And in the MX2 class, it’s Max Anstie who is listed as top of the heap despite his crash at the recent MX of Nations at Matterley.

First place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  “I haven’t won much in the recent years so I take these moments in so much… My start was really good. I got a super good jump. I may have shut the throttle off a little bit too early, so I almost got swallowed up there. But I had the inside and as I went around the first turn I’m like, ‘This is what I need’… The track was really tricky, it just got so slippery. I made so many micro-decisions on the track in certain areas that I picked out; as I ran through some of the first few laps I just noticed some of the key spots that are really tricky and can really bite you. So I just managed the race the whole way… I tried to not look at the time, I just clicked my laps, lap after lap. “My Progressive ECSTAR Suzuki was working flawless out here today. I haven’t done many changes at all and it shows. You know, I’ve got to give it up to my whole team, my crew behind me, Peyton at home, my family, Griffin this is for you. I’ve been telling him the whole time I’m going to bring some trophies home, and especially wins, so I finally did it and this is an unbelievable moment for us.” – Ken Roczen

450 results

450 points

250 West results

250 points

He has signed a three-year deal with WSX Global organisers, who will run a six round series in 2023, upping to eight in 2024 then 12 in 2025. Roczen will be with his current Pipes Suzuki team in 2023 but has not yet made any deals for 2024 or beyond.

He also plans to contest the three AMA Supercross Playoff finals when the USA nationals have ended. This depends on him having enough total points from the AMA Supercross and nationals combined to qualify. If he doesn’t, he has said he may race one or two US nationals in order to pick up enough points.

Roczen says the move to stop racing pro motocross full-time to focus on supercross only will extend his career in the sport, and believes many other top riders will follow him.

“I had a great time in Cardiff and Melbourne last year, which made it easy to commit to the World Supercross Championship,” said Roczen. “I’m hungrier than ever for race wins and will be giving it my all with my team to be standing on the top step when the season ends in Melbourne this November.

“For supercross to grow as a sport around the world I think it’s really important that more riders focus solely on the discipline, which is why I’m concentrating on the World Supercross Championship and the AMA Supercross Championship in the coming years. I feel like my riding this year has been as good as ever, and I’m excited to see what I can do when focusing on one speciality.

“I’m particularly proud of what we’ve achieved this year with the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki Team. Dustin, Larry and the whole team have put in a huge effort to make me as comfortable as I have been to race at the front all season long. 

“For us to continue our supercross momentum together and take the sport we love to fans around the world is an amazing opportunity that I’m very grateful for. I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to compete for a world title at home in Germany, which is something I could only dream about until now.”

2023 World Supercross Championship Calendar
British GP, Villa Park, Birmingham 1 July
French GP, Groupama Stadium Lyon-Décines, 22 July
Asian GP, Southeast Asia 30 September
German GP, Merkur Spiel Arena, Dusseldorf 14 October
Canadian GP, BC Place, Vancouver 28 October
Australian GP, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne 24-25 November

H.E.P. Motorsports is thrilled to announce that the team has signed Ken Roczen as its premier rider for the 2023 season. Former AMA motocross champion Roczen will be aboard a Suzuki RM-Z450. Roczen, who won his most recent championship on a Suzuki, will be reunited with the brand and bring his exciting style, determination, and grit back to the RM Army. Ken Roczen will compete in the upcoming 2023 Supercross and Motocross Championship series which is set to start on January 7 at Anaheim Stadium in Southern California.

“I am beyond excited to reconnect with Suzuki for the 3rd time in my career. We’ve had a lot of success in the past and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together in our future.” said Roczen, “ I have a lot of confidence in Suzuki and the H.E.P. Motorsports program and I am excited to finally get the new year going with a fresh start. From the moment I got on the bike I felt right at home. It has been a welcome surprise how quickly I’ve adapted to the bike and the team. We will be ready to go racing come January 7th.”

A statement from the organisers said:

Hunter and Jett Lawrence have just informed the organisers that they will not be able to make their European Supercross debut in Paris on November 12 and 13…

Recently the two Australian pilots, who arrived in the USA at the end of 2018 but never left the country since, discovered an unexpected complication in their status vis-à-vis the American Immigration services, a legal problem which does not allow them to come to Europe nowadays. The Lawrence brothers were therefore forced to hastily cancel their participation in Paris.

“We are absolutely sorry for this situation, both vis-à-vis the organizer and the French fans and Honda France, to whom we ask to believe in our absolute sincerity. We were happy to run in Paris! We are of course formally committed to doing so next year, exclusively for Paris, knowing that this cannot lessen the disappointment of the spectators, which we share from the bottom of our hearts,” said the Australians.

“It is sad for us, organisers, not to be able to present the announced program, whereas the Lawrence brothers had confirmed their presence to us more than a year ago,” declared Sophie Casasnovas, President of Larivière Organisation. “We offer our most sincere apologies to our loyal public. We take note of those of Hunter and Jett as well as their future commitment to the Paris Supercross, but our priority today is to compensate for this heavy defection in the most sincere way. , transparent and brilliant as possible. We are working hard on it and will communicate about it very quickly.”

German rider Ken Roczen is the new WSX champion after finishing second in a dramatic WSX Australian Grand Prix. The WSX title ends a championship drought for the Genuine Honda rider.

Roczen said: “I would do it over and over again, I’ve had such an amazing experience. It’s been a tough ride the last few years that’s why I did this. I don’t regret it. I’ve had so much fun here, I love coming to Australia and I can’t wait to come back again. Finally getting a title again, especially the first one for my team, is nothing short of amazing.”

American Joey Savatgy won the WSX race with Roczen second and America’s Justin Brayton in third.

In SX2 American Shane McElrath was crowned world champion after winning the Australian Grand Prix from Genuine Honda’s Max Anstie and Craig Dack Racing’s Aaron Tanti.

The world championship is the first major title for McElrath, who rides for the Rick Ware Racing.

McElrath said: “A win is a win, it’s never easy. These guys made it tough. We had minimal prep time but Rick Ware Racing, we literally didn’t stop working. To come out on top, and to really get better every single time on the track, that’s really what we worked for. Number one baby. I am proud of this team and what they’ve done in a few short weeks.”

MotoConcepts won the Teams Champions and Honda took out the Manufacturer’s Championship after strong performances from its riders in Cardiff and Melbourne.

The pilot WSX season featured 10 international teams including NASCAR and IndyCar team owner, Rick Ware and two Australian teams – Honda Genuine and Craig Dack Racing.

More than 50,000 fans filled Marvel Stadium for the WSX Australian Grand Prix.

SX Global President Tony Cochrane AM, who pioneered the Australian V8 Supercar championship, said fans across the world were hungry to see supercross racing, “We knew there was a global market out there for supercross. You need the courage of your convictions to take these things on. We really believe in the product of world supercross. We really do believe there is a global audience out there. These athletes are so talented, we really believe the world wants to see that. We’re prepared to put that to the test. You’re going to see, in my humble belief,this championship grow enormously in the next two to four years.”

SX Global, the Australian sports and entertainment company spearheading the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), today announced the British Grand Prix – the first round of the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship pilot season to take place on 8 October at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales – plus the inclusion of 2020 World Supercross Champion Eli Tomac, who will make a wildcard appearance at the event.

Making history under lights at the iconic Principality Stadium in Cardiff, round one of the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship is one of the most anticipated supercross events in the history of the sport. On Saturday 8 October, fans will get the chance to experience the world’s best supercross riders battle for world championship glory in the largest and most prestigious competitive action sport event ever held in the UK. And with the addition of the world’s fastest supercross racer and current US champion, Tomac, who has been confirmed as an official wildcard.

“I’m pumped to be heading to Cardiff to compete in the FIM World Supercross British Grand Prix. It’s a huge opportunity for fans in the UK to witness world championship supercross for the first time, and I’m excited to be part of such a historical moment for the sport.” said Eli Tomac, 2020 FIM World Supercross Champion. “While I’m definitely looking forward to going head to head with Ken, I also know there’s going to be a bunch of fast, talented riders from around the world all lining up for their shot at a world championship. It’s going to be an epic battle for certain.”

Tomac, from Cortez, Colorado in the USA was crowned FIM World Supercross Champion in 2020 and finished third in 2021, and will fill one of the four wildcard spots at the opening round. His inclusion, alongside archrival Ken Roczen, will give fans the chance to watch the pair battle head-to-head inside Principality Stadium amongst 40 of the world’s best riders.

“Our mission with WSX is to elevate supercross to a truly global audience and give international fans the opportunity to experience this incredible sport at a world championship level, firsthand. As the kick-off to this global Championship, the British Grand Prix marks a momentous occasion for supercross, and fans will see the likes of Roczen, Tomac, and a host of other world-class riders go head-to-head for a FIM World Supercross Championship title for the first time in the UK!” said Adam Bailey, managing director – motorsport for SX Global. 

“We’re thrilled that Principality Stadium has been chosen to host round one of the FIM World Supercross Championship.” said Mark Williams, Principality Stadium manager. “Hosting the first round of the WSX, we look forward to delivering an outstanding experience for all supercross fans travelling to Cardiff and adding this to our successful 20-year history with motorsport,”

WSX is the supercharged combination of live action motorsport with an amplified level of adjacent entertainment, including live music, pyrotechnics, freestyle motocross shows and more, for an action-packed fan experience. Principality Stadium will be transformed into the ultimate dirt bike battlefield for one epic night of unmissable action and intense competition racing. 10 teams and 40 of the best riders from across the globe will do battle for over USD$250,000, equal to just over £200,000, in cash and international supremacy.

In December 2021, SX Global announced that it had earned the rights to the FIM World Supercross Championship. Over the past six months, the company has been laying the groundwork for the sport’s first true global championship, including the highest level of financial support for teams and riders in supercross history and 10 exclusive team licenses based on an independent ownership model – a model common to the majority of successful sports around the world, but totally unique for supercross. Now, the reality of this global championship takes shape in dramatic fashion with the announcement of the British Grand Prix. 

“The British Grand Prix in Cardiff represents a groundbreaking moment in supercross history, as well as the shared vision, passion and hard work of our SX Global team to elevate supercross on a truly global level,” said Tony Cochrane, president, SX Global. “We believe the demand for supercross around the world can sustain this sport year-round, and the FIM World Supercross Championship will be the platform that achieves this. The British Grand Prix and 2022 pilot season are merely the beginning, and there’s much work to be done. But we could not be prouder to begin this incredible journey to expand the global relevance of this great sport.”

For more information and updated news and announcements from the FIM World Supercross Championship, wsxchampionship.com.

The full rider lineup will be announced in due course, along with information regarding the live music acts set to perform on 8th October.

One of the most successful and prominent riders in the sport, Roczen, a 28-year-old German native, comes to WSX boasting an impressive resume, including 48 combined professional 450cc and 250cc victories at events around the world. The 2022 WSX global championship will see Roczen bring his incredible talent and championship pedigree to thousands of die-hard fans in stadiums around the world throughout the three-round championship. Roczen is currently in negotiations to finalize an agreement to compete for one of the 10 exclusively licensed teams, with details to be released once an agreement is finalized.

“The WSX is a unique opportunity to compete on a truly global scale, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that,” said Roczen. “I haven’t raced overseas in a very long time so I’m looking forward to bringing supercross to die-hard fans at these international events in 2022, all while competing for an FIM-sanctioned world title. I’m thrilled for what will no doubt be an unbelievable experience and a fantastic springboard for a full assault on my 2023 supercross and motocross championship goals.”

“Ken Roczen is an absolute superstar of supercross, recognized across the globe. To have him compete in our inaugural season as we usher in a new, global era of supercross, is nothing short of incredible,” said Adam Bailey, managing director – motorsport of SX Global. “Ken embodies all the qualities that make supercross athletes, the toughest and most inspirational athletes in the world. It’s only fitting that he becomes one of our marquee challengers for the 2022 FIM World Championship crown.”

The FIM World Supercross Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year, with 2022 events from late October through November. 2022 will serve as a ‘pilot’ season, allowing the championship to establish itself and build momentum going into 2023. From 2023 onwards, the FIM World Supercross Championship will expand annually between June and November, with up to 12 events in 2023.

For more information and updated news and announcements from the FIM World Supercross Championship, visit wsxchampionship.com. 

About FIM World Supercross Championship
The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) is a comprehensive global championship series led by SX Global in Australia. The world governing body for motorcycle sport, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), awarded SX Global the exclusive organizational and commercial rights to stage and promote the World Supercross Championship commencing in 2022. The global championship series represents the most progressive and ambitious platform to elevate the sport of supercross and expand its appeal across the globe. WSX will follow the established two-class format, with each independently owned team fielding four riders – two in the WSX (450cc) class, and two in the SX2 (250cc) class with a prize purse of up to USD$250,000 at each event. With more than $50 million allocated over the first five years, the global championship features an unprecedented level of financial support for teams and riders, including seed funding for every team awarded a license, appearance fees at every event, and logistics and freight support. The independent team ownership model, similar to that of F1 and NASCAR, will expand opportunities for global and local sponsors. WSX will offer an elevated experience for fans, through unique race formats, broadcast innovations, and in-stadium attractions that elevate the overall entertainment experience that will set the global championship apart.

About SX Global
Based in Australia, SX Global is a collective of world class sports marketing and entertainment experts who operate globally within the motorsports and entertainment industries. Considered the ‘founding father’ of the modern era of Australian motor racing, Tony Cochrane leads the SX Global team as president, bringing more than 45 years of experience in developing and managing successful motorsports series and events. Managing directors, Adam Bailey, a former competitive rider, and Ryan Sanderson, bring extensive proven experience in supercross event development, management, and promotion after five years of successfully delivering the largest action sports and supercross event in the southern hemisphere, the AUS-X Open.