It had been 1 year, 10 months, and 22 days since Maxime Renaux last stood on the top step of a Grand Prix podium.
Winner of his second GP in the premier class in Switzerland in April 2023, Maxime Renaux had no idea he would have to wait nearly another two years to secure his third career victory in MXGP. The story? You already know it. Less than a month after winning the Frauenfeld GP, Maxime suffered a foot injury in Spain and had to undergo surgery. He returned at the end of the season, experienced highs and lows, won the Motocross of Nations with Team France in Ernée, and set his sights on the 2024 season. However, his season was cut short when he was once again forced to undergo foot surgery.
Now, with his health issues behind him, Maxime Renaux has brilliantly kicked off his 2025 season by winning the first GP of the year in Argentina at the weekend. After securing pole position in practice and winning Saturday’s qualifying race, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider went 2-1 in the races to claim victory in Córdoba.
“You never really know what to expect when you arrive at the first race of the season. There’s always some uncertainty – you wonder how you’ll feel, whether you had a good winter,” Renaux said at the press conference following his victory in Argentina. “So, it feels great to complete this first Grand Prix and do it in the best way possible—by winning.”
His first victory of the season, his third career MXGP win, but most importantly, his first red plate in the premier class.
“It feels really good to take the red plate,” admitted the French rider, while remaining realistic about what lies ahead. “There’s strong competition on track, the other guys are really fast too. It’s going to make for some great racing this year, and I’m really looking forward to the next one,” Maxime added, glancing at Romain Febvre and Tim Gajser. While the Slovenian rider wasn’t able to challenge the two Frenchmen this weekend, Maxime had to concede the first moto to Romain after a fierce battle with the Kawasaki KRT rider.
Renaux had already claimed the red plate on Saturday after winning the qualifying race and will now carry it into the upcoming GP in Cozar, Spain, in two weeks. Some riders feel the weight of the red plate, but not the Frenchman.
“For me, the red plate doesn’t bring any pressure at all. Of course, I’d rather have it on my bike than someone else’s, that’s for sure. But it doesn’t change anything for me. The title is the main goal, the one everyone is aiming for. Having the red plate now is great, but I could also lose it. What really matters is having it at the end of the season. I think it’s going to be a real mental battle until then”.
Maxime stated before the season began that his injured and operated foot was no longer an issue, allowing him to complete a full winter preparation ahead of 2025. By winning in Argentina, the Yamaha rider has put two difficult years behind him and opened a new chapter as he kicks off his fourth MXGP season in the best possible way.
“I felt really good on track. We made a lot of changes this winter, both to the bike and physically. Last year, I had foot surgery that really helped me. Now, I’m in top shape, and it has completely transformed my preparation. I feel much sharper, and I’m also very comfortable on my bike—it works much better than last year. Everything has improved, and we can see that we’ve put together a really strong package.”
In 2024, no French rider won a Grand Prix in either MX2 or MXGP. The last French victory dates back to Romain Febvre’s win in Arnhem in August 2023. A year and a half later, “La Marseillaise” once again echoed through the Motocross World Championship.
“It’s only the first round, and now we have to keep this momentum going and approach the next races the same way,” concluded Maxime Renaux, who will be looking to continue his good form in Spain in two weeks.
