Bonacorsi's rendezvous with history and Fantic's resurrection
After an 8th place in 2019, Liam Everts showed why he was one of the top favorites for the title during the EMX125 opening competition in Matterley Basin. However, Liamski's title dream was shattered by a serious wrist injury in the second European Championship round in Faenza. Rival Andrea Bonacorsi laid the foundation for his overall victory exactly that day.
Anyone who had bet money on the title chances of Bonacorsi and Fantic before the season would probably have been described as naive. As an outsider - and the only rider in the team - Bonacorsi had to compete with an army of KTM and GasGas riders.
Fantic's factory team
Yet this season once again underlines the importance of experience and proven “ingredients”. Because even at the lowest step of the MXGP-EMX cycle there has been increasing professionalism for a long time. The importance that motorcycle brands attach to the most prestigious two-stroke title is also evident from the choice of teams and riders. With high-performance technology from the Yamaha catalog, fantastic Fantic R&D engineers Jan Witteveen (ex-Aprilia GP race director) and Gaetana Cocco and a team manager who knows the ins and outs (Corrado Source) Bonacorsi was in good hands in any case.
Just like the 125 European 2019cc champion, Mattia Guadagnini, Andrea Bonacorsi was able to play to his physical strengths to perfection. They both won their EMX125 title at the age of 17 and a half. In terms of strength and posture, this is of course an important difference compared to younger riders. Bonacorsi may measure 1 meter 82, but is also technically skilled. As befits the current generation of top riders, Andrea is more than capable of performing on all types of courses. In short, the bar is also extremely high in the EMX125. Although that has actually been the case since the integration of the class into the MXGP pyramid in 2010!
The EMX125 champions since 2010. In brackets their age when they won the title
2020 Andrea Bonacorsi (17) – ITA, Fantic
2019 Mattia Guadagnini (17) – ITA, Husqvarna
2018 Thibault Benistant (16) – FRA, Yamaha
2017 Brian Moreau (15) – FROM, KTM
2016 Jago Geerts (16) – BEL, KTM
2015 Jorge Prado (14) – SPA, KTM
2014 Brian Hsu (16) – DUI, SUZ
2013 Paul Jonas (16) – LET, KTM
2012 Tim Gajser (15) – SLO, KTM
2011 Simone Zecchina (17) – ITA, SUZ
2010 Jordi Tixier (17) – FRA, KTM
Photos: CDS, Fantic
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