It may be the most anticipated 450 motocross season in years. Ironically, with the injuries to Jett Lawrence, Eli Tomac, Hunter Lawrence and Jorge Prado in supercross, it means even more hyperbole, unknowns and expectations and for round one of the Pro Motocross season at Pala.
Interestingly, this will also be the first time Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence really get to face-off in motocross for a championship, aside from the MXoN at Matterley Basin at the end of last season. It mean the last three 450 MX champions are all facing off this weekend and they are joined by the MXGP world champ from the last two seasons, Jorge Prado.
It’s the meeting of legends, but only Chase Sexton of the championship winning foursome is coming in without injury, will that give him the edge?
Jett Lawrence, for many, is the still the favourite. He has been ridiculous outdoors on a 450 when fit and although he might not be in prime form at round one, he does love this track and he still has ten rounds after to find peak form.
The same can be said for Eli Tomac, who after his broken leg, said he has “no excuses,” he said he knows the settings on the Yamaha and physically is now 100% fit. Sexton v Jett v Tomac is already a mouthwatering prospect and Eli is simultaneously looking for a ride next year, maybe at KTM or maybe at Ducati with a test allegedly happening last week! Eli has a lot of motivation!
But when you add in MXGP champ Prado, it becomes even better. All four have epically smooth style and great technique but Prado has the biggest question marks, not in terms of ability of course because he is elite in that aspect, but is four weeks enough to adjust to the Kawasaki coming off a serious shoulder injury and then learn the tracks on the fly with a short qualifying session? That’s the question, if he can, Prado is an instant title contender.
Perhaps the rider who doesn’t get the credit he deserves is Hunter Lawrence. But he should be in the mix, a 250 National champ and former MX2 GP rival of Prado, Lawrence was, let’s not forget, runner-up to Sexton last year and until his crash, was right in contention for the title, year two should be even better.
Cooper Webb is another legend on the line after his third supercross title just two weeks ago, but how prepared is he for outdoors and does he want this title as badly as the supercross one? We will find out over the next four weeks where Webb sits in this pack of aforementioned stars who will all have this title as a priority now after their supercross season.
Like Hunter Lawrence, Justin Cooper could be a contender, he is better outdoors, like Prado, gets great starts and had a brilliant end to supercross, he could well be in the mix but does he believe in himself enough to really go for the title?
Jason Anderson joins Prado in making the Kawasaki team full again, Aaron Plessinger is a former outdoors champ in the 250 class and can always turn on the speed on a 450, add in Malcolm Stewart, Justin Barcia plus the wide open RJ Hampshire who has never had an issue with speed and it is going to be a very deep field.
Adding to that will be Benoit Paturel who will be on the HEP Suzuki, the very fast Frenchman didn’t have the luck he needed in MXGP, but when things were clicking he had good speed, hopefully he can show that speed in America, if he does he will turn some heads and he adds an extra layer of interest going into an already fascinating season.
This is one of the best line-ups in years in the 450 division, it is must watch elite level dirt bike racing with some of the best guys to ever throw a leg of a big. 2025 could be one for the ages!
