s favourite surface, but Mantova is not as punishing as Belgium, and importantly is followed by Mexico and the USA where the young Slovenian will be fiercely strong.
Jorge Zaragoza will not compete in Mantova, ending his 2015 campaign early to get surgery to rectify the situation that saw him unable to compete in Belgium and focus on an intensified training programme to come back fitter and stronger in 2016.
Giacomo Gariboldi, Team Principal
“Tim looks very very strong and had a very good race in Germany a few weeks ago, going 1-1. He’s ready for the end of the season and ready for Mantova, even if it’s a sand track still. He’s riding very well in testing in the sand this week, and Massimo also said to me that he looks very strong and well on the bike. The feeling in the team is strong too and we feel no pressure. We are just taking each GP as it comes, knowing that we have done absolutely the best we can each time.”
Tim Gajser, no.243
“It felt really good after a long time to have a little break, although it was not holiday. I did some races and training really hard. My family went to the sea, but actually I’m so motivated to prepare for the last four races that my brother and I stayed at home to train more. Every day I’ve been cycling, running, just training hard. We’re really close in the championship and I think we have a pretty good chance this year. I know Mantova very well as I raced there with the 85s, so I can’t want to go back. We’re all so close that you just have to go for it. I’m feeling so excited and pumped and motivated at the moment, I’m really looking forward to getting to the gate!”