Kevin Cristino is on a roll aboard the Fantic XE 300. With his third consecutive double win, the Italian has taken an important step toward the Junior World Championship title – but it’s not over yet, because Axel Semb and his Fantic XEF 310 are still in the fight! There was more to celebrate for Fantic in Darfo Boario Terme, as Pietro Scardina stood on the top step of the podium too.
The weekend of the highly anticipated GP of Italy, the sixth and penultimate round of the 2025 season, confirmed the extraordinary form of Kevin Cristino, who claimed yet another double victory on his Fantic XE 300 with a fuel-injected Minarelli engine, sporting a special preview of Fantic’s 2026 livery for the occasion. It wasn’t all plain sailing, including a heavy crash on Sunday, but Cristino used all of his well-known determination to secure victory on the very last lap, twice. By doing so, he increased his advantage in the championship standings in both the Junior and Junior2 classes. He now leads his Fantic brand mate Axel Semb by 15 points in the Junior World Championship battle, which will be decided in Zschopau, Germany, from October 17 to 19.
Semb proved he is still one to look out for with a strong day on Sunday, battling for victory until the final special test aboard his Fantic XEF 310, as Cristino prevailed by just 2.7 seconds. Semb closed out the weekend in Darfo Boario Terme with a sixth and a second place in the Junior class, along with two runner-up finishes in Junior2.
In front of a large and passionate crowd, once again highlighting Italy’s historic love for enduro, young talent Pietro Scardina also excelled on the Fantic XE 125. With a win on Saturday and a second place on Sunday, he strengthened his hold on second position in the provisional Youth standings.
In a spectacular yet technically demanding race, with a course made even more challenging by heavy rain on Saturday, Albin Norrbin collected a sixth and a fifth place in the fiercely contested E2 class. His speed was good once again, but he was held back by some struggles in the long Enduro Test, the most selective section of the loop, with a particulary slippery surface.
In E1, Jed Etchells wrapped up the Italian GP with a ninth and an eighth place. It was also a home GP for factory-supported Team Specia rider Matteo Pavoni, who secured two sixth places in the E3 class riding the Fantic XE 300.
Kevin Cristino:
“A weekend full of emotions. On Saturday, I got off to a bit of a slow start, but then I managed to make up more than 40 seconds to take the win. On Sunday, we started off well, but a little issue and a heavy crash made the day difficult – but in the end, we made it! Thanks to Fantic and the whole team, they did a great job. I am very happy! I really wanted to win here in Italy, and these are important points for the championship. I think we showed everyone that I am ready to give even a piece of my heart for this title. See you in Germany!"
Axel Semb:
“It was a difficult weekend for me, but at least we managed to come back a bit on the second day, fighting for the win until the very last special. The final result is not what we wanted, but I just have to look ahead now and try my best next time. I know I can be on top if I ride like I know I can, and it is a bummer when I am not able to show it out there on track. But there is still one more round to go!”
Pietro Scardina:
“It has been two good days, and it is great to stand on the podium at home and hear the crowd cheering along the special stages – an amazing experience! On Saturday, I managed to take the win following a penalty for Dagna at the end of the race. I have to say, Dagna was faster this weekend and deserved the win on Sunday. I am happy to have secured second place after battling all day with Alberto [Elgari]. Now we need to finish strong at the GP of Germany.”
Albin Norrbin:
“It was quite a challenging weekend for me. It started off alright on Saturday, but I struggled in the Enduro test and made too many mistakes. You don’t gain much time lying on the ground… We turned it around for Sunday: the Enduro was still a weak point, but I managed to show some good speed in the rest of the tests, especially on the last two laps. So I am pretty happy to finish it off with a good feeling. We will try to find something more for Germany to get closer to the podium again!”
