First Time - Grand Prix of Qatar

Antonio Cairoli - KTM image

The first FIM World Motocross Championship night race, first combined MX1 and MX2, first Grand Prix raced in the Middle East, not to mention a bunch of riders will be making their first Grand Prix in the MX1 class, including riders like Tommy Searle, Jeremy Van Horebeek and Joel Roelants.

Six times World Motocross Champion Antonio Cairoli of the Red Bull KTM Factory team expects some new experiences in both Qatar and Thailand and it won't surprise anyone if he comes back to Europe from these two rounds with the points lead in the MX1 class.

"For sure I am looking forward to Qatar and Thailand a lot,” Cairoli said."I mean, both are nice places I think, I have never been, but I love to travel and see new things. I hope they made a nice track for us, and I am sure it will be a nice race.”

Cairoli knows the importance of having the FIM World Motocross Championship played out all around the World and expects these two races to attract a lot of attention for the sport.

"It is good for Motocross to have races in places like this. It's a place where people go on holidays and I think it will be really good; I look forward to it a lot. It is great, we will have some nice weather, it's nice to have good racing with good conditions, better for everyone, the media, mechanics, riders, everyone.”

Defending World MX2 Champion Jeffrey Herlings has a much tougher job as he takes on the MX1 boys in the Supefinal. Always up for a challenge the Flying Dutchmando everything to everything in his powers to win both his MX2 moto and the Superfinal.

"I have seen images from Thailand, I have a friend there and he has shown me images of the track. I have seen some movies and it looks like sand, not like Lierop, Lommel or even Valkenswaard, but it is sand I think, and that is going to be an advantage for me. It is possible that I could win that, it is going to be difficult, but I can do it. As for Qatar, I just know it is going to be new and I want to get the KTM on top of the box for both races."

With just a week to go before Cairoli and Herlings put their FIM World Motocross Championships on the line, the whole World will be watching on television or online with www.mx-life.tv. For those travelling to Qatar and Thailand that first time experience will be a highlight, but when the gate drops for the MX1 and MX2 motos and the supefinal the whole World will also experience something very special.