The 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship kicks off this weekend at a brand-new venue in Cordoba, Argentina. The Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP and MX2 groups are able to make their mark on unfamiliar soil and set up early momentum of their title campaigns.
Former MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux arrives in peak situation following a robust winter interval. Free from the foot issues that hampered his 2024 preparations, the Frenchman has dialled in his manufacturing facility YZ450FM to perfection and enters the MXGP season opener with championship-calibre composure and uncooked velocity to match.
Set to begin his second season with Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP, Calvin Vlaanderen approached his winter interval with tactical changes, selecting Spain as his coaching base relatively than the same old winter base of Sardinia. The extremely skilled South African enters Argentina able to safe precious championship factors as he works towards his long-term targets of podiums and race victories.
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP’s Jago Geerts rejoins the MXGP battle after accidents curtailed his 2024 season. The Belgian star returns utterly healed and with extra expertise on the YZ450FM. This yr, he’s focusing on consistency as he rebuilds his confidence within the premier class. With refined bike settings and improved consolation on the 450cc, the 24-year-old Belgian “rookie” has set a top-five championship end as his season goal.
In MX2, Thibault Benistant enters the opener following a productive winter working with new coach Yves Demaria in France. The Frenchman goals to experience with out stress and begin his season with sturdy begins and a podium end as he hopes to construct momentum for his 2025 title marketing campaign.
In the meantime, Rick Elzinga has carried out important pre-season program modifications, together with bringing on new coach Alessio Chiodi to boost his efficiency on hardpack surfaces. The 23-year-old expertise enters the championship with a title-focused mindset, decided to maximise factors at each spherical.
Final however not least, the workforce’s younger gun Karlis Reisulis makes his Argentinian debut trying to construct on a formidable 2024 MX2 marketing campaign. The 18-year-old Latvian goals for constant top-five outcomes and podium finishes as he continues his progress and improvement as a Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MX2 rider.
The brand-new man-made Cordoba monitor is ready for an extra problem, with storms forecast all through the weekend. Removed from involved, the Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit groups are embracing these circumstances with confidence. Having tackled varied climate eventualities throughout low season testing, the riders are well-prepared for no matter Mom Nature brings to the opening spherical in Argentina.
The primary alternative for the riders to hit the monitor will probably be on Saturday (1st March), beginning with MX2 Free Follow at 10:45 adopted by MXGP Free Follow at 11:15. Gates will drop for the points-paying Qualifying Races at 15:25 (MX2) and 16:10 (MXGP). All timings are native (GMT – 3).
Maxime Renaux
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP #959
“I’m feeling nice going into Argentina. I’m in fine condition, match and wholesome. I had an excellent winter, so we’re able to kick off the season. I made a whole lot of progress with modifications to the bike this low season, so I’m feeling actually assured. When it comes to my coaching, I didn’t change a lot—the one distinction is that I wasn’t combating my foot like final yr, so I might practice more durable. This weekend, I need to keep calm. Everybody begins the yr excited, and it’s simple to get overexcited. I simply need to begin regular and let the race come to me. Clearly, I need to be on the highest step and begin the season with most factors, however the principle precedence is to remain calm, let the race come to me, and see the way it goes. The principle objective this season is to combat for the title, keep wholesome, be in any respect the GP’s, and once we handle this, we’re in with a shot on the crown.”
Jago Geerts
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP #93
“I’m feeling actually good bodily, and all my accidents from final yr are absolutely healed, so I’m feeling sturdy and stay up for getting the season began. I didn’t experience a whole lot of races final yr, so I’m additional motivated to begin once more in Argentina. We made fairly just a few modifications to the bike all through the winter. I’ve extra expertise now on the 450, so it’s simpler to arrange the bike and I’m feeling snug. My objective is to complete within the prime 5 on the finish of the season, and I might additionally prefer to get a podium at a race.”
Calvin Vlaanderen
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP #10
“I’m feeling actually excited for the brand new season. I really feel just like the winter preparation has gone effectively and I’m able to get the ball rolling. I didn’t make any huge modifications, I simply determined to spend most of my time in Spain as an alternative of going to Sardinia. No particular causes—simply needed totally different tracks. I’m anticipating to be combating for prime 5. That’s my objective, and to begin the season with a prime 5 total will probably be good. My long-term objective is to combat for podiums and wins. I’m real looking and I do know that it’s not going to be simple, however I’ll give my all to be combating on the entrance and placing myself in positions to be on the rostrum.”
Rick Elzinga
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MX2 #4
“I’m feeling nice. Clearly, I didn’t have the preparation I hoped for, however I’m excited to return to racing once more! I’ve made many modifications in my program, particularly on the setup and my method to driving, so it took some time to get used to that, and it’s a work in progress. I began working with Alessio Chiodi, which I get pleasure from so much, to offer myself slightly additional on the hardpack tracks. It’s onerous to guess the place everybody will probably be after their winter, additionally with the change in guidelines concerning sound. It’s thrilling to see the place I stand in Argentina. The objective is to win the title. How far I get, I don’t know, however I put that on my thoughts to maintain myself in examine, motivated, and to get each level attainable on monitor.”
Thibault Benistant
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MX2 #9
“I’m feeling good going into Argentina and to begin the brand new season. I had an excellent winter spending a whole lot of time in France with my new coach Yves Demaria. I’m actually completely happy and having fun with each coaching session I do. The objective for Argentina is to get good begins and experience as free as I can. To be on the rostrum at spherical one could be an excellent begin to the season.”
Karlis Reisulis
Monster Power Yamaha Manufacturing unit MX2 #47
“I’m actually excited to begin the season, particularly with the primary spherical in one other new place I haven’t been to. We made some chassis modifications in addition to some engine modifications as a result of new noise regulation. The remaining stayed the identical. I’m anticipating to have an excellent time and to do my finest in these new circumstances. My principal objective this season is to get on the rostrum, if not as soon as, then extra occasions, and simply do higher than final yr.”
