The period before and after the EICMA show in Milan was conducive to some announcements from manufacturers, all of which confirmed what we wrote in these same columns on October 23. In each category there will be around fifteen 'factory' drivers representing no less than nine manufacturers officially entered.
Yamaha, Fantic and Honda have in turn released their press releases to formalize a few signatures, and only the announcements from KTM, Beta and Ducati remain to finalize the starting grids for the 2025 World Cup.
Lata at Honda
This year we had to wait until the last moment for HRC to formalize the arrival of Ferruccio Zanchi in their new MX2 program. This time and shortly after Japan confirmed that they had extended their agreement with Giacomo Gariboldi's team for several years, HRC confirmed the signing of Valerio Lata. The vice-European champion had caused a sensation by getting on the MX2 podium in Maggiora, and GasGas having not made an effort to keep him within the Beddini team it was certain that the young Italian would remain in red next season , but not the same red.
Like Mathis Valin, Valerio Lata enters MX2 with a factory motorcycle
Status quo at Yamaha
No surprise for the Blues, we knew that they would keep their trio of drivers in MX2 as in MXGP and that there would no longer be room for Andrea Bonacorsi who therefore bounced back by returning to Fantic alongside Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers. The Blues will therefore field the Renaux-Vlaanderen-Geerts trio in MXGP, and the Benistant-Elzinga-Reisulis Karlis trio in MX2. If Yamaha has confirmed a quartet in Europe 125 within the MJC team (Faure-Heitink-Bervoets-Townley) there has still been no announcement regarding the Europe 250 which should see Van Erp and Reisulis Janis return.
Everts at Husqvarna
As we have indicated for a long time, Liam Everts is leaving the KTM team with whom there was no longer any connection to join the Nestaan Husqvarna team. And that's not the only change, since Liam leaves the heavy #72 to appear with #26. He will team up with Kay De Wolf, who will defend her title. He remains on the Austrian side which has so far only confirmed the Coenen brothers at De Carli, to be formalized where Andrea Adamo, Simon Längenfelder and Marc Antoine Rossi will evolve. The Austrians are slow to reveal their battle plan, even though they have formalized the promotion of Joel Smets to the position of team manager.
Liam Everts changes everything in 2025: new bike, new equipment manufacturer, new number
Fantic if recent
As for Fantic, the MX2 program has fallen by the wayside, David Braceras signing with Honda Martens while Kay Karssemakers joined the Kawasaki Riley team. Exit the SM Action team, the SDM team which was in charge of the Europe 125 program continuing its effort in this category while accompanying Simone Mancini in Europe 250. Finally still on the Italian side there is still no announcement concerning the second Ducati riders; it will be Mattia Guadagnini, but as for Jorge Prado we must wait for the green light from Austria for the Guadagnini-Ducati and Prado-Kawasaki deals to be formalized.
Andrea Bonacorsi is back at Fantic
The 2025 grids (In Italics the drivers not confirmed to date, in bold the French drivers
MXGP
KTM Factory : Jeffrey Herlings
KTM De Carli : Lucas Coenen
Honda HRC : Tim Gajser, Ruben Fernandez
Yamaha Kemea Factory : Maxime RenauxJago Geerts, Calvin Flanders
Kawasaki Racing Team: Romain FebvrePaul Jonas
Ducati Factory: Jeremy Seewer, Mattia Guadagnini
Fantic Factory : Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers, Andrea Bonacorsi
Beta Factory: Ben Watson
Honda Motoblouz SR: Kevin Horgmo, Alberto Forato
Yamaha JK Racing: Isaak Gifting
Honda JM Racing: Brent Van Doninck
MX2
Husqvarna Nestaan Factory: Kay De Wolf, Liam Everts
KTM Factory: Andrea Adamo, Marc Antoine Rossi
KTM De Carli: Sacha Coenen, Simon Längenfelder
Kawasaki Racing Team : Mathis Valin
Yamaha Hutten Metal Factory: Rick Elzinga, Thibault BénistantKarlis Reisulis
Triumph Factory: Camden Mc Lellan, Guillem Farres
Honda HRC: Ferruccio Zanchi, Valerio Lata
Kawasaki Riley : Tom GuyonKay Karssemakers
Honda JM Racing: David Braceras
KTM Van Venrooy: Cas Valk
KTM WZ: Quentin Prugnières, Maxime Grau
EMX 250
KTM SS24: Gyan Doensen, Maximilian Werner
Yamaha VRT-VHR: Ivano Van Erp, Janis Reisulis
Kawasaki Bud Racing: Francisco Garcia, Jake Cannon
KTM Ghidinelli: Alexis Fueri, Elias Escandell
Fantic Factory SDM : Simone Mancini
EMX 125
Yamaha MJC : Mano FaureDani Heitink, Jarne Bervoets, Levi Townley
Fantic Factory SDM: Francesco Bellei, Douwe Van Mechgelen.
KTM Racestore: Nicolo Alvisi
