Introducing Yamaha’s Madi Simpson!

Madi Simpson will be a name you will be hearing about a lot more in the coming years as she quickly climbs the ranks in Australian racing. The Sunshine Coast teenager has improved immensely over the last few years, so much so she has picked up a manufacturer ride with the WBR Yamaha team for 2025, contesting both the ProMX and Australian Enduro Championships in a similar program to what Danielle McDonald did in 2024.

She came to notice after winning the Australian Junior Motocross Championships in 2022, and then last year winning the Junior Girls class in the AORC, as well as making the podium in a guest round appearance of the ProMX championship. 

Simpson is a full team member of the WBR Yamaha team and receives the same support as the MX3 duo of Koby Hantis and Ky Woods. With a goal to take her talents overseas in the near future, Simpson has her sights set high for the 2025 season. Read the full Q&A with Simpson herself below…

How did you get started in riding bikes? 
I got into riding bikes through my Dad, he always rode and raced bikes throughout his life and he had a  vision in mind for me so he put me on a PW50 and I have loved it ever since. 

What was your first race? 
My first race was only a short time after I started riding, I was still on a PW50 when I attended a race at  QMP which was part of the Go Girls racing series. 

What was the first national championship you won and when? 
The first national championship I won was at the Australian Junior Motocross Championships in Rockhampton in 2022 when I won both female mini lites class and the female junior lites classes. 

You race both MX and off-road, do you have a preference?
Personally I prefer to race motocross. As a female the motocross scene is a lot stronger than the off-road scene and I thrive off the competition in that you are on the track at the same time and racing against them and not always the clock.  

But I enjoy off road and it has a different set of challenges. The course, the conditions and then it requires some discipline to stay focused as you have no idea on what your competitors are doing, so you have to stay on it all the way to the end of every test. 

First round of the AEC as a pro and up against Jess Gardiner, how was your weekend?
My weekend was really good; I couldn’t be much happier with how everything went. It was really cool to  be battling someone as successful as Jess and pushing me to be 100% all day. I am super excited to be  heading into rounds three and four tied in the championship and ready to fight for more wins, but I know  she will be tough to beat, and I have always admired how determined she is as a racer. 

How does it feel to be a member of a national manufacturer backed team?
It is so amazing to have such an awesome manufacturer behind me and backing me in 2025. I have big  goals for this year, and I feel that with the support of Yamaha and the WBR Yamaha team I can  accomplish everything and more. 

I was first approached by Yamaha during the AORC championship last year and things feel into place  pretty quickly from there. The team are great, and I really gelled with the YZ250F, so looking forward to  a big year with the WBR Yamaha team. 

Next stop for Simpson will be the opening round of the ProMX this weekend in Wonthaggi, where she will contest the Women’s class as well as represent Australia in the Oceania Challenge against teams from the US, New Zealand and  South Africa.