Jorge Prado: “The title is mine in its own right”

The Galician pilot Jorge Pradowho on Sunday became the first Spaniard to become the world champion of the premier category of motocross (MXGP), said on Monday that the title achieved at the Italian track of Maggiora was his “in his own right”.

Prado (GasGas) mathematically achieved the title after the Italian Grand Prix, in Maggiora. The 22-year-old runner from Lugo benefited from the abandonment due to engine problems of the only one who could take the crown from him, the Frenchman. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki), on the seventh lap of Sunday’s first race, one after he crashed.

Remembering the moment in which he became mathematically world champion, Prado said in an interview published on the Red Bull website: “Everything happens very quickly. You don’t really know what you are doing and what is happening around you .. I try to focus and remember the hours and hours of training, the constant fight to reach the top and everything is possible when you love and fight for something you love with all your might. And thinking about all the that while I was crazy celebrating the title.”

Jorge Prado evaluates the season that is about to end and points out: “Yes, 2023 is the year to be world champion. I have everything: I am the fastest on the track, physically I feel good, I have not suffered any injury or illness and no I was disappointed the whole season.

The man from Lugo believes that “the factor of luck is always there”, but specified that “without the right group of people, the perseverance and motivation to reach the goal, luck will hardly help you”.

“Although it was difficult, I believed in myself even in the most difficult moments and I never gave up. A lifetime of sacrifice that paid off. Yes, the title is mine in its own right,” he adds.

He also remembers the Turkish Grand Prix, his only point on the course: “In that race I was angry. I crashed in the first race and in the second the bike didn’t start. The situation made me desperate, but the points margin was still important against Romain Febvre“.

“However, these last two weeks have been difficult psychologically. I know that the title is within my reach and I am more than capable of achieving it, but external factors such as falling and injuring myself are one thing which prevents me from sleeping well. Now everything happened,” he said.

Meadow He believes that “getting in front of the classification is complicated”, but he believes that he manages “every race” well. “And that gave me more confidence after a difficult 2022. This season I improved physically and the work done in the preseason on the bike was very good. We evolved to do great things and we achieved the highest honor.”

The Galician is already twice the MX2 world champion and believes that achieving these two titles is “another step to reach the top”. “I celebrated it like no other, but I always knew that the only real number one was being the MXGP champion. But the previous titles helped me to mature as a rider, to show me the right path and to prepare me for this particular moment,” added.

Prado still does not know if he will wear the number 1 in 2024: “In the last round of Maggiora I already wore the number 1. We have to celebrate it! But I am still not sure if I will wear it next year. I took it “A lot of love to ’61”. I have been with him everywhere and we have shared many successes and failures. However, I think I will finally release number 1.”

Welcome to 2024, Meadow states: “I will defend the title with the GasGas team. My contract with them does not expire until the end of 2024 and we will try to add a new world title. It will be a difficult year, like others, but I feel very good and confident that we will do great things together “The rivals will be the same and they will all come out, so we have to prepare thoroughly.”