Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jorge Prado, who started the 2019 MX2 championship with a stunning 1-1 seems to have grown in the off-season, and not just in statue, but also in his race craft. His 2018 MX2 championship was something we’ve all waited for, and with Pauls Jonass now up in the MXGP class, the opposition isn’t like it was last year.
Of course, if Prado wins his second World Championship this year, then he will be ordered to move up to the MXGP class. While the Spaniard is still early in his career, there are many who feel Prado is already inside the top five riders in the world. While that second championship is still a long way off, the defending MX2 champion knows that a 450 move would be a tough one.
“First I want to win the MX2 championship,” Prado said. “We will see first. After that we will start thinking, the 450 class is very strong, and I have the best team-mate I could have, it is a very good reference for me, training with him, if one day I need to jump to 450 I know where I need to be. I mean, it depends how you ride the 450, and it’s aggressive, but you don’t need to ride it aggressive, at the same time you can ride it smooth, if you ride it aggressive that is when the problems start. You need to ride the 250 aggressive, really aggressive. Like you said, I am pretty slim, but we will see.”
It was a few weeks ago that Prado won in Argentina and it was a performance that made the champion very happy. Leaving Patagonia healthy and with a perfect score was important and now the focus moves onto round two at Matterley Basin this weekend.
“It’s great to be back at the GPs and I had a lot of fun. I had two really good starts and that was important for the racing. The priority was to get the first race done with good points and to be healthy and in the end, we managed a win in both races. I felt very good on the bike and physically very strong. I couldn’t start the season in a better way. We’ll keep working hard up to the next round in England.”
Now onto England, where Prado will try and repeat his perfect 1-1 from round one and put more pressure on his rivals to keep up with him. Around the lovely British circuit you can be sure that Prado will look good. You can also be sure he will be watching the 450 boys and wondering what might be in 2020.
Author: Geoff Meyer
