Andrea Bonacorsi might only be in his first full season of MXGP, but the young Italian has quietly been turning heads with his consistency and speed against the very best in the world. Sitting seventh in the championship, Bonacorsi has shown he belongs at the sharp end of the premier class, even if he feels he’s still flying a little under the radar outside of Italy. At the recent GP, he delivered two impressive rides inside the top five, proving that his progression is on the right path and that more is still to come. We caught up with Bonacorsi to discuss his weekend, life in MXGP, working with Fantic and Kevin Strijbos, as well as his thoughts on the Motocross des Nations and the future.
GateDrop: Andrea, Sixth overall, but I feel like even though that’s still a really good result, actually that your result doesn’t really do your riding justice this weekend, does it feel a little bit like that?
Bonacorsi: I mean, it was two great moto’s, you know. Two fifth places and sixth overall, with all the top guys here now and nobody’s injured of the really big riders. So, I mean, it was good. Of course, I felt like maybe to be on the box would be even better, but at the same time, it was great for me. I mean, two fifth places, but in a way, I feel like I’m improving big time so it’s good for my future for sure.
GateDrop: You were pretty much up there from the start of both moto’s… I would say that’s quite rare for you. Was it nice to be right at the front from the very beginning of both moto’s?
Bonacorsi: It certainly makes life a lot easier. I mean especially when these guys are always at the front, you know, like you cannot afford to start 20th or something, otherwise they’re all gone or you have to do two great amazing moto’s like Lucas, then you can come back really strong. But otherwise, it’s always important to be there, you know, straight away from the beginning, you can follow and you save some energy as well and you learn. I’m learning a lot doing this, so it’s great for the future. Like I said before, looking forward for what all this experience will bring me for the future.
GateDrop: And in terms of your riding, I know you’ve been on the podium, but it was a bit of a mud fest at Cozar. I would say that was probably the best you rode all year. Maybe you don’t agree though?
Bonacorsi: I mean, yeah, there are a couple of races that I rode pretty well as well, but in none of those was all the top riders right there. So, the first moto, the top five were covered by 10 seconds. This was amazing. I mean, I believe this was one of the greatest weekends for me overall. So it was good like this.
GateDrop: what was it like, the speed at the front from lap one? It looked very, very intense. Jeffrey and Lucas at the front, the pace was jaw dropping!
Bonacorsi: Yeah, it was tough. The track was really tough as well like really brutal bumps in some places. The speed was quite, quite crazy but it was good. Lucas and Jeffrey were a little bit faster, second moto. But overall, we were not too far off so that was good.
GateDrop: What was it like when Lucas passed you? I mean, did you try and latch on to him and even try and pick up some of his lines? He was phenomenal this weekend…
Bonacorsi: Yeah, when he passed me the first moto, it was a bit of a pity because I was about to pass Romain and Glenn. So then he ruined a bit my plans, let’s say, because I did a mistake and he passed me. In the second moto, he was just faster, he was way faster than us so you could try to follow his lines, but at the same time, he had more speed everywhere. So a little bit more speed everywhere that allows him to be this fast. So yeah, I stayed there with Glenn, you know, if I passed him, he wouldn’t get the podium. But we had fun because it was a good moto.
GateDrop: You were battling with Glenn there in the second moto. What was it like battling with your teammate? Obviously, he was the best Fantic today, but I’m sure you’ll want to be the best Fantic before the end of the year at a GP…
Bonacorsi: Yeah, we battled plenty of races this season already. I never saw on the pit board that if I passed him, I would have been on the box. So I was like, I was pretty… At some point, like last lap, I was a bit scared if I passed him and the team didn’t get on the box. I have a lot of respect for Glenn. So I tried two laps to go to make a pass, but it didn’t work out very well. After that, I was like, they deserve it, you know. So I let him go last lap.
GateDrop: Just on your season so far, how would you sum it all up? I mean, sixth in the championship, you’re still really, really young. Are you happy with how it’s all going?
Bonacorsi: Yeah, actually, this is my first full season in MXGP. So to be here and in many races be battling with these guys is really great for bringing the experience into my future. So, for sure, it’s great.
GateDrop: Does any bit of you feel a little bit underrated? I mean, you’re sixth in the MXGP World Championship, and it feels like you don’t have that much hype or that many people talk about you outside Italy anyway. Do you feel underrated?
Bonacorsi: I mean, I don’t really care, you know, like if I’m a bit of an underdog or not, I don’t care. If people don’t talk about you, sometimes it’s even better, you know, they say maybe bullshit that is not true. So maybe they will start talking in the future for sure.
GateDrop: Hopefully, because you deserve it. And just looking ahead, obviously three GPs to go… I’m sure the goal is probably to get on the podium again, but it’s not going to be easy. It’s so fast out there…
Bonacorsi: Yeah, for sure it’s never easy to get on the box in MXGP class. But it’s like three special races going on now. So we will see. I mean, the goal is always to try to be as close as possible on the box so we’ll see but we are motivated.
GateDrop: Kevin Strijbos is obviously the coach at Fantic. What’s it been like working with him? How is he able to help you? And has it been good?
Bonacorsi: Yeah, I mean, he’s been one of the greatest trainers I’ve had so far. He has a lot of experience and it’s nice to have him as he was one of the biggest riders, also strongest in the sand as well but overall, in every kind of dirt. You can see the experience he has and he can, especially me, can help me a lot because I’m really young still. So I mean, I love to train with him. So hopefully it will be continued.
GateDrop: And just on Fantic, I mean, what a job they’re doing… This is only their second year in MXGP, I believe, under Louis Vosters. You must be pretty happy with how everything’s going. The bike looks good and the riders are good…
Bonacorsi: Yeah, it’s going really well. I mean, they make a big, big step this winter with the bike. I feel really good with the team, with the Louis Vosters team and everything else and the Fantic guys. So overall, there is a really nice atmosphere in the tent and that allows us to be always there fighting and to be fresh every weekend and not too much stress under the team. Sometimes it’s a bit too much, but here they work to allow us to be really relaxed. So that’s really nice.
GateDrop: The Motocross des Nations… Italy isn’t confirmed yet, but I mean, you must fancy your chances of going. Have you ever actually been to America before? And I’m sure you’re motivated to go to Ironman if you get picked.
Bonacorsi: I mean, my girlfriend is from America, so I’ve got the chance to go there and ride a couple of tracks, but never really with my own bike and we will see. I mean, soon the team is going be announced. So we’ll see who’s going to be picked. But if I get picked, it will be an amazing experience. Hopefully the weather will be dry. You know, the mud always is a bit different for everybody but I hope it will be a nice weekend to see, to battle maybe with some cool American guys as well.
GateDrop: And plans on next year? Anything signed yet? We’ll definitely see you in MXGP again, won’t we?
Bonacorsi: Yeah, I mean, that’s the goal. You know, I’m pretty sure you will see me again in MXGP for a couple more years. I can’t say exactly now what I signed or didn’t sign… but we will see soon.
