Whenever I enter the offices of Youthstream president, Giuseppe Luongo, I always have a feeling I am going to find out something new and exciting. You won’t meet a more passionate person than Mr. Luongo, and his desire to make the MXGP series the best it can be is refreshing, especially for someone who has been promoting motocross events for more than 30 years.
At the Grand Prix of Europe, held at the Valkenswaard circuit, we got another opportunity to visit the legendary promoter, and ask him about the 2017 series so far, and what the future holds for us.
We asked about the calendar for 2018, and while we were asked not to give out any information on how next year’s version will look, we can tell you, there are some very exciting additions to the series, and everyone will be happy with the country that will more than likely open the championship.
MXlarge: First question, what did you think of those first four fly-away events and how the series started in general?
Luongo: My opinion was it was very good. We see an improvement from the existing GPs. Indonesia was a new GP, and unfortunately with the very bad weather, it’s part of the game. Motocross is a sport we run in all conditions and for sure bad weather isn’t pleasant. For the sport side the championships started well. There is very good competition between Gajser and Cairoli, but we have guys like Desalle, Paulin, Bobryshev and we wait for Herlings to come, because the Herlings we see now isn’t the Herlings we know, but it’s just a matter of time before he comes to where he belongs. He will fight every race for the podium. Argentina was fantastic and this place is beautiful, nice scenery and also very interesting soil, and it makes for good racing. I am satisfied.
MXLarge: Qatar was a question mark for next year. Do you know more about that event?
Luongo: We are still in negotiation with Qatar, and until today I don’t know if we continue with them or not, and we have another month before we know.
MXlarge: Indonesia I really enjoyed, because I love that different culture, and seeing how the people live. Also, the event itself, despite the weather was enjoyable to watch. How secure is that race for the future and will the event be on the same time of the year?
Luongo: Talking about Indonesia, many people talked about this event, but they talked with their mouths, without knowing what they talk about. We go to Indonesia, because the brands really support it. They sell six million bikes a year, and it’s a great growth of the sport. They actually ask us to run several races there, not just one of two, but several. Different places want to run a Grand Prix, so we have a lot of opportunities in that country. The calendar is already full, so we can do just one. It’s the third biggest country in Asia after China and India, so it has a lot of potential for our sport. Sure, we need to be there. Another point, is the fact about the weather. Indonesia is a place where it rains all year. Some moments it rains less and sometimes other. Its tropical. The worst months are in September until January, and the best months are July and August, but still in August you have 40% or 50% chance of rain, and in March maybe 50% or 60% chance of rain. We have to go there, but the chance of rain is big, and we can’t go there in August, because it is a really busy time in Europe for races.
MXlarge: So how can we make this event work with so much rain?
Luongo: We take a lot of experience from this event. We will work with the organizer to stay on the same island, but we will look for an area where there is less water. We looked at two spots, but a lot of water on the ground. We will build the area up and have better drainage. It will be a lot of work to do this, and the chance of rain is very good, but we will be prepared for it next year.
MXlarge: I wanted to ask you about the performance by Antonio (Cairoli) in Trentino. You are Italian, and I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in Italy and see your fellow countrymen celebrate such a ride. How was it for you?
Luongo: For me, it the racing that I am interested in. I never put the fact an Italian is winning. What Antonio did was fantastic and I think it was his best race ever and maybe for anyone. I don’t remember in all my career as a promoter anyone doing what he did. I don’t say this as an Italian, but as the promoter of MXGP. He showed how great our sport can be and what he did was unique. He found the way, because it wasn’t easy. Because of the level at the moment, it made what Antonio did even more special.
MXlarge: There is talk that track was hard to pass. What is your opinion on this?
Luongo: You know, I talked to a rider yesterday, about the fact it is hard to pass this year. Some say it’s the tracks, but in fact, the level between the MXGP riders is so close, that passing is really difficult. For Youthstream and myself, having a track where riders can pass is our goal. I have to sell this sport, the image of this sport, so the more passing the better. For me I am 200% and I always talk to my people to make a track where you can pass. The level is so high now, all the races, you can see 10 riders in one second, and 15 riders in two seconds. When it is like this, you can make all the ways to pass, but they have to take big risk because the difference in speed is so small. The rider in front always makes the best lines and for sure in Italy Antonio was the quickest, because he made up 15 seconds to Gajser, who was leading. When he arrived behind Tonus, it took him three laps to pass him. He then found the way to pass Tonus, but if he didn’t find this way, he wouldn’t have passed so many riders, and he wouldn’t have won the GP.
MXLarge: It is now official that Gaterback will be the facility for the USGP this year, which is great news. I also noticed since the deal with MXsports and Davey Coombs family was made, that we are seeing a lot more positive information on the MXGP series in America. David Bulmer is working for Vitalmx, Adam Wheeler continues to do nice stuff for Racerx, and Transworld and motoxaddicts, websites that have always given great coverage of the MXGP series seem to have worked really hard to improve their coverage. That’s great for the series, isn’t it?
Luongo: Yes, for sure. This is part of the goal. Davey does a good job in USA and we do a good job in the world championship. I think this partnership is the most logical thing and I think it will help both championships to grow. I think it’s best for everybody and I am very happy how the situation has developed and I think we should have done this before. I am very happy my son David, and Daniele Rizzi, and Davey and his family are working well together. It’s a good collaboration and I think we will see in the close future when we have this Grand Prix in Florida, it will be a good GP a really good atmosphere. We both want the sport to grow and we both want a good USGP. It’s not worth working against each other anymore.
MXLarge: You mentioned David, your son in the collaboration with MXsports. He has become more and more visible, and he is doing a good job. That leads me to ask, what is the future for Giuseppe Luongo in MXGP? Do you have a time frame for when David takes over and you step back?
Luongo: We don’t really know the future, and I don’t have a time frame. If I stay in good health, it isn’t a plan for me to retire. My plan is to be less present at the events. It’s a long time that I do this, it’s been 34 years, and I don’t enjoy going as much as I used to. I am always busy and I don’t have the time to watch the racing, because if I go outside to watch, a lot of people come and talk to me. If I am in the office I am always talking to people. I enjoy being at home or in my office back home, I enjoy watching the racing from there. I have my I-pad with the live timing, plus the MXGP.tv coverage, like this I can follow even better. My plan isn’t to step back, but my plan is to have David more present and me slowly to go to less events. I think our company, also the sport, it’s in a stable situation. Our company is financially good and the sport is good. This took a long time to get it like this, and it’s been a lot of hard work. David and Daniele (Rizzi), they are young, David 29 and Daniele 34 and they work well together, and they create a good group. David does the marketing and promotion, and Daniele more for the office work, the administration and management in the office. The two they permit that I have more time and I don’t have to take care of the day to day work. It’s also good to develop them, but I have a lot of experience, and the experience I have, it isn’t something you can buy. For sure the future for David and Daniele they will have more presence. All my knowledge and experience will be their service. Of course, a lot depends on my health. It isn’t the plan that I stop completely, but maybe it will be like that. It can be the day what I will feel, they don’t need me anymore.
MXlarge: There was rumours that possible problems with Assen and Russia this year. Any truth in those rumours?
Luongo: No, it’s just a rumour, both are no problem.
MXLarge: Last question, do you have any surprises for next year?
Luongo: We have a lot of news, but today I can’t tell you. I will tell you after we do this interview. It is the key moment to do the calendar (Giuseppe then pulled out a piece of paper, with a list of venues for the 2018 calendar). We have more than 25 requests, and we can’t have 25 rounds, we will have 20 races, plus Motocross of Nations. It should have been 20 this year, but San Marino didn’t go ahead, which took it back to 19. We are talking with new, very important countries, and that looks very close to an agreement. It will be something very big and something very important for our sport. I think, if we are a little lucky, we will have a very good calendar, with some substantial surprises.
Ray Archer image
Friday, May 5, 2017 at 3:08PM 
