Andrea Adamo MX2 World Champion
Images by Ray Archer
The 2023 Grand Prix of Italy has seen Andrea Adamo clinch the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship title at Maggiora Park. A 3-3 result for the weekend enough to claim a 15th title for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, marking the first Italian MX2 champion since Cairoli in 2007.
Andrea Adamo
“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.”
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 first and second 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 fourth 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 third position in the opening race just ahead of Everts in fourth. 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 fifth to occupy another top three slot.
When Liam crashed out of fifth 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 KTM 250 SX-F.
Everts was unhurt but failed to finish and fell to third in the standings but tied on points with Simon Laengenfelder and only 4 points behind Maggiora winner Jago Geerts.
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.
FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Man. | Total |
| 1 | Adamo, Andrea | ITA | KTM | 779 |
| 2 | Geerts, Jago | BEL | YAM | 706 |
| 3 | Everts, Liam | BEL | KTM | 702 |
| 4 | Laengenfelder, S. | GER | GAS | 702 |
| 5 | Coenen, Lucas | BEL | HUS | 558 |
| 6 | Horgmo, Kevin | NOR | KAW | 541 |
| 7 | de Wolf, Kay | NED | HUS | 531 |
| 8 | Van De Moosdijk, R. | NED | HUS | 523 |
| 9 | Benistant, T. | FRA | YAM | 493 |
| 10 | Elzinga, Rick | NED | YAM | 377 |
| 11 | Pancar, Jan | SLO | KTM | 331 |
| 12 | Oliver, Oriol | ESP | KTM | 288 |
| 13 | Weckman, Emil | FIN | HON | 249 |
| 14 | Gifting, Isak | SWE | GAS | 248 |
| 16 | Coenen, Sacha | BEL | KTM | 244 |
| 17 | Braceras, D. | ESP | KAW | 224 |
| 18 | Haarup, Mikkel | DEN | KTM | 170 |
| 19 | Olsson, Filip | SWE | HUS | 57 |
| 20 | Chambers, Jack | USA | KAW | 55 |
| 21 | Stauffer, M. | AUT | KTM | 52 |
| 22 | Lüning, Arvid | SWE | GAS | 52 |
| 23 | Zanchi, F. | ITA | KTM | 47 |
| 24 | Gwerder, Mike | SUI | KTM | 45 |
| 25 | Martinez, Yago | ESP | KTM | 42 |
