Heavy rain throughout Saturday night drenched the Cozar circuit, making the track even more challenging for the riders on Sunday. The young Brits competing in the EMX125 and 250 divisions headed out early to complete their final moto of the weekend, while the experienced British MXGP competitors geared up for their motos. Let’s take a look at how they fared on the second day in Cozar at the 2025 MXGP of Castilla La Mancha.
Words by Edward Heather – Feature Image courtesy of Beta Motor
EMX125 –
Drew Stock earned another point in moto 2 with his 20th place finish. After being buried on the opening lap and crashing multiple times throughout the race, Stock fought hard to battle his way into the points. It was an impressive weekend for the young Brit in the tricky conditions, whose main aim coming into this weekend was to qualify for the races. He has certainly shown he has the speed and ability to be a factor among the best 125 riders in Europe.
Hayden Statt got off to a great start, running inside the top 10 until an unfortunate crash on the opening lap, which damaged his bike and meant he was unable to continue for the rest of the race. Although Sunday did not go as planned, 2025 is Statt’s first year competing on a 125 and he has already proven he belongs on the European stage on his new machine.
EMX250 –
Chambers Racing’s Ollie Colmer got off to a poor start in moto 2, but similar to moto 1, he rode extremely well through the pack and managed to work his way into the points, finishing in 13th. Colmer rode solidly all weekend, and with better starts, he certainly would be in the top ten mix. Keep an eye out for the #456
James Barker finished moto 2 in 33rd. The track was even more demanding Sunday and it is good to see another Brit in the races.
Dirt Store Triumph Racing’s Billy Askew’s Sunday didn’t go as planned, as a crash in the second moto forced him to retire early from the race. However, the weekend as a whole was positive, with Askew qualifying inside the top five and running inside the top ten in the races, reaffirming his ability to be among the fastest European 250 riders.
MXGP –
Ben Watson got off to poor starts all weekend but moved steadily forward in both motos, finishing 15th – 13th to secure 13th overall. There is definitely more in the tank for Watson; however, with the tough conditions, the MRT Racing Team Beta rider should be pleased to have avoided the chaos and to exit Spain with some championship points.
Lexa MX’s Josh Gilbert showed top 15 speed all weekend and made a strong start to his 2025 MXGP campaign. During the first moto, Gilbert was running 15th until he suffered from arm pump due to the demanding Cozar circuit. Some adjustments to his clutch between races made things more comfortable for the Brit, and in the second moto, he finished in a solid 15th place. The 19th-15th finishes secured Gilbert a strong 17th overall.
Adam Sterry was running inside the top 20 for a large portion of moto 1 but had a small crash and lost one of his gloves in the process, coming home in 22nd. In moto 2, the Chambers Racing rider was caught amidst the chaos on the second corner but made a strong comeback to finish in 18th. Sterry had the speed to be amongst the top 15 throughout the weekend and has made a strong start to his 2025 MXGP season.
Words by Edward Heather – Feature Image courtesy of Beta Motor
