With very rare exceptions, France has always hosted one or more Motocross Grands Prix since the launch of the European 500 championship – the first of the name – in 1952. Next year there will be no less than two MXGPs which will be organized in France, as well as two Sidecar cross GPs, and the recent agreement signed between the FFM and Infront further strengthens France's position on the world stage.
There was a time that those under 20 cannot experience, when France regularly hosted four Grands Prix each year. It was the time when the 125, 250, 500 and sidecar championships were independent, before the birth in 2001 of the triple GPs – 125, 250 and 500 gathered in the same place – which will become double in 2004 with the update the gap in the former 500 category which will eventually disappear at the end of 2013.
Two MXGPs on the 2025 calendar
As was already the case in 1999 (two GP 250s in Ernée and Saint Jean d'Angely), 2017 (two MXGPs in Ernée and Villars sous Ecot) and 2022 (two MXGPs in Saint Jean d'Angely and Ernée), there will therefore have two MXGPs organized in the territory this year. Villars sous Ecot still needing time to recover from a loss-making 2023 edition and Lacapelle Marival is not yet ready to host a GP again after the one organized in 2021, it is therefore Saint Jean d'Angely and Ernée who have been selected to organize these GPs next March and May. The month of September being blocked by distant GPs (namely Turkey, China and Australia), Saint Jean was offered by Infront the date of March 22 and 23 to organize its twenty third GP; this will be the third round of the championship after Argentina and Cozar, one of the first opportunities for many fans to see the world leaders on the track to the extent that the trip to Cordoba is expensive while Cozar (located 200 kilometers to the South of Madrid) is not of much interest to the viewer. Two months later, on May 24 and 25, it will be Ernée's turn to host the 2025 World Cup for the ninth of the twenty rounds of the year; as mid-season approaches, a first hierarchy will have emerged in MX2 and MXGP, but also in the 125 and 250 European championships which are on the program for both events. There will therefore be many French people competing in these two events, including Romain Febvre and Maxime Renaux in MXGP, Thibault Bénistant, Marc Antoine Rossi, Mathis Valin, Quentin Prugnières and in principle Maxime Grau in MX2 while in the European ranks we should see at least Alexis Fueri, Tom Brunet and Paolo Maschio on the track in Europe 250 as well as Mano Faure, Liam Bruneau, Sleny Goyer, Yannis Lopez, Kenzo Ferez and Leo Diss Fenard in Europe 125. Note that in Saint Jean as in Ernée the clubs have recently modified and modernized their layout, just to follow the evolution of machines and men. If only other GP circuits could learn from this and evolve….
The start turn is one of the many modifications made to the St Jean route (Pic@PH)
Promotions to grab for these MXGP
If the budget for organizing a Grand Prix only increases over the years, largely due to the constraints imposed by the authorities (Vigipirate plan, see risk of attack as was the case in 2023 requiring recourse to important security services) the clubs of Saint Jean and Ernée – which will organize its fourteenth GP – have set up, as every year, a promotional rate for anyone who takes their tickets in advance. The saving is not in vain, ten to fifteen euros per ticket taken before January 31 (for Saint Jean) or March 31 (for Ernée). Go to www.motoclub-angerien.com and on www.motoclubernee.fr.
And since we're talking about 2025, note that there are three other 'world' meetings on the program with the Junior World Championship (65, 85 and 125) on July 5-6 in Romagné, and two sidecar cross GPs in Brou on June 7-8 and Vesoul on September 6-7
After only welcoming one Elite in terms of MX this year, the Ernée team is looking forward to the upcoming events: MXGP then MXDN! (Pic@PH)
Heavy stuff to come!
France and more precisely Ernée will host the Motocross des Nations in 2026, which will therefore take place in France for the seventh time after the 1988 editions (Villars sous Ecot), 2000 and 2011 (Saint Jean d'Angely), 2005, 2015 and 2023 (Ernée). Ernée has broken all records in 2023, and is already working to free up more space for public speakers in preparation for MXDN 2026. Since we are talking about MXDN, please note that the FFM and Infront have signed an agreement providing the return of the event in 2029 and 2033. On which circuit? Under what conditions? To be continued, hoping that the prices are not crazy as they could be this year at Matterley Basin…. Another confirmation, the Junior World Cup which will therefore be held in Romagne and for the second time in its existence in France after Gueugnon in 2010, should also return in 2029 and 2031 in France. An event which does not have the aura of a world championship but which allows clubs of smaller size than the 'mastodons' to have a chance of receiving a world championship.
Sébastien Poirier, President of the French Motorcycling Federation: « I am very happy to consolidate our collaboration, and in a lasting manner, with Infront Moto Racing. This new contract will strengthen France's place on the world stage and it reflects our desire to host the finest events for which we will reserve a high level of organization for the promoter, as well as for all stakeholders. It will also allow us to make our pilots shine in front of the public.. »
