Magic Mike in a Magic team 250 in 2009 !

At only 20 years old, the Toulouse-based Mike di Meglio has achieved a triple feat: rebounding after a difficult period, reconciling France with a world title and signing a contract in 250 within the most popular team, that of Jorge Aspar Martinez !

2008: the outsider makes everyone agree !

If today it is easy to talk about an exceptional season and to bring Mike to the skies, no one during the winter would have placed French as a favorite. Admittedly, the guy is fast – especially in the rain where he shows a rare feeling -, the Derbi suits him quickly and the team is seasoned, but the initial objectives are closer to the top 5 than to the ultimate consecration. !

At the head of the bill are the Gabor Talmacsi – likely candidate for his own succession – the young and swift Bradley Smith, or Pol Espargaro, official Derbi driver. But the first will suffer with his official RSA and above all, at 27, Talmacsi thought to climb in 250 once the title 125 acquired. A "favor" that his Spanish team manager will grant to his Iberian teammate, Hector Faubel, transparent throughout the 2008 season…

From then on, the machine accelerates: Smith does not manage to find the right balance between speed and precipitation and Espargaro also disappoints with six blank results in the year … The paddock then discovers with amazement the two pilots who will ignite the season: Italian Simone Corsi and … French Mike di Meglio !

The first strikes hard from the start and surprises his world: fast and aggressive, Corsi has two straight victories in Andalusia (read) and Portugal (read) before making a mistake in China (read).

To everyone’s surprise, it is our Frenchie who then takes up the torch: exorcising his dark periods and uncertainties, Mike di Meglio signs his first podium in Shanghai (read) and treats the French fans by making the Marseillaise sound at Le Mans! (read).

The rest of the season comes down to a mano a mano between the two young men. Mike di Meglio slowly takes on the role of boss of the category, but he has to fight against the pressure that is starting to be felt and especially against opponents determined to bend him !

The Toulouse player really has to strip down on the track: after a second place in Assen (read) and a new victory in Germany (read), the n ° 63 falters … Faced with this damn Corsi who does not hesitate to push him in its entrenchments, "Di Meg" is at fault in Misano (read) and has a technical problem in Indianapolis (read).

But the French have something to respond to: he has already eaten his black bread and he straightaway straightens the bar with a second place in Japan (read), but especially in Australia where he wins masterfully with more than 10 seconds in advance – a rarity in 125 – over his competitors who see him become the new 125 world champion! (read).

Reserved in life, Mike di Meglio knew how to transcend himself on the track, giving blow for blow to fierce opponents to become the fifth French GP titled since the creation of the world championship in 1949. He thus joined the honor roll Jean-Louis Tournadre (250 cc in 1982), Christian Sarron (250 cc in 1984), Olivier Jacque (250 cc in 2000) and Arnaud Vincent (125 cc in 2002).

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