The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are gearing up for the final stretch of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship with a three-race swing across Asia and Australia. Round 18 takes place this weekend in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, followed by round 19 in Shanghai (Fengxian), China, and the season finale, round 20, in Darwin, Australia.

Afyonkarahisar will also host the 13th and final round of the 2025 EMX250 Championship where VHR VRT Yamaha Official EMX250’s Janis Reisulis, in his first full EMX250 season, arrives in Afyon with a healthy 38-point lead making him the clear favourite to win the title. The Afyon Motor Sports Center, which made its MXGP debut in 2018, is known for its wide, flowing layout, big jumps, providing a fitting stage for the EMX250 season finale. It will also host the fifth and penultimate round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, where the reigning World Champion Lotte van Drunen hopes to maintain her 100% podium record and leads by 20- points.

Following Afyon, the MXGP series will travel to Shanghai’s Fengxian district of China for round 19. The Chinese Grand Prix takes place on a brand‑new track and facility located roughly 1 km from last year’s site, which will force the riders and teams to adapt quickly.

From China, the season will conclude with a landmark event in Darwin, Australia—the nation’s first MXGP round since 2001 and Darwin’s debut as a Grand Prix host. A purpose-built facility will stage both the final round of the MXGP and MX2 World Championships and the sixth and deciding round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship.

Over the next three weeks, Monster Energy Yamaha’s MXGP and MX2 riders — Calvin Vlaanderen, Maxime Renaux, Jago Geerts, Thibault Benistant, Karlis Reisulis and Rick Elzinga — will tackle unfamiliar tracks and challenging conditions. High temperatures and humidity across Turkey, China and Australia will test physical resilience, recovery, and bike setup, but the squads remain focused on delivering strong, consistent results to close the season. Meanwhile, Janis Reisulis and Lotte van Drunen aim to convert their respective championship leads into deserved victories.

“I’m feeling good! I had a couple of needed days off after Arnhem and feeling recharged and ready to go for the final three. ⁠⁠I will return home after Turkey for a couple days before the trip to China and then straight on from there to Darwin. My goal will be the same as the rounds before, to fight for the podium and end the season off strong. ⁠I look forward to racing in China again, I was on the podium there the last time I was there in 2019 and of course looking forward to being in Australia and racing there for the first time.”

— Calvin Vlaanderen, 5th MXGP World Championship Standings, 497-points

“I’m feeling good going into the last three rounds. I will stay out for all three races because it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go back to Europe for one day. I will just stay on top of my physical training in between races and that is it. I look forward to Turkey because I really like the track, so I want to enjoy it and then for China and Australia we will have some new challenges and new tracks, which is always exciting. The goal for the last three rounds is to be back on the podium. I feel pretty good now, especially on the hard pack. So, the goal is for two consistent races and to be back on the box.”

— Maxime Renaux, 8th MXGP World Championship Standings, 447-points

"I’m feeling good at the moment. My injuries have healed up, and I had a good race in Arnhem so looking forward for the next races. A lot of people will go home after this weekend, but I will travel from race to race. There is not much time between so I will just do some physical training. I’m looking forward to it. It will be fun to ride on new tracks. The overseas GP’s are always more chill so it should be fun.”

— Jago Geerts, 14th MXGP World Championship Standings, 260-points

“My feeling going into the last three races is good. We have quite a lot of travelling coming up, it’s going to be a challenge, but it will be nice. I will stay overseas for all three races. I am really looking forward to going to Australia. It’s the other side of the world, and not everyone goes there, so I am looking forward to that. My aim for the next three races is to give my all and make the most of it. I really want to end my 250 career as best I can.”

— Thibault Benistant, 5th MX2 World Championship Standings, 575-points

“I’m feeling is good! I took some much-needed rest after my crash in Arnhem, so I’m feeling much better. I will go home after Turkey, but I will go straight to Australia after China. I’m looking forward to trying some new tracks, and a new environment in Australia. I don’t have any huge goals, I just want to end the season on a good note!”

— Karlis Reisulis, 12th MX2 World Championship Standings, 285-points

"I have a good feeling going into the last three rounds. I look forward to doing some travelling again and going to some amazing places overseas. I will fly home after Turkey, but once I fly out to China, I will go straight to Australia and then I will stay out in Australia for a bit of a holiday with my sister. I want to keep the speed I had in Arnhem, and to finish the season strong. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of racing in different conditions and with the bike set-up I have right now.”

— Rick Elzinga, 14th MX2 World Championship, 262-points

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