Andrea Adamo finished 3rd overall at Maggiora Park for the Grand Prix of Italy, the penultimate round of the calendar, and clinched the 2023 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship. The Italian capped a consistent first season as a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider by bringing the team a fifteenth title in 20 years and is the tenth different racer to earn the gold plate with the KTM 250 SX-F.
A rainy climate in northern regions of the country created a soft, wet and muddy first day of the Grand Prix of Italy at the historic Maggiora Park Circuit. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing came to the steep hillside venue with Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts in 1st and 2nd positions in the MX2 championship and with chances to confirm the title in round 18 of 19.
Adamo, cheered on by a noisy supportive home crowd, took 4th position in the RAM Qualification Heat on Saturday while Everts was 17th. Sunday was sunny, and the improved weather helped to dry a rough and slippery course. Despite the risks, the pressure and the near misses, Adamo was able to ride to 3rd position in the opening race just ahead of Everts in 4th. The Italian had carried a 48-point lead to Maggiora. He made a gain on Saturday and again after the first moto. Everts didn’t have the best start in the second outing while Adamo was able to move up from 5th to occupy another top three slot. When Liam crashed out of 5th just before the finish line with three laps to go then Adamo mathematically secured the MX2 crown in this third full season in the class and his first with the potent KTM 250 SX-F.
Everts was unhurt but failed to finish and is now 3rd in the standings but tied on points with Simon Laengenfelder and only 4 points behind Maggiora winner Jago Geerts. Elsewhere rookie Sacha Coenen went 15-15 in the tricky conditions for 14th overall and can still break into the top 13 of the championship table.
The British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin will draw an orange curtain across the MX2 campaign and the MXGP calendar. Adamo and Everts will not be able to rest too much. Both will represent their countries at Ernee, France for the Motocross of Nations on October 8th.
Andrea Adamo, 3rd and 3rd for 3rd overall in MX2: “I cannot believe it. This really is like a dream. Thank you to everyone. I came to Maggiora not thinking about the GP win and mainly about the first chance to take the title. I’m really happy with my motos. They were very consistent even though I didn’t have the best starts. It wasn’t easy but I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture too much and just wanted to enjoy the races. I saw Liam when I came through to start the last lap and that wasn’t so nice but this is part of the sport. I hope he is fine. An unbelievable day for me. Maybe I got lucky at times this season but every single race I tried to do the maximum I could: sometimes it is P2, sometimes P5 and sometimes P1. Nothing more. I can accept when someone is faster than me and I held this strategy all season; now I’m world champion!”
Tony Cairoli, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “We finally did it! Andrea took his first title in what was a surprising season because we didn’t have this expectation at the beginning of 2023, but he rode well from the start of the year and showed that he could be a contender. He made good results and also some wins and was the strongest all the way through.”
Results MXGP Italy 2023
1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 2-4
2. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-6
3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 5-3
4. Alberto Forato (ITA) KTM 3-5
5. Tim Gajser (SLO) Honda, 9-2
Standings MXGP 2023 after 18 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 890 points - Champion
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 807
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Yamaha, 719
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED) Yamaha 655
5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 612
8. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 456
Results MX2 Italy 2023
1. Jago Geerts (BEL) Yamaha 2-1
2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), GASGAS 1-2
3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-3
4. Kay de Wolf (NED) Husqvarna 9-4
5. Thibault Benistant (FRA) Yamaha 7-5
12. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 4-DNF
14. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 15-15
Standings MX2 2023 after 18 of 19 rounds
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 779 points - Champion
2. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 706
3. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 702
4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER) GASGAS, 702
5. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Husqvarna, 558
16. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 244