Delight and devastation for Honda HRC Castrol in equal measure at the German GP, Luca Marini returning to action with his season best while Joan Mir cemented himself as the unluckiest rider on the grid.

A damp morning Warm Up quickly gave way to the best conditions of the weekend at the Sachsenring. With a record-breaking crowd of over 250,000 fans over the weekend, the German GP ended with a fascinating and dramatic 30-lap race.

Luca Marini made perhaps his best start of the year, rocketing from 15th on the grid to end the first lap in ninth spot. It was an ominous first lap as the Italian fought through the pain barrier to stay with the top ten, holding just enough back for the final laps. With conditions and tyre wear catching out a number of riders, Marini was inch perfect as he blasted past Binder and Miller to go into sixth just a few laps from the end. With ten points in hand, Marini secures his best result as a Honda HRC rider to date and continues his perfect run of point-scoring finishes.

The result sees Marini 15th in the World Championship standings, a single point behind Ogura. Honda sit just nine points behind KTM in the Constructor standings.

Like his Honda HRC Castrol teammate, Joan Mir’s race got off to a very positive start as he picked his way forward. Joining Marini in the top ten during the middle stages of the race, Mir was in prime position to fight for top Honda honours until the very end of the race. Unfortunately, Ogura’s wayward bike hit Mir’s Honda RC213V at Turn 1 and ended any hopes of delivering on his potential. Yet again, Mir and the team were left to rue a luckless race which at one point had shown so much potential. He escaped any serious injuries in the fall.

It’s straight on to the next one as Honda HRC Castrol pack up and head for Czechia – the Brno Automotodrom making a welcome return to the calendar for the first time since 2020. Freshly resurfaced, it’s sure to be another thrilling weekend of MotoGP action.

MILLVILLE, Minn. – Third overall in Round 7 of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Spring Creek National continued Chase Sexton’s successful return to racing in the mid-stages of the 450MX season, with the defending champion posting a consistent 3-3 scorecard across the pair of premier class motos.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to sixth during the morning’s qualifying sessions, before charging to a solid P3 result in Moto 1 after featuring toward the front of the field on what was a high-speed Millville circuit this weekend.

Faced with a deteriorating track later in the afternoon, the number 1 posted another measured performance in Moto 2, recording another third-place result, and continuing to build back into form as the series develops.

Chase Sexton: "I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming back during the season. I think speed-wise, especially my first few laps, were better today than at RedBud, but we still have a lot of work to do. I enjoy Washougal, as well as the next few tracks coming up, so we’ll keep aiming to improve and get closer toward the battle at the front."

450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger entered today still feeling the effects of the illness he experienced at the previous round. Still, he qualified fourth onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before running as high as second in Moto 1. Despite displaying that impressive speed, a depleted Plessinger would ultimately be forced to retire from the race and elected to withdraw from Moto 2.

Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle qualified seventh, but found himself outside of the top 10 during the early stages of Moto 1. A convincing charge would follow, eventually claiming sixth position, before an early fall in Moto 2 left the Frenchman with a DNF and 14th overall for the round.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Practice in Millville went well for us and looked a little better than last week, but then it become more difficult in relation to Tom and Aaron. Tom actually had a good first moto, he recovered from a mediocre start all the way back to sixth place, which was nice. Then in the 450 moto, it was a good race for Chase, and Aaron was up there, but definitely had some issues and he had to retire, so we will look into this and find out what we can do to help him. Second moto in the 250s was tough – we lost Tom in the whoops at the back, and that was the end of his day. We went into the second 450 moto with Chase, and he had a good six laps before losing touch with the leaders, but I feel like we are making progress there, and I think we can improve on this by next week."

MURRIETA, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Julien Beaumer will sit out the next two rounds of the 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, aiming to regain 100 percent fitness with a goal of returning for Round 9 at Ironman Raceway in mid-August.

Beaumer has been experiencing ongoing effects from his heavy crash during the second 250MX moto at High Point last month, with both the 19-year-old and the team collectively making the decision to miss the upcoming Spring Creek and Washougal Nationals.

With an additional two-week break in the series scheduled following Washougal, it's anticipated that Beaumer will benefit from that extended time on the sidelines before completing the final three rounds of the outdoors at Ironman Raceway, Unadilla, and Budds Creek onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

After finishing inside the top-five at the opening two rounds of the Pro Motocross season, Beaumer has faced adversity in the following races. After qualifying P5 at RedBud on Saturday, he recorded 16-13 moto finishes for 16th overall and is currently ranked 13th in the championship standings.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "The last few weeks we noticed Julien just seemed to be off his game and, after digging a bit deeper into his issues and in consultation with a doctor, it seems he is likely having lingering effects from his crash at Round 4 of the series. As our riders' health and safety is always our number one priority, we are taking the doctor’s advice and decided that at this point in time Julien will sit out both the Millville and Washougal rounds."

The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team (YART), which regularly contests the Endurance World Championship (EWC), will race with a special red and white livery along with the factory Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) on their YZF-R1 race bike for the 46th edition of the FIM Endurance World Championship "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race set to be held on Sunday, August 3, 2025.

Red and white colours were first seen on a Yamaha racebike in 1964, and in 1973, they adorned the YZR500 (0W20) for Yamaha’s first full season challenge in the 500cc world championship. Since then, it has become a symbolic colour for Yamaha race bikes.

This year, as Yamaha Motor celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding in 1955 and returns to the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours with a factory team for the first time in six years, they have adopted a special red and white livery on the YZF-R1, based on the 1999 YZF-R7 production race bike.

As Yamaha’s top team in EWC, carrying on the manufacturer’s spirit of challenge, YART will feature this red and white livery together with YRT, as the two teams challenge for a podium and win in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.

The leathers worn by riders Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika and Jason O’Halloran, along with the shirts worn by all the team staff, and the pit garage itself, will be fully coordinated in red and white throughout the 8 Hours race weekend.

Marvin Fritz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“Every year we run a special livery for the 8 Hours, but this year’s is especially beautiful. I think everyone who sees it is going to get excited. I asked Mandy what colour the bike would be this year, and he told me to remember the classic R7, so I immediately knew. I used to watch Superbikes when I was a kid, and I remember Noriyuki Haga's R7 with the number 41. I’ve always thought that livery was special. For me, it’s really an honour to be able to ride our R1 with those same colours at Suzuka this year. To everyone watching, I want to say, remember that we’re red and white this year, not blue, and I hope you’ll cheer for us in the race!”

Karel Hanika
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I love this year’s special red and white colour scheme, and I think it’s gorgeous to look at. I can't wait to ride it on the track. At this year’s 8 Hours our YART bike will look a bit different than usual, but I hope the fans will like it. This bike reminds me of Noriyuki Haga, who used to race in the 8 Hours and in Superbikes on the Yamaha factory team. We’ll do our best to achieve a big result like he used to, so come to the race and support us!”

Jason O’Halloran
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I’m honoured to be riding the red and white R1 to celebrate Yamaha's 70th anniversary. I remember the old R7, and it was a really cool design, so I’m looking forward to seeing our bike with the same livery on the starting line at the 8 Hours. We usually race in the traditional Yamaha blue, which is also very nice, but to have our bike in these special colours makes it extra exciting. I hope all the fans will enjoy the race, and enjoy seeing this bike on track. To everyone coming to the race, we hope you’ll be cheering for all the Yamaha riders, and especially the number seven YART bike. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!”

Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team - Team Manager
“This year’s special livery for the Suzuka 8 Hours is truly amazing. I remember the OW02, called the YZF-R7, was the bike that inspired me to join the Yamaha family 26 years ago. I actually have an R7 displayed in my office, so every time I go to work, I get to see it. And now to race the R1 in the same colours in the 8 Hours is just awesome. These are my ‘dream colours,’ so of course it’s a present to the fans, but also a present to me! When I first started riding, Yamaha bikes were red and white, and those iconic machines were the ones I wanted to ride so badly. I still have vivid memories of that, and when I think about those days, the red and white Yamahas are what stand out. We’ve won two titles (2009/2023) with red and white Yamahas, and I hope to make it a third in these colours in 2025."

Honda HRC Progressive continued their impressive form in AMA Pro Motocross, this time at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts—a unique track on the circuit that is famous for its brutal, sandy conditions. Jett and Hunter Lawrence once again swept the top two spots in the 450 class, with Jett delivering another perfect 1-1 performance and Hunter not far behind with consistent 2-2 moto finishes. In the 250 ranks, Jo Shimoda rebounded from falls in moto 1 to claim second in the final outing and secure fifth overall.

The first 450 moto saw the CRF450RWE race machines of Jett and Hunter cross the holeshot line first and second, respectively, and Jett immediately put in a sprint to establish a gap at the front. At the halfway mark, he had a cushion of 10 seconds, with Hunter an additional seven seconds up on the next rider. Jett mostly maintained his edge from that point, while Hunter continued to stretch his margin over third. At the checkers, the gap between the brothers was 13.786 seconds, with an additional 18.922 seconds separating third place.

Jett snared yet another holeshot in moto 2, with Hunter a couple spots back this time. While Jett opened an advantage on Jorge Prado, Hunter pressured Eli Tomac, muscling by in a corner to take third on lap 6. Hunter assumed second when Prado went down at around the midway point, and the Honda rider then fended off a couple of challenges from Tomac before going on to finish a commendable second, 20 seconds behind his brother and 12 seconds ahead of Tomac. Among the other Red Riders, Joey Savatgy (Quad Lock Honda) was 12^th overall, Cornelius Tondel (JWR Honda Racing) was 17^th, Michael Witkowski (Phoenix Racing Honda) was 28^th, Deven Sorensen (Sorensen Racing) was 34^th and Brandon Ray (Raylentless Racing) was 35^th.

Thanks to a first-turn crash, Shimoda began the first 250 moto nearly dead last, and another early fall penalized him further. The Japanese racer had no choice but to begin a race-long charge, and it eventually carried him up to a 10th-place result. Shimoda got a much better start in moto 2, exiting turn 1 in fourth place. From there, he executed a couple of passes and maintained the gap to the front, taking second in the moto for fifth overall. Other Red Riders included TJ Albright (Phoenix Racing Honda) in 27^th overall, Lance Kobusch (SPR) in 37^th overall and Mark Fineis (TiLube Honda) in 39^th overall.

A hard-charging Joan Mir found himself devoid of luck again, unable to avoid the fallen bike of another rider. Aleix Espargaro completed the Dutch GP and leaves with valuable insight for the Test Team.

The weekend in the Netherlands continued to be a one of promise masked by complications and external factors for the Honda HRC Castrol team. Joan Mir was able to make another strong start from 13th on the grid, able to join the battle for the top ten by just the third lap. Lapping at a similar pace to the race leaders, the #36 closed down the gap to Quartararo and the group ahead. Unfortunately, a high side from Fermin Aldeguer just ahead would result in Mir being unable to avoid Aldegeur’s stricken Ducati, ending Mir’s race with a heavy fall. The 2020 World Champion will return home for further checks after being cleared of any major injuries at the circuit medical centre.

Aleix Espargaro’s 26-lap Dutch Grand Prix followed a similar schedule to his Dutch GP Sprint. Starting well, the Honda HRC Test Rider found himself quickly in the point scoring positions and worked to defend himself from several other riders. As in the Sprint, the #41 had to shift his attentions to riding around the vibrations from his machine and crossed the line in 16th place as a result, just shy of the points. Although the final results were not as he wished, more seat time will only benefit him and Honda HRC in the future.

After an intense pair of races, Honda HRC Castrol will now have a brief period of rest before another set of back-to-back races in Germany and at the returning Brno Circuit. Both Grands Prix will be key for Honda HRC to find their early season form and continue progressing.

Brno will host a test ahead of the German GP where Luca Marini will assess his physical condition after his heavy fall in Suzuka.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, winner of the German and Latvian Grands Prix this season with his works KTM 450 SX-F, will miss round 13 of 20 of 2025 MXGP at the KymiRing and for the Finnish Grand Prix on 12-13 July.

The 30-year-old suffered a broken right collarbone while completing a team training session at Arnhem earlier this week - the sandy circuit that will host the Dutch GP on 24 August. After careful checks and diagnosis in the Netherlands, Herlings was advised to initially try a natural healing process, as opposed to surgery, which will be analyzed further next week.

Herlings has won three motos, scored two Pole Positions and walked the MXGP podium twice for his respective overall victories this season. The Dutchman entered the campaign late after recovering from a right knee reconstruction during the winter but has already gathered enough points to sit 6th in the championship standings.

Jeffrey’s convalescence means he will not travel to Finland. He and the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will then assess the state of his recovery on a daily basis to plan a return to action.

The cold and wet Cape Town weather delivered one of the toughest Motocross Nationals of the season at Zone 7 this past weekend, but it didn’t stop the Red Bull KTM squad from lighting up the podium. Thanks to track owner Johann Spies and his crew for prepping a rideable and safe track despite the heavy rainfall leading up to race day. The conditions were gnarly, but the orange machines charged through.

In the MX1 and MX2 classes, Cameron Durow was in top form, topping qualifying and claiming a controlled Moto 1 victory. A heavy crash in Moto 2 dropped him to the back of the field, but he fought back to an impressive P3, securing the overall win in MX1 (1-3). Durow claimed second in MX2 as his two mistakes cost him the top step, finishing 2nd overall.
"Moto 1 went perfectly, I felt good and controlled the race," said Durow. "Moto 2 was tough after the crash, but I’m happy to salvage P3 and the overall. A bit frustrated with my mistake in MX2 but looking forward to make up for it in the next round"

MX2 delivered some of the most intense racing of the day. Luke Grundy grabbed the holeshot in Moto 1, with Durow reeling him in for the win. In a chaotic Moto 2 with multiple lead changes, Grundy kept it tidy and crossed the line first, claiming the overall win (2-1) and extending his points lead.
"2-1 with intense battles and wet, tricky conditions for the overall — I’ll take it!" Grundy commented. "Keen for Bloemfontein next. A big thanks to the team for the support this weekend."

Trey Cox had a standout day, delivering solid results across both the High School and MX2 classes. In the High School class, Cox was fastest in qualifying and rode to P3 in Moto 1 after a tough start. He bounced back with a dominant Moto 2 win to secure 2nd overall (3-1).

In his rookie season in the MX2 class, Cox impressed once again, putting in an awesome ride to claim 3rd overall (4-2) against the country’s best.
"It was an up and down day," said Cox. "First motos just weren’t good enough, but Moto 2 I managed to turn it around. Good experience and hungry for more."

Red Bull KTM Team Manager Kerim Fitz-Gerald was upbeat about the team’s performance: "All in all, it was a positive day for the team. The conditions tested everyone, but the boys showed grit and speed. There’s a couple of mistakes we need to iron out, but if we keep believing and stay patient, the big results will follow."

Red Bull KTM leaves Cape Town with silverware in hand and a clear focus on keeping the momentum rolling into Bloemfontein.

The Brother Leader Tread KTM Team came out firing at the second round of the National Cross Country Championship in Dalton, KwaZulu-Natal this past weekend. The riders tackled fast and dusty conditions to secure solid results and valuable championship points.

In the highly competitive OR3 class, Matthew Wilson claimed a hard-earned victory, fending off a determined chase from his competitors. Wilson showed his grit and composure throughout the day to secure the top step of the podium. “I’m stoked with today,” Wilson commented. “I knew I had a few seconds on Luke and I could do something with that. The bike felt great, and I’m happy to take this one.”

In the Open class, Scott Heygate added valuable points to his championship tally with a second-place finish. Heygate endured a challenging day in the saddle after a crash cost him crucial seconds but remained focused to bring home a podium result. “ I had too many mistakes today, I’ll try clean up and go forward from here. We’ll regroup and see how we can improve for the next round,” he shared.

In the Seniors category, Kerim Fitz-Gerald had a standout ride, taking top honours and flying the orange flag high. “I’m really happy with how my riding has improved; it’s getting better each and every time,” said an upbeat Fitz-Gerald.

Brother Leader Tread KTM Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo praised the riders for their commitment and results: “It was a tough, high-speed track and the guys put in a great effort. Proud of the way they handled themselves out there, solid points for the championship and some good momentum heading into the next round.”

National Cross Country Championship - Round 2 - Dalton KZN

It was a strong weekend for the Husqvarna Racing team as they tackled the second round of the National Cross Country Championship in Dalton, KZN. Despite the very dry, fast, and dusty conditions, the team delivered impressive results, as Davin Cocker dominated the field with a flawless performance.

In the Open class, Cocker put in a clinical ride to claim both the overall and class win, further extending his championship lead. He set the pace early and maintained his advantage through the demanding conditions. “Not much dust for me luckily but it was a very dusty day out,” Cocker commented. “Managed to bring it home and I’m very happy about that.”

In the OR3 class, Luke Walker had a solid outing, continuing his fight in the championship standings. Walker closed the gap on class leader Matthew Wilson and secured a well-earned second place for the day. “I managed to close the gap between myself and Matthew but it wasn’t enough unfortunately,” Walker shared. “Still had a great day out and happy to make up some points.”

Husqvarna Racing Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo, was proud of the team’s performance: “Both riders showed great control and pace in very dustyconditions. Davin’s ride was flawless, and it’s good to see Luke continuing to close the gap and stay in the title hunt.”

With strong results in hand, the Husqvarna Racing team now looks ahead to Round 3 of the championship, aiming to build on this weekend’s success.