Suzuki’s Mid-Season Signing Delivers Instant Results at Motocross Opening Round
The weather was ideal in Pala, California for the opening round of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The event kicked off the 11-round summer season that also pays points into the SMX World Championship. In the Suzuki camp, the mid-season addition of Frenchman Benoit Paturel brought MXGP experience to the two-rider team that’s taking on the 2025 outdoor motocross season.
Race Highlights:
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
450 Class
Benoit Paturel made a brilliant US-racing debut and delivered a top-ten result at Fox Raceway.
Colt Nichols showed excellent outdoor speed in the first moto of the 2025 season.
Benoit Paturel (102) made his AMA Pro Motocross debut on the Suzuki RM-Z450 and earned a top-ten overall result against a stacked field.
Benoit Paturel (102), after success in the MXGP and MX2 World Championships, joined the Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team just days before the opening motocross round. Paturel adapted quickly to the RM-Z450 and it showed from his first laps on the track. Paturel posted the fastest time in both of his qualifying sessions; he earned a top-15 overall qualifying spot in spite of riding on a rougher track than the session before his. When the gate dropped for the first moto, Paturel exited the first corner in eleventh place; he battled as high as tenth on the Southern California track. In the second moto, Paturel shot off the gate to a top-five start and put in an incredible performance throughout the race. Paturel earned a ninth-place moto finish. A top-ten overall result for the Frenchman showed impressive potential, and promises for an exciting summer of motocross racing. Paturel’s strong moto scores have already put him into the top 30 in the SMX World Championship standings, enough to earn a spot in post-season racing, after only competing in one round.
“I’m really happy about my day. It was crazy nice to work with this amazing team. I have the best people around me and feel so grateful and lucky,” said Paturel after the motos. “We progressed through each session and did better and better. Tenth overall for the first time is good, and we are happy about this. We are going to work harder and try to be better each weekend. I’m really happy and really thankful… I enjoyed my day. It’s like a dream come true for me, so I can’t wait until the next weekend.”
Colt Nichols (45) battled for position just outside the top-ten in the first AMA Pro Motocross moto of the year.
Colt Nichols (45) made the quick transition from technical Supercross layouts to the high-speed motocross tracks without missing a beat. Nichols was in the mix in qualifying and displayed impressive speed in the opening moto. Nichols fought in the lead pack, operating within sight of a top ten position. In the second moto Nichols made contact with another rider, which unfortunately cut his opening round short.
“The day was a bit up and down for me,” reported Nichols. “Qualifying didn’t go that well, but in the first moto I was battling just outside the top 10, then had a crash. I got back up and fought to P-13. In the second moto I came together with another rider and went down. The bike was destroyed, so I was unable to finish. We will try again next weekend.”
“We did fairly well today,” said Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager, “Benoit Paturel went 11-9 for 10th overall and Colt Nichols went 13-DNF for 16th overall. It could have been better, obviously, if Colt wouldn’t have gone down, but Benoit rode really good. He put a good performance in and fought all the way to the end. The day wasn’t as hot as we thought it was going to be, so we’re very fortunate there. It was a good weekend for the Suzuki team, and now we’re off to Hangtown.”
The Suzuki racers and team members are energized by the great performances they delivered at the opening round. The 11-round season heads north to Rancho Cordova, California for the Hangtown National on May 31st. The Suzuki team is fired up for the motocross season and anticipates possibly seeing Ken Roczen return for a few rounds before contesting the SMX World Championship events in the final days of summer, as he continues to rehab from ankle surgery.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
