While Alberto Forato and Brent Van doninck travelled all the way to Johannesburg to start the second half of their 2026 MXGP campaign, Fantic youngster Bertram Thorius impressed with his speed at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Jinín, Czech Republic.
Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
The Terra Topia MX Track, just north of Johannesburg, hosted the return of the premier class of motocross to South Africa. The fast and spectacular hard-pack circuit was uncharted territory for everyone. Finding his speed, Alberto Forato came close to the top 10 in time practice, setting the 11th fastest time. He followed it up with 12th place in Saturday’s qualifying race, with his teammate Brent Van doninck finishing 13th.
Van doninck was the leading Fantic XXF 450 rider in Sunday morning’s warm-up, finishing 11th, and again in race 1, as he crossed the line in 16th. Forato, on the other hand, had an unlucky start to race day. The Italian crashed on the opening lap of race 1 and damaged his bike, which eventually forced him to retire.
In race 2, “Alby” bounced back with a solid 11th-place finish, missing out on a top-10 result by just one second. Following the unfortunate DNF in race 1, the Italian had to settle for 16th overall, while Van doninck finished 17th both in race 2 and in the overall classification.
After a much-needed week off following an intense triple-header, the FIM Motocross World Championship returns to Europe for the British GP (18-19 July).
Alberto Forato:
“The goal is always to fight for the top 10, and we came close again in race 2, but a DNF always hurts the overall result. The weekend off will be a good opportunity to recharge the batteries after an intense triple-header. Over the past few weeks, I haven’t always felt at my best. We will take a few days to recover and then get back to work. Thanks to my team and to everyone who continues to support me!”
Brent Van doninck:
“It was a tough one. I just couldn’t find a good feeling with the track today, and my starts didn’t help either. I am obviously disappointed, but we have to move forward. It has been a pretty eventful few weeks since Montevarchi, and I am looking forward to getting back home and back to work for the upcoming races.”
Fantic Factory Racing EMX
Fresh off his second EMX125 podium of the season, Bertram Thorius was among the riders to watch at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, and he further confirmed his strong form with an impressive Saturday in the Czech Republic. Fastest in free practice, the Danish talent went on to top his qualifying group aboard his race-kitted Fantic XX 125, securing second gate pick for Sunday's decisive races.
Unfortunately, race 1 did not go to plan, as Thorius had to fight back from two costly crashes, eventually finishing 10th. Race 2 was much more representative of the Fantic Factory Racing EMX rider’s true potential, as he crossed the line in third. Sixth overall was not the result he had hoped for, but his performance over the weekend provided further proof of his undeniable talent.
Bertram Thorius:
“Saturday was really good, and race 1 got off to a great start until I had a small crash that cost me a lot. After another tip-over, I could only manage tenth, also because my bike was damaged and that made it difficult to ride. I got another good start in race 2 and put together a solid race to finish third. Overall, it was a bit of an up-and-down weekend, but I really can’t complain about finishing sixth in the world. We just have to learn from our mistakes and keep trying to improve every weekend.”
