Feature Story
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM MXGP FIELDS MX2 CLASS FOR 2025 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MATHIS VALIN JOINS KAWASAKI RACING TEAM FOR 2025
The current leader of the 250 European Motocross Championship, Mathis Valin, will join the Kawasaki Racing Team next season to compete in the FIM MX2 World Championship. The talented French rider has been impressive in his first season on a KX™250 with Bud Racing Kawasaki and is set to lead the factory team in the MX2 class. Mathis, who recently turned 18, has already had a remarkable career in the 125 class, winning the Junior World Championship and earning a silver medal in the European Championship last year. This year, he began his rookie season in the 250cc class with Bud Racing Kawasaki, securing victory in the Junior category of the prestigious Enduropale du Touquet. Since then, he has claimed the French Elite title and currently leads the European EMX250 Championship after seven rounds. Under the guidance of Thierry Van den Bosch, a former Supermoto World Champion, Mathis has showcased his versatility by winning two rounds and five motos on diverse terrains, including the hardpack of Madrid, the mud of Saint Jean d’Angely, and the deep sand of Lommel. In preparation for his official entry into the MX2 World Championship next season with factory KX™250 machinery, Kawasaki Racing Team has partnered with Bud Racing Kawasaki to provide Mathis with the best possible conditions for this new challenge. At the end of the season, Mathis will relocate to Belgium to begin training with the KRT staff, preparing for his debut in the highly competitive MX2 GP class.
Mathis Valin
“It's a dream came true! If anyone had told me earlier this year that I would be joining the Kawasaki Racing Team at the end of the season I wouldn’t have believed them. I’m happy and proud to join the team; I think that my results helped me to earn this position and now the goal will be to carry on working hard to continue getting good results. It’s a big change for me but already this season I have left my parental home so moving to Belgium, in a team where there are already some French guys, will be OK. When I was offered this opportunity to join KRT there was no hesitation; initially the plan was for me to stay two years with Bud in the European Championship, but, as I’m currently leading the series, it’s already time to move up to the MX2 World Championship next year and I will do my best to end this current season with some more successes.”
Shigemi Tanaka (General Manager, Marketing & Sales Division, Kawasaki Motors, Ltd):
“In Mathis we have a great example of the Team Green principle of nurturing talent and developing it within a structured and sympathetic environment. We are super excited to be re-entering the MX2 class with a factory team in 2025 and all the parts of a complex jig-saw are gradually falling into place. Mathis is a crucial part of this emerging team structure, and we hope that Kawasaki fans and young riders across the globe will both follow his progress on the new KX™250 complete with the very latest engine and chassis technology identifying with him while he demonstrates the core values of our Team Green philosophy.”
Alex Lowes
“This was a good test. I didn’t know the track - and it is a special track - quite short and with lots of small corners, so we needed to use a lot of lean angle. Some of the corners are a bit bumpy too, so we had to go away a bit from our base setting. But we worked quite well and we chipped away. We improved the electronics a little bit as it is also a new track for the bike, not just the riders. There was some room to improve the electronics and we improved over the final day. We tried some qualifying tires at the end of the day, when the track was still quite hot, and I was quite happy with our pace on the Q tires. We also did a race distance on a rear tire this afternoon, but I don’t think it will be a track that is massively aggressive on tires. Overall, we had a positive day, I enjoyed riding the bike and the circuit was interesting. It was fun to ride alone but I think it is going to be a tough one in race conditions. But, at least we know where we are going now.”
Ryan Hughes
Ty Masterpool's Mechanic
"Securing my first overall career win as a mechanic, along with Pro Circuit's legendary 300th win and Ty Masterpool's first career win, is an unbelievable feeling. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Watching Ty achieve this milestone has been incredible, and I’m proud to be part of such a historic moment."
“ Ty Masterpool
It was a tough first round and I’m pretty sore from one of the crashes. However the team is awesome and the KX™250 is so good. I had a very good day testing with it and I'm looking forward to getting used to the bike, I’m feeling better each day at the track.
“Carson Wood
I look forward to these first few spring races every year, it's so exciting to come out and show everyone all the hard work that we put in during the winter time. I'm really excited to be with Kawasaki Team Green this year. I joined the team in November last year and after only two weeks on the Kawasaki KX™85, I won a few championships and two Olympiad awards at Mini O's so that was really encouraging. Now that I've had a few more months of training and testing on the bike, I'm super optimistic about what we can achieve this year and a strong showing at the RCSX will give us a chance to start the year on top.
Snodgrass Prepares for Title Defense
After 12 rounds of action-packed off-road racing, Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy®/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass secured the 2022 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) XC2 250 Pro Class Championship. The championship capped an incredible year of racing for Snodgrass who entered the 2022 season with a career-best third-place finish in the GNCC Championship. Building on his success from the previous year, Snodgrass went on to claim his first GNCC victory at Round 4, with additional wins coming at Rounds 6 and 12.
The 2022 GNCC XC2 250 Pro Class title marked the inaugural GNCC championship for the Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy®/Kawasaki race team and added Snodgrass’ name to the growing list of Aussies who have found success in GNCC racing. The No. 178 KX™250X rider has had his sights on the championship trophy ever since and looks to carry his momentum into Round 1 at Big Buck on February 18th.
“Lyndon Snodgrass
I’m stoked to see my teammates kick off the 2023 racing season with wins in two very competitive enduro races. Watching them succeed has me extra motivated to start my XC2 GNCC title defense this weekend. The Babbitt's Online/Monster Energy®/Kawasaki Team Green™ squad has a proven record of success in GNCC racing and I feel more prepared than ever to continue Kawasaki's winning legacy in 2023.
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Grant Baylor
"Things have been going really well since joining the Babbitt's Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green crew. We've had a good season of preparation through the winter and feel ready to compete at the front of the pack. I've had a quick adjustment to the Kawasaki KX450X and I'm looking forward to going racing in just a couple weeks."
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Robby Bell, Team Manager
"I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season. Zach has been back on the bike for a few months and he's looking fast and fit. It'll be so great to have the No.100 back under the tent. And after a very successful season in 2022, I'm quite excited to see what Tyler will be capable of this year. Our guys are armed with the 2023 Kawasaki KX450X, which has proven to be an incredibly competitive platform in the pro class. That foundation, along with all of the amazingly supportive companies that are backing our effort have me feeling confident we'll make 2023 a truly rewarding campaign."
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Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager
“2016 was a very succesful year for us. We achieved all the objectives within our reach. Our riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes topped the first two positions in the overall classification and Kawasaki obtained the Manufacturers’ title for the second consecutive year in the World Superbike Championship. Still, after that nearly perfect season, we were straight back to work to challenge again in 2017.
Question
Robby Bell's primary focus in 2023 will be managing the Chaparral Motorsports/Precision Concepts/Kawasaki racing effort and helping the riders achieve their very best throughout the racing season. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Bell will also compete in the Pro Class at most WORCS and NGPC rounds to dice it up and have some fun in what can be a very stacked class, with many former Pro Class winners participating.
Notable Achievements:
• 3-time WORCS champion
• 3-time SCORE champion
• 3-time Baja 1000 winner
• 3-time Lake Elsinore GP winner
• 4-time Best in the Desert champion
• 2012 NGPC (then WCGP) champion
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Jonathan Rea
“It was such an incredible journey that 2020 season. My gratitude to WorldSBK, Dorna, all the circuits and organizers to even get racing through the year. In the middle of what everyone had experienced in 2020, sport always comes second – but we managed to race. I missed the fans in attendance and all my traveling support from back home in Northern Ireland; I wish they could have been there but we were happy to be racing nonetheless. That championship was for all of them and my Kawasaki Racing Team, for continuing to push forward. We started behind, like the year prior but never gave up. It was a hell of a journey and something to truly be proud of for all of us."
Robby Bell
#32
Robby's primary focus will be managing the effort and helping the riders achieve their very best in 2023. But he'll also get out in the vet pro class at most WORCS and NGPC rounds to dice it up and have some fun in what can be a very stacked class, with many former pro-class winners participating. Notable Achievements:
• 3-time WORCS champion
• 3-time SCORE champion
• 3-time Baja 1000 winner
• 3-time Lake Elsinore GP winner
• 4-time Best in the Desert champion
• 2012 NGPC (then WCGP) champion
“
Jonathan Rea
"It has been an incredible partnership, we have enjoyed so much success together that it is almost a natural progression to continue our agreement for the years ahead. I am looking forward to continue making memories and representing an incredible manufacturer and brand. My team is my racing family. I love everyone inside the team like my own family and relationships like that count for a lot in racing. Huge credit goes to every single person in the staff, from Provec Racing, all the engineers in Japan, and everyone in the Kawasaki family."
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Jo Shimoda
"It is an honor to be selected for Team Japan and represent the Japanese people at the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) race. I earned my first overall win at Red Bud earlier this year so I hope I can have similar success against the other MX2 competitors and make everyone back home proud."
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