Cairoli hungry for third MX2-GP world championship
By TMX Archives on 15th Feb 08
The 2007 FIM MX2-GP Motocross World Championship was very much a success story for Yamaha De Carli rider Antonio Cairoli. The Sicilian blazed a path through the season's statistics book on his YZ250F. Along with the 10 GP wins and 21 moto chequered flags the double world champ's consistency meant that he only dropped out of the top two twice from 28 MX2-GP races. Add an MX1-GP debut triumph, an Italian MX2 title and a European Supercross championship and it hard to believe how Cairoli can top this performance in 2008.
Despite his many races and vast amount of silverware gained through the pasttwelve months the popular rider insists that his motivation for an attempt at athird MX2-GP crown (to equal the quantity set by former Yamaha great AlessioChiodi) remains high, not to mention keeping his hoards of native fans contentwith his endeavours on Italian soil.
I did a lot of races in 2007 but I feel fresh and ready for anotherchallenge in 2008, the 22 year old said. My main goal is of course anotherworld title but I also want to retain an Italian championship. The Supercrosswas a lot of fun at the end of the year although I am still not sure if I willdo the tour again at the end of this season.
An arduous 2007 saw ten months of racing in three separate series leaveCairoli with little time to recharge his batteries and take stock. The racer,who splits his time between his Sicilian home and bases in Rome and Belgium, didmanage to hit the ski slopes for several weeks and also think about thecompetition he faces onboard his new Red Bull-backed YZ come Holland on April6th for round one of fifteen in the FIM world championship.
It was good to get some holidays, he commented I did not travel far andinstead chose to relax for three weeks at home and do some snowboarding innorthern Italy.
I think this season Tommy Searle, Nicolas Aubin and Davide Guarneri will bereal threats. I think we will have some surprises and there will be some youngriders that can fight with me for the championship; it will be fun.
For the second year in a row the De Carli team fields Cairoli, Matteo Boniniand Alessandro Lupino in both international and national competitions. The squadget their 2008 calendar underway this weekend with the first round of theItalian championship at the Montevarchi circuit.
In perhaps something of a preview as to his future plans Cairoli will besteering a YZ450F in the MX1 category. Of course we are looking towards 2009and MX1 for Tony, said Team Manager and Owner Claudio de Carli. It is crucialthat he starts to adapt to riding the 450 and that we can get the bike set-upfor him in racing conditions. The Italian championship starts early and they areimportant races for us but it is also a way in which we can build up to theworld championship.