The YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina saw tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans fill the new venue of the Infinito Race Track at Córdoba and create an amazing atmosphere for the first round of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship, which returned the compliments with some amazing racing in both classes!

For sure the picturesque former Argentine venue of Villa La Angostura was a tough act to follow, but the new circuit close to the second most populated city in this massive country provided a different, but equally as brilliant, showcase for top class Motocross.

MXGP saw a return to winning ways for former MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux, backing up his Qualifying Race win for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP with 2-1 finishes for his ninth career GP win and the retention of the Championship leader’s red plate earned on Saturday.

The historic weekend also saw the new Aruba.it Ducati Factory MX Team claim both Fox Holeshot Awards and establish itself as a major threat with 4th overall for Mattia Guadagnini.  Former World Champions Romain Febvre, who won the opening race for Kawasaki Racing Team, and Honda HRC’s Tim Gajser, completed the podium to start their campaign in typically strong fashion.

The MX2 class was won by reigning World Champion Kay de Wolf, who persevered despite a second race crash to take his ninth career GP victory with 1-5 scores. The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing rider reclaimed the red plate ahead of second race winner Sacha Coenen, who just took second overall from his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Simon Laengenfelder, after the German suffered two late crashes from a GP-winning position.

Just like the South American weather however, the racing held several twists of fate and proved just how unpredictable Motocross can really be.  If the YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina is anything to go by, the 2025 season could truly be a wild ride!

After morning rainfall had seen Gajser fastest in a wet Warm-Up session ahead of Febvre and Kehrli Moto Yamaha rider Valentin Guillod, the track had dried rapidly for the first full-length MXGP race of the new season, and was in near-perfect racing condition!

Jeremy Seewer took the first ever Fox Holeshot Award for the Aruba.it Ducati Factory MX Team, but Febvre dived to the inside in the second corner and emerged with a valuable early lead, as Renaux followed his countryman past in the first uphill section to immediately give chase to the Kawasaki man.  Guadagnini was just behind his Ducati teammate and ahead of Jago Geerts on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP machine, but Gajser was soon past the Belgian and working on chasing the Italian bikes ahead! Guillod was unable to show his pace after a first lap crash left his bike in bad shape, and he retired on lap four.

Lucas Coenen, in his first full length MXGP class race for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, also moved past Geerts on the opening lap and was keeping pace with his older adversaries on the edge of the top six. The Ducati riders held third & fourth for the first two full laps, before the Honda man chopped around the outside of Guadagnini, and quickly closed the gap to Seewer, taking third on lap five!

Renaux was edging closer to Febvre for the lead, but just as on Saturday the pair were evenly matched. The Yamaha man pushed the limits to catch his fellow Frenchman, and on a downhill section he applied an accidental handful of throttle, which fired him off the edge of the track!  In an amazing show of skill, he managed to stay in control, on two wheels, and fired back onto the circuit to resume his pursuit!

At nearly half-distance, Guadagnini surprised many by catching Seewer, and taking advantage of a lapped rider being directly in his teammate’s path, he took fourth place and pulled away from the Swiss veteran. Fantic Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff put on a late charge, catching and passing a struggling Coenen, before working past Seewer with three laps to go to claim fifth.

The rookie held on for 7th ahead of Geerts, Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez, and Kawasaki Racing Team new boy Pauls Jonass.  Guadagnini’s fourth was his best result for well over a year, as Gajser took a solid third and Renaux second spot, three and a half seconds shy of an exultant Febvre, who took the Championship lead by two points before race two.

Renaux knew he had to strike back, and rocketed out of the gate to vie for the lead with Guadagnini as they dived into turn two. The Fox Holeshot Award, went in fact to Guadagnini who claimed that honour, meaning that Ducati hold a 100% Holeshot rate for the two GP race starts so far!

The Italian’s lead was short-lived as the red plate holder seized his chance to put the Ducati between himself and Febvre, with Guillod showing in a stunning fourth, passing Coenen to get there!  Gajser soon also outpaced the Belgian as Febvre launched his attack on Guadagnini, the Kawasaki’s back wheel spitting sideways in one attempt, even on the much dryer and hotter second race surface!

On the second lap, the battle for second swung back and forth, as Gajser passed Guillod for fourth, all as Renaux was pulling away from the pack with the Acerbis Fastest Lap for the whole day!  On lap three, with Gajser getting closer, Febvre finally got through to second, and the Slovenian followed him past just two corners later.  As the temperatures climbed into the thirties, the top five of Renaux, Febvre, Gajser, Guadagnini, and Guillod held their positions to the flag, and Coenen only yielded to a determined Kevin Horgmo, who took sixth for Team Honda Motoblouz SR Motul, and finally a resurgent Coldenhoff, who had fallen straight after passing Jonass for that position earlier in the race!

The Latvian brought the second Kawasaki home in ninth ahead of new Fantic Factory Racing rider Andrea Bonacorsi.  His teammate Coldenhoff took fifth overall behind an ecstatic Guadagnini in fourth, while Guillod celebrated a fantastic bounce-back from his first race crash with fifth in race two.  Gajser never stopped charging and worried Febvre’s rear wheel in the final lap, but the Frenchman held firm for second overall ahead of the Slovenian, and is just one point off the series lead after the opening round!

Renaux’s race win sealed his first race and GP victory since Switzerland in April 2023, and keeps the red plate firmly in place on the Monster Energy Yamaha.  France’s drought of GP victories in 2024 has been broken immediately in the new season, and it’s actually a French 1-2 in the World Championship as the series heads back to Europe for round two!

Maxime Renaux: “You never know what to expect at the first GP of the season, so to come out and win feels great. It’s also special to take my first red plate in the 450 class, but the championship is the big picture, and I know the competition is strong. Physically, I’m in the best shape I’ve been, and the bike is working better than ever. Now, it’s about keeping the momentum going.”

Romain Febvre: “I felt good all weekend—probably my best start to a season ever. The fitness, the bike, everything is in place, and I’m happy with how I’m riding. It took me some time to make passes, but overall, I’m just one point off the lead and in a good place. The track was technical, with more bumps and rocks today, but I really enjoyed racing here and hope we come back.”

Tim Gajser: “Leaving here with a solid third-place finish is a good way to start the season. The speed was there, but my starts made it tough to fight for the win. We were all running a similar pace, so it wasn’t easy to close the gap. With 19 rounds to go, there’s a long way ahead, and I hope we all stay healthy for a competitive season—it’s great for us, for motocross, and for the fans.”

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), 34:51.272; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:03.550; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:06.060; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Ducati), +0:42.369; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:47.728; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +0:50.042; 7. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:53.946; 8. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:54.755; 9. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +1:00.620; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +1:05.489

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), 35:40.365; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:04.260; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:06.216; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Ducati), +0:48.464; 5. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:54.712; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:57.146; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:59.156; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +1:05.461; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +1:07.053; 10. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Fantic), +1:09.126

MXGP Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 47 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 47 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 40 p.; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, DUC), 36 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 30 p.; 6. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 23 p.; 8. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 22 p.; 9. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, FAN), 21 p.; 10. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 20 p.;

MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 57 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 56 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 48 p.; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, DUC), 40 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 35 p.; 6. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 25 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 25 p.; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 25 p.; 10. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 22 p

MXGP – Manufacturers Classification: 1. Yamaha, 57 points; 2. Kawasaki, 56 p.; 3. Honda, 48 p.; 4. Ducati, 43 p.; 5. Fantic, 35 p.; 6. KTM, 27 p.; 7. Beta, 11 p.; 8. Husqvarna, 1 p.

The morning rain was still driving onto the circuit as the MX2 riders lined up for their first full-length race of the year. Just as in the final race of 2024, however, De Wolf fired across the Fox Holeshot line with a clear lead, as Sacha Coenen gave chase and Venrooy KTM’s Cas Valk veered briefly off the track from fourth over the very first jump!

Valin squeezed into second place, and nearly took the lead as De Wolf slid sideways before the massive Liqui Moly uphill triple jump, which no MX2 bikes could attempt in the slippery conditions of race one!  David Braceras was also in the top five for JM Honda Racing, but Valk had recovered quickly from his earlier mistake to pass the Spaniard for fourth.

Tasting a chance to take on the World Champion, Valin crashed spectacularly on a downhill straight, and several laps later he was out with mechanical issues caused by the fall.  This left Laengenfelder in second and Valk in a great third, but the conditions were causing problems for many machines, most notably for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo, who could say goodbye to his red plate after his machine stopped at the top of the furthest uphill from the paddock, not long after he had recovered from his poor start to push Guillem Farres for his fifth position.

The Spanish Monster Energy Triumph Racing rookie would not have an easy time of it, however, as his teammate Camden McLellan was on the charge and made a bold move on Farres over a downhill jump to take fifth behind Braceras at the flag.  Valerio Lata had charged from 14th on lap one to take seventh place for Honda HRC, passing De Wolf’s new Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Liam Everts on the final lap!

Coenen claimed ninth after a first lap crash, and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider Rick Elzinga had the best of a troubled race for his team in tenth.

De Wolf crossed the line to win with a near nine-second cushion over Laengenfelder, with an ecstatic Valk and Braceras claiming career best GP race finishes in third and fourth!

The track was massively different or race two with temperatures soaring, and this would prove to be a major factor as riders began to suffer as much as their engines had in race one!

There were quite simply no issues for Sacha Coenen, however, who pulled a trademark Fox Holeshot and bolted away from the pack, while BTS Racing Team rider Oriol Oliver advanced from a fourth-place start to pass both Adamo and Lata in one corner to move up to second! With Lata and big hitters Laengenfelder, De Wolf, Adamo, and Everts in his wake, the Spaniard held a dream second for two laps before tipping over in the corner before the pit straight!  He would eventually recover to finish ninth.  Nobody saw which way Sacha went as the KTM rider powered his way to his third career GP race win in fine style, but all the action happened behind him!

Lata held second until lap six, when Laengenfelder, Adamo, and De Wolf nipped past in quick succession.  Everts was also moving forward quietly, still not at 100% physically from his 2024 injuries but pulling an amazing result out of the bag.  Teammate De Wolf got pitched off his bike on lap nine, seemingly throwing the overall win away as Laengenfelder held a 2-2 card at that point.  Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 youngster Karlis Reisulis and Valin moved into the top five as the heat started to take its toll.

Reisulis would fade to finish seventh, Lata to an eventual 12th, as Mclellan fought forward for eighth ahead of Oliver and Monster Energy Yamaha MX2 pilot Thibault Benistant.

Meanwhile Laengenfelder, looking for his first GP victory in over a year as well as the Championship lead, suddenly dropped behind Adamo with two laps to go and also fell near pit-lane.  The first fall was not enough to dislodge him from second, but a second spill in the same corner on the final lap allowed the steady Everts into an incredible third!  Valin and, most significantly of all, De Wolf, also got past as the exhausted German heaved his bike upright to finish a devastated sixth, good enough for third overall but putting him five points down on De Wolf in the series, as the reigning Champ took the overall win, not knowing he did so until he reached the paddock!

So while the defending Champion took an expected win in Argentina, Coenen and Laengenfelder clearly look stronger this season, while Everts salvaged a brilliant result to sit fourth in the standings ahead of Adamo, McLellan, Valk, Reisulis, Benistant, and Farres!  A multi-national cast of challengers all set for a tear-up of a Motocross season!

The teams and riders all packed up their flight cases for the long trip back to Europe, with news that the Cozar circuit, the venue for the MXGP of Castilla La Mancha in two weeks’ time, has been extensively worked on since last season’s final round and should present an exciting challenge for round two of the FIM Motocross World Championships!

Kay de Wolf: “The first race was tricky with the mud, but I got a great start and just rode my own race. The second moto was more eventful—I didn’t have the best start, worked my way up, but then had a crash and needed some time to recover. Still, I managed to fight back and finish strong. Just a few weeks ago, we didn’t even think I’d be here, so to be racing at this level already is amazing. Huge thanks to my team, my family, my girlfriend, and everyone who has supported me through this. I’m really happy with the progress and looking forward to what’s next.”

Sacha Coenen: “I felt really good out there this weekend. The pace was strong, and I was able to fight at the front, which is always a great feeling. Of course, there are always things to improve, but overall, I’m happy with the way I rode. The team has worked hard over the winter, and I feel more comfortable on the bike. Now, it’s about keeping this progress going and building momentum for the next races.”

Simon Längenfelder: “It was a solid start to the season. The speed is there, and I feel strong on the bike, which is important for the long championship ahead. The track was challenging with changing conditions, but I enjoyed the racing. I know where I need to improve, and we’ll keep working to get better each round. There’s still a long way to go, and I’m excited for the battles ahead.”

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:  1. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), 35:16.483; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:08.992; 3. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), +0:30.085; 4. David Braceras (ESP, Honda), +0:53.078; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:54.343; 6. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:56.987; 7. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:00.823; 8. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:06.366; 9. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +1:07.114; 10. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:26.340;

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:07.634; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:14.680; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:27.725; 4. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.840; 5. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:35.819; 6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:39.702; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:42.669; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:42.972; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:47.213; 10. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:57.719

MX2 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 41 points; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 37 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 37 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 33 p.; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 29 p.; 6. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 25 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 23 p.; 9. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 23 p.; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 22 p.

MX2 – World Championship Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 49 points; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 46 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 44 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 36 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 29 p.; 7. Cas Valk (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 27 p.; 9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 26 p.; 10. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 25 p

MX2 – Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 57 points; 2. Husqvarna, 53 p.; 3. Yamaha, 30 p.; 4. Triumph, 29 p.; 5. Honda, 27 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 24 p.; 7. TM, 10 p.;

YPF INFINIA MXGP OF ARGENTINA QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1650m
Type of ground: Dark Soil
Temperature: 30°
Weather conditions: Rainy/Sunny
Crowd Attendance: 55,000

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from an official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com

The brand new Infinito Race Track on the outskirts of the city of Córdoba had looked impressive in the week, and it looked even better as thousands of avid Argentine fans packed the hillsides to add an incredible atmosphere to the first day of action at the 2025 YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina!

Riders were full of praise for the new venue and put on a fantastic show of thrilling racing, with Maxime Renaux claiming his first ever red plate in MXGP with the Qualifying Race win for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP, although he was harassed for most of the race by Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP talisman Romain Febvre!

MX2 also saw some great wide-open action around the fast and flowing circuit, and after an early skirmish with his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Simon Laengenfelder, 2023 World Champion Andrea Adamo claimed the Qualifying Race win to claim the red plate for the first time in well over a year!

A new season is always full of hope, and the dreams of a great spectacle at this new track were realised in front of the huge crowd, which should be even larger for tomorrow’s main Grand Prix races!

After Renaux topped the standings in the Time Practice session with the last of his 12 laps, shown live on MXGP-TV.com for the first time, he lined up on the extreme inside gate next to the second fastest man, Honda HRC’s Tim Gajser.  Renaux used the line well to just claim the holeshot from Team Honda Motoblouz SR Motul rider Kevin Horgmo, while Gajser instantly used an attacking aerial manoeuvre to quickly move past the Norwegian to claim second, followed rapidly by Febvre!

Meanwhile, class rookie Lucas Coenen was involved in a second corner collision and would eventually recover only to 19th for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.  New Aruba.it Ducati Factory MX Team leader Jeremy Seewer started well, chasing Horgmo for 4th until he finally made the move on lap nine!

Febvre was loving the circuit and made a strong move on Gajser to take second at the start of lap three, and closed the gap to Renaux within two more laps, ultimately attacking his fellow Frenchman for the entire second half of the race!

Behind them, Gajser settled for third position nearly 20 seconds behind, as Seewer and Horgmo locked down fourth and fifth despite a late attack from Fantic Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff, who took sixth.

Seewer’s teammate Mattia Guadagnini made it two Ducatis in the top seven, while the other points scorers were Calvin Vlaanderen for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP in 8th, Kawasaki Racing Team’s new recruit Pauls Jonass in ninth, and Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez in tenth.

Time and again Febvre attacked Renaux, drawing level on one occasion as the pair blasted down pit straight side-by-side!  The Yamaha man held his nerve, however, as Romain lost drive briefly on the final lap to deprive him of one last attempt!  Renaux took his first Qualifying Race win for nearly three years, and will wear the first Championship leader’s red plate for Yamaha in the MXGP class since Febvre himself in 2016!

Maxime Renaux: “It’s an incredible way to start the season. The race was intense, with Romain pushing all the way, never giving up. I felt strong on the bike, no mistakes, and in control, which is exactly how you want to start. But the season is long, and we need to build rock by rock, staying focused on each race. The red plate is nice to have, a great achievement, but I don’t want to put extra pressure on my shoulders. What matters most is keeping that momentum and fighting for the gold plate at the end of the season.”

MXGP – Qualifying Race – Classification:  1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), 25:25.836; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:03.559; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:23.000; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +0:30.328; 5. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:33.851; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:37.058; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Ducati), +0:40.494; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:42.676; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:45.514; 10. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:59.076;

MXGP – World Championship Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 10 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 9 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 8 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 7 p.; 5. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 6 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 5 p.; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, DUC), 4 p.; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 3 p.; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 2 p.; 10. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 1 p.;

All three Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders had their time in the Argentine sun through the day, as Sacha Coenen set the fastest time in Free Practice, while Laengenfelder got the top slot by just 0.163 seconds from the Belgian in Time Practice!  The German backed it up with a solid holeshot, while defending World Champion Kay de Wolf forced his Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing machine into second position ahead of Coenen!

Adamo was fourth, with reigning EMX250 Champion Mathis Valin in fifth for Kawasaki Racing Team, where he would stay until the chequered flag. The Italian was soon on the move with a fast outside move on Coenen to take third, and then surprised De Wolf by carving inside the Dutchman into a sharp right-hander!

Valerio Lata had shown good speed with second in Free Practice for Honda HRC, but a second corner collision with Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s Camden McLellan saw the pair of them lose a lot of time picking themselves off the floor.

As lap two ended, Adamo closed onto the back wheel of Laengenfelder and pulled alongside over the Monster Energy Finish Line jump, holding the German to the outside in a solid move to take the lead!  De Wolf was in no mood to let his predecessor get away, however, and passed Laengenfelder the following lap to put himself into second.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 squad had Thibault Benistant and Karlis Reisulis hold station for most of the race to finish sixth and seventh, while a steady Liam Everts claimed three points for eighth on his Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing debut.  Oriol Oliver and Jens Walvoort did their new BTS Racing Team proud by rounding out the points in ninth and tenth!

At the front, De Wolf closed in on Adamo, as the two previous World MX2 Champions circulated at a scorching pace, with the crowd adding their appreciation to the excitement! Lap six saw Coenen pass Laengenfelder for third as Simon ran wide on landing from a jump, but De Wolf just over-extended himself and tipped over in the corner before the pit straight!

Coenen took the chance to claim second place, while De Wolf salvaged third ahead of Laengenfelder, and Adamo pressed on to take his first Qualifying Race win since Trentino in April last year, and will wear the red plate for the first time since the end of his title-winning season in 2023!

With fantastic weather and the track lending itself to great racing, everybody is looking forward to another stunning day at Córdoba tomorrow in front of the enthusiastic Argentine crowd! The MXGP season is back, alive, and ready to entertain!

Andrea Adamo: “The first race of the season is always important, and I’m happy with how it went. It took me a little time to get comfortable leading, but once I settled in, I found my rhythm and even set my fastest lap near the end. It’s a different challenge being out front, not having anyone to follow, but it’s part of growing as a rider. It’s still too early to say how the season will go, but I feel strong, and starting with a win is always better than being further back. Now, we stay focused, keep improving, and take it one race at a time.”

MX2 – Qualifying Race – Classification: 1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 24:03.631; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:04.538; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:10.739; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:12.727; 5. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:16.989; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:24.857; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:28.854; 8. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:34.032; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:37.426; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM),

MX2 – World Championship Classification: 1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 10 points; 2. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 9 p.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 8 p.; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 7 p.; 5. Mathis Valin (FRA, KAW), 6 p.; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 5 p.; 7. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 4 p.; 8. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 3 p.; 9. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 2 p.; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), 1 p.;

YPF INFINIA MXGP OF ARGENTINA QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1650m
Type of ground: Dark Soil
Temperature: 29°

Weather conditions: Cloudy/Sunny

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from an official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com

The long winter’s wait finally comes to an end as the elite riders of MXGP prepare to line up at the brand new Infinito Race Track at Córdoba in Argentina for Round One of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship – the YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina!

The venue, situated on the outskirts of the country’s second biggest city, known as “The Heart of Argentina”, has been specially prepared to host thousands of eager local fans as it lies just thirty minutes’ drive from the centre of the city, situated over 350 Kilometres (590 miles) north-west of the capital, Buenos Aires. It becomes the fifth circuit to host Grand Prix Motocross in the South American nation, which hosts its 17^th MXGP event, and the season opener for the fifth time.

This year’s event promises to be hotter than previous opening GPs in this country, as we are closer to the equator, and with ten manufacturers fielding factory equipment across the two classes, the action promises to match this heat as new stars come to both major classes for glory in 2025.  The YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina will also see the first ever live broadcasting of Time Practice, for both MXGP and MX2, on Saturday afternoon via MXGP-TV!  It’s essential viewing for keeping right up to speed with who is looking strong at the very start of the year!

In MXGP, Tim Gajser comes to the event as the clear favourite, having won more GPs than anyone else in Argentina (2016, ’17, and ’22), and winning both the Saturday Qualifying Race and Sunday’s second outing last year.  After finishing just ten points away from last year’s world crown, the Honda HRC team leader is just one victory away from the magic half-century of GP wins, which would match the record of the late, great, Joel Robert, currently fifth on the all-time wins list.

The Slovenian would have been expecting a challenge from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Jeffrey Herlings and fast rookie Lucas Coenen, but injury has knocked Herlings out of at least the first round, and a late practice crash for the teenage Belgian has seen him come to Argentina hoping that he has completely recovered.  The winner of more MX2 GPs than anybody last season could surely be a threat to become the first ever teenage MXGP Champion in the current format, but the question of his current condition might only be answered in Saturday’s Time Practice or Qualifying Race.

There will still be plenty of challengers for the crown, however, as Kawasaki Racing Team duo Romain Febvre and Pauls Jonass, each with a world title to their name, have looked strong in pre-season races and are fired-up for the new season.  Jonass won back-to-back MX2 Grands Prix in Argentina in 2017 & ’18, while Febvre took a strong second to open his account here last year. Gajser’s own teammate, Ruben Fernandez, took his sole MXGP victory to date in Argentina two years ago, so he certainly has a chance of repeating that feat this weekend!

Monster Energy Yamaha Racing MXGP field their own ex-World Champion, Maxime Renaux, as well as multiple MX2 silver medallist, and 2023’s MX2 winner in Argentina, Jago Geerts, besides strong Dutchman Calvin Vlaanderen.

The exciting all-new Aruba.it Ducati Factory MX Team brings a strong line-up into its first full MXGP season, as five-time silver medallist Jeremy Seewer leads the iconic Italian brand’s charge, with enthusiastic backup from popular Italian Mattia Guadagnini.  See the bike up-close in the Official GoPro Lap shown online, as well as just prior to the first MX2 race on Sunday afternoon.

Fantic Factory Racing have added strong Italian Andrea Bonacorsi to join Dutch veterans Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers, and all three are keen to challenge for podium finishes and GP victories.  Yet another Italian brand, campaigning under the MRT Racing Team Beta banner, pitches British former MX2 GP winner Ben Watson with new German teammate Tom Koch, and the feedback on the new bike is very much on the positive side.

The Motul Honda SR Motoblouz Team have brought in Alberto Forato to join Kevin Horgmo in what looks like the strongest non-Factory team on the gate.  Independent riders Jan Pancar of TEM JP253 KTM Racing, JWR Racing Honda new boy Cornelius Toendel, and JK Racing Yamaha’s Isak Gifting cannot be counted out of putting in strong performances as well!

2024 YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina MXGP Top 3:

1. Jorge Prado
2. Romain Febvre
3. Tim Gajser

14 Grand Prix Winners entered in MXGP for Argentina:

• Tim Gajser – 49 GP Wins
• Jago Geerts – 24
• Romain Febvre – 21
• Jeremy Seewer – 13
• Pauls Jonass – 12
• Lucas Coenen – 10
• Maxime Renaux – 8
• Glenn Coldenhoff – 6
• Valentin Guillod – 3
• Calvin Vlaanderen – 2
• Mattia Guadagnini – 2
• Ben Watson – 2
• Ruben Fernandez – 1
• Brian Bogers – 1

In the MX2 class, reigning World Champion Kay de Wolf has elected to race with the #1 plate, and as he continues his career-long relationship with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, he certainly looks to be the pre-season favourite to retain his title, despite a minor leg injury affecting his February warm-up race programme.

The tall Dutchman took the overall GP win in Argentina last year with a 2-1 scorecard, and was never to relinquish the red plate he took home from South America.

The biggest challenge could come from his teammate Liam Everts, who returns from the injuries sustained in China last year with his new race number #26 and an all-new look with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing. However, the Belgian will look to build through the season and increase his GP win tally from his current total of five, two of which came last year.

The real threat to De Wolf might be from last year’s first race winner, and three-time MX2 bronze-medallist Simon Laengenfelder, who stays with the Davide De Carli-ran team, now in orange as part of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.  The German also races with the new number of #27, and has looked in great form in pre-season races.  His big challenge will be to convert race-winning pace to overall victories, of which he has only three despite taking 12 individual race wins in his career.

Simon’s new teammate Sacha Coenen must also be considered a title contender in his third year in the series, especially if he can convert his incredible dominance of the Fox Holeshot Award into more race wins and GP victories.  The young Belgian took more than double the number of holeshots of anyone else in the series in 2024, with 16 compared to Laengenfelder’s seven, and he took his first GP victories in Latvia and Italy.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing stable also sees 2023 Champion Andrea Adamo and second-year French whizz-kid Marc-Antoine Rossi under the management of Joel Smets and hungry for success after they both suffered a troubled 2024 season.

One of the biggest buzzes around the MX2 paddock for 2025 is the addition of last year’s EMX250 title combatants Mathis Valin and Valerio Lata to the GP ranks, each on new Japanese factory MX2 machinery.

Frenchman Valin, the reigning EMX250 Champion, has looked very impressive on the new Kawasaki Factory Racing MX2 bike, and has his eyes set on the podium and more!  Lata joins fellow Italian teenager Ferruccio Zanchi on the Honda HRC MX2 squad, and both riders looked on the pace in pre-season races.

As in MXGP, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 squad is unchanged from the end of last year, and French stylist Thibault Benistant will run the new #9 plates in his last shot at an MX2 title before he hits the age limit for the class.  Dutchman Rick Elzinga also drops a digit to run #4 as he attempts to continue his ascent, that very nearly delivered his first GP win in 2024.  With them again is rising Latvian star Karlis Reisulis, who finished second only to De Wolf in the MX2 division at the 2024 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, and that was after winning the B-Final to put his country in the races!  A fast starter and confident character, he is looking for 2025 to be his real breakthrough season.

In the talent-packed MX2 field, the Monster Energy Triumph Racing team returns for its second season in the class, keeping the entertaining South African Camden McLellan onboard to look for more podium finishes, and bringing in the talented Spaniard Guillem Farres to begin his first full season of MX2 racing with the British manufacturer.

Young Czech hopeful Julius Mikula will start his first season as a full factory rider with the TM Moto CRD Motosport team and joins a long list of talent scrapping for top ten positions or better! Cas Valk, who gave Lata and Valin a hard time in EMX250 last year, also moves to MX2 with the returning Venrooy KTM squad, and could definitely be a surprise contender.

Quentin Marc Prugnieres has moved to the WZ-Racing KTM team and could be a threat, as could BTS Racing Team duo Jens Walvoort and Oriol Oliver.

So, all eyes turn to Argentina this weekend as the 20-round long MXGP season gets underway to begin the truly global battle to be World Motocross Champion in 2025!

2024 YPF Infinia MXGP of Argentina MX2 Top 3

1. Kay de Wolf
2. Simon Laengenfelder
3. Mikkel Haarup

6 Grand Prix Winners entered in MX2 for Argentina:

• Kay de Wolf – 8 GP Wins
• Liam Everts – 5
• Simon Laengenfelder – 3
• Thibault Benistant – 3
• Sacha Coenen – 2
• Andrea Adamo – 2

TIMETABLE (Local Timing UTC-3 )

SATURDAY: 09:15-9:45 Blåkläder Start Practice MX2, 09:45-10:15 Blåkläder Start Practice MXGP, 10:45 MX2 Free Practice, 11:15 MXGP Free Practice, 13:20 MX2 Time Practice, 14:00 MXGP OAT Time Practice, 15:25 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 16:10 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

Saturday’s Time Practice, the Qualifying Race, and all four GP races will be broadcasted LIVE on MXGP’s streaming service www.MXGP-TV.com, while results throughout the weekend will be available  HERE.

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from an official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com