OPENING ROUND VICTORY FOR RENAUX AND DE WOLF AT THE YPF INFINIA MXGP OF ARGENTINA.
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.;
Text/Bild: Infront