Few riders have left a mark on the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship quite like Larissa Papenmeier. The German rider has been a familiar face in the paddock for two decades, making her WMX debut back in 2005 and going on to become one of the sport’s most respected and enduring competitors.
At the German Grand Prix in Teutschenthal, Papenmeier brought the curtain down on her WMX career in emotional fashion. Competing in her 100th Grand Prix on home soil, she was given a heartfelt send-off by the German fans who have supported her throughout the years. It was a fitting farewell for a rider who has dedicated so much of her life to the sport and who, even in the final chapter of her World Championship journey, remained highly competitive.
We caught up with Papenmeier after the weekend to discuss the difficult decision to step away from the championship, her favourite memories from a career spanning 20 years, and her thoughts on the future of women’s Motocross.
GateDrop: Larissa, first of all, that reception you got from the German crowd. That was special and I am sure you got goosebumps! What was that like for you to get such a nice reception like that at the end?
Papenmeier: I got goosebumps and I was really speechless. It made me cry to see so many fans up on their feet cheering for me. A moment which I will never forget.
GateDrop: You obviously knew this was going to be your last WMX round for you. How was it to race knowing this was your final round?
Papenmeier: In the first race, I didn’t think about that, I was really concentrated. But I must say in the middle of the second race, I started thinking “these are the last laps of racing WMX“ and when I came passed the crowd I got tears in my eyes. Obviously the concentration was gone and it was hard to stay focused. But I enjoyed the last laps of the second race.
GateDrop: Was it a difficult decision to actually stop and when did you decide this was going to be your final GP? You are still pretty competitive so I am sure you might have been tempted to do another season…
Papenmeier: It was a really difficult decision and I had to take this decision already before France. I entered for all the races as I wasn’t sure on my own what to do. On the one side I wanted to race France, on the other side I wanted to share the moment of the 100th GP with my fans on home soil.
But to be honest I also got injured three weeks before Teutschenthal. I gave everything to get ready but I couldn’t ride until Teutschenthal. I actually went there not even knowing if I could ride. That actually made my decision a bit easier and it was decided by short notice.
GateDrop: Racing Motocross has been pretty much all you’ve known your whole life and that was your 100th GP. What’s life going to be like for you without racing Motocross? Do you still think you’ll ride for fun?
Papenmeier: I am still riding and I will also still race the German championship. It’s just that I quit racing the WMX World Championship. But even if I stop racing I guess I will always ride for fun.
GateDrop: When the German GP comes around next year, do you think you’ll be tempted to line up again (laughs)?
Papenmeier: (laughs) If Teutschenthal will be on the calendar for next year I might think about it. Like I said I never say never and when there is a track I like and I feel good I might race. You never know.
GateDrop: Just on WMX, how does the series compare now to when you first started? I believe your first WMX round was in Sweden back in 2005!
Papenmeier: Yeah it was in Sweden 2005. We had many girls from different countries. Today we have more girls racing and more media attention but not really more races. Back then they said we will get equal rights like the men… but that never really happened.
GateDrop: You’ve raced against so many tough competition, who would you say was the toughest competition you lined up against?
Papenmeier: The toughest competition…I guess there were many. But how I remember it was always hard to race against my friend Maria Franke. Just because we raced so many races together, we were and are still good friends. So she knew my strategy and I knew her strategy. We had the same speed so sometimes it was really thrilling.
GateDrop: When you look back at your career, what’s your favourite memory looking back? Aside from the weekend!
Papenmeier: My favourite moment apart from the weekend was my GP win in Teutschenthal 2024. It was really unexpected and a magical moment.
GateDrop: There’s only five rounds this year – would you like to see this improved for the future and more rounds added?
Papenmeier: For sure, five rounds is a joke and not a World Championship in my eyes. To make it more attractive there should be at least eight to ten rounds.
GateDrop: I could see you making a nice ambassador for the sport in the future – would you be interested in helping if that was an opportunity for you and Infront would approach you? Perhaps you could even think about coaching some of the young girls? Is that something you’ve thought about?
Papenmeier: I haven’t really thought about the future. I have my own team which will get some more attention from my side now. I’m open to help if I see there is a will from the other side. But I might also have some time now to do some coaching lessons.
