Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Thibault Benistant has finished sixth overall at his home Grand Prix in Ernee, France. Competing at the ninth round of the 2025 MX2 World Championship, Benistant overcame a fall in Race One to place 11th before charging to a strong third in Race Two. Karlis Reisulis delivered improving results across the two races to secure 16th overall.
The hardpack, hillside circuit of Ernee hosted the MXGP of France. With the event being a home race for Benistant, the Frenchman was excited to put on a show for his native fans who turned out in their thousands to watch what proved to be a fast and frantic Grand Prix.
Eager to impress in the opening race of the day, Benistant got a great jump from the start gate but as he entered the first turn, his front wheel washed out and he fell. Remounting in last, and with a lot of work to do to, the Frenchman then delivered a spirited ride through the field to finish Race One in 11th.
In Race Two, Benistant took advantage of his top-10 start to move into third on the opening lap. With the leaders in sight, the 22-year-old gave chase and began to pull away from the rest of the field. By maintaining his high pace, he remained in third until the finish, ending his home race on a positive note. On the day, Benistant placed sixth overall and remains fifth in the Championship Standings.
For Reisulis, the MXGP of France was a challenging one. The Latvian overcame a mid-pack start in Race One to finish 15th, then in Race Two, he crossed the line in 13th for 16th overall. Reisulis now sits 14th in the series standings.
Rick Elzinga was absent from the Grand Prix races as he fell during Time Practice and broke his left collarbone. The Dutchman will now focus on recovering fully before returning to racing.
The 2025 MX2 World Championship continues next weekend at the MXGP of Germany, which marks round 10 of the current campaign.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of France.
Thibault Benistant
6th MXGP of France, 30-points
5th MX2 Championship Standings, 308-points
“Not the weekend I was hoping for at my home race. A crash in the first turn of Race One made that one difficult, but I came through well for 11th. My start in the second race was much better, and I made a lot of passes through the first few corners to move into third. It was then a good race for me to finish third, but I’m still not riding in the races like I do during training. So, I need to work on this and then I can ride much better in the Grand Prix races.”
Karlis Reisulis
16th MXGP of France, 14-points
14th MX2 Championship Standings, 154-points
“Today wasn’t my best day. One positive was my start in Race Two, but then I got landed on over a jump, which really affected my rhythm. I lost a lot of places and I was lucky to not crash or be injured. I’m working hard to prepare for the races, but at the moment I’m not making the progress I should be, so it’s frustrating.”
Photocredits Full Spectrum Media
