Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Thibault Benistant has placed fourth overall at the MXGP of Finland. Combining his strong starts with impressive speed, the Frenchman finished third and fourth across the two races to narrowly miss out on a trip to the overall podium. Karlis Reisulis and Rick Elzinga also impressed at the challenging KymiRing circuit, finishing eighth and ninth.
After a three-week break in the racing calendar, Benistant was eager to continue with the form he showed at the previous round in Great Britain, where he placed third in Race Two. In the opening race in Finland, he started well in third and moved into second within a few corners. A lap later, the 22-year-old was pushed back to third, but for the remainder of the race, Benistant relied on his sand riding skills to maintain his speed and hold on to his position.
Benistant took advantage of another strong start aboard his Yamaha YZ250FM in Race Two. After running in second for almost half the race, Benistant slipped to fourth by the end, which rewarded him with fourth overall on the day. Following 13 rounds of racing, Benistant remains sixth in the series standings.
The MXGP of Finland also proved successful for Reisulis. The Latvian enjoyed the challenging, sandy nature of the circuit, placing ninth in Race One and eighth in Race Two. In finishing eighth on the day, this result matched his season-best overall finish, with the 18-year-old now moving up to 12th in the championship.
Elzinga picked up an illness in the days leading up to the Grand Prix and fought through the field in both races for his 10-9 result – a commendable effort given the circumstances – which secured the Dutchman ninth overall. Leaving Finland, Elzinga sits 16th in the series standings with seven rounds remaining.
From the sand of Finland, the team now heads to the hardpack circuit of Loket in the Czech Republic for the 14th round of the 2025 MX2 World Championship on July 27.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of Finland.
Thibault Benistant
4th MXGP of Finland, 38-points
6th MX2 Championship Standings, 458-points
“Not an easy weekend here in Finland. But in the end, it was not too bad. My starts were good in both races, and I was able to make quick passes in the first few corners to move near the front. This track was difficult to feel comfortable on, but I made the best of it and gave it everything I had like always. To just miss the podium is unfortunate, but to be consistently near the front in both races is really positive.”
Karlis Reisulis
8th MXGP of Finland, 25-points
12th MX2 Championship Standings, 235-points
“Overall, today has been positive. I had a good jump in Race One, but then someone fell in front of me in turn two so I had to fight back after that. I had another good start in the second race and struggled a little bit to find my rhythm. However, I felt good and strong on the bike in Race Two, especially near the end, so I’m happy with how today has gone as it’s a big step in the right direction.”
Rick Elzinga
9th MXGP of Finland, 23-points
16th MX2 Championship Standings, 193-points
“It’s been a difficult weekend, as I picked up an illness of some sort on Thursday, and combined with a tough track and the heat, it’s been a challenging GP. In the races, my starts weren’t the best, so that made it even more difficult for me, but ninth overall is not too bad considering the circumstances. My focus is now to get over this illness and be ready for the next race in Loket.”
