Printed on 8 February 2023
After an especially profitable marketing campaign final day trip, the place Tim Gajser turned five-time world motocross champion, Crew HRC welcomes Ruben Fernandez beneath the awning, in a transfer that offers them a dual-threat for wins and podiums in 2023.
Gajser’s fourth MXGP title (along with his one MX2 crown) got here in one other record-breaking 12 months as he topped the charts in all of the necessary statistics, together with essentially the most essential – championship factors. Wrapping up the title a few rounds early, the #243 had greater than 3 times as many GP wins as his nearest rival, over double the variety of race wins, and had extra pole positions, led extra laps and was on the rostrum greater than anybody else. He was additionally the one rider to the touch the pink plate, main the championship from the primary spherical proper the best way by the season.
And he’ll be hoping to repeat all these feats in 2023 when he goals to make it six titles in 9 years, and transfer him even larger up the checklist of all-time greats. In fact it received’t be straightforward, which is why Gajser continues to make small changes to his coaching, so that he’s even higher ready than 12 months’s beforehand and able to tackle all-comers when the gate drops for the primary time in Argentina on March twelfth.
Becoming a member of him on the road shall be Spanish rider Fernandez, who’s stand up the ranks ought to be an inspiration to motocross riders all over the place. The #70 has needed to struggle all through his profession, overcoming setbacks early-on to lastly attain the head of motocross standing – using a Crew HRC CRF450R.
A earlier MX2 red-plate holder, Fernandez moved full-time into the MXGP class in 2022 the place he instantly made an affect. He had a third-place end in a moto in Argentina, earlier than standing on the rostrum in Latvia in simply the sixth spherical. He then had one other podium in Indonesia, and was actually beginning to discover his momentum earlier than a crash in Loket while working quickest in follow, pressured him to overlook a number of rounds. Nonetheless, he had proven sufficient for Crew HRC to signal him up on the finish of final 12 months, giving him loads of time to organize for this upcoming season.
First up for each riders are the 2 preseason Italian races in Ponte a Egola and Trentino, earlier than they head to Patagonia-Argentina and the wonderful observe close to Villa La Angostura on the weekend of March twelfth. From then on, it’s a gradual stream of racing, on among the greatest tracks all over the world, with some new additions to calendar freshening it up, earlier than the season finale at Matterley Basin in Nice Britain, the place hopefully Crew HRC duo shall be celebrating a profitable season onboard their Honda CRF450R’s.
Tim Gajser 243
Clearly final 12 months I used to be champion, and that shall be my objective once more this 12 months. I at all times say that nothing is so good, that may’t be higher, so I’m attempting to enhance and work on the small particulars to provide me that little edge. We’ve made a variety of modifications with the Honda CRF450R within the low season and so they’ve all labored out rather well so I’m pleased with my machine, and the way my coaching has gone and now it’s simply constructing in the direction of the primary gate drop. The calendar appears to be an excellent one, with some good rounds and I hope to see quite a lot of followers all year long.
Ruben Fernandez 70
It’s a brand new crew for me, nevertheless it feels acquainted and that has made issues so much simpler. This winter has been actually good and I’m in a stable place, and I really feel like I can present everybody what I can do, proper on the very first spherical. I learnt so much from final 12 months and I’m at all times attempting to enhance, so I do know that consistency is simply as necessary as velocity and that’s what I’ll be aiming to attain. The Honda CRF450R is a superb machine and I’m comfy on it, having rode it final 12 months as nicely and I do know I couldn’t have a greater crew behind me, to assist enhance the bike and make my performances higher. I actually can’t wait till the season begins!
Marcus Pereira de Freitas
HRC Common Supervisor – MXGP
It’s at all times thrilling firstly of a brand new season, seeing how the fellows over the winter and the place they’re, in contrast with the place they must be. Each Tim and Ruben, had good coaching through the low season and now may have a few warm-up races simply to get some aggressive gate-drops beneath their belts earlier than all of us head all the way down to Argentina for spherical one of many 2023 MXGP World Championship.
Phrases: Press Launch
Picture: Shot by Bavo
