The wait is over – MXGP 2025 is here! As the world’s best motocross riders gear up for the season opener in Argentina, the excitement is palpable. With new bikes, fresh rivalries, and months of intense preparation behind them, the factory stars shared their thoughts at the official pre-race press conference. From title contenders to fresh faces in the premier class, here’s what they had to say ahead of the first gate drop of the year.
Tim Gajser:
Yeah, I’m feeling good, you know, we had a strong off-season, good preparation races, but now it’s going for real, you know, now we are starting from zero so I’m ready. I can’t wait to start because the track also looks amazing, hopefully also the weather is going to be good to us, so yeah, ready to start.
Last year we had a completely new bike, also this year we did some updates, you know, Honda HRC again did a good job. Everybody is working super hard to improve the bike, also myself, I was working hard to get even better, also the team is getting bigger. Yes, we have another teammate, everything is going good.
I did already a lap of the track, it looks really impressive, you know, some big jumps, I think we are all going to have fun tomorrow, like I said, we’re just hoping for a good weather, you know, to stay, to not rain too much, but overall looks good so far.
Kay de Wolf:
We had a good preparation coming in and I’m really looking forward to go racing again. I really wanted to start racing with the number one, so yeah, I’m really looking forward, and hopefully we can have an amazing start like last year.
We’re 100% coming into this GP, yeah, the recovery went faster than expected. We’re feeling good, we’re looking good, so we’re ready.
Feeling really good with Liam, had a good training this winter, we went to Tenerife together for a cycling trip, together with the Dutch Federation. Liam joined, even though he was Belgian, but no, it was really good, really enjoyed it, and now looking forward to racing together with Liam.
Romain Febvre:
Yeah, we also had a really good winter time. We had some updates as well on the bike with the new regulations with the noise. I really like how it is now, even better as before, so yeah, we’ll see tomorrow. You know, you can practice as much as you want, but the real things start tomorrow, so we’ll see.
Mathis has his own trainer that he’s used to, but yeah, we did spend all January in Sardinia together, so actually we were riding most of the day together to train. He’s young, he’s young but I think he’s on a good way, like a good road. Actually from everything we saw during the winter, like the guys who are staying in Sardinia and the pre-season races, I feel he’s the one in MX2 who makes a really big step, so it will be again nice to see tomorrow where he’s at compared to everyone.
It’s good to come to somewhere else (in Argentina) and to have a new venue. Where we were, the track was really nice, so when we knew it’s not going to be at the same place, as it was my favourite track, then I was like, ah, like we’re going to miss that track… but coming here, it looks really amazing here, like big jumps, big wide open track, like we should have more tracks like this actually. Really excited to ride tomorrow.
Jeremy Seewer:
It’s a nice experience, I mean it’s amazing to be involved in such a project like Ducati is. We all know them from MotoGP, you know, and that brand is something special, even to me, and I enjoyed a lot working with them. I mean of course, we start from zero, you know, we need to work very hard to catch up to all the experience around here but it’s going well, and the people I work with, you know, are really good. I enjoy that and now we just need a little bit of time, some races, to collect information, data and improve. I think it’s just a matter of time until we arrive and back on top with the people we have in our corner, you know.
I think every rider is different, so in the end, as much Tony could do, or did, I need to start from zero for myself, because our riding styles are not the same, it’s so many things together, so I had to do a lot of testing to go in my direction, so that did take a lot of time of training. That’s why I say we need to give ourselves a little bit of time now, go racing, and get better and better. It’s amazing to see how it is so close to the factory, like, you know, when I have some issues, and I complain about the specific part to improve, or whatever, it’s like, you know, I can talk to the guy who produces the part, who designs the part, it’s so close. The reaction is super quick, and that makes us strong I think.
Maxime Renaux:
It’s a whole different story now, I’ve been really struggling for the past two years with a foot injury. I had to go through surgery again last year, so it was not easy, but yeah, we had a strong coming back, built up a little bit last year, but I had just a couple races. It was just to build up fitness, and you know, like to don’t stay away from the racing too long. We had a really good winter preparation, we worked really well with the team, myself too, it felt really good to be able to run again, to train properly at the gym, so just everything going in the right direction, and I feel that it’s been a long time since I’ve been so ready for a season.
I really like the bike, but coming out of the winter, you know, everyone likes the bike, but then when the races come, it’s always different, but hopefully we have a good first race, the pre-season race gave us a good feeling. I feel really good with my bike, so let’s keep on building and let’s give it two or three races, and we see where we’re at.
Lucas Coenen:
I mean, I love every part of it, it’s just going every time better and better, and just learning. It’s good, I made a choice by myself, and I wanted to move on, and then I said to my brother, you should step up on to the 250 and push the guys on top, so it’s going to be more easy for him now without me, but no, it’s going to be good. I love it, I can learn with Sacha because now we’re in the same team, and with Simon it’s also good, so working all together, we only reach the top more easy, so no, honestly, it’s getting good.
For me it doesn’t change so much, I mean the team is like a family, this is the first day we are there, and everybody’s working hard, and just enjoying, that’s the main thing, and no, not much to say. Honestly, the road has been good, and just waiting for some gate drops.
I mean it’s good, we start off easy, so let’s see, we keep building the whole season, so that’s the main part, so no, it’s going to be interesting.
Tom Koch:
I’m really excited to start off the season, and especially for me as a first year to the whole GP season with the oversea GP’s and stuff. It’s going good so far, I’m really excited to be here and enjoying it.
I think they improved quite a lot already on the bike. Ben is already used to the bike and yeah, for me it was a good change and I felt already good on the bike and had a good feeling when I first jumped onto the bike. For sure we can improve race by race still, and also to me, so we will see.
Andrea Bonacorsi:
Let’s say joining Fantic again for me is really nice, I mean all the guys that I won my first EMX title with, they’re still there, so that was really special for me. Really feeling like at home again, and we work really well. This was my first winter season also with the 450. It went really really well, we have a really good base on the bike and physically also feel really good. I made quite some changes physically and on the bike also, so yeah, looking forward for starting the season.
Last year was, I jumped off the 250cc and then I ride a couple times before I started racing with the 450. It was zero testing and like just a little bit riding and that was it, of course riding with those guys it is important to have a full winter and a lot of testing also under the belt, because you have to. Last year from racing with them, now I want to beat them, so it’s quite some difference let’s say, so that’s the main difference.
Camden McLellan:
I’m feeling really good, like everyone I’ve had a lot of changes throughout the winter physically on the bike, so I think everything’s been positive. It was a long off season, we started really early, so I’m excited to get out there this weekend to see where we are. The team’s more experienced, I’m more experienced, this is the second year, so I think we can do some good damage this year and I’m super keen to get out on the track.
It’s very different to what I had last year with Mikkel. He is, let’s say, straightforward, very professional, Guillem’s the polar opposite, you know, and we’ve been living together in Malaga in a house, just him and myself. It’s been an adventure and a lot of fun for sure, a lot of things we can’t say, but good times, really good vibe in the team and I think that’s going to help throughout the year. We’re able to share stuff on the track and off the track and bring each other to a pretty high level. I would say, we push each other on the track as well, for how he is, he rides pretty well, so it’s been a good off season and I’m excited to see where he stands also in a new championship for him. I do the cooking, he normally does the cleaning. It is a good deal.
Julius Mikula:
Yeah, it felt very good, I have a good team now with good people, that’s the most important for me. The bike is very good, I like it, I feel like this bike could get me a bit more in front because I have now more experience and everything with this bike. I was happy over the winter. For sure, we set up the bike for myself a bit, we changed somethings but I’m happy with the bike, how is it now and I think I could do good starts and keep up with the guys.
I don’t know what I should expect but I just go with the time and not look too much into the future, I will stay in the place I’m now and focusing on the right time, which is now. So we will see how it goes and what happens tomorrow, that happens tomorrow and we will see.
