Prado, who has enjoyed an incredible and dominant season by winning every Grand Prix he contested before the event in Sweden, took his 12th qualification heat victory of the season on Saturday for round 16 of 18 of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship.
In the opening MX2 moto on Sunday fans surrounding the tight, hardpack Uddevalla track witnessed a special FIM World Championship celebration as Prado obtained the points necessary to confirm his second #1 plate in the MX2 class. Prado ranks as the eighth different Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2 World Champion since the creation of the category in 2004; KTM has now claimed the MX2 titles 11 times from 16 seasons with the KTM 250 SX-F.
With a lead of 145 points and just 100 left to win in the series Prado, who hails from Lugo in Spain, has been confirmed as only the third double-winning champion in the history of the MX2 division. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star has won 27 of the 32 motos contested so far this season, despite missing a round with injury and has scored 12 1-1 victories from 16 rounds.
In what was another memorable weekend for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Prado’s MX2 teammate Tom Vialle scored his very first Grand Prix victory with a 2-2 scorecard aboard his KTM 250 SX-F. The FIM Motocross World championship now heads to Turkey and China for the last two rounds of the season.
Jorge Prado: “It has been a perfect season. I won every GP I raced up until now and many motos and many qualifying races. I was feeling very good this year with the bike set-up and physically. My start was OK in the second moto in Sweden, but then I made a small crash and bent the clutch lever. I had to deal with a race without a clutch and passing riders was tough in the beginning. I had to get used to it. I got better and better and at the end of the moto I made very good laps. I was so close to getting second on the last lap. I think it was one of the best races of the year and I felt very comfortable in that second moto. I liked the track a lot and it was prepped very well over the weekend. Overall, I think I made a clear step from last year to this year: I was riding better. I’m very happy. No mistakes. It’s important to be like that and to keep consistent in a long championship. I’d like to thank everyone for their support – to win a second MX2 title is amazing. Thanks to the team, the people at KTM, my family, friends and sponsors. It’s been a great year.”
Robert Jonas (Vice President Motorsports Offroad): “Full congratulations to Jorge and the whole team for what has been such a strong season. It was hard for us in MXGP after a dominant 2018 championship, but it was a relief and so satisfying to see Jorge continue to improve and keep having great success in MX2. It is clear we are seeing the progress of another amazing talent. The amount of victories and the superiority Jorge has on the KTM 250 SX-F is down to his fantastic ability, his work with Claudio and David De Carli and the crew and the competitiveness of our bike that has been bringing in all those trophies for so many years. 2020 will be another challenge for our double champion but for now he should enjoy everything he has earned.”
Press Release KTM
