Over the weekend, the stunning Lugo track hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship 2025. The bad weather also marked this weekend, making the track very challenging.
Ben Watson (Beta RX450) started the race days with thirteenth and sixteenth fastest times in the free practice and time trials. In qualifying, which took place under a heavy downpour, the British rider kept a good pace and finished twelfth. He also achieved this position in the first heat on a very difficult track due to the heavy rain that fell during the night. In the second heat he managed to do even better, finishing eleventh. These results gave him a great tenth position in the day’s Overall. Watson confirmed his twelfth position in the Championship.
Nineteenth in free practice, Tom Koch (Beta RX450) set the eighteenth fastest time in the time trials. A problem with his glasses slowed the German rider down in qualifying, which he finished in nineteenth position. In the first heat he struggled to find his feeling for the track and came close to the points zone at the end of the race, finishing twenty-first. However, Koch made up for it in the second heat, where he collected a positive sixteenth position, finishing nineteenth Overall.
Ben Watson:
“The Spanish weekend was also hard tested by rain and bad track conditions. On Saturday during practice the track was very fast and without potholes. In qualifying I mainly tried to be consistent, I didn’t have much feeling with the slippery track but I still finished twelfth. In the first laps of race one I was not fast enough but in the final I was able to ride better and finished twelfth again. In race two, I got off to a bad start but after ten minutes I started to get the feel of the track which had become very technical as it dried out. I did some overtaking and finished eleventh. Right now my driving is better, I have to work a lot on the first part of the race to collect more satisfying placings.”
Tom Koch:
“The weekend got off to a good start. Before qualifying the track was dry and very fast, conditions in which I felt really good. The rain afterwards caused me some problems. In qualifying I got a good start but could not defend my placing. It was raining hard and my glasses were not in order. I had to go through the ‘google lane’ to change them, lost a lot of time and finished nineteenth. On Sunday, the track got even worse. I think I have never raced in such difficult conditions. In the first heat I was not comfortable and I struggled to find my rhythm. In the final I was better and realised that I could keep a good pace. In the second heat the track improved, the start was good and my speed was good, but I made a few mistakes in the final. I am still not satisfied with my races, I am sure I can do more and I will work hard to improve my results.”
After the double round in the Iberian Peninsula, MRT Racing Team Beta Factory will be back on track in a fortnight at Ernee. The historic transalpine track will host the French Grand Prix, the 9th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship 2025.
