On Track Off Road No.184

FEATURE
Reborn as Youthstream in 2002 they
bought back motocross a year later by
observing Dorna’s hesitancy and insecurity
with the profit-making model applied
to the sport.
They have been overseeing Grand Prix
(through the four-stroke MX1/MX2 formula
and up to the present MXGP/MX2
definition today with heavy influence over
the EMX European Championships as
well as other disciplines like the FIM Junior
World Championship, Veterans and
FIM Snowcross) ever since.
Former professional footballer David
Luongo has been steering the work and
direction of the company at ground level
for the last five years and has seen excellent
headway in the presentational aspect
of MXGP, a larger global footprint, a
surging social media audience and reach,
renewal of the Monster Energy title sponsorship
deal and improved dialogue with
the motorcycle industry and co-promoters
such as AMA Pro National runners
MX Sports. There have been bumps in
the road: the SMX ‘Supermotocross’ Cup
venture in 2016 was an attempt at European
motocross in a Supercross setting
and with AMA-level ambitions but was a
victim of an already overcrowded international
dirtbike calendar.
Infront are no strangers to FIM racing.
They supervised the WorldSBK championship
for six years between 2007-2012
before continuing their part in the merrygo-round
hand-off of power by allowing
Dorna to assume rights over both MotoGP
and Superbike.
The Infront-Youthstream alliance means
a fresh front on the organisation and
promotional face of MXGP for another
seventeen years. It comes at a time when
the FIM have a new president (Jorge
Viegas) for the first time since 2006 and
with staunch MXGP supporter Dr Wolfgang
Srb unexpectedly dipping out of
the election process for the position and
seemingly from the FIM political picture.
The announcement on January 31st naturally
provoked a raft of questions: How
will MXGP change? What will Infront do
with the championship? How much influence
will Youthstream retain?
Asking key figures such as David Luongo
and Julien Ternisien, Infront Vice President
Summer Sports, for their initial
strategies for Grand Prix was the next
point of call and both willingly (if, understandably,
a little guardedly) gave their
opinions on several enquires.
Their accessibility is to be applauded but
there is little doubt that all cards (if any)
will be laid on the table at this stage.
MXGP, as an elite representation of the
sport, is very far from being a broken
series and the last thing Infront will want
is to destabilise the remodelled ship as it
veers out from port.
There is an element of unpredictability
to the partnership though, and the extent
of Infront’s activity and engagement in
MXGP and Youthstream’s working practices
(and whether they can both sail
along) is water yet to be charted. Back
in 2001 Dorna employed virtually a full
roster of Action Group management to
assist in the transition of what an unstable
and politically ‘hot’ period for the
sport. Why? Grand Prix was run as a full
125, 250 and 500cc calendar for the first
time but with the unpopular one-moto