Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Faces Setback at the MXGP of Trentino

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The striking look of the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP x NILS livery and the energy of the home crowd created the perfect setting for a special weekend. However, the sporting results fell short of expectations, with home rider Alberto Forato finishing 16th overall in the fifth round of the MXGP World Championship in Trentino.

With a special one-off livery—designed in collaboration with Fantic’s official partner NILS (Experts in lubricants)—Alberto Forato and Brent Van doninck were aiming to deliver a strong performance in front of a packed crowd. A total of 36,500 spectators attended over the course of the weekend.

To fight for top results in MXGP, everything needs to come together. This time, however, things did not go in favor of the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP riders. In Saturday’s Qualifying Race, Forato held a strong sixth position for much of the race until a small issue dropped him back to 18th, with Van doninck finishing just behind in 19th.
The first moto proved difficult, with the duo finishing 14th and 17th. The second moto brought more misfortune: Forato crashed in the opening corner, while Van doninck was forced to retire later in the race following a heavy crash.

The positive news is that both riders escaped injury. Despite another fall, Forato still managed to score points with a 19th-place finish. However, 16th overall was not the result the Italian had hoped for on home soil—especially after strong performances in MXGP of Sardegna and MXGP of Switzerland, where he finished sixth and seventh overall.

The upcoming four-week break in the championship provides the team with an opportunity to regroup, while the riders can fully recover after an intense start to the season.

Alberto Forato:
“This is definitely not the result I wanted or expected from my home GP, especially since the speed was there to perform well. In the first moto, I lost many positions at the start due to a crash in front of me. I managed to come back to 14th. I gave everything I had, and that was the maximum possible. In the second moto, I crashed at the start. During my comeback, I fell again and couldn’t do better than 19th. Overall, the first five rounds of the season have still been positive. I’m happy with my speed, and the feeling on the Fantic keeps improving. Now we have a month to keep working and come back stronger in France.”

Brent Van doninck:
“I’m still struggling with my ankle, but I wanted to score some points before the break. The break will give me time to recover properly and train more. Unfortunately, Jeremy Seewer and I touched in the air during the second moto and crashed hard, but luckily we were both able to get up. It was a heavy impact, but I feel okay. The bike was badly damaged, which was the main reason I had to retire. I’ll use the coming weeks to get fully fit again and work towards my goals.”

Alberto Forato strong sixth in MXGP Sardinia

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The Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team enjoyed a solid and positive weekend during the MXGP of Sardinia in Riola Sardo. On the demanding sand circuit, where conditions are always extremely tough, both Alberto Forato and Brent Van doninck managed to score points multiple times.

The Fantic XXF 450 machines stood out not only thanks to their special “Sunset White” livery, but also with a strong performance in the qualifying race, where Forato finished eighth and Van doninck followed closely behind in tenth.

Forato carried his strong form into Sunday’s races. In the first moto, he managed to hold on to a top-eight position despite suffering a heavy crash during the warm-up.

In the second moto, the Italian made an even better start and briefly ran in fifth position. After a hectic opening phase, he crossed the line in ninth place before finding his rhythm and working his way forward. He eventually finished seventh, which secured him a strong sixth overall.

For Van doninck, the weekend started promisingly with a solid qualifying race, but he crashed at the start of the first moto. From the back of the field, he fought his way back to 19th position.

In the second moto, the Belgian had a good start but lost ground in the first corner and once again had to fight his way forward. With a strong comeback, he eventually finished 12th, placing him 16th overall for the weekend.

Alberto Forato:
“It was a positive weekend, despite a heavy crash in the warm-up. I clearly felt the consequences of that, especially in my left hand, which didn’t make things easier in the tough sand conditions of Riola. But I did my best, gave everything I had, and I’m very happy with sixth overall. We’ve taken another small step forward and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in Arco di Trento!”

Brent Van doninck:
“I didn’t really know what to expect from this weekend after twisting my ankle in Switzerland, so tenth place in the qualifying race was actually quite good. Unfortunately, I crashed at the start of the first moto. The second moto went better with a solid twelfth place. Two out of three starts were very good, which is definitely a positive. Overall it was okay, but of course we want more. I hope my ankle will feel better next week, and after that we have a longer break to get the body back to 100%. But first, I hope to score good points in Arco.”

Alberto Forato narrowly misses the podium at Dutch Masters in Heerde

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The Fantic Factory MXGP Team can look back on a strong performance during the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Heerde, where Alberto Forato was prominently running at the front of the field.

In qualifying, the Italian immediately set the tone with an impressive third fastest time, giving him an excellent starting position for the motos.

In the first moto, Forato started around tenth place, but with a strong pace he worked his way forward throughout the race, eventually crossing the finish line in eighth position. In the second moto, Forato showed his class. With a strong start, he rode from start to finish in third place, firmly putting himself in contention for the podium.
With an 8-3 score in the motos, Forato finished fourth overall, just missing out on a podium position.

Next weekend marks the fourth round of the MXGP World Championship: the MXGP of Sardinia, which will be held at the Riola Sardo circuit.