It's been well known inside the industry that Max Anstie is headed to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing for 2025, but a curious announcement came last week when Anstie's current team for 2024, Firepower Honda, announced the addition of Carson Mumford to the team. The Firepower team races Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and the Australian Supercross Championship, and it needs talent to fill spots in those series. Now we have more info, as today the Firepower Honda team announced that Anstie's deal is ending early—as in right now—which we can presume will free him up to join the Yamaha squad sooner rather than later. If Anstie had remained with Firepower Honda through WSX and Australian SX, he would not have been able to get on a Yamaha until December 1. Now free from his contact, he should be able to start riding and testing soon.
But what about racing? Today's Firepower Honda PR indicates there will be some motocross races in Anstie's future.
Anstie's decision to leave early was primarily driven by his desire to compete in Motocross races ahead of a potential invitation to the Des Nations. Additionally, when signing, both parties were unaware of SX Global's stance on the 2024 World Supercross Championship.
"I signed to compete in World Supercross this year, but we couldn't get any answers about this year's championship early enough, that’s why I primarily asked for an early release. Last year, we didn't get the expected number of rounds, and there was no clarity on this year's schedule. However, I had an opportunity to race in America this year and potentially participate in the Des Nations and prepare early for next year. I didn't want to jeopardize those opportunities due to the uncertainty surrounding World Supercross at the time. There are still no released dates. The Firepower Honda Team and Honda Australia were very understanding," said Anstie.
Anstie and the Firepower team achieved remarkable success together, which boosted the reputation of both the rider and the team. Anstie scored the first two AMA 250 Supercross wins of his career with the team, held the red plate in this year's 250SX East Championship, and scored multiple titles in the WSX and Australian SX Series. With Firewpower Honda, Anstie proved to the world he could race supercross and race it well. With Anstie, the Firepower Honda team proved itself capable of competing at the highest level in supercross.
When will we see Anstie riding and racing for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing? We'll see.
Firepower Honda's final press release on Anstie is below.
In Good Spirits, Anstie and Firepower Honda opt for an Early Contract Conclusion!
Max Anstie, Firepower Honda, and Factory Honda Australia have shared a strong and respectable relationship since mid-2022. When Anstie unexpectedly found himself without a ride due to the disbanding of his previous team, Firepower Honda and Factory Honda Australia stepped in to offer the talented and amiable Brit a contract to compete in the 250 class. The collaboration proved to be immensely successful, with Anstie delivering remarkable performances and achieving outstanding results in the American Supercross Championship, as well as in the World and Australian Supercross Championships.
Firepower Honda Team Principal Martin Davalos genuinely believed in Max and wasn’t surprised by the results.
“We recognized Max's potential immediately. Yarrive and I discussed it, and we were quick to offer him a ride in America and Australia. Together, we've achieved some truly special results. We fully understand and respect Max's decision to move on, and we genuinely wish him the very best,” said Davalos.
Anstie's results were highly respected by other factory teams, especially given that these remarkable achievements were made on a privateer motorcycle, developed in-house by a dedicated group of staff. Their commitment is evident in the extraordinary list of accomplishments they achieved together. Max himself was deeply appreciative of everyone's effort, acknowledging that these successes wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of both teams around the world.
"We won a world championship, races in the AMA Supercross Championship, and finished inside the top three overall in American Supercross. We also claimed two Australian Supercross Championships. We competed in the Motocross des Nations and secured several top-five finishes in the 450 class, again facing the best factory teams in the world. It's nothing short of amazing. I can't thank Honda Australia, American Honda, and the staff across both teams enough. I will never forget what we achieved," said Anstie.
Anstie's decision to leave early was primarily driven by his desire to compete in Motocross races ahead of a potential invitation to the Des Nations. Additionally, when signing, both parties were unaware of SX Global's stance on the 2024 World Supercross Championship.
"I signed to compete in World Supercross this year, but we couldn't get any answers about this year's championship early enough, that’s why I primarily asked for an early release. Last year, we didn't get the expected number of rounds, and there was no clarity on this year's schedule. However, I had an opportunity to race in America this year and potentially participate in the Des Nations and prepare early for next year. I didn't want to jeopardize those opportunities due to the uncertainty surrounding World Supercross at the time. There are still no released dates. The Firepower Honda Team and Honda Australia were very understanding," said Anstie.
Max, Firepower Honda, and Honda Australia have parted ways earlier than planned, but Factory Honda Australia's director, Yarrive Konsky, describes it as more of a "see you later" than a goodbye.
"Max became an integral part of our team; you don't accomplish what we did without forming a strong connection. He achieved a lot and helped our programs compete successfully against factory teams. He truly demonstrated that with the right team, anything is possible. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. With the uncertainty surrounding World Supercross and the Firepower Honda team not committing to AMA Motocross next year, it would have been unfair to hold him back. After all, a motocross rider's career isn't particularly long," concluded Konsky
The Firepower Honda team will be competing in selected rounds of the AMA Motocross Championship and the SMX playoffs.
