This FIM Motocross World Championship season finally saw the comeback of the factory Honda machines after several years of absence from the Motocross race tracks. Satellite teams CAS Honda and Martin Honda will be provided with full factory MX1 bikes with the goal of collecting top class results.

Honda Motor Europe Director of Motorsports Division Carlo Fiorani, Honda Motor Europe Responsible for Off Road activities Roger Harvey, Honda R&D Chief Engineer Katsumi Yamazaki, team managers Harry Ainsworth (CAS Honda) and Paolo Martin explained the company’s plans for the forthcoming season.

There will be more cooperation with Honda Japan and the current program is due to last for three years, in order to establish a solid and good working relation with the Japanese manufacturer.

CAS’ riders Billy Mackenzie and Mike Brown and Martin Honda’s Marc de Reuver and Julien Bill –riding in the MX1 class- all confirmed the value of the new works Honda’s and look forward to a positive 2008.

There was also a presentation of a new important initiative, the MX Rookie, to take place at Lommel, Belgium, on August 1st.

The event, which will open the weekend of the eleventh Grand Prix of the season, is dedicated to all the MX2 machines mounted amateur riders who will have the privilege to race the final on the GP circuit.

With the selection process being carried out on a separate race track during Wednesday and Thursday, the scenery of the final will move to the Grand Prix circuit and the eventual top three finishers will receive their trophies on the World Championship podium.

MX Rookie General Director Mr. Eric Geboers and FAM (Federation of Amateurs Motocross) Secretary Mr. Guido Verboven recognized the amateur riders as the base of a pyramid structure where the top is represented by the FIM Motocross World Championship. Setting up the MX Rookie right next to the Grand Prix circus will represent the chance to connect the base with the top, with the event representing the bridging.

FIM Motocross World Championship promoter Youthstream’s President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo said:

“What matters for us is the sport of Motocross. Of course we have professionals and amateurs, and of course all professional have been amateurs in their early days of racing.” Then Mr. Luongo continued by saying: “Now subject to the FIM final approval and to the homologation of the track, I will give the Youthstream approval to make the MX Rookie final on the official Grand Prix track on the Friday and to use the World Championship structures, including the podium.”

Youthstream also welcomed a new official partner, Lovemytime, a brand in constant evolution which is specialized in leisure time products designed for those who are always on the move.

Lovemytime is part of the E-MOTION group. Tyla Rattray (left) and Tommy Searle (right) won the Lovemytime Qualifying Award for the respective qualifying victories in the MX2 heats Having organized the Lovemytime Pole Position Award for the MX1 pole setter and the Lovemytime Qualifying Award for the two MX2 qualifying moto winners, the company aims at leaving a colorful mark in the Championship.

The riders will be awarded every weekend with a glamorous Lovemytime accessory and another related high tech gadget. Today’s winner of the first Lovemytime Pole Position Award was Belgian Ken de Dycker, while team mates Tyla Rattray (heat one) and Tommy Searle (heat two) won the Lovemytime Qualifying Award for the victories in the qualifying heats.

Together with the Award, each rider was given the stylish portable loudspeakers by Lovemytime and an iPod.

Lovemytime also sponsors FIM Motocross World Championship riders Alessio Chiodi (MX1), Cedric Melotte (MX1), Davide Guarneri (MX2), Kenneth Gundersen (MX1), Antti Pyrhonen (MX1) and last but not least MX2 Reigning Champion Tony Cairoli.