The Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team endured a difficult weekend during the eighth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Kegums, Latvia. On the demanding sandy circuit, both Alberto Forato and Brent Van doninck faced a number of challenges, but both riders also took away valuable lessons ahead of the upcoming races.

The weekend began in wet conditions, with Forato posting a solid tenth-fastest time in timed practice. The Italian then narrowly missed out on a top-ten finish in the qualifying race, crossing the line in eleventh place. Teammate Van doninck followed shortly behind in thirteenth.

Under sunny conditions, the Grand Prix races took place on Sunday. In the opening moto, both Fantic riders struggled to find their rhythm on the technical sand track. Van doninck fought his way to fifteenth place, while Forato lost significant ground in the opening corner and found himself outside the top twenty. The Italian was unable to find the right lines to move further forward and had to settle for twentieth position.

In the second moto, both riders were determined to bounce back. However, Forato crashed early in the race and once again had to fight his way through the field. The Italian responded strongly and recovered to finish thirteenth.

At that point, Van doninck was in a better position and looked set for a solid result. Unfortunately, a technical issue brought his race to a premature end while he was running in twelfth place.

Despite the disappointing results, the team is already looking ahead to the next Grand Prix. In two weeks’ time, the MXGP of Italy in Montevarchi is on the schedule, the home event for the Italian manufacturer.

Alberto Forato

“This weekend was more complicated than we expected. We worked hard between the sessions, but we struggled to find the right setup. In the second moto I felt a little better, and I’m happy to leave Latvia without any injuries. We have a few more test sessions planned over the coming days before returning to Italy. It’s always special to race in front of the home crowd, and I’m looking forward to feeling that extra support again.”

Brent Van doninck

“The final result is not what we were hoping for, but I felt a little better in every session. It’s unfortunate to have had the small issue in the second moto, but it seems that it was a difficult weekend for many riders, and that’s simply part of motocross. We’ll take the positives with us: I felt better, and without the DNF we could have finished close to the top ten. Now we’re looking forward to another home Grand Prix for Fantic, with a few surprises in store. It’s going to be a great race!”