YAMAHA REVEALS 2025 MX RIDER LINE-UP 

Yamaha Racing have officially announced their line-up ahead of the 2025 ProMX season, scheduled to get underway in Wonthaggi, Victoria on March 22. 

The MX1 class sees Jed Beaton back, joined by the familiar face of Aaron Tanti who returns to the CDR Yamaha line-up. Beaton finished second in the ProMX championship in 2024 after a close season battling against Honda’s Kyle Webster. Taking this momentum into the Australian Supercross Championship, Beaton performed well considering his limited supercross experience by finishing fourth overall. 

Tanti, the 2022 ProMX Champion, returns to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team following a season in the U.S. and Canada. Looking to regain this form on the YZ450F, Tanti is eager to get back to the front of the pack after his frustrating season abroad. 

Beaton: 
“I’m looking forward to another year with the team and think we are ready to step it up for 2025. The team and I gelled well, and I think we are just scratching the surface of the results we are capable of. While the 2024 season was successful, there was a lot to take and learn from it and we have already made changes in our preparation for the new year which I believe will put me in a much better place. The team have the bike working great and I’m excited to get stuck into it.”

Tanti: 
“I had a career goal to race in the US and while it was frustrating in many ways and a lot of injuries, I’m glad I did it and feel I learned a lot from it. I wanted to return home and to reunite with Craig and the team is awesome. 2022 was my best season and being back on a YZ450F, surrounded by the CDR team, I’m confident I can get back to my best and be a real challenger in both the ProMX and Australian Supercross Championships.”   

In MX2, the Yamalube Yamaha team retain their 2024 line-up of Ryder Kingsford and Jayce Cosford. Kingsford showed he had what it takes to be at the front of the hotly contested MX2 field, landing on the podium in both MX and SX rounds along with race wins at Maitland and Redcliffe. 

Cosford looked to have turned a corner at the end of 2024, as he began to rack up race podiums and showed plenty of speed on the SX track. Injury ultimately halted Cosford’s momentum, but the rider is now back to full health and beginning preparations for the 2025 season ahead. 

Kingsford: 
“When I look back at 2024, I see it as a good learning year for me, with plenty of highs and a few lows. I believe my pace is good and I can do the speed, I just need to work on some consistency and rack up goods points in every moto. The Yamalube Team have been awesome to deal with and looked after me well, so I was keen to re-sign and see if we can keep the momentum going and get after the championships in 2025.” 

Cosford: 
“I’m doing all I can to make the most of the opportunities I have in racing. Last year I worked hard and started seeing the results come later in the year, but I want to be better again in 2025, so I have made some more changes and will move to Victoria to work with Ross Beaton at Beatons Pro Formula. I don’t want to get to the end of my career and say I should have done, or regret not giving it my all, so I have hooked up with Ross and will get down to Victoria in January and get started.”  

Moving back to three riders for 2025, the WBR Yamaha team quietens in order to provide a more focused and dedicated approach to their MX3 and MXW divisions. 

Koby Hantis and Ky Woods will contest in MX3, along with Madi Simpson who will also fly the flag for the team at the now-rebranded Australian Enduro Championship. Hantis is back for a second year after finishing second in the ProMX standings and being a regular red plate holder across the series. Hantis finished up the season with a third place finish in the SX3 class, further cementing his versatility as a rider. 

Woods showed on several occasions in 2024 he has speed to burn, taking round wins in both MX and SX. Woods expects his consistency to improve and to be a championship contender this year. 

Simpson will be one to watch in the MXW championship as she debuts with the Yamaha team. Simpson will compete in both ProMX and AEC, having already proven she is just as capable in the trees as she is on track. The Queensland based rider won the Junior Girls class in the AORC and mixed it up with the championship contenders in ProMX once she made the move to senior racing. 

Hantis: 
“Last year was my first full season in a professionally structured team and my results instantly improved. Having the WBR Yamaha team behind me and a great bike, meant I could focus on my riding and training and the results got better straight away. The Whitten family are cool people and create a cool vibe on race day. They have stepped it up for 2025 and offered even better support next year and I can’t wait to get to Wonthaggi and get after it.”

Woods:
“WBR Yamaha offer the best MX3 ride in Australia and it was cool that I get the opportunity to race for them. I spent a lot of time in 2024 racing against their riders, so I know how good the bike is and how well the team works. I have already started riding the YZ250F and I love it, so I’m motivated to reward the team with some good results this year.” 

Simpson:
“I was stunned when Yamaha approached me about racing for them in 2025 but so happy they did. They have put together a good deal where I can race motocross and off-road with the support of the WBR Yamaha team. I felt instantly at home on the YZ250F and really looking forward to racing it in 2025.”

Round 1 of the Australia ProMX Championship kicks off at Wonthaggi on March 22.