Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to confirm that Karlis Reisulis will step up to MX2 with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team for the remainder of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season.
Reisulis, alongside Rick Elzinga, will race a YZ250FM in MX2 following his impressive performance at the EMX250 round in Latvia, where he led several laps and finished second overall.
The 18-year-old Latvian, who has celebrated nine EMX podium finishes with Yamaha since 2021, will make his debut as a factory rider at the MXGP round of West Nusa Tenggara, Lombok, Indonesia, on June 29-30.
Both Reisulis and Elzinga will be joined by Thibault Benistant when the Frenchman is fit and ready to return to racing.
Karlis Reisulis
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider
“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to step up to MX2 on a factory Yamaha. I have dreamed of achieving this my entire life, so it really is like a dream come true. For me, it’s unreal to know I will finally be racing in the World Championship. I really want to thank Yamaha and everyone involved for this opportunity. I like the factory YZ250FM a lot. I felt good right from the first moment, and I think this will give me confidence as I take on the next chapter.”
Alexandre Kowalski
Yamaha Motor Europe Off-Road Racing Manager
“We are pleased to give Karlis this opportunity to step up to MX2. The MXGP of Italy saw several EMX250 riders competing in MX2, demonstrating that the European Championship series is doing an excellent job of preparing the riders for the next level. We look forward to seeing Karlis on factory material and how he performs in MX2. It will be important for him to enjoy the experience while using it to refine his skills. I believe it will help him mature as a rider and could be the springboard he needs to take the next step in his riding. We look forward to seeing what he can achieve.”
