MXGP Finland - WTF - I Don’t Know Man…

..you summed it up great....meanwhile Spring Creek was King.

MXGP is not a spectator sport these days. Not from the perspective of in person spectating. 

I can't even watch todays race (fast- forward the stream)   its just a dead boring atmosphere. The lack of riders -fans and shit track kills the whole vibe , that motocross essence is gone. what a difference watching spring creek and this shit, but hey loungos cashed in and that's what matters.

I was watching the first 250 moto and just turned it off. 16! Active riders on track!!! What a joke MXGP has become. Cancelled my subscription. You have a thriving MX community in Scandinavia and you managed to fill 16! Gates. 
Fuc# off I’m disgusted 🤮 

And the AMA Nationals are amazing 

Although I don't subscribe, so I'm limited on how much I watch of the MXGP's, this is actually sad to hear about. And even if MX is doing ok over here as our Nationals are, it doesn't help us in the least or motocross in general to have the European series not thriving. You would think in a country like Finland, with all of it's majestic nature, they could have a motocross track of quality and natural terrain, and fans who would support the pros when they come. Sad indeed

I have been following MXGP for almost 2 decades. I'm a massive fan. It's been unbearable watching the series fall off so hard these last 10 years. These riders are amazing, and deserve so much more.

I’m so with you on this. In the early 2000 I was trying to qualify for several GP’s there were over 150 riders trying to qualify and a strong 40 rider gate for the motos. 
It’s incredibly hard to see the downfall over the last years 

Honestly the MXGP riders themselves are really good but as a series Iv'e stopped watching the full races... That's partly due to money and time constraints but if I'm going to watch just one then it's AMA these days. Some of the GPs are still amazing but the lack of riders doesn't speak to a series that's healthy imo. Even Tony in his post race Millville interview (here on vitalmx), the question was raised and he said overall he prefers a full 40 gate field vs 20 something etc currently in GPs. Yes lappers have their downside but it's better for the fans to actually feel like they're witnessing a spectacle. Neither series is healthy in the sense that most of the riders are making quality money, or any money at all, but at least in America there's still grassroots passion behind it, of local pros who will turn up and give it bash with their family, GF's and friends cheering them on. Not to get too deep but as per everything else (not just MX) we're in a bad spot over here. It's difficult to describe. 

It is really hard to see. We have races with amazing scenery, filled gates and fan turnout (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic) and we have absolute shit tracks with - most of the time - no atmosphere and heart. I feel for these riders, because the level is incredibly high. If you compare these races with Spring Creek, it’s night and day difference.

I don’t want to bring this as an Ama vs GP debate at ALL, but the level is quite similar in both series. You can see it with Guillod his results compared to last year in GPs. But the atmosphere, man.. This year I attended Agueda, which was great. But if yoi watched Cozar, Spain.. man that was awful. I couldn’t even watch it on TV. Then, I’ll attend Lommel and Arnhem already knowing it’s magical and awesome events. The contrast between these races is sad. 

50% of the GPs are awesome, 50% unwatchable.
 

That's longer than me but I feel you. I barely even watch highlights anymore because I'm just not interested in the series at all. Meanwhile I stay up all hours of the morning watching every American supercross race and spend my Saturdays watching the outdoors. I think I remember when my interest started waning, right around when RV came over and I was watching this absolute legend ride around a woeful looking track in Thailand with no fans, was just embarrassing to watch. 

Normally, watching MXGP is very enjoyable. Must be an off race

The track looked awful for spectating, the few hundred who were there were crammed into three areas. Why they have to have those stupid 7 foot high metal fences at some of the European rounds i have never understood but this had it at all the spectator areas. In a weird way i'm kind of glad the Finnsh fans stayed away for the most part, it showed it up for what a poor event it was.

As for riders entering, it speaks volumes that only Varjonen from the top national championship riders actually entered and that arguably their two top 450 riders (Haavisto & Weckman), opted to ride the ADAC Masters at the spectacular old-school Bielstein track instead. A properly run championship would have all the top riders from the Nordic and Baltic countries in an event like this. 

I didn't think this a few years ago but i'm now in the camp of just scrapping EMX250 and allowing them to stay in EMX125 for a year or so longer. The fact you have top-ten level riders in MX2 not in the class and then Nick Vennekens who rarely ever qualified in EMX250 riding the world championship + scoring loads of points every week really shows how stupid it is.

Kay de wolf finally looks on form again.  Dont follow it really closely.  But it seemed like last year he was dominant and everyone was talking about him being as fast as Deegan. 

Lucas c, is catching the leader in points fast.  But it's hard to tell how fast he really is when the majority of the dominant riders from the series the last few years aren't out there.  I will say the racing is often closer, but part of that might just be that the guys at the very top aren't as good.  If you take away deegan and the Lawrences, the ama series would have very close and unpredictable racing also.  

Luongo’s shill @mxgeoff will probably post some “interviews” Monday morning with quotes from all the riders talking about how great the track and the atmosphere surrounding the race was. And then write a press release for KTM and post it as a “race report” lol 

this is coming from a guy who acknowledges the us nationals has some serious issues as well. And I also enjoy watching mxgp. But Luongo is a huge parasite and the fact that I see Coombs so willing to work closely with him is concerning to say the least  

Next year ill buy it by race, the good  rounds with full gates and a great crowd atmosphere. Some rounds are unwatchable.🤢

what with the  man made track, lack of riders and spectators, i thought it was a fly away meeting

painful to see 

Comparing Spring Creek to that MXGP shitshow puts it to shame.

I wish that MXGP was as good as the AMA National series but it just isn’t, and that’s why I don’t watch it. Much respect to the riders, it’s not their fault.

MXGP needs to take the approach we have here. Privateers keep this sport going weather you like it or not.

At the same time there was also ADAC (German) Championship and they got 42 riders. The results can be found here. You will see a lot of familiar names from Nagl, Weckman, Tixier, Haavistu, Talviku, Van de Moosdijk, ... 

And how many people show up to see all the locals try to qualify. What would attendance look like if only 20 were signed up? European racing seems to be getting away from a spectator sport.

And here we were, thinking nothing could be worse than Turkey. 

Shockingly bad, if what fans there were, could have been trackside, rather than miles away, it might have helped. 

And the rocks just tossed to the side of the track, unreal, i heard Everts may have landed on one, just no need, do the riders a favour. 

This MXGP event is terrible. These riders deserve better.

Not long after Coenen got wrapped up in a wire fence that was left exposed less than 10ft from the track edge. All for the bargain price of a few thousand euro per entry which has to be paid in cash… 

Series run by clowns who are running it into the ground. Has been for years, but the backhanders will keep the FIM in tow, so it ain’t going to change any time soon. 

I'm sorry but gate was not strong back then. They only took 30 riders to the gate, so what's the big difference?!

They lapped similar up to 15-20 depending on track, top 10 around a minute behind.

Exactly the same more or less. 20-40 is just gate fillers and in the way when lapping.

Injuries sucks, hurt both series. Webb, Anderson, AP, Ferrandis, Roczen, Savagy out. MXGP Gajser, Herlings, Gifting, Paul's Jonas, Renaux out

Guillod, Toendel in US running pretty much the same spots as in MXGP.

AMA is same right now as MXGP. 10 quality riders, rest is nothing you care about ones gate drops. Dont even notice them.

Its Jett vs Hunter in AMA, but its really isnt. Its Coen vs Febvre in AMA. 250 class is over in US. In Europe there is still a chance but pretty much over. At least different winners in 250 i MXGP.

Yesterday was saved by Jmart. Otherwise a snooze fest right now. At least there is a fight about 450 championship in MXGP. 

Was on site watching. Kinda regret spending (too much) money on the ticket now, only redeeming factor being that I got to spend the day with a friend. Going to just list why:

- Amount of GP/MX2 participants a joke
- Track environment not pleasing to the eye at all
- Event arrangements seemed sloppy all around
- Rules seemed to prohibit spectators from bringing anything of their own to drink. It wasn't enforced on me as I got to bring a few bottles of water. Others said they weren't allowed even that. And it was sunny, 29 celsius / 85 freedom units
- All noise makers prohibited as well, so much for atmosphere
- Only two access points to refill water and both of them served it sun-heated
- Zero stands to watch from = couldn't really see anything despite low attendace
- As said, viewing areas too far fom the track and only covered half or less of the area around the track. 30% of the track was completely out of sight
- High fences everywhere obstructing view, couldn't think of any reason for them being there instead of half-cut fences
- Only a few booths selling merch, basic KTM, Husq and Yamaha. Official MXGP merch didn't have any visible pricing either. Tho I think it was been this way for a long time
- 1-day ticket for sunday ended up being 85 euros (99usd) and parking another 17eur/20usd. Way too steep considering you HAD to provide your own seating, which apparently was also against the rules.

I was happy when I heard that MXGP was returing to Finland and I hope it will again. But the game has to be upped. A lot.

I think the biggest issue was the late replacement of Indonesia for Finland (on March 6th). A lot of the smaller teams don't have the budget to go to Indonesia, but it doesn't mean that when it gets replaced by a European venue they automatically will make the trip, since all the budgets had been settled long before the announcement.

Guys like Van de Moosdijk, Spies, Ludwig, Weckman et cetera ride for German based teams, so I think it makes sense they raced the ADAC series in Bielstein, as it's probably stated in their contract to race the German Championship anyway. And the German round was planned on this date as everyone assumed the Indonesian round was going to take place like planned. Gifting was training on his own last weekend, so his team just couldn't make the trip.

Adding the injuries of Gajser, Renaux, Herlings, Jonass, Zanchi, Braceras,.. the field got depleted even more.

All in all, not a good look for Infront (again).

When was the Finnish track chosen? Wasn´t this a last minute deal due to cancellation of Indonesia, or am I wrong here?

One thing that is very unfortunate is that both series could benefit from some new quality tracks. I still can´t believe we lost Matchams Park, probably the one of the best tracks the GP´s have had the last 20 years. Sand, tight and made for very tight and close racing without needing freak obstacles to draw attention. Desertmartin wasn´t half bad either. Agueda is good, but not the time of the year they choose to have it there, resulting it being quite often a mudfest. 

I think the GP´s could need some new talent too, so privateers and local fast guys can fill the gates up. Right now the less profiled rounds are quite sad unfortunately. Talentwise it seems both series are similar, and I hope the GP´s try to keep their style. We don´t need US style tracks, just ad good Euro tracks to the schedule. 

Did you make any? Impressive to even get to the point of trying to qualify.