With the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season less than 70 days away, pieces of the silly season puzzle are starting to land in place. While there was not a ton of off-season 450 rider team changes heading into the new season, a look at the current contract landscape in the premier class shows some big changes could come for 2026. Here's a look.
Honda HRC Progressive
#18 Jett Lawrence
#96 Hunter Lawrence
Notes:
Hunter Lawrence signed a two-year deal in June 2022 that would see him through the 2024 season. Jett Lawrence’s existing contract ran through the 2025 season, although the report in the paddock now is that Jett has signed a new deal, and don't expect Hunter to go anywhere else, either. Unless something drastic changes, we expect the Austrailian brothers to be on HRC CRF450R machines for the next handful of years.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
#2 Cooper Webb
#3 Eli Tomac
#28 Christian Craig
#32 Justin Cooper
Notes:
Cooper Webb enters the second year of his two-year deal with Yamaha as Eli Tomac heads into what will be his final full SMX season of racing. Justin Cooper’s deal with the team was re-upped for the 2025 season after a strong rookie 450 performance as Christian Craig joins the team in a two-year rider/250 development position. This means Tomac, Webb, and Cooper all have deals that expire at the end of 2025.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
#27 Malcolm Stewart
Notes:
In May 2023, Malcolm Stewart and Husqvarna agreed to a two-year extension, which will see him on a Husqvarna FC 450 through the 2025 season. Expect RJ Hampshire to move to a 450 rider alongside Stewart come the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in May 2025. As of now, Hampshire and Stewart both have deals that expire at the end of 2025.
Red Bull KTM
#4 Chase Sexton
#7 Aaron Plessinger
Notes:
Chase Sexton enters the second year of his two-year deal with KTM as Aaron Plessinger enters ’25 after signing an extension in April earlier this year. That means both riders are up at the end of the year.
Monster Energy Kawasaki
#21 Jason Anderson
Not official yet, but expected: #70 Jorge Prado
Notes:
Jason Anderson will enter the second year of his second two-year deal with Kawasaki as Jorge Prado’s multi-year deal with Kawasaki is expected to be announced later this month. Anderson's deal is up at the end of the season.
Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing
#51 Justin Barcia
Notes:
In April 2023, Justin Barcia signed a two-year extension with Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas, and although the GasGas effort is in-house now and relabeled as Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing, Barcia’s contract for the 2025 will be honored. His deal is up after that.
Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
#94 Ken Roczen
Notes:
We have not heard anything officially but it seems likely Ken Roczen will return to the Suzuki team for a third-straight season.
Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports Suzuki
#11 Kyle Chisholm
#45 Colt Nichols
Notes:
Colt Nichols is set for his first full year with the team in ’25 and we expect veteran Kyle Chisholm to return for yet another season as well.
Phoenix Racing Honda
#14 Dylan Ferrandis
Notes:
Dylan Ferrandis’ one-year deal appears to be extended through the 2025 season.
Liqui Moly Beta Racing Team
#57 Benny Bloss
Notes:
Benny Bloss is set to return to the factory Beta team for its second go in supercross. We're still waiting on word of a teammate, but we've heard Mitch Oldenburg may be in line for the second Beta 450 slot, which was previously held by Colt Nichols.
[Update: Thursday, November 7 at 2 p.m. Eastern]
#49 Mitchell Oldenburg
Beta Motorcycles announced Mitchell Oldenburg will race for the team in 2025. Oldenburg and Bloss will race the full supercross season, as well as three select rounds of Pro Motocross, and the three SMX Playoff rounds.
