Antonio Cairoli heads the MX1 field into this weekend’s Grand Prix of Belgium. Image: Ray Archer/Red Bull Content Pool.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairioli is zeroing in on his seventh FIM World Motocross Championship title and is a realistic chance at wrapping it up in Bastogne at the Grand Prix of Belgium.

Cairoli finished an uncharacteristic fifth at Loket in the Czech Republic, but despite this, still carries a substantial 90-point lead into the 15th of 18 GPs for the 2013 season.

If he can take just 10 points more than Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Clement Desalle he will be confirmed the champion, having built a significant buffer on the back of 17 race wins, to date.

Belgian Desalle is the only rider who can stop Cairoli. He will be looking for a boost from his home crowd and aiming to repeat the 1-1 results achieved in Loket for a chance at keeping the title fight alive.

Fellow Belgian Ken de Dycker has factored in the top three all season, and, while out of the title race, can still challenge Desalle for the runner-up placing.

With the MX2 title already awarded to Red Bull KTM Factory standout Jeffrey Herlings, the focus shifts to the battle for second, currently led by Herlings’ stablemate Jordi Tixier.

Tixer has a 79-point buffer to another KTM rider in José Butrón. Butrón lost ground in Loket, and now finds himself in the sights of Christophe Charlier who is recovering after a run of mixed results in Latvia, Finland and Germany.

Aussie fans will be focusing on the efforts of Monster Energy Yamaha’s Dean Ferris, currently a competitive sixth and now only 18 points shy of a top-five finish.

The Belgian GP will be followed by the penultimate event in Great Britain before the Netherlands hosts the season finale on September 8.