Bud Racing Kawasaki has firmly established itself as one of the teams to beat in the EMX250 Championship, and Stephane Dasse has now helped guide the team to two titles in just three years. Following Mathis Valin’s success, Francisco Garcia delivered another championship for the team in 2026, becoming the first ever Spanish rider to win the EMX250 crown in the process.
Garcia’s consistency and determination were key to his title-winning campaign, with Dasse highlighting the young Spaniard’s work ethic and commitment throughout the season. But while the team celebrated another championship, attention has already turned towards the future, with Jake Cannon set to remain in EMX250 for another season as Bud Racing looks to develop him into another championship winner.
We caught up with Dasse as he reflects on Garcia’s historic title, the growing relationship between Bud Racing and Kawasaki, the team’s experience racing in America, his evolving role alongside daughter Lili, and the plans for 2027 as they weigh up their options for a second EMX250 rider.
GateDrop: So, Stephane, I mean, you’ve been chasing these EMX titles for years. You get one with Mathis and a few years later you’ve got another one with Francisco. He is also the first ever Spanish EMX250 champion. How does it feel? You are sort of the team to beat now in this category, which is pretty crazy if you look back to five or ten years ago, you were a good team, but not necessarily the team to beat…
Dasse: Yes, for sure. Now it’s two titles in three years so we’re very proud of it. We worked very hard, but also we had the chance to have very good riders because it’s a real combo between the riders, the team, the ambience, the environment. I think we could create something good for everybody to be 100% in their head and getting such good results.
Francisco has been awesome all year since the first round of the season and now we’re very happy. We had a small injury in the middle of the season in summer, we were a bit afraid and today was a bit harder because he didn’t train too much and it was very physical. But now it’s a very good season, a very good race and we are very happy for all the team and Kawasaki.
GateDrop: I feel like, before the first round, Francisco was a big favourite for the championship, but no championship is ever won on paper. He was under a lot of pressure but I feel like he showed this year that pressure doesn’t bother him and he can deliver. Whenever everyone is looking at him and expecting him to win, it’s no problem…
Dasse: It’s exactly what you said, he was a favourite, but in the EMX250 championship, there’s no favourite because they are all young riders. Anything can happen. Sometimes they can win a race but then in the second race they can finish 15th or 10th position. But Francisco has been really stronger than anybody else and very consistent. He had a very good speed and it’s very satisfying.
GateDrop: I mean, whenever you signed him, the goal probably was to try and win an EMX250 title, but did you expect it really to happen when you signed him? Because he was a good rider, but he wasn’t really a winner, let’s say…
Dasse: Yes, exactly. It’s always a goal, but like you said, it’s not something you are totally sure about. Winning a title… winning moto can be easy but winning a championship is another story and putting it all together, it’s a big challenge. Doing it two times in such a short time is really good for us. But no, we’re never sure but when we choose a rider it’s because we believe in him and we think we can really help them to make the next step. But now we’re already thinking about next year, starting from a new base and a new challenge again.
GateDrop: Francisco seems very determined and very dedicated. In that sense, what’s he like to work with? He’s probably not one of these riders that you need to check up if he’s going to the gym, for example… He seems to be very hard working, so that must make you happy and proud to have worked with him?
Dasse: Yes, usually people think that Spanish, French and Italians, that they’re a bit lazy and they want to have fun. But I think we can separate the work from the fun, and I think it’s very important. He’s a hard worker, he’s very motivated, he’s from a family starting from zero. He really wants to win championships and the Spanish federation did a good job at the beginning. I saw him a few times at the training camp, training when he was 15, 16, and I saw some good speed and good things from him. But we knew there was a lot of missing points. But he’s a very good worker, serious and we never have to complain. He’s always on time to train, so that’s important.
GateDrop: Just on Kawasaki, how much of a big role have they played in your team? And I think it’s fair to say you get more support from them than in the past. It seems like they’ve got a really good structure now. You are the team to try and turn these riders into factory Kawasaki riders, ideally. Obviously, not every rider is going to be able to do that, but that’s the goal for a few of them. So how much support are you getting from the factory?
Dasse: Yes, we have good support from Kawasaki Europe, France also a little bit, and now Japan. We have a real relation because compared to a factory team, we use a bike with a standard base so we also can exchange a lot with Japan for the next production bike, for the problem or the evolution we want to find on the bike. This is a big help and they support us more and more every year. Not especially financially, but technically, for the exchange, for everything. The relation is very good and we appreciate it because the level of the EMX250 series is now very high. The winner of EMX250 can be between 5-10 immediately in the MX2 GP’s. We have to fight with strong competitors, with KTM group and all the others. Now we have good support and we are very happy about what we’re doing together.
GateDrop: Just a little bit on Jake, how would you look back at his season, obviously we’re not finished yet, we’ve got one round to go, but how would you look at his season so far? I feel like he’s been solid, really consistent. Just apart from maybe Lommel and Arnhem, they’re probably the two rounds where we can say we know what his weaknesses are, let’s say…
Dasse: Yes, with Jake it’s a bit strange because even in the sand, he’s pretty good, you know. For sure, he’s not a sand specialist, but he’s pretty good. His place can be around the top 5 in the sand, but we have to improve a few points. We have all the keys, I think he has all the talent, everything. We have to improve a few points to put everything together because the qualifying was pretty bad which is never ideal at Arnhem. The starting line is not straight, so if you have a very bad position, you cannot start at the front. When you start at the back in the sand and you are not a sand specialist, you cannot expect super good results. But now we believe in him, now we know him pretty well, and we know we have a few pieces to put together. It’s a big challenge, but it is also exciting for us and we’re ready to try to make the best for him to fight for the title, but it will be a good challenge.
GateDrop: In terms of getting to him to re-sign, I mean, was that challenging? Part of me was a little bit surprised because I thought he might have gone to either America or move up to MX2, but you got him signed early. Was it pretty straightforward to get it done? And you must be delighted that you’re able to keep him because he should at least be a championship contender next year?
Dasse: Yeah, we chose to offer him a proposal to stay early in the season because we felt Jake was not really ready to win the championship. To go to MX2, we feel he needs some more keys in his pocket. Doing another EMX250 season next year can be really an advantage for him and we will race a few GP’s with him as well to make the step. He’s going to ride World Supercross at the end of the season as well. So, our goal is really to develop the last missing point on Jake. If he goes to the GP’s or goes to USA after, he will be ready to fight for the top because the MX2 GP is a very high level. If you’re not in the top 10, it makes no much sense to move up. I think when you’re young, you want to really be a professional. We think one more year of EMX and GP mixed with a good winter can put him in a better position for the future.
GateDrop: I have to ask about Southwick, it was opportunity for the guys to race in America. How challenging was that? There’s so many factory bikes in America, there’s like over 20. How challenging was that? And how was the weekend? I mean, Francisco was fantastic considering he was probably down on power and Jake also had good pace if even he did have a few crashes…
Dasse: That’s exactly how it happened. For sure, with just a few parts, we had a used bike, everything. Compared to Star Yamaha, PC Kawasaki or factory KTM, for sure we are not at the same level. The fuel is also completely different than what we have in Europe. It was not a perfect condition for them, but we were there just for a big experience to open their mind, to show them that Motocross is not only Europe, it’s USA and it’s worldwide. We wanted to give them more keys to be successful in the future. I know it was very interesting, we were very welcomed by the promoter and by the press in the US. I think it was a good experience for them to see something different. We were happy to do that because they are good kids, they do good for us, so it was more about rewarding them.
GateDrop: Just on a personal level, I haven’t seen you at as many GPs as usual. Usually you do all the EMX250 rounds. Are you starting to hand the keys over to Lili a little bit more and give her more responsibility?
Dasse: Oh yes, for sure. You know, I’m becoming old (laughs). But no, Lili is super motivated and she knows the racing since she’s 10 years old. She knows very well all the points. But no, I go to the key races and I stay also focused at the Bud Racing headquarters. We have a lot of work, a lot of projects in the business and the development of the bike and all the technical side. That’s good for me. I can enjoy some time with my wife as well. I think it’s a perfect combo.
GateDrop: I mean, a lot of these teams are coming to the end of the season, but not for you guys because you have World Supercross, which has already started. The next round is straight after the MXoN. I mean, it’s a lot of work, but you seem to be motivated to do all these different championships. Are you happy to be part of that championship?
Dasse: Yes, very good. We still have two races before the next WSX. We have the MXoN because we will supply bikes for Kawasaki riders from Canada and Argentina. After the World Supercross and Paris Supercross, we’re still busy. But I have the chance to have Lili so we can sometimes split it. When I recover, she goes to work and sometimes we change. We’re still super happy to do what we do and we’re excited to go Birmingham.
GateDrop: And just on next year, we have one rider confirmed for EMX250 with Jake. Just in terms of the second rider, are you close? Are there some offers on the table? How far away are you, do you think from signing a rider?
Dasse: Yes, we wanted two riders but we could not get them. So really, one week ago, we had no plan and it was very difficult. We have been searching some solutions. But now, the last week, a lot of doors have opened. Now we have a lot of opportunities with very good riders, many good riders. We are going to decide in the next few days. We’re talking with Kawasaki also to make a good decision together and try to make a strategy for the future. So maybe a young rider.
GateDrop: I was going to ask about that, with the second rider, is the idea to have a young rider with a lot of potential for the future, or would you want somebody on the same sort of level as Jake that could challenge for the title?
Dasse: Exactly, we have two options. We take a second rider for the title, so we can have two riders fighting for the podium or championship or we take one younger rider to start to build the future with. That’s the two options we have on the table and both are good but we need to decide. It’s not easy and we’re going to try to make the best solution, but this is in the next few days.
