The 2024 MXGP championship is without one of the all-time great seasons for our sport and while there is a long list of seasons where championships were decided between two or more riders and in the final race of the season. We did a piece on it last week, and there are now too many to go over again.

Three-time World 500cc champion Dave Thorpe has been involved in a couple of legendary seasons, none better than his 1986 championship winning season, when he entered the final round of the year with four legends all close enough to wrap up the title (more on that below).

We asked the British legend to give us some answers on this year’s battle and who he thinks will be crowned World champion in a few weeks’ time.

MXlarge: Dave, tell me, this championship in 2024, I mean, we had that 2021 championship between Herlings, Febvre and Gajser, even though this one isn’t as close, because Jeffrey is a bit back with points, for me, this year seems even better than that one. What is your opinion of this year’s title fight?

Thorpe: To be fair, I have loved it. I have been on holidays with family, and I have been watching it here. It is what the fans want isn’t it. Two, stroke, three in a tough fight. It has been tough on Jeffrey, slow start with his injuries, but he has come strong. Tim and Prado, they are proper at it, aren’t they. What I like at the moment, the tracks have not been easy to pass from the outside looking it that is what I feel.

MXLarge: I am a very erratic guy and one minute I think its Prado’s title, then I think its Jeffreys and then I think it’s Tims, and I think you are more sensible than me and you have experience in these types of things. It has been a rollercoaster for all of them at one point.

Thorpe: Yes, I agree, and I think what has livened it up for me, is the points situation on the Saturday race. You can really see there is a lot of focus on that now and they can now make points on one of the other frontrunners. That heat race on the Saturday is playing a big part in the championship.

MXlarge: The Saturday qualification got a lot of negative comments, but I was always a fan, because as a fan, I want to see the best guys racing as much as possible and when no points were involved, they were just riding around holding their places, now the racing is very good.

Thorpe: I think if I was sat in their shoes now, I wouldn’t be a fan of it, but at the end of the year you can make points, but sat on this side of the fence, as a fan, it adds a lot to the Saturday races.

MXlarge: I did a story last week on a lot of the big battles for World motocross championships and obviously you have been involved in some of those, in 1985 and then again in 1986. That 1986 championship where four of you went into the final round capable of winning, you, Eric Geboers, Andre Malherbe and Georges Jobe, what a group of legends. You are not these three this year, but that pressure. You seemed to be good in that pressure, and for me, a normal guy, I cannot even imagine what that was like. Did you ever doubt yourself in those type of moments?

Thorpe: I never doubted myself. My dad always said, “Dave, its just another race,” and that is how I looked at it. As you said, in 86, when there were four of us with the possibility, then it comes down to the last race and then it really is a minds game. The problem with the guys now, the starts are so heavy bias on one side of the gate and for whatever reason, its very hard for them to pass one another right now.

MXLarge: With the current World of social media and riders wanting to be involved more with their fans via social media and everything online, you see riders like Jeffrey and Jorge, they are very much watching what people are saying on social media, Jeffrey has even told me he reads everything, while Tim, he just goes back to Slovenian and doesn’t take any notice of what the media think, or the negative comments he might get. He is less effected by the outside noise. I assume you were like that, although it was easier in your day, with no internet BS.

Thorpe: Maybe it has a lot to do with who supports them, or maybe their teams and sponsors want to see them more involved, I don’t know. In our day, we were very fortunate, we didn’t have that added burden of social media or whatever, but I think if I was sat there right now, I would be more like Tim in that area. Just keep your head down and do what I do. It is difficult though, because sponsors want to see a lot of things on social media. If Tim likes it that way and it clearly does, then so be it. Jeffrey is a people person isn’t he and he likes to be liked and I get it.

MXLarge: After Lommel, Jeffrey was a bit out of it and then in Lommel, he scored a lot of points on Tim and many people, including myself figured, he is back, and he can win it if he doesn’t get injured. What did you think after Lommel?

Thorpe: Funnily enough, I spoke to Jeffrey, and he was in the game in Lommel and Holland, but the other two there or there abouts and then you have Romain coming in strong. Jeffrey is looking strong now, but Tim and Jorge have been solid most of the time. It is very difficult, because if you were a betting man, it is very hard to chance your bet right now, because as we know, in motocross, anything can happen. I really thought after Switzerland this weekend, we would have a clearer picture, if it was going to be a three-way fight, or a two-way fight.

MXLarge: Obviously Jeffrey has an advantage in the sand, but Jorge on a good hard-pack track, he seems to have an advantage on most occasions, but Tim has also shown he loves hard pack and fast tracks. It is very intriguing.

Thorpe: Still don’t think you can disappoint any of the three. They are all supreme athletes and, on their day, can beat anyone in the World, but it’s a roll of the dice.

MXlarge: Who would you pick (I asked this question before Switzerland)?

Thorpe: Not because I am a Honda man, but I think Tim. He is very calm in situations, and he works it out and the tracks coming up are good for him. The last one is in Spain, and you would think Prado will have something, but I generally think, Tim will pull it off.

Ray Archer image