A name that carries weight in motocross, the Leok family has long been associated with speed, determination, and a deep passion for the sport. Now, the next generation is beginning to make its mark as 13-year-old Lucas Leok, son of former GP rider Aigar Leok, continues to show flashes of brilliance on the 85cc stage. While some bad luck has prevented him from taking a major tittle this season, his raw speed and natural flow on the bike is a joy to watch.
We caught up with Aigar to discuss Lucas’ progression, how he’s handled the challenges of 2025 so far, the family’s approach to his career, and what’s next as he prepares for the jump to the highly competitive EMX125 class in 2026.
GateDrop: Aigar, basically France all over again. First moto, things don’t go according to plan, but the second moto, he shows he’s the fastest rider on an 85 probably in the world. You must be pretty proud of the way he’s able to bounce back from setbacks and show how good he is…
Leok: Yes, I can say that he’s the fastest in the world on the 85. Luck was not on his side, but I think at the end of the day, his career on the 85cc, all that happened, I think it’s good long term and he will be stronger in the future.
GateDrop: Watching him around there… He makes it look so easy and he’s so fast. You must be happy with just how he can even ride a bike in general already, he’s still super young as well…
Leok: He has a good feeling and he has good throttle feeling. Many days of riding also, you don’t see really that he’s pushing, but he has that kind of the flow, so I’m really happy.
GateDrop: Did you try and teach him how to ride a bike from a young age or is a lot of that just natural?
Leok: I think when you’re born with your family name Leok then you can maybe have something in you. But he’s a winner, he wants to win. You know what I saw yesterday from him, even behind the start gate I saw it, it’s not going to be good for another guy but sometimes you need this.
GateDrop: For being so young, he seems to have a lot of drive, he really wants to win, he’s got that from a young age…
Leok: Yes, this is coming from the 50cc already. His first year when he was racing, he didn’t have this. But once he got his first win, it was progressive. But you know, like I say many times, you cannot go with that, I call it hype. At the end of the day, we still do our own thing. We have a big help from a lot of people, a lot of friends, a lot of good friends. My thing is that I want to have the best material for him, the best training, the best bikes, the best whatever. At the end of the day, it’s up to him.
GateDrop: These setbacks are going to help him for the future, I think. Even though he is super young he’s been in those positions already now, he knows how to deal with these setbacks… Even though I’m sure you wanted a world title and a European title, at the end of the day, it’s all a learning process at this age…
Leok: Yeah, for sure, all the titles would be nice. He had a really big chance to do it… Normally on paper he should win everything, but that isn’t real life, one is on the paper and one is in real life. It didn’t happen… What my dad likes to say always, if it’s supposed to happen, it happens, and if it’s not supposed to happen, it will not happen. Everything happens for a reason. Now he’s in a good mood again, and I’m happy to see him happy. I just want to see him happy, and that’s it.
GateDrop: There’s lots of racing left, a few ADACs, I think you’ve got some racing in Estonia as well. Are you looking forward to finishing the season strongly?
Leok: Yeah, the first plan was stopping straight away after Loket but I see yesterday from his face, and I give him a chance to do all the championships until the end. If he enjoys it, then he’ll do it, and it will be his choice to jump on the 125cc straight away, then he’ll do it. It’s up to him, I want that he’s happy.
GateDrop: Next year, on the 125cc, I cannot wait to see him in the EMX125 series. Obviously it’s going to be a learning year, but are you looking forward to seeing him on the 125cc and racing the EMX125 class? That’s such a competitive championship, and probably he’s going to learn the most in that championship…
Leok: Yeah, next year will be an important year. Next year, for sure, there will be some bumps on the road again, but you need to deal with that… you need to learn, and I hope he will pick it up fast. The most important thing is that he needs to stay healthy in one piece, and I don’t care about the rest. I just want to see his eyes happy, he’s himself happy, and if I see this, then I’m happy too.
GateDrop: It’s been a long time since you’ve been in the GP paddock regularly, are you looking forward to coming back and being regularly in the paddock next year, or for you it’s all just about him?
Leok: I’m not, but if I see him want it, then I can stay here all year, all 10 years, I don’t know how long it’s going to go. But we do our best, and it is like this.
GateDrop: For next year, are you still going to be living in Estonia and based there most of the time?
Leok: Yeah, because he has another three years of school. School is number one for us. Some people maybe don’t like it, some people like it, but school is number one. Next to school we do the best that we can, and once when he’s finished after three more years at school, then we can see where he is, what he is, how he is, and we go from there. I want that he has a childhood, it could be that he finished next year, but we decide not to bring him out straight away out. We let him find the way by himself, and to learn. It all starts from zero next year.
GateDrop: Has he rode a 125 yet?
Leok: Yeah, we have 15 hours on it already.
GateDrop: How is he looking on it?
Leok: Obviously it’s very, very early days, but not so bad. That’s why I’m not worried. He has the feeling, he has this, but he needs to now grow a little bit, get a little bit stronger during the winter, and we cannot lose our mind, because it’s a big bike already. The speeds are high, and the tracks, what you’re going to race, it’s no joke. You need to stay healthy, and if you need to start taking bad results in the beginning, just take it day by day and grow yourself. I think in the beginning I don’t have any high hopes, but I want to see the progress. That’s the only thing I want to see.
