Massimo Castelli is one of the true legends of our sport. Maybe hidden in the background, doing the hard work, and giving his riders the bikes they need to win. Having won world titles with many riders, he continued to work with five-time world motocross champion, Tim Gajser in 2026, and returns to Yamaha, a place he has called home in the past. He sat down and answered some question from the men from the Italian International series.

Q: You have had many experiences in your life, never standing still and always ready for new adventures, but this 2026 is a bit of a return, given that you have already been a protagonist of great seasons at the top with top-class riders at Yamaha. What made you return to the Iwata manufacturer?

Castelli: I think I still have a lot to give to the world of motocross, and they are giving me the chance to prove it by placing their trust in me with this new role.

Q: Having always been involved in world motocross, we could say that you have seen the evolution of this sport over the last few decades. How is motocross doing today?

Castelli: Unfortunately, it has become very expensive, and if you don’t have big sponsors or major manufacturers behind you, it is increasingly difficult to participate. There are more and more races, with many long trips, and for this reason, sometimes there are very few riders at the starting gate, which is a shame for this sport.

Q: Massimo Castelli is synonymous with the victories of great champions. Give us three names and tell us why you feel most connected to them.

Castelli: 1. Dave Strijbos, because I won my first world championship with Cagiva alongside him. 2. Donny Schmit, it was my first year with Yamaha Rinaldi, everything was new, and we won the world championship straight away. 3. Tim Gajser, I won five world championships with him. I practically watched him grow up; he was just a kid when we started working together. He is someone who takes his work very seriously, trains hard, recognizes the work of those around him, and respects things and people. He is a wonderful person both on and off the track. To me, he is like a second son. Let’s face it, when you win a world championship, it’s often because you have a team behind you that finds the right motivation to always give 101%. Passion but also great professionalism. After so many years, what drives you to still spend so many weekends away from home and find the motivation to aim for victory? What is the secret for those who support these athletes?

Q: Passion, being able to contribute thanks to my experience. It’s great when you see that you’ve helped achieve new goals.

Castelli: And as for weekends away from home… well, experiencing the races live, alongside the driver and the team, the adrenaline of the races… these are things you can’t experience sitting on a sofa.

Q: Internazionali d’Italia 2026, how do you view these early season races and why are they important for teams like the one you are with this year?

Castelli: They are very important races because you can see where we are with the bike and the rider’s preparation.