The annual MXGP Awards concluded this thrilling season of the FIM Motocross World Championship at the final round of the season in Great Britain.
Words & Images: InFront Media
The last chequered flag of the 2023 season waved one last time to officially confirm the 2023 World Champions, along with handing them their gold medals. With the day completed, the celebration could start with the annual ceremony.
The awards took place at the VIP Gold Skybox Hospitality and welcomed all of the winners of this thrilling season in a relaxed and amazing atmosphere. As is the custom now, the MXGP Awards were hosted by MXGP-TV Commentator Paul Malin and MXGP-TV Presenter Lisa Leyland with the event streamed around the world on www.MXGP-TV.com, as well as on MXGP’s YouTube Channel and Facebook.
The celebrations began with a special message from Infront Moto Racing’s CEO David Luongo congratulating all the 2023 Champions and acknowledging their efforts throughout the season.
Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo: “Good evening everybody, it’s a big honour for me to be standing here with all of our Champions. It has been a fantastic season I have to say. We went to 17 different countries for 19 Grands Prix on 3 continents, we had great racing with three amazing World Champions. As a promotor we are satisfied with this season and I would like to use this opportunity to thank all of you, from the 65cc to the MXGP class. Tonight is a night of celebrations, we are celebrating our champions, we are celebrating all of our manufacturers, we are celebrating all the stakeholders that make these Championships possible and we are celebrating it LIVE with all the fans around the world. I think the stage is for the champions tonight so I wish you a very nice evening and thank you again for the season you gave to all motocross fans. It’s an honour for us to work and make it always bigger and better every year. Have a great evening and thank you very much.”
The Awards ceremony kickstarted with the winning teams and manufacturers that were presented with their awards, followed by all of the 2023 Champions who received their prizes, with the youngest of them Timoteï Cez collecting the award first for Junior e-Motocross series, followed by Francesco Assini the EMX65 Champion, Niccolò Alvisi who won the EMX85 title, EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing European Champion Janis Reisulis, EMX250 Champion Andrea Bonacorsi, as well as the EMX2t and EMX Open Champions, Cas Valk and Pierre Goupillon. It was then the turn of the best Organizers Prizes before going to the 2023 FIM Junior World Champions in 125cc with Mathis Valin, 85cc Dani Heitink and Patrick Cirulis who was the 2023 65cc World Cup Winner.
We also celebrated the WMX Champion as Courtney Duncan went on stage to receive her plate and Champion Ring.
This year, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen was the recipient of the Jan de Groot Award that recognises and rewards the most promising young talent. Lucas showed some impressive skills throughout the season in his Rookie year with an outstanding five Race wins and two RAM Qualifying Race wins along with a Grand Prix victory in Sumbawa-Indonesia.
Additionally, Jago Geerts and Jorge Prado were given the prize of the Acerbis Best Lap Competition in MX2 and MXGP respectively. They showed incredible speed with six fastest laps each this season.
The Fox Holeshot Awards were presented to both Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team riders Simon Laengenfelder and Jorge Prado who mastered their starts this campaign. Prado is undeniably the fastest rider on the starts as he received his sixth consecutive Fox Holeshot Award while Laengenfelder received his first one.
Then it was time to unveil which MXGP rider was the winner of the Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena prize! It was the newly crowned MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado who received the most votes from the fans throughout the campaign to be declared winner.
The celebratory event ended with the awards handed to the two FIM Motocross World Champions, Jorge Prado and Andrea Adamo who each received their championship plates, along with their champion’s rings as part of their prizes for this season as Prado also got his replica MXGP Trophy.
Here is the complete list of the winners:
MXGP Manufacturer World Champion: Yamaha
MXGP Winning Team: Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing
MX2 Manufacturer World Champion: Yamaha
MX2 Winning Team: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
WMX Manufacturer World Champion: Kawasaki
WMX Winning Team: Big Van World MTX Kawasaki
“Jan De Groot” Award: Lucas Coenen
Junior e-Motocross Series: Timoteï Cez
EMX65 European Champion: Francesco Assini
EMX85 European Champion: Niccolò Alvisi
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing European Champion: Janis Martins Reisulis
EMX250 European Champion: Andrea Bonacorsi
EMX2T European Champion: Cas Valk
EMX Open European Champion: Pierre Goupillon
65cc Junior World Cup Winner: Patricks Cirulis
85cc Junior World Champion: Dani Heitink
125cc Junior World Champion: Mathis Valin
WMX Champion: Courtney Duncan
MX2 World Champion: Andrea Adamo
MXGP World Champion: Jorge Prado
MXGP Best Media Opportunity: MXGP Sumbawa/Lombok – Indonesia
MXGP Best Promotion: MXGP Sumbawa/Lombok – Indonesia
MXGP Best Fan Engagement: MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina
MXGP Best Organizer: Lommel, Flanders
Best Rider of the Year, Sponsored by Athena: Jorge Prado
Fox Holeshot Award MXGP and MX2: Jorge Prado & Simon Laengenfelder
Acerbis Best Lap Competition MXGP & MX2: Jorge Prado & Jago Geerts