In front of the Dutch motocross community and MXGP fans at Assen, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli has added to his already impressive resume with another FIM Motocross World Championship title to his name here at MXGP of the Netherlands. Cairoli entered his first FIM Motocross World Championship race in 2002 and has since become one of the most dominant racers in MXGP history. The multi-time champion came into 2017 with a vengeance and while the past 2 years he hadn’t seen the dominance we were all accustom to that all changed for the better in 2017.

Out of thirty-eight gate drops in the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championship, Cairoli only needed thirty-five to clench his 9th World Title. The Veteran from Patti, Italy, had a consistent season from the start out performing his competitors on many occasions from his best days to his worst he proved once again why he is known as the best rider in the world. Out of the first 18 rounds of MXGP, Tony landed on the podium an amazing twelve times including 6 overall victories. The 6 times he missed the podium he still finished inside the top ten and four of which where inside the top 5. Cairoli has led 186 laps this season, won 6 qualifying races, and held the red plate 78% off the time taking his number of career total overall victories 83. Cairoli also has the most Fox Holeshots of anyone with 15 this season.

The Sicilian started his season to many as an under dog. Several questioned if he was on his way out, but his performances this season have shown nothing of the like. After winning the first race of the championship in Qatar Tony continued to impress with his amazing comeback at the MXGP of Trentino, from last to second in race 2 for the overall and his battle with Herlings throughout the season, most notably Lommel and Ottobiano, Cairoli defines what a champion is and after 8 prior Motocross World Championship this year may be the most impressive when he claimed it with three races still to go in 2017.

It was 13 years ago that Tony scored his first Grand Prix win, which he obtained in his rookie season riding for De Carli Yamaha back in 2004, a season in which he finished an impressive third overall. The following year, in 2005, he claimed his first world title in MX2, and now, 12 years later, he has racked up a remarkable nine FIM Motocross World Championship titles and it is the second most successful rider in history, behind Belgian Stefan Everts who has ten titles to his name.

ANTONIO CAIROLI – BIOGRAPHY AND CAREER

Name and surname Antonio Cairoli

Nationality: Italian

Place of birth: Patti

Date of birth (d/m/y) 23/09/1985

Website www.tonycairoli.com

First GP raced 2002, GP of Belgium, 125cc

World Titles 9 (2 MXGP, 5 MX1, 2 MX2)

First World Title 2005, MX2

GP wins 83 (20 MXGP; 39 MX1, 24 in MX2)

First GP win         2004, GP of Wallonie, Namur, MX2

Last GP win          2017, MXGP of Czech Republic, Loket, MXGP

2017 position in the Championship 1st/MXGP; Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Other results