Years ago I saw Alberto at a MXDN and he seemed like quite a character, he was an up and coming Italian rider. I even secured a jersey of his from that weekend and now, like Google stock back in the day, Forato has really risen in the ranks once he got on the big bike. My buddy Gio is Italian and called him up for some thoughts on his recent win, his “ship” and more- take that Lewis Phillips! – Steve
Italy’s Alberto Forato finished 7th overall in his first season as a 450 rider in the FIM World Championship. We talked with the friendly 23-year-old who will lead Team Italy at the MXdN in France this coming weekend.
Alberto: first of all, congratulations on winning your first qualifying race – and in getting your first podium in a moto, too – at the Italian GP, in Maggiora, one of the most iconic tracks in our sport. From “1” to “10”, how would you rate your first season in the 450 class?
Thank you! I would give myself an “8”. Every time I line-up for a race, the goal is to win, and I didn’t win much this year. Having said that, 7th overall in the 450 class in my first season, is a good starting point. I am happy about it.
What was it like to win 1st qualifying race, and to be on the podium at Maggiora?
It was incredible. There was a huge crowd, and they were LOUD! I could hear them cheer for me, every single lap, as I rode by. It was amazing.
Speaking of the qualifying races, what do you think of the decision to award points just as if they were a regular moto?
There are pros and cons, just like with everything else. On one hand, you can score valuable points, and it’s an actual race. There’s nothing like racing to improve your craft and your fitness. On the other hand, the qualifying race is now like a regular moto: everyone is on the gas from start to finish, therefore it’s riskier. Also, at the end of the season, an extra moto at each GP adds up in terms of overall fatigue.
The MXdN is this coming weekend, and you will be the captain of Team Italy. That’s another great achievement for a rider in his first season in the 450. What are your thoughts about this?
It’s an honor, and I am very excited about it because I believe that we can compete to be on the podium. Also, we are a young team: I am 23, Mattia Guadagnini – who will race in the Open- is 21, and Andrea Adamo – who just won the World Championship in the MX2 – is 20. This may be the beginning of a rewarding cycle for Italian motocross, and it’s very cool to be a part of it.
Tell us something about you got started in the sport and your early career.
I was born and raised in a small town near Treviso, in North-Eastern Italy. It’s an area with a strong tradition for motocross. For example, Mattia Guadagnini is from a small town just 15 miles from where I grew-up, and Alessio Chiodi (note: a 3-time World Champion in the late 90s) doesn’t live far, either. I have loved riding since as long as I remember. My parents told me that when I was 3 years old, we were at their friends’ house, and their daughter had an electric bike; I got on the bike, and they couldn’t get me off of it. I was hooked, and I’ve been saying that I would become World Champion since I was a child. My riding coach growing up was Michele Fanton (note: a former top Italian rider who competed in the FIM World Championship from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, and won 3 GPs in the 250 class). In my early years I received some support from the Martin brothers (note: owners of a factory-backed Honda team from the early 90s until the mid-2010), and in 2017 I signed with the Honda Assomotor team to race the European Championship in 2018. Then I rode Husqvarnas for the Maddii Team, and I now ride KTMs for the SM Action team of Emanuele Giovannelli, The team is based near Modena, not far from the headquarters of Ferrari, and they have a race shop in Belgium, too. I ride in the 450, Federico Tuani raced in the 250, and Luca Ruffini rode in the EMX championship.
Who were your favorite riders growing up?
James Stewart and Antonio Cairoli. I loved the way Stewart rode, but he sure crashed hard! Other than those two, I didn’t follow anybody else closely. I have always worked on creating my own riding style. I am not a student of the sport.
Where do you live and train primarily?
It depends. In the winter I train primarily in Sardinia or Spain. The rest of year I divide my time between Italy and Belgium. The challenge with training in Italy in the summer is that the tracks get dry very quickly; then they are not fun to ride, and you can’t really replicate the conditions of the tracks in the World Championship.
Speaking of tracks, what are your favorite tracks in the GPs, and in Italy?
In the GPs, the tracks I like best are Matterley Basin and Maggiora. In Italy, in addition to Maggiora, I like Ponte a Egola, which is in Tuscany, Faenza, that is not far where my current team has its race shop, and Malagrotta, near Rome.
Do you have any friends or buddies among the riders of the World Championship?
Yes. I would say that Jeremy Seewer and I are good friends, but I get along with most of the other riders, too.
Speaking of people in the paddock of the World Championship, are you familiar with a media-guy by the name of Lewis Phillips?
Yes, I know who he is.
Well, Lewis Phillips has become famous – although “infamous” seems more fitting – as a band-wagon and thunder-stealing kind of guy. He dutifully reports on the races, and when a particular rider, let’s say, Chase Sexton, goes on a winning streak or otherwise becomes a title-contender, Lewis will claim that he had been Chase’s corner all-along, even though other knowledgeable media guys such as Steve, had predicted that Chase would win. Knowing that Steve has sung your praises now several years, do you agree that Steve is the Captain of the Forato ship?
(laughs) I would be honored if Steve were the captain of my ship.
Do you follow racing in the U.S.?
I do! I bought the subscription to watch Supercross, Nationals, and SMX.
Have you ever ridden supercross? If so, how comfortable are you on a supercross track?
I have ridden supercross, and I feel quite comfortable on the tracks that I have ridden so far. But I suspect that riding the small supercross tracks I have ridden on is not a reliable test for how I would do on a track inside a stadium. Also, I know that the bike set-up in supercross is quite different from that of a motocross bike, and I can see how it would take me some time to learn my way around a supercross track that covers the floor of a football stadium.
What do you think of the hybrid tracks on which they raced the SMX races?
I would say that they looked…rideable. I mean, from what I saw on TV, they looked like tracks on which I could be competitive.
Would you consider racing a National if the calendar of the World Championship allowed it? And if so, which track would you like to ride?
Absolutely, if I had the opportunity to do it “right”. As for which track, I’ll say Southwick. Tony Cairoli showed that we Italians, too, can learn to ride well in the sand, and I am definitely comfortable riding sandy tracks.
Thank you for your time, Alberto. Good luck at the MXdN!
Thank you!
