At Fantic’s first home round of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship, Alberto Forato put in a strong performance in the deep sand of Riola. Fantic Factory Racing EMX rider Bertram Thorius finished fourth overall to move into fourth in the EMX125 championship standings.
Fantic Factory Racing MXGP
In Sardinia, part one of an Italian double-header, the Fantic XXF 450 stood out not only for their special livery, inspired by the Caballero in the “Sunset White” version, but also with a double top-10 finish in the MXGP qualifying race: Alberto Forato crossed the line in eighth place after a strong charge, with Brent Van doninck right behind in tenth.
Forato confirmed his top-8 form in race 1, battling through heavy sand and the aftermath of a hard fall in Sunday morning’s warm-up. Race 2 was off to an even better start, with the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP rider briefly in fifth and emerging in ninth from a hectic opening lap. “Alby” found his pace and managed to gain a few more positions, crossing the line in seventh and securing a strong sixth overall – confirming his positive trend.
Van doninck was hoping to do the same after an encouraging Saturday, but he went down at the start of race 1. Forced to chase the field, the Belgian managed to break into the points in 19th. In race 2, he was fast out of the gate aboard the Fantic XXF 450 but lost ground in a tight first turn, finding himself mid-pack. He charged to P12 to finish off the weekend on a positive note. Despite the bad luck in the opening race, he placed 16th overall.
Alberto Forato:
“It was a positive weekend, despite a hard crash in the warm-up. I was definitely feeling the aftermath, especially in my left hand, which didn’t help in the heavy conditions here in the sand of Riola. But I tried my best, I gave it everything I had, and I am very happy with sixth overall. We have taken another small step forward, and now I am looking forward to seeing you all in Arco di Trento!”
Brent Van doninck:
“I didn’t know what to expect from this weekend after twisting my ankle in Switzerland, so finishing 10th in the qualifying race was quite good. Then, unfortunately, I went down at the start of race 1. The second race was better, with a solid P12. Two out of three starts were good – that is definitely a positive. So, all things considered, it was okay, but of course we want more. I hope my ankle will feel better next week, and then we have a longer break to get the body back to 100% again. But first, I hope I can score some good points again in Arco.”
Fantic Factory Racing EMX
Bertram Thorius narrowly missed out on the EMX125 podium in the deep sand of Riola Sardo, arguably one of the most demanding rounds of the calendar. Fifth in race 1 after a remarkable comeback following a start crash and seventh in race 2 despite a mid-race fall, the 15-year-old Danish talent finished fourth overall, just three points shy of the podium. Thanks to his consistent and strong results, Thorius also moves up to fourth place in the championship standings, proving that in his first year aboard the Fantic XX 125 he is no longer a surprise, but already a contender.
The speed was there for his Fantic Factory Racing EMX teammate Gennaro Utech too, once again inside the top-3 of his time practice group. Some costly mistakes in the races, however, didn’t allow him to turn that potential into a strong result. With 13th- and 16th-place finishes, Utech ended the GP of Sardegna 17th overall. The 17-year-old Italian will have a chance to bounce back soon, with another home round in Arco di Trento just around the corner.
Bertram Thorius:
“It was a good weekend. I crashed at the start in race 1 and came back to P5, and the riding was good. In race 2, I found myself mid-pack and had to fight hard. I had a tip-over that cost me some more time, but still managed to make my way back to P7 – another solid result. I think the key here is to never give up, especially on such a physical track, and we were rewarded with fourth overall, and fourth in the championship as well. Overall, I am very happy and looking forward to another home round for the team in Arco.”
Gennaro Utech:
“After setting the third-fastest time in my qualifying group, I just wasn’t able to put it together in the races. It’s a shame, but we won’t give up. Luckily, we have another Italian GP coming up right away. We will try to bounce back in Arco di Trento, because the potential is there and we will keep working.”
