Elias Escandell has been a familiar name in the youth ranks of European motocross, showing his talent in EMX125 before making the highly anticipated step up to EMX250 this season. Unfortunately, the Spanish talent’s rookie year didn’t get off to the start he had worked so hard for, with a femur injury ruling him out just before the championship kicked off. After months of recovery, Escandell finally returned to racing in the second half of the season and has steadily been building back his form, showing flashes of the speed that made him such an exciting prospect. We caught up with him to discuss the challenges of injury recovery, the jump from 125cc to 250cc, his ambitions for the future and more.
GateDrop: Moving up to EMX250 this year was a big step — how were you feeling heading into the season before the injury on the 250cc machine?
Escandell: Well, after a lot of hard work, both physically and on the bike, just before my injury I was in really good shape. I showed glimpses of that during the International Italian Championship, battling with some of the top riders from the world championship. I believe I was in great form to start the EMX250, but I guess we’ll never know…
GateDrop: You had signed with the Ghidinelli team, I assumed you spent a lot of time in Italy before the season?
Escandell: Yes, sure. I had been training there from the preseason until I got injured. It’s a great area to train and get prepared.
GateDrop: Can you tell us what happened with the injury, what the injury was for people that don’t know and how tough it was to miss the start of the season?
Escandell: A femur fracture is one of the toughest injuries for motocross riders. In my case, thank God I was in good hands from the very beginning, but even so, the post-surgery recovery was the hardest part of the injury. It was a really bad fracture, but I recovered quickly thanks to being treated by Fisioreydes and Dr. Guillén. I also want to thank my family for keeping me motivated every single day. I got back on the bike quite early because Miguel Quirós (Fisioreydes) believed it was the best kind of rehabilitation and he was right. The first few weeks were really tough, but week by week the pain started to fade, and I began feeling better on the bike. My first race back was in Finland, which was probably a little too soon, but I think that by starting earlier than usual I was able to get back close to my level again by the end of the season.
GateDrop: What was the hardest part of being sidelined while watching the championship move on without you?
Escandell: The hardest part for me was at the beginning, when my home GP in Spain took place and I couldn’t be there. After that, it was also tough to see riders at my same level doing really well while I was stuck at home, either in bed or at physiotherapy.
GateDrop: You’ve recently made your return to racing — how did it feel lining up again after so much time off?
Escandell: The first races, regardless of the results, felt like a return to my true self. But at the same time, they were tougher than usual because I didn’t have a proper team structure and had to handle all the mechanical and travel tasks together with my father.
GateDrop: Do you feel each race is bringing progress and more confidence – you showed really good pace in Turkey so you must be happy with that? A podium was possible! It’s a shame the season is just ending now as you need more races (laughs)…
Escandell: Yes, of course. There has been progress in every race, which is normal, even though things didn’t go as we wanted on the sand tracks (I’ve never been a sand rider). But on hard pack tracks, I’ve always had good speed. I was especially happy this past weekend in Turkey — Saturday’s speed and rhythm felt really good. On Sunday, though, I struggled to push the pace further, and while fighting for 4th position, I had a bad crash and had to retire. It’s a shame that the EMX250 season is ending just as I’m finally getting back to my best form.
GateDrop: You signed a deal with the F4E GasGas team when you returned. How did that deal all come around – you must appreciate it! Will you also stay there for 2026?
Escandell: I’m very grateful to F4E (Jimbo Verburgh) because they supported me during the most difficult moment of my career. This was actually my first team when I was 14 years old. As for 2026, we still don’t know what will happen yet.
GateDrop: How big has the jump been from EMX125 to EMX250 in terms of competition level and bike handling?
Escandell: It’s quite a big change, mostly because of the bike moving from a 2-stroke to a 4-stroke. In terms of competition, the level is higher, but the format is the same, so I was able to adapt well to the category.
GateDrop: You spent time with the official Fantic team in the EMX125 championship – a great team! How was your experience with the team?
Escandell: In my last year in EMX125, I rode for Fantic but with the Maddii team, where I learned a lot and also developed as a more professional rider. A really great team!
GateDrop: You are still at the start of your career, but what would you say is the best moment of your career so far and why?
Escandell: My best moment was when I got my first EMX podium in my last year of 125cc at Arco di Trento, or that same year when I won the Spanish 125 Championship.
GateDrop: Have you got any plans for 2026 yet – I assume you’ll race the EMX250 series again?
Escandell: Well, at the moment I’m a bit concerned because I don’t have any concrete offers yet. But to answer your question, the idea of the MX2 World Championship excites me a lot, and I’d also be happy with a team where I can fight at the front in the EMX250 series.
GateDrop: Ultimately, where do you see yourself in the next couple of years — chasing the EMX250 title, or do you already dream of MX2 GPs?
Escandell: I hope that in a few years I’ll be able to move up to the MX2 World Championship and compete at a high level in that category.
