Red Bull KTM Factory rider Andrea Adamo picked up the 2023 MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship last weekend at the MXGP of Italy. The Sicilian took a very similar path to Antonio Cairoli on his journey to a world title and the media were lucky enough to catch up with the World champion today. Here is what he told us.
Andrea, congratulations, can you explain your season and winning the championship?
Andrea Adamo: It is already Wednesday and tomorrow we head to England. When I think about being world champion, that is something really special. It was my first year with the factory team and I have to be honest, at the beginning of the season, that was not the goal. Everything came together, but we took our chance, and we did our best to bring it home. I am really proud of what I did and what we did, because I think when we win together, we also lose together.
Do you know much about the history of the Italian World champions, I think you have like six World champions [Michele Rinaldi, Alessandro Puzar, Alessio Chiodi, Andre Bartolini, David Philippaerts, Antonio Cairoli] before you, do you know their history?
I know who they are, but I don’t really know the history. I know a lot of Tony, and not so much of Philippaerts, but not about the others.
You won the title 18 years after Tony won his first title, but how was it working with another Sicilian and somebody with the same journey as you?
For me, when I was a kid, I looked at Tony like my idol and he is still my idol. When I got the chance to work close with him, I was super happy and super proud to do it. Also, this year, with Joel [Smets], I worked more with Joel, because I spent a lot of time in Belgium. We really worked a lot on many things. When I was in Italy, Tony was also there and also sometimes in Belgium and that helped me a lot. To control the pressure, that helped a lot. Last year I was fighting for six, seven or eight and if I was lucky, top five, but this year, I was fighting for a championship, so, at one point, I really had a lot of pressure on my shoulders. Tony and Joel have both experienced that before and they know this situation and more than once. I would ask, what do I have to do. All day I am thinking of only one thing and was there something wrong with me, or is that normal, but on that side, they helped me a lot.
I would just like to touch on the race itself, you knew you had to finish ahead of Liam [Everts]. You came around and you must have seen Liam on the side of the track, and did you also see your team getting ready to celebrate?
Yes, I saw everything. Actually, when I ride my bike, I am also good at controlling the other things, like who is in the back and when I am riding, sometimes I count the points and if I finish third, I am on the podium or not. When I passed Benistant, I was in the position to win the championship if Liam was one position behind me. Then actually, I heard the speaker saying something Everts and then I thought he was passing [Thibault] Benistant, but then I saw him on the side of the track, but that isn’t the way I want him to end the championship, that isn’t nice. It can happen and lucky he is fine, and he can still fight for top two in the championship at the next GP. I saw the team, but I was trying to stay focused on the riding and then meet them.
You said you were able to accept when some riders were faster than you in some GPs. I would like to know, when did you think about it, when did you say, “Okay, this race, this rider is faster than me and I settle for points.”
There isn’t one moment you think a rider is faster, but maybe a guy is pushing you a lot and I will try and keep him at the back, but when he is in front and I can’t follow him and take risk, I can say to myself, I let him go and I try and fight back in another race, or the second moto. Actually, this is one thing I really like of myself, that I can accept that, when somebody is faster than me. With this, you stay much more in control. Sometimes you want to follow, but you are not fast enough, and you can crash. In a championship of 20 races, you can’t always be the fastest.
You seem to have a good relationship with Liam and you both pretty much had a similar season, both not expected to be battling for a championship at the start of the year, but clearly good enough to do that at the end. How is your relationship with Liam as a teammate and a fellow racer?
No, actually, we have a good relationship, still, he is my teammate, and, on the track, I race him. We are not best friends, but that is normal. I can say we both respect each other and actually, I can say, during the year, I felt like we both grew up together. In the first races he struggled more than me, because I had a podium quickly, but after, he also made a step, build some confidence and he grew, and we grew together. That is cool, because many people at the start of the season didn’t think Everts and Adamo could fight for the championship.
What are your goals for your career. Did you think about America, or just Grand Prix in MXGP?
Now, at the moment, I don’t have any plans for USA. At the moment, I want to stay in Europe, and I don’t think too much about MXGP or even a second title. I just think about enjoying this one and when in November, I start my winter preparation, I will think about a plan for 2024 and try and be on the title chase again. I can say, at the moment, the idea of USA isn’t even an idea.
Your family is very important for you; can you explain where you came from and how your family is for your career?
My family helped me a lot. When I was a kid, when I was 10 years old, my whole family moved to Bologna. Not just for motocross, but first for work, because Sicily isn’t easy for a job. When they had the chance to move to Bologna, it is also easier for motocross. I had two sisters and a brother, and they had normal work and they had to pay the house and it wasn’t easy. I am always grateful to them and one thing that is important for me, is to give to my parents what they always dreamt. I was always feeling I need to give something to my parents, because this was also their dream, and my dream and now I have it, I am super happy that all the sacrifice they give, it counts for me, and I will always be grateful for that.
Main image: KTM Images/Ray Archer
