GARCIA GOES 1-1 IN EMX250 WHILE FAURE GRABS RED PLATE IN EMX125 SHOWDOWN.
Matterley Basin hosted a pivotal weekend in the European Motocross Championships, where both the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX250 classes delivered standout performances and major shifts in the title chases during the British round. With high heat on Saturday and wind on Sunday adding another layer of difficulty to the already demanding British circuit, the pressure was on, and the riders rose to the occasion.
In EMX250, Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Francisco Garcia delivered a flawless 1-1 performance, his first double race win of the season, reigniting his title hopes and closing the gap to championship leader Janis Reisulis from Team VHR VRT Yamaha Official and JM Honda Racing’s Noel Zanocz second, reshuffling the cards heading into the final stretch.
In EMX125, Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC from Mano Faure was equally dominant, also securing a perfect weekend and taking the overall win. More significantly, his performance brought him the Red Plate as he went level on points with Racestore KTM Factory Rookies’ Nicolò Alvisi but with more race wins, setting up a thrilling showdown as the championship now heads to Finland for Round 11. With only two rounds to go in both categories, the battles for the crown are wide open.
Race 1 of the EMX250 class at Matterley Basin launched into action with Team VHR VRT Yamaha Official’s Ivano Van Erp taking the early lead, followed closely by Fantic Factory Racing EMX’s Simone Mancini. Local favourite Billy Askew got an explosive start, but his race hopes were dashed in the first corner due to a crash. Francesco Garcia settled into third, with Australia’s Jake Cannon from Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s and Team VHR VRT Yamaha Official’s Dani Heitink rounding out the early top five.
Mancini was quick to pounce, diving on the inside to overtake Garcia and snatch the lead. Van Erp dropped back after missing his line at the end of the circuit, allowing Garcia to move into second. Janis Reisulis, initially outside the top six, began carving his way through the pack, overtaking Cannon and Van Erp in a composed charge.
Meanwhile, Garcia reeled Mancini in and began putting pressure on the Italian, while behind them, Reisulis edged closer. On lap five, Reisulis passed Mancini for third, then rapidly closed the gap to Cannon. The Latvian was flying, moving into second place with just a few laps remaining.
All eyes were also on Noel Zanocz, who had crashed at the start and found himself almost dead last. Undeterred, the Hungarian put in an extraordinary recovery ride, climbing from outside the top thirty into the top ten by the final laps, an impressive damage limitation ride that could prove pivotal in the title race.
At the front, Garcia held firm to claim a well-earned race win ahead of a charging Reisulis. Jake Cannon secured a career-best third, with Mancini settling for fourth after his early lead. Despite his early misfortune, Zanocz crossed the line in tenth, salvaging vital championship points
The second EMX250 race at Matterley Basin unfolded under the high summer heat and raised the stakes once again in the championship battle. It was Van Erp who snatched the holeshot, launching out of the gate ahead of home hero Charlie Heyman. The early laps saw the Brit feeding off the crowd’s energy, slotting into second and putting pressure on the Dutchman up front.
Behind them, Garcia was on the move. The Spaniard, already victorious in Race 1, quickly dispatched his teammate Cannon and then swept past Heyman with precision to move into second. From there, his sights were firmly set on Van Erp, who was holding strong but clearly under pressure. Garcia bided his time and finally made a decisive pass midway through the race, taking over the lead and never looking back.
Meanwhile, Zanocz, recovering from a difficult opening race, began a determined charge from outside the top five. He made short work of the traffic ahead, first with a tidy inside pass on Cannon, then a confident move around the outside of Heyman at the top of the hill to break into third. His pace was relentless.
Further back, red plate holder Reisulis suffered a minor crash while fighting near the top 10, losing several positions. Although the Latvian regrouped and fought back to ninth, the lost points could prove costly in the bigger picture. Askew also had a tough ride on home soil, tumbling from sixth to 10th after a late mistake.
As Garcia stretched his advantage at the front, Zanocz closed in on Van Erp in the final laps. With just a few corners to go, the Hungarian made a brilliant late move to snatch second place, salvaging vital championship points after Saturday’s disappointment. Van Erp finished third while Heyman put on a majestic performance to finish 4th.
Garcia took the chequered flag to seal a dominant 1-1 weekend, his first double race victory and second overall of the season, vaulting him right back into title contention. Van Erp completed the podium in second just ahead of Cannon for a double podium for Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki.
With only a few rounds remaining, the EMX250 championship is far from decided. Janis Reisulis still leads with 352 points, but Zanocz is just 38 points behind, while Garcia’s overall win brings him closer with at 282 points. The road to the title is heating up and the pressure is rising.
Francisco Garcia : „It’s been a crazy weekend, but I had such a good feeling with the bike, the track, and my team. Even in qualifying, everything just clicked. The first race was quite different to today, but I felt in control and confident throughout. I’m really happy with how things are going, I’m living and working closely with the team, and it honestly feels like a family. Big thanks to them, my family and all our sponsors. Now the goal is to keep this momentum going and stay focused on training.“
EMX250 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), 31:18.954; 2. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:02.967; 3. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:06.722; 4. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +0:16.156; 5. Simone Mancini (ITA, Fantic), +0:22.032; 6. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:23.838; 7. Liam Owens (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:26.735; 8. Hakon Osterhagen (NOR, Fantic), +0:41.215; 9. Ben Mustoe (GBR, GASGAS), +0:43.210; 10. Noel Zanocz (HUN, Honda), +0:43.241
EMX250 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), 29:48.993; 2. Noel Zanocz (HUN, Honda), +0:02.497; 3. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +0:02.568; 4. Jake Cannon (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:23.032; 5. Charlie Heyman (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:29.658; 6. Valentin Kees (GER, KTM), +0:33.068; 7. Liam Owens (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:37.302; 8. Nico Greutmann (SUI, Husqvarna), +0:43.641; 9. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:59.199; 10. William Askew (GBR, Triumph), +1:03.249
EMX250 Overall – Top 10: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 50 points; 2. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 38 p.; 3. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 38 p.; 4. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Noel Zanocz (HUN, HON), 33 p.; 6. Liam Owens (AUS, HUS), 28 p.; 7. Valentin Kees (GER, KTM), 25 p.; 8. Charlie Heyman (GBR, HUS), 23 p.; 9. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Simone Mancini (ITA, FAN), 23 p
EMX250 Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 352 points; 2. Noel Zanocz (HUN, HON), 314 p.; 3. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 282 p.; 4. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 238 p.; 5. Nico Greutmann (SUI, HUS), 199 p.; 6. Simone Mancini (ITA, FAN), 182 p.; 7. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, YAM), 159 p.; 8. Liam Owens (AUS, HUS), 156 p.; 9. Lyonel Reichl (LIE, HUS), 153 p.; 10. Bradley Mesters (NED, KTM), 149 p.;
EMX250 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. Yamaha, 393 points; 2. Honda, 325 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 324 p.; 4. KTM, 322 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 300 p.; 6. Fantic, 198 p.; 7. GASGAS, 181 p.; 8. Triumph, 118 p.; 9. Beta, 11 p.;
The opening EMX125 race at Matterley Basin got underway with a strong start from Moritz Ernecker, who took the early lead. However, the KTM Sarholz rider quickly came under pressure and dropped back as the race unfolded. Filippo Mantovani capitalised to settle into the front group alongside TM Moto CRD Motosport’s Niccolo Mannini and Mano Faure, who wasted no time moving through the field with impressive speed and control.
Behind them, red plate holder Nicolò Alvisi had a tough start from outside the top 15. Known for his ability to charge through the pack, Alvisi began making ground but suffered a major setback mid-race with a crash on the take-off of a jump that sent him tumbling down the order.
As the race hit the halfway point, Faure was charging forward and locked in an intense battle with Mantovani for the lead. The two riders went bar-to-bar, but it was Faure who eventually made the move stick, showcasing great composure to take control of the race.
Behind them, Fantic Factory Racing EMX’s Francesco Bellei maintained a strong pace and moved into second after overtaking Mantovani, who was beginning to fade in the later laps. Meanwhile, Alvisi managed to climb his way back up to 17th, salvaging a few crucial points in his title fight, though the damage was evident with his main rival Faure leading the way.
Dean Gregoire’s Motovation Motorsport made a solid push to eighth, while Ernecker dropped down to ninth by the end after his early lead faded. Although both riders would gain a place as Jekabs Kubulins from JK Racing Yamaha finished 7th in the race but lost 5 positions for failing post-race noise control, ending in 12th in the end. Riders like Fantic Factory Racing EMX’s Douwe Van Mechgelen and SEVEN Motorsport’s Cesar Paine Diaz also benefitted from Kubulins penalty to round out a competitive top ten.
Faure held on to secure an impressive race win, his third of the season, ahead of Bellei and Mantovani, as the Frenchman tightened the gap in the championship standings heading into Sunday’s decisive second race
In race 2, it was Faure who set the early tone, leading the charge from the beginning to never look back. Behind him, was Ryan Oppliger who started very well going 2nd for the first 4 laps but getting passed by Mantovani.
Alvisi the championship leader heading into the race, was working his way forward after a decent start, while Bellei also positioned himself in the top five early on. Mannini, however, was the man on the move and began slicing his way forward. First, he reclaimed a spot from Alvisi, then put Bellei behind him, and finally used a clever outside line to power past Ryan Oppliger
Mannini surged to pass Oppliger, moving up to 3rd while Alvisi was doing his best to respond. Which he did on lap 10 of 13 as he managed to make a move on the fading Oppliger as well, but a podium challenge was slipping out of reach. Meanwhile, Oppliger’s fall in the latter stages allowed home rider Charlie Richmond to snatch ninth on the final lap. At the front, Faure was in a class of his own.
At the lead, the French rider Faure showed no signs of pressure as he controlled the race from start to finish, crossing the line with a commanding margin over Mantovani, who fended off Mannini for second. Alvisi and Bellei rounded out the top five with Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC’s Dani Heitink finishing sixth in front of teammate Jarne Bervoets.
The win secured Faure a perfect 1-1 scorecard and the overall victory, while more significantly, it catapulted him into a tie for the championship lead with Alvisi as the EMX125 series now heads to Finland for Round 11 – with everything still to play for.
With just two rounds remaining in the EMX125 Championship, the tension couldn’t be higher as Mano Faure and Niccolò Alvisi now sit deadlocked at the top of the standings. Faure’s flawless 1-1 performance in Matterley Basin has not only reignited the title battle but also set the tone for an electrifying finish to the season.
As the series heads north to Finland, every start, every pass and every point will be critical in determining who walks away with the coveted red plate at the end of 2025.
Mano Faure: “I’m really happy, it’s been a perfect weekend for me with two race wins and the red plate! Now we’ll see what happens in the next rounds, but I want to thank my team for their great support. See you at the next race!”
EMX125 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Mano Faure (FRA, Yamaha), 29:58.620; 2. Francesco Bellei (ITA, Fantic), +0:02.921; 3. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), +0:06.170; 4. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), +0:27.627; 5. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +0:31.071; 6. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), +0:33.224; 7. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), +0:42.588; 8. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, KTM), +0:44.785; 9. Douwe Van Mechgelen (BEL, Fantic), +0:46.034; 10. Cesar Paine Diaz (CHI, Husqvarna), +0:47.380
EMX125 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Mano Faure (FRA, Yamaha), 31:21.563; 2. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), +0:10.652; 3. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), +0:26.952; 4. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), +0:29.223; 5. Francesco Bellei (ITA, Fantic), +0:30.905; 6. Dani Heitink (NED, Yamaha), +0:54.815; 7. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, Yamaha), +1:01.811; 8. Charlie Richmond (GBR, Yamaha), +1:05.330; 9. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +1:09.179; 10. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), +1:11.494;
EMX125 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 50 points; 2. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), 38 p.; 4. Francesco Bellei (ITA, FAN), 38 p.; 5. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), 28 p.; 6. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), 25 p.; 7. Dani Heitink (NED, YAM), 23 p.; 8. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), 22 p.; 9. Douwe Van Mechgelen (BEL, FAN), 22 p.; 10. Charlie Richmond (GBR, YAM), 20 p
EMX125 Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 352 points; 2. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), 352 p.; 3. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), 308 p.; 4. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), 284 p.; 5. Dani Heitink (NED, YAM), 271 p.; 6. Francesco Bellei (ITA, FAN), 263 p.; 7. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 251 p.; 8. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), 217 p.; 9. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), 212 p.; 10. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), 197 p.
EMX125 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. KTM, 448 points; 2. Yamaha, 429 p.; 3. Fantic, 345 p.; 4. TM, 344 p.; 5. GASGAS, 121 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 108 p.
Bild/Text: Infront