The latest episode of Inside MXGP: Just Send It! Delves into the journey of WMX prodigy Lotte van Drunen and the emergence of Yamaha's new force in the EMX250 ranks. The episode name "Just Send It" comes from Lotte herself when asked about what inspired her to jump one of the biggest triples in motocross, "I watched the MX2 riders do it," she smiled, "at first I was kind of scared, but they showed that it was possible, so I thought, oh well, you can do it, JUST SEND IT!".

Lotte’s rise in motocross has been nothing short of spectacular. From fearlessly competing against boys in the 65cc and 85cc classes to securing podium finishes in the World and European Championships, Lotte has established herself as the shining star of a new generation of female riders. After a stellar rookie season in 2023, where she defied all expectations with four race wins and three podium finishes, securing an impressive third-place finish in the world rankings, Lotte's partnership with Yamaha has marked an exciting new chapter in her illustrious career. Seamlessly adapting to her GYTR kitted YZ250F, Lotte has wasted no time establishing herself as a WMX title threat in 2024. 

“I feel really good on the Yamaha,” she said, “I really feel much better than I did on my old bike; it suits me. I feel like I’ve made some big steps recently, especially on the hard pack, so I’m feeling good, confident and ready for this season!”  

 Her stunning second-place finish at the opening round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship in Madrid, Spain, on a hard-pack track, a terrain she openly says she does not favour, has set the stage for an exhilarating title chase. 

“Hard tracks are not my favourite,” she confirmed, “obviously, I prefer the sand, but I feel like I’ve improved on the hard-pack, and I’m really happy to finish second with the same speed as Daniela (Guillen). She won here, but I feel like I won some fans being the only girl to jump the triple, so that was cool to hear them all cheering; everywhere else on the track, I knew where Daniela was because I could hear her home fans cheering for her. It was crazy! But it was such a good race; second place was all I had this weekend, and I am happy. Up to Riola!” 

 Meanwhile, Yamaha's presence in the EMX250 ranks continues its meteoric rise with the introduction of the VRT Yamaha Official EMX250 team. Under the ownership of Mikael Vrignon and the expertise of former Enduro World Champion Pierre-Alexandre “Pela” Renet, the team's three talented young riders showed their potential at the opening round of the EMX250 Championship in Spain. 

 The latest episode of Inside MXGP follows the journey of Lotte and VRT Yamaha Official EMX250's Ivano van Erp as they race to podium glory at the MXGP of Spain. It also includes some fun chats and banter with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 riders Maxime Renaux, Rick Elzinga, and Andrea Bonacorsi.

Stay tuned for the next episode of “Inside MXGP”, which will be posted after EVERY round of MXGP in 2024. Click here to get notified when each episode drops. 

Yamaha story, image and video (Cult Moto video)