Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Rick Elzinga has secured a season-best result of fifth overall at the MXGP of Australia. Competing at a circuit brand-new to the series calendar inside the Hidden Valley Raceway venue near Darwin, Elzinga finished eighth in the opening race before securing a fine third in Race Two. Karlis Reisulis also signed off the year with a strong seventh-place finish.
The 20th and final round of the 2025 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship took the team to Australia. It was the first time that the country had held a Grand Prix since 2001, and there was an air of excitement before the gates dropped for the first race of the day.
Elzinga didn’t enjoy the best of starts in Race One, but by the end of the race he’d worked his way up to eighth at the finish with the rider in sixth not too far ahead. The Dutchman enjoyed a much better start in the second race as heavy rain began to fall from lap two onwards. Through the challenging conditions, Elzinga persevered to secure a season-best result of third aboard his Yamaha YZ250FM and finished fifth overall, just one point from the podium. Despite missing three rounds due to injury, the 22-year-old ended the season 13th in the championship.
The MXGP of Australia was also a positive one for Reisulis. After placing 10th in the opening race of the day, he bounced back to claim fourth in Race Two for a season-best race result. On the day, Reisulis secured seventh overall and moved up to 11th in the final standings.
Thibault Benistant, who was absent from the final two rounds of the season due to injury, placed seventh in the series.
Rick Elzinga:
My riding was really good this weekend and I really liked the track. My start in the first race wasn’t the best and by the end I got up to eighth, and sixth wasn’t too far ahead. I was close to the top guys at the finish so I was happy with that. My start in Race Two was much better, and then it rained so heavily. I’ve never seen rain like that before in my life! There was water everywhere and it was just crazy. I finished third, so I was really happy with that and I just missed the overall podium. So it’s been a strong end to the season for me.
Karlis Reisulis
The last round of the season was really good. Although my start and riding in Race One weren’t the best. In the second race it started raining on lap two and then from there I struggled to see but I just kept going. I had no idea where I was, so to finish fourth in that race and seventh overall is a good way to end the season.
Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media
