MX1

Latest News

2013/05/05

Roelants nearing better fitness after Portuguese Grand Prix

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Joel Roelants continues to feel his way back into top level Grand Prix competition after scoring points across the Agueda circuit in Portugal and one of the hardest circuits seen in the FIM Motocross World Championship this year. The sixth round of seventeen took place in hot and sunny conditions and in front of 15,000 people; the Belgian was able to take 12th and 14th on the factory YZ450FM.

The deep ruts and plentiful bumps of the distinctive red dirt at Agueda meant a punishing test for the premier MX1 class. It was on this surface that MX1 rookie Roelants tried his best to rise through the classifications of both 35 minute and 2 lap motos only three weeks after suffering a slight concussion at the Grand Prix of Trentino.

Although not a protagonist on this occasion the former MX2 GP winner was able to complete full race distances and will now look to the Brazilian round at Beto Carrero in two weeks for further improvement.

What is the WMX (World Motocross Championship) MX1 class?

Motocross is a sport where riders compete for speed over dirt courses that take advantage of the natural terrain to create a series of sections like table-tops and washboards that test the riders' skills. Although motocross doesn't involve the high speeds of road racing, it is just as thrilling to watch, as the riders all start from the same line in a mad rush and perform jumps that send them as much as 20 meters through the air and battle through corners where physical contact between competitors is not uncommon. The international pinnacle of this exciting sport of motocross is the WMX.

The WMX first started in 1957 with only a 500cc class, later adding a 250cc class (the present MX1) in 1962 and a 125cc class (the present MX2) in 1975. Of these, the MX1 is currently considered the pinnacle class, pitting 2-stroke machines of under 250cc and 4-stroke machines of under 450cc against each other. Because this class attracts top riders from around the world, the fans cheer not only for their favorite riders and makers but also on a national basis. Each round of the series is competed in a two-heat format comprised of 35 minutes plus 2 laps (the All Japan Championships are run in a two-heat format of 30 minutes plus 1 lap), with points given for the finishers in both heats. These points all count toward the overall season ranking.

Until now, Yamaha has won eleven championship titles in this premier class (including the former 250cc class).

The Riders

Steven Frossard

Monster Energy Yamaha Team

Joel Roelants

Monster Energy Yamaha Team

The Team

The Monster Energy Yamaha Team will field two riders, returning Steven Frossard and his new teammate Joel Roelants. Frossard entered the ranks of top MX1 riders by finishing the 2010 season ranked 2nd, but a series of injuries after that prevented him from performing to potential. Healthy now, he rides as the team’s ace this season, as they attempt to win back the championship. His teammate Roelants is a young rider competing in the MX1 series fulltime for the first time this year. Hopes are high that he will develop into one of the top riders of the next generation.

The Machine

YZ450FM

The YZ450F is the first Yamaha motocrosser to adopt fuel injection and has a number of innovative features such as a unique engine layout with forward-mounted straight induction (front-rear orientation) and a rear-slanted cylinder. It also adopts a newly designed all-aluminum “bilateral beam frame” and a number of other innovative technologies. Taking this YZ450F as its base, the YZ450FM factory machine is modified for world championship competition.