It was an amazing weekend for Italian talent, Brando Rispoli as he ran right at the front of the EMX125 class at his home round in Maggiora finishing an impressive second.
We caught up with the TM rider to discuss his weekend and more which you can read, watch or listen to below:
GateDrop: The EMX125 Championship here at Maggiora, an amazing race for you. Probably the best race of your career…
Rispoli: Yeah, this, it is. I had a really good start, took a holeshot, and then I led for two, three laps, then I had a little tipped over in the corner, put it in neutral, and I was fourth, then I fought my way back up to second. I’m really happy with the speed. Yeah, we have a really nice bike now and I just want to keep going like this and yeah, I need to thank all my team, my sponsor and my family.
GateDrop: What was it like with the Italian fans? Where they loud out there for you, cheering you on?
Rispoli: Yeah, yeah, they were cheering. They were screaming at me every corner and I also could hear them.
GateDrop: Must have felt amazing…
Rispoli: Yeah, really.
GateDrop: How did you find the track? Obviously a lot of rain before the event…
Rispoli: The track was really slippery and yeah, I thought there were not like too many, too many lines to pass and I had also a lot of problems with the lappers. In one lap, in my way, there were like eight slow riders and I just kept it calm and just rode smart.
GateDrop: You’ve been in the EMX125 Championship for two or three years now?
Rispoli: Yeah, this is my best career finish and the other best career finish was in Portugal.
GateDrop: But it feels like this year you’ve made a lot of progress as well, probably the best you’ve ever rode…
Rispoli: Yeah, yeah. I made the fast lap in the race after the crash and yeah, my feeling now is very great with the team. Everything is going in the right way and that’s what I want.
GateDrop: And just on the team and TM, it’s really nice to see a TM up front. It’s been a few years. How do you feel on the bike?
Rispoli: I’m really proud as an Italian to ride an Italian bike. Yeah, a lot of fans also came here to say, wow, you got a TM and an Italian bike. They’re really happy.
GateDrop: And obviously, who can forget that day at Loket when you won the EMX65 title?
Rispoli: I can’t forget the Sunday. I got the other show and I pushed hard in the first laps and rode smart like I did today after the crash. Yeah, it’s a moment that I can’t forget.
GateDrop: But it obviously shows you have a lot of talent, but it’s not easy when you move up the EMX125….
Rispoli: It’s not easy to show your talent because a lot of things need to go in the right way. You’ve got to start and show your speed. It’s the thing that you cannot do when you are in the mid pack, when you get a bad start. And now we changed the gear. Now I’m starting in first gear and this gives me a lot of positive feelings also in the start.
GateDrop: What are your goals for the rest of the season now? More podiums, do you think you can win?
Rispoli: Yeah, of course. Now I’m in a really bad place in the championship because I didn’t race in Riola but we just want to keep going. Yes, today was a win for us. Could have ended really in the right way or better because without the crash, maybe I could fight for the first place. But now I’m just training now and now there is a summer break.
GateDrop: Are you going to be racing the Junior World Championship?
Rispoli: Yeah, I think I will.
GateDrop: Is that one you’re looking forward to, the sand of the Netherlands?
Rispoli: I hope I can train a lot in the sand because I really need to. I hope I will like the track and just do my race with the Italian team.
GateDrop: You are teammates with Yago Martinez, what’s your relationship like with him?
Rispoli: I have a really good relationship with Yago and he’s a really good rider between the World Championship and I hope his results could be better this year because he deserves a lot. But we know our potential is that we can train a lot with the team because we are little.
The TM is a little manufacturer in Italy but the bikes are really good. It’s always on the rider to make the bike.
GateDrop: Next year, do you age out of the EMX125? Are you forced to go to the 250cc?
Rispoli: I’m forced to go to the 250cc.
GateDrop: Have you rode the 250cc much in practice?
Rispoli: Yeah, I raced the 250cc in the Italian Championship. It’s a prototype, injection.
GateDrop: How do you feel on the 250cc?
Rispoli: I already won a race and I fought also with Yago and had really nice speed in Cingoli. Race one, I came from the last place to sixth and then race two, I was behind Lata for two laps and then I rode smart also. And because of the 250cc, it’s really hard to ride. Because now my physical training is for the 125cc, I still need more than five minutes with the 250cc.
GateDrop: Do you think you’ll be with the same team next year? Are you still waiting to find out?
Rispoli: Yeah, yeah, I think I will stay with them.
GateDrop: I think that will be really good for you…
Rispoli: Yeah, that will be really good because now my relationship with the mechanic, with the owner of the team, with the TM, is really great. That’s what we want.
