On the eve of the first round of the season with the Internazional D'Italia championship that will kick off at the Tazio Nuvolari circuit in Mantova, Italy this weekend, we asked Honda HRC team owner, Giacomo Gariboldi, how he sees the 2025 motocross season.

Q: For the first time, your team is in a full configuration, with four riders, two in MX1 and two in MX2, an old dream of yours that has finally come true."

Gariboldi: "Let's say that it is a project that as you know I have always strongly desired and that finally materializes. Young people are my passion and HRC's new management shares my vision; Today we can work with guys that we can launch towards a brilliant career. Taking Champions made by other teams is complicated, contracts are increasingly long-term and therefore the choice was to create the next Champion at home. Last year we took Ferruccio (Zanchi ed) and now with Lata we complete a line-up that can give us great satisfaction."

Q: Your goal for 2025 is to win the championship?

Gariboldi: "With a team like ours you start to win, being the first of the losers hurts and is not in our plans, even if sometimes you are forced to accept it. This year we start again with the desire to win, and I think we have what it takes to do it. In MXGP, I would say that the obligatory favourite on paper is Tim Gajser, because Prado has started and because the physical problem that has affected Herlings, another favourite for the title race, will slow down his preparation and debut. There is a third inconvenience I think, and it will be Lucas Coenen who could be the loose cannon of this season, we have often seen how much the riders who come from the 250 can go to the debut on the 450 and he will be no exception. Then we have to see what Renaux will do with the situation that if it becomes more consistent it could be dangerous, but I think that neither he nor Febvre can really fight for the world championship until the end. So, I see Tim, Jeffrey and Lucas in the running for the title and among them Tim is the favourite."

Q: Two Italian riders in your MX2 set-up is nice for the team, that its an Italian based team?

Gariboldi: "The fact that they are both Italian is not a predetermined choice, we chose riders who could lead us to achieve the goal of making them Champions and in our opinion they were among the best equipped to do so; We believed that both had the skills to make it and as chance would have it, they were both Italians. Ferruccio arrived last year at 17 and Lata arrives at the end of her 18, they are young and with great potential."

Q: Are you happy how the off-season training is going?

Gariboldi: "For now I'm very happy with how things are going. Doing both Italian races will be a great stimulus and motivation for them. Already among foreign teammates, competitiveness serves to make them grow but putting two Italians with very important and similar goals I am convinced that it will lead them to push each other. Already now I see that they pull each other, they look at each other and control each other's times, this is important to make them grow. We have two good riders who can aim for the top 5, as stated by them at the top HRC but in my opinion in some races we will see them much higher. I also hope for the first victory, Valerio has already finished 3rd in Maggiora and can get there, the same goes for Ferruccio."

Q: What about Ruben Fernandez?

Gariboldi: "Ruben is working harder at home, in Spain, and less in Sardinia, but he is working hard and in addition to the Internazionali d'Italia he will do two Spanish championship matches. For him it is a crucial season, he has to prove his worth after a difficult year due to injury. Now he has the chance to do it if he wants to stay at the top."

Q: Your team has been participating in the Internazionali d'Italia since its foundation, I imagine it is because you consider the value of the series in view of preparation for the world championship season."

Gariboldi: "The Internazionali d'Italia are fundamental for us, we have always participated, since the team was created, it's been 15/20 years now that we have been at the cancellation of the first race of the year and for us doing two races in Italy, without travelling much is an excellent solution. The plateau of starters is always very competitive, you don't have to go to France or England, doing many kilometres and becoming a waste of time travelling, the logistics are simple and don't complicate our work.

Q: Are you happy with the two-round format?

Gariboldi: The two races are good; they are the perfect number to do a good run-in. I am happy that the tracks have changed, Riola is a track with a lot of sand, and it is not always easy to work on it, Mantova on the other hand is great and then having a stage on hard, if it doesn't rain, helps us. This year we did some tests in Montevarchi and the new track that has changed a lot was liked, so I consider it a good choice.