The Swiss ace had earns the right to carry the red number plate of the championship points leader at the previous round in Brazil and had already looked confident during qualification. An external factor, probably one of the innumerable small stones which littered the track, caused his bike to stop at the first turn of race one, but after a superb ride from dead last he finished second at the chequered flag, less than three seconds from victory. Making a better start in race two Arnaud was eighth at the end of the opening lap and again advanced strongly to finish third, less than five seconds behind the winner, to retain his championship lead.
 
Teammate Dylan Ferrandis, third in the points at the start of the weekend, had less joy on the hillside track after a crash during qualification left him without a good choice of start gate for the GP motos. However the French teenager showed great resilience to battle his way through to sixth position before a late fall cost him four places. After a much better start in race two he was disputing fourth place on the second lap when he collided with another rider; the gear pedal was broken in the incident, forcing him to retire. As a result he drops to fifth in the championship, but is still only 36 points from series leader Tonus.
 
American teenager Thomas Covington was making his debut for the team in Italy, but found the combination of a new bike and a track very different from anything he had ever raced before a definite handicap to display his undoubted talents. He finished the first race 27th after a late error whilst running thirteenth, but scored a point for twentieth position in race two after starting twenty-fourth.
 
Alessandro Lupino made his debut in the MXGP class at this GP in his native Italy, and started the weekend well when he set the fourth fastest time in the opening practice session. After qualifying sixteenth, he had a tough ride to seventeenth in the first GP moto, and then showed a dramatic improvement in race two as he became more acclimatised to the rigours and demands of the 450cc class to move forward strongly from an initial nineteenth place to finish a strong eighth.
 
Arnaud Tonus: “The first race was incredible. I had a problem at the first corner as the bike stopped; maybe it was a stone in the rear wheel, but I don’t know for sure. I was last but I passed many riders during the first lap and I had a good rhythm so I was able to come back to second. I felt physically OK for the second race, but I made some small mistakes; I got another GP podium and keep the red plate, so it was a good weekend for me.”
 
Dylan Ferrandis: “I didn’t feel so comfortable on this track, and crashed at the start of the qualifying race; the bike was damaged but I still recovered to finish twelfth. My start in the first GP race was not so good, but I came through to sixth position until I crashed and finished tenth. My second start was much better and I was fighting with Butron; we touched each other and in the incident my gear pedal was broken so I couldn’t continue the race.”
 
Thomas Covington: “This track was not the best to get used to a new bike for me, I struggled with the lines and the grip as it was very strange and slippery.”
 
Alessandro Lupino: “I only got Tommy’s bike just before this GP, and I didn’t know what to expect in the MXGP class. In the first moto I had some arm pump, but that’s normal as the 450 is very different to the 250 and I rode with Tommy’s settings. In the second moto I hit the gate and was last at the first corner, but I had good speed and was happy with my riding. I felt more comfortable, I was changing gear at the right moment, and for sure with some more training and tests I will be more confident for the remaining races.”