Can Anyone Beat Prado
Posted on April 25, 2024
It is very obvious that Red Bull GasGas factory rider Jorge Prado is in a class of his own at the moment, winning the first four GPs of the season and building a big points lead over many of his rivals. There were signs of Romain Febvre and Tim Gajser catching up in Trentino, with the Frenchman winning two of the three races, and Gajser pushing Prado on occasions, but still, Prado won. For Prado, there is no doubt who is the man, and his confidence just grows and grows with each victory. He isn't about to let the competition get the upper hand and I think we can all expect him to head into Portugal in a little over a week with one thing on his mind, and that is victory.
“I think I am at my best right now,” Prado said. “I have never won the 450 class, four in a row. I am just feeling very good, and I feel I am making the difference and physically I am in really good shape, and I feel I can turn any situation around. Today (Trentino) I was really not feeling good with the track and felt it was very dangerous. I just had to go through it with my fitness and push. I am in good shape and feeling good.”
As for five-time World motocross champion Jeffrey Herlings, he has shown a lot of respect to Prado, but does hope to catch up to his speed soon. The Dutchman is a slow burner in recent years and could make his move at the next round in Portugal, a track where he has won on a handful of occasions. Herlings does feel Prado is riding better than ever.
“He hasn’t stopped racing,” Herlings said. “It is hard to say, but he has brought intensity from America, in those first laps and also today, like if you could see in the motos, he would sprint away. When I look back at when he raced in America and how he looks here, it looks like a different Prado, because here, he looks so strong. Physically fit, but in the supercross, he slowed at the end of the races. I think somebody like Jett, when you saw the supercross, Jett just smoked him, it is a different discipline, but I think if Jett was racing here (Trentino) today, he has to have a good day to beat Jorge. I am not saying he would beat Jett, because at the moment, I think that Jett is the fastest guy, but Jorge is very fast at the moment.”
Romain Febvre feels he has caught up to the red plate owner and is looking forward to maybe putting more pressure on Prado in the coming two rounds in Portugal and Spain. Just a small crash cost the Kawasaki factory rider a shot at winning the GP in Trentino and he knows it.
“I think,” Febvre said. “He just got fitter than last year, because many people in the media ask him about his fitness last year, but he says he was fit, but really, he wasn’t that fit in the second moto, because his second moto was often not as good as the first moto. I think he just got fitter and stronger and of course experience. It is a good challenge for us. He is a good racer, but like I said, I think I found the way to put him under pressure from the beginning and then try and beat him like this, because, the thing is now, he is fitter than before, takes a good start and if he takes a lead at the beginning, it is hard to catch him, but now, we are better on the start and if I can start with him, and put him directly under pressure, then I have a big chance to pass him and to win. This is my goal for the next few races.”
So, what will be interesting in Portugal in a little over a week, is if the likes of Febvre, Gajser and Herlings can put a victory on over Prado. It won’t be easy, as Prado is also very good in Portugal and will want to put on a show for his locals in the Spanish round. As Febvre said, if somebody can beat Prado in Spain, that might be a really good place to start some mind games.
