Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Rick Elzinga and Karlis Reisulis have placed ninth and 10th overall, respectively, at the MXGP of China. The Grand Prix marked the 19th and penultimate round of the campaign, with both riders delivering solid results in the hot and humid conditions.
The MXGP of China took place at a brand-new circuit in the Fengxian District of Shanghai. The track conditions were perfect for the Grand Prix, with multiple lines developing, which led to some close racing.
In the opening race of the day, Elzinga didn’t enjoy the best of starts. At the end of lap one, he was up to 13th and by mid-race, he had worked his way up to 10th. From here, the Dutchman fought to the end and passed Reisulis for ninth on the final lap.
Elzinga took full advantage of his strong start in Race Two and settled into seventh for much of the race, with Guillem Farres in sixth just ahead of him. In the closing stages, the Yamaha YZ250FM racer made a few costly mistakes, which allowed Liam Everts to make the pass, pushing him back to eighth at the finish. On the day, Elzinga secured ninth overall, and in doing so, moves up to 13th in the championship standings.
Reisulis enjoyed a largely positive day of racing in China. A strong start in Race One saw him run in eighth until he was demoted to ninth. He then lost a place on the final lap to Elzinga and crossed the line in 10th.
Race Two was quite similar for Reisulis. After a top-10 start he dropped to 11th, but after regrouping and finding his flow, he made the pass for 10th. The Latvian held his position for the remaining laps to secure 10th overall on the day and maintain 12th in the MX2 World Championship standings.
With the penultimate round complete, the team now travel to the final round – the MXGP of Australia – next weekend. The event marks the 20th and final round of the 2025 campaign.
Rick Elzinga
9th MXGP of China, 25-points
13th MX2 Championship Standings, 302-points
“It’s been a pretty good GP for me despite being unwell all week after Turkiye. Fortunately, by the time this weekend came around I was feeling a lot better. On Saturday I didn’t have the best feeling but that changed for today and I felt strong in the races. My starts weren’t the best but I was able to make a lot of passes, especially in the second race, so I was pleased with that. I was in the battle for sixth until I made a few mistakes and in the end I finished eighth. Thanks to the team for their hard work this weekend, especially the mechanics, as it’s been a really hot GP.”
Karlis Reisulis
10th MXGP of China, 22-points
12th MX2 Championship Standings, 325-points
“Today was OK. My speed was really good in both races, however the heat really got to me near the end of each race. My second race was a little better as I rode with a more consistent pace, so I didn’t feel too bad at the end of that. Now it’s on to Australia for the final round.”
Posted on September 14, 2025 by Michael Le Pard
