The De Carli team have done a superb job in recent years running GasGas machinery. With Jorge Prado they managed to win two MXGP World Championship titles back to back, something very difficult to do. With Prado moving to America, it is change for the team in 2025 as they’ll have both Coenen’s under the awning to partner Längenfelder in what is an exciting rider line up.
Lucas Coenen who only turned 18 in November has decided to make the jump up to the MXGP World Championship in 2025 which will be interesting to say the least. The De Carli team will also make the switch back to KTM machinery.
We caught up with team owner, Davide, to discuss the team, goals for the 2025 season and much more…
GateDrop: Davide, just to go back to the beginning, your father run the team and the first big success that I can remember was Antonio Cairoli winning when the team was Yamaha. Do you remember being at the races and when did you start thinking, I could run this team in the future?
De Carli: Yeah, so actually the first success for my father was with Alessio Chiodi in 1997, after this it was with Tony. The first title for Tony was in 2005 and we won nine World titles with him. The team started in 1994 so it’s already more than thirty years of racing. So, I’m really proud to have assisted and worked in the team during that period. Yeah, a lot of victories, a lot of GP titles and many, many podiums. We had the incredible seasons with Antonio Cairoli, I will never stop admiring him. I was really young when he was racing at that time, but I learned a lot from my Dad. I’ve been always so passionate and I learned really quickly year after year. So, let’s say if now I am in this position, it’s also because I would like to thank him for all the stuff that he has taught me.
GateDrop: Your dad, Claudio is still involved and you are the team manager, it must be really nice to share this experience with him running one of the best teams in the paddock and travelling the world whilst both sharing the same passion?
De Carli: Yeah, of course. It’s incredible to continue to share this passion with him. We compare our lives a lot and he comes to all the races. In our team we have an incredible synergy and we work hard year after year. This is our job, our passion and unity is strength in the end. So, this is how we work.
GateDrop: What was it like to work with Jorge Prado? It was your team that helped him become a world champion in MX2 and MXGP… Some amazing times!
De Carli: Of course, it was not easy to say goodbye to Jorge because he raced many years with us, In total he raced for us for seven years. We achieved four world titles – two in MX2 and two in MXGP. It wasn’t really easy to say goodbye but sometimes you need to accept that this has always been a dream for him. First of all, his first dream was to win an MX2 world title and then an MXGP World Championship title and he managed to win two titles in both classes. He always had a dream one day to go race in America and I wish him good luck. Who knows, maybe one day, in a few years, he can come back and end his career with us here in Europe, you never know.
GateDrop: At the start of the season, Prado raced 4 AMA SX races. Where you in America whilst he contested them and what’s your thoughts on his future racing Supercross? If he stayed in Europe he might have been able to chase Everts record, he is that good!
De Carli: Yeah, at the end of 2023, Jorge went to America to train on Supercross and to race the first four races of Supercross. In my opinion, he did really well, considering that he didn’t spend so much time there. I went there to A1 to watch the race and it was a great experience. Supercross, I think, is another discipline. Many aspects are different, from tracks, setup of bike, the stadium, racing in the night, the large crowd, many spectators there.
So many things are different from us. It definitely takes a bit of time to get used to. I think that Jorge can do really well. He has a great talent and he’s an hard worker. He gives everything for the sport and he will learn really quickly. If he stays with KTM, I would be more happy (laughs)… But sometimes things are going in a different way and we need to accept it. I don’t like to make comparisons between riders. I think that every rider is different from the others. We are always talking about World Champions. Every World Championship is different and every World Championship won is unique. Like what Stefan did, Tony, Jeffrey and Tim. All these great champions. I’m sure if Jorge stayed in Europe, he would win again.
GateDrop: Let’s talk about 2025. The team will be back in orange running KTM machinery. Can you tell just me first of all how the structure will work alongside the other Factory KTM team? I assume it’ll be two different awnings still and you guys just need a paint job?
De Carli: For 2025, we will come back to the ‘mother’,. Practically, nothing will change. We will be in orange, and our staff will all remain to be the same. The support from the factory, too, will be the same. So there will be two factory teams. The tent will be divided, but it will be a nice orange impact in the paddock so, just like the old days. This was a company choice, and us, the de Carli team, we are really proud to make the return to orange. We will give all our best to bring KTM higher and higher, and try to bring more world titles for the company.
GateDrop: Due to making the switch back to KTM, will anything change for you guys or will you continue most things as normal before and during the season?
De Carli: No, it will be everything like before. Before we were just GasGas, but now we are KTM. But like I said before, everything will stay the same. Of course, we will have different riders, but the staff will be the same, the support from the factory will be the same, because we are a factory team. It will be just two factory teams, because this is what we need at the moment, to be stronger, to have more orange in the paddock. This is the goal.
GateDrop: It was announced you’ve signed the Coenen twins for the 2025 season. They’re very very talented… You must be excited to work with them?
De Carli: Yeah, of course, I’m really, really excited. We have already announced that the Coenen Brothers will be our riders for the 2025 season, so I’m really happy to start the 2025 season with them. They are really young, talented and fast. We are already working to build a great season.
GateDrop: They’re both obviously just turned 18 years old but Lucas has decided to step up and race MXGP. What is your thoughts on that? He could have challenged for an MX2 title next year and still had plenty of time for a 450cc machine…
De Carli: Yeah, as I said before, they are really young, because they recently turned 18. So, we like to work with young riders and give them the chance to build a good future for them and for the team. We like to make them emerge and build new championships. This is our goal. Lucas will race a 450cc in MXGP and it will be a great challenge. This decision, actually, in the beginning, was coming from him. Of course, we talked about it together, but there was no forcing from us. I mean, Lucas really believes in it and I believe it too. I also believe that riders should not be forced. The whole team believes that they can do really well. I think we are working in the right direction to be able to build a really strong season.
GateDrop: I think Lucas has been riding a 450cc for quite a while now, I think the plan was to start riding straight after the MXoN but then he got injured there so it delayed it a bit, but how does he look on the 450cc machine so far? There’s obviously still three months of prep to do…
De Carli: Yeah, let’s say, after he raced the Motocross Nations, he made such a great race there. Unfortunately, he crashed at the event and broke his collarbone. So, we had to wait a bit to start the program. But once he started to feel better, we started riding with the 450cc machine already. Yeah, he’s looking good and we are doing some good progress. He’s in Rome and his Brother, Sacha is also in Rome. We are working almost every day to make everything good.
GateDrop: It’s not really a secret that the Coenen’s see themselves going to America in the future and of course Prado is going who was with your team. I am sure you don’t want to just become a team that develops riders for America… Is this something you are worried about? I am sure you want to hold onto the talent you help develop and turn into world champions…
De Carli: Yeah, I know. It’s always nice to make the riders stronger and keep them always with the same team for the future. But sometimes, like I said before, you cannot plan everything. But let’s say, our strength over the years has always been flexibility. We have two important bases in Europe.
The first one is in Rome, where we have the team and the race department are based. We have also our private track in Malagrotta, which is really important for us. Because it’s like a dyno for us to develop the bike and the rider(s) can use it as a training camp.
The second base is in Belgium, where we also have our racing department. We have the possibility to ride in many different sand tracks. In the last few years, we decided with Jorge, for example, to go spend more time in Belgium too. Ride in different tracks. It worked out well, because we collected more titles. Also, the help from Joel (Smets) was really good. So we improved even more. As I said before, we are very, very flexible. We understand what the rider needs. We are really open and we do our best to achieve good results.
GateDrop: I know your riders have mostly been based in Italy over the years but you allowed Prado to spend a lot of time in Belgium to be close to Joel Smets. The Coenen’s like to do their own thing and have travelled to Slovenia to spend time at TigaLand as they’re close to Tim Gajser. Will you be flexible with this moving forward or what is the plan?
De Carli: It’s difficult to say. Like I said, we are very flexible. We try to listen to the rider. Sometimes you have to listen to the rider and try to do a plan that can work for the season so far. But we will see. Anyway, it’s a great challenge. Lucas is very young, I think he’s one of the youngest riders in the history to switch to the 450cc machine at 18 years old. Now I cannot remember other riders who did it but think Clement Desalle, he was really young also. But the goal is always the same. The goal is to try to win and we are working hard. We will see at the end of the year what result we will achieve. I think that he can do really well. The MXGP World Championship is the premier category. There are many excellent riders and many World Champions so we will see.
GateDrop: Just on the other twin, Sacha, he won two GP’s this year… He’s still so small though. hopefully he grows a little bit. It might make things easier for him. But what’s it been like working with him so far? I’m sure the goal for him is to try and have more GP wins in 2025…
De Carli: I’ve always been watching Sacha before. Let’s say when he was racing with the 125cc. I always wanted him, I always wanted Lucas too. I’ve always liked them since many years. I’ve been speaking with KTM to take them and that maybe in the future I will have them in my team, here we are. I’m really pumped to start the 2025 season with them. I think that Sacha is really good. He’s really fast and he learns really quickly. He has a great motivation to win. I think he will show some good things this year. I’m pretty sure of that.
GateDrop: Simon Längenfelder has a lot of talent and speed, what is he like to work with? The family seem really friendly and grounded… he always seems happy to be third though and whilst that is still good, I think he needs to want to win more, would you agree? I think he has what it takes to be a world champion in MX2…
De Carli: I think he surely has the talent. Simon has already raced three seasons with us. The next season will be the fourth. Up to now I’m very happy with his results. What we achieved for three years in a row. He finished three times third in the MX2 World Championship. He has made many podiums and he won some GP’s. He has all the credentials to do well and I believe in it. He’s a rider with a lot of talent and a lot of speed. He also puts in hard work and he will give everything for the sport. In addition to being a very good guy, he works very hard. I know and I believe that he will give everything to becoming a World Champion.
GateDrop: In terms of pre-season races, have the team got a plan yet on what races we will see you guys at? The International Italian Championship perhaps?
De Carli: Normally the plan is to do the two races of the International Italian Championship. The first race in Mantova and the second race will be Montevarchi. For us it’s very important to do pre-season races before the season starts because it is a good test for the riders and bikes. During the winter, the riders train and we develop the bike so it is a good test before going to Argentina for the first MXGP World Championship round. This allows us to see the level and get us ready for World Championship.
GateDrop: Davide, thanks very much for taking time out of your busy schedule, it is much appreciated. Good luck and see you in 2025.
