Champions Managed - Comments

Champions Managed - Comments

 

While the MXGP and MX2 champions were crowned yesterday, there was a lot going into managing the road to the World motocross championships. Marcus Pereira de Freitas the team manager for the HRC team runs a tight ship in the Honda awning and while the fun factor is

“What an amazing accomplishment by Tim,” Pereira de Freitas said. “To win back-to-back titles is extremely difficult to do, and he fully deserves all the accolades he receives. With everything that has happened this year, it has been tough to maintain such a high level of performance, but everyone in Team HRC has done such a great job and I couldn’t be prouder of the efforts that they have put in. For Tim, this is his fourth world title and he is now the most successful Honda rider in history, but he doesn’t let all the fame affect him and he is still an absolute pleasure to work with. Congratulations Tim! Also, I’d like to say a big thanks to all our sponsors who worked with us this year to achieve this goal. It’s been one of the most difficult seasons to plan for and yet everybody has been brilliant, and we couldn’t have done it without all that support. Well done everyone for such a great year!

Across the paddock in the Red Bull KTM Factory team tent it was Dirk Gruebel, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager who praised his young lion. Picked from nowhere the move by KTM to sign Vialle has turned into a nightmare for the opposition.

“Tom showed his potential in his first year with us in 2019,” Gruebel said. “There was real progression but then over the winter he made another big step to be a title contender and world champion. He didn’t look back. He doesn’t get nervous. He had real competition, but Tom finished every race in a good spot, mainly in the top five, mostly in the top three. That’s the key to being world champion and now we are here celebrating. Hats-off to him and the family, unbelievable. We are known for having a fast 250 – also a 450! – but I still think we have the benchmark in MX2 for everybody and Tom is another rider who knows how to make starts with it. It’s a really good motorcycle and we’ve been winning since 2004 with that concept. Tom being the ninth world champion shows its quality.”

And Robert Jonas the KTM Vice President Motorsports Offroad enjoyed as the team brought home yet another World championship in the MX2 class, a class the orange army have pretty much owned now for a number of years.

“It’s been fantastic to see Tom grow with the team over the past two years and ultimately win the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship,” Jonas said. “His maturity and approach to what has been a season of challenges with a lot of uncertainty has really paid off. Despite the natural pressure he had personally to step up again after his results last year, Tom has kept calm to make it happen week by week and our KTM 250 SX-F is proven once again. I wish Tom and his family huge congratulations for this incredible achievement, as we share this special moment together. I would like to congratulate Joel, Dirk and the entire Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team for their fantastic work with Tom to help nurture his talent and unlock his potential. To take a victory is never easy at this level, and we know 2020 has been a big challenge for everyone with a different type of intensity – but we are proud to have come through and to be celebrating this championship win.”

And now onto Sunday and the final round of the 2020 MXGP and MX2 championship where both riders will get an extra day to celebrate their titles before going into hibernation in winter. Riders win championships, but the team behind both these champions are considered the best for a reason.

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