From the moment the gates dropped at Ironman Raceway, the 2025 FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) felt less like an international event and more like an Australian showcase. The defending champions returned to the USA not just to compete, but to assert their supremacy, and that’s exactly what they did. With scorching heat and literal comebacks written into the results, this version of MXoN will be remembered as the one where Australia hammered home a statement: we’re the best and we’re not going anywhere.

Australia’s performance was nothing short of breathtaking. Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, and Kyle Webster came in as a three-headed juggernaut, riding with incredible speed. Hunter was the engine of the team — posting two moto wins and carrying pressure like it was part of his DNA. Jett, too, was flawless in the opening moto, stamping his mark early and holding it against the world-class field. Their dominance was total — and deliberate.

Yet perhaps the most compelling story came from Kyle Webster, whose rides were the definition of heart. Twice early in the event, Webster was on the ground in turn one, coming out of the gate with damaged parts and a mountain of lost ground. But he remounted, clawing back from dead last to top 15 finishes all the while, piloting a 250F Few expected that kind of fight but we did and Kyle gave it anyway.

Back-to-back wins are rare in MXoN history — Australia’s clean sweep in 2024 already etched them into the record books. But defending the crown is a different beast altogether. In 2025, they didn’t just defend — they redefined what dominance looks like in team motocross. And to get a real window into what it took to claw those laps back, we sat down with Kyle Webster for an exclusive — his account of what it took to rise from wrecked starts to a winning score.

ADB:  How long were you in the U.S. riding the Honda CRF250R before lining up on Friday for practice?

Kyle Webster:  I went straight from QMP to do the last three nationals over there, so we were there for about three or four weeks at that point. Pretty much the day after, I flew from Budds Creek straight to “the Dog Pound” and got stuck in. I spent a week there right after the last round riding the 250 and doing some bits and pieces.

Then I actually came home to Australia for about 10 days. I got cortisone in my hand to get me through the last part of the year, and I wanted to check in on Jayden and make sure she was doing okay because she was here solo, pregnant. So, I was home for a short period, then went straight back and got stuck in, flat out on that thing.

ADB:  So, were you riding every day on the 250 before MXoN?

Kyle Webster: Nah, not every day—sort of like three to four days a week. It’s so hot over there that you don’t really recover that well. You’ve got to plan your riding a bit more carefully than you can here sometimes. So yeah, I was probably doing three to four days a week and just trying to make the most of those sessions.

ADB: What was it like stepping down to a 250 from a 450?

Kyle Webster:  I think it was easier to get used to it this year than last year. Last year, my hand was still pretty bad, so I didn’t get to ride much. This year was much easier. I kind of just got on it and was able to jump into motos straight away, which helped build bike time and adapt to it that way—putting in long motos instead of doing short rides and pulling up sore.

It didn’t take me long to get used to it, which was cool. It was more about getting comfortable, figuring out what the bike does, and then building speed from there.

ADB: We heard it was pretty close to the bike Chance Hymas was riding. Was it anywhere near his setup?

Kyle Webster: It was Chance’s bike.

ADB: What’s your relationship with Jett and Hunter like?

Kyle Webster: Everywhere they go, everyone wants to talk to them, wants something from them, wants their attention. So it is tough. But I think when they’re at the track riding, it’s all business — you’re there to do work. Afterwards though, it’s all good. It’s like being with any other Aussies — they’re cruisy, laid-back, and easy to be around. That makes the whole experience of being in another country for so long a lot easier. They’re really good blokes to hang out with.

ADB: Let’s talk about the race then. Time practice was impressive. You went fifth fastest, and then in the qualifying race on Saturday, you ended up fifth again. Were you surprised?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, they were good sessions. In timed practice, you get 40 minutes, which feels like a lifetime, and I had to ride both the spare bike and the race bike. Honestly, it was really nice because it gave me so much time to learn the track and just build into it. I did a lap that felt decent, and when I came around, the board showed P3—I was like, oh, that’s cool. I eventually got bumped back to fifth, which was still solid considering the level of riders out there. It gave me a good indication for the qualifying race—if I got a good start, I knew where I could roughly be.

In the qualifying race, I didn’t even get the best start. I was in the mix, made some passes early, and held that gap to Fernandez for what felt like the whole race. It was frustrating not to close it, but having that carrot in front to chase the entire time was motivating.

ADB: Fifth is seriously impressive. I was looking at qualifying results, and everyone ahead of you has either won a world title or an AMA title on a 250.

Kyle Webster: Yeah, it was good. I’d been on the 450 all year, so jumping down to a 250 and racing guys that fast isn’t something you get to do often. It’s hard to gauge your pace and push yourself against that kind of competition. But yeah, that result set the tone for the weekend, for sure.

That’s why I keep saying our program here in Australia is really solid. It prepares us well for speed and intensity overseas. When I went to the American Nationals before Nations, the first round was brutally hot—coming straight from a Melbourne winter was tough. But after that, I settled in, ran solid top 10s, and battled with some good guys. It showed that our speed over here isn’t too bad. To go to MXoN and line up fifth against those riders was really cool—it proved that the European standard isn’t out of reach. We’re in the mix.

ADB: I can only imagine the reaction in the U.S., French, Belgian, and Dutch trucks after qualifying—seeing you sitting right there in fifth must’ve rattled them.

Kyle Webster: Yeah, I’d say so! Knowing that Jett and Hunter were likely going to go 1-2 in their class probably made it worse for them. You could tell it deflated a few teams. It would’ve been an interesting conversation in those trucks after qualifying, that’s for sure.

ADB: After qualifying, Jett pulled that insane line through the corner before the Skyshot and rhythm lane—did you guys talk about that as a team, trading line ideas?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, that turn over the corner jump—he and Hunter were doing it so clean. We’d done it during the National there a few weeks earlier, but this weekend the downside was ridiculously slippery. I probably could’ve picked up half a second to a second there, but by the races, there was a good line just outside it, so I stuck with that.

When you’re 48th off the start, you’re in no position to take those kinds of risks anyway!

ADB: Off the line and into the first corner, you didn’t look in a bad spot. Then, fifteen seconds later, you were just… gone. What happened?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, that one hurt — especially with first gate pick. Hunter and I had spoken before the start, and he said the trend for the 250s was to go inside, which I agreed with. I lined up where I thought was best, and sure enough, Kenny [Roczen] and [Tim] Gajser lined up on either side of me. I looked back at Jett, who had 21st gate pick, and we were both just laughing about it. But honestly, that wasn’t even the problem — those guys were already halfway down the straight before anything happened.

Coming into the first turn, I was fine, and then someone’s footpeg got caught in my front wheel and dragged me down with them. I think it was Fernandez. As it was happening, I just thought, please, no, but down I went. After that, it’s one of those moments where you just have to switch off the frustration and get stuck in again.

ADB: Yeah, it looked odd — like you’d washed the front where there shouldn’t have been any reason to. I guess that was the footpeg grabbing the spokes?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, exactly. Broke quite a few spokes, actually.

ADB: Wait, you still raced that moto with broken spokes?

Kyle Webster: Yeah — I didn’t even know at the time. We only worked it out afterwards.

ADB: Unreal. Was the front wheel still intact or shaped like a fifty-cent piece by the end?

Kyle Webster: Nah, it held up fine, thankfully. Handled it better than I thought it would.

ADB: Do you reckon they lined up next to each other because they were starting to panic after seeing your qualifying result?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, I reckon so! That’s proof right there — they definitely shut me down. The next race we swapped positions; Hunter went first and I went second. It worked perfectly because no one wanted to start next to him, which left a couple of good gates open up the inside.

It was strange though — the teams basically sacrificed their first 250 moto because they knew that class was stacked with MXGP guys. The start was super even too. It wasn’t like a typical European start where gate one is dominant — gate ten to twenty-five were all solid picks. It just shows how competitive and unpredictable it was out there.

ADB: Did you start to panic?

Kyle Webster: Nah, I kind of just got up and thought, well, this sucks. But when that sort of thing happens, you don’t really think about anything except going as hard as you can for the whole race. You’re not getting passed—you’re the one doing the passing. Early on, I was so far back it took me a while to even catch the next group, but once I started ticking riders off and passing a couple of the faster 250 guys, I realised it was actually going pretty well.

From then on, it was just tunnel vision—go as fast as I can until the finish. I think with two laps to go I finally took a couple of deep breaths, but for the most part, I felt locked in. There weren’t many sketchy moments, it just felt like everything was clicking.

ADB: And when you were making all those passes—was it difficult to pass around that track? You definitely passed more riders than anyone.

Kyle Webster: Some of the 250 guys weren’t too bad to pass because we had similar power. Coming from behind, you start seeing all these different lines that you wouldn’t notice otherwise, so it actually gave me some options. The 450 guys were tougher. I had a really long battle with a Yamaha rider around 15th or 16th—every time I passed him, he’d blast back past me down the straight. That nearly took the wind out of me a bit, but I just kept at it.

ADB: Knowing you had to go straight into another moto with barely any rest, did you ever think about saving energy?

Kyle Webster: Nah, I just went for it. You never know—15th could’ve been my best result, so I wanted to get as far up as possible and deal with the pain afterwards. It’s that Aussie mentality, you know? Just get it done and worry about the rest later.

ADB: You had what—an hour between motos?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, not even really. You’ve got to be back down on the line within an hour, so by the time I got back to the truck and had a drink, they were already saying, “You’ve got 20 minutes to gear up again.”

So I just stripped off, threw on an ice vest, sat in the camper with the air con blasting, and tried to cool down for as long as I could. It ended up being maybe half an hour total before I was back on the start line again.

ADB: So, Moto 2—you’re back out there with Hunter, no Jett this time, and you crash again in that same first corner. Did you figure, okay, 15th will have to do as long as the boys go 1-or 2?

Kyle Webster: I thought, surely this didn’t just happen again. I got up quicker that time, though, and honestly, I think a bit of anger kicked in. I just got stuck in and started charging. I caught the pack a lot faster than in the first race and spent the whole moto eating roost. I saw on the pit board that I was climbing positions pretty quickly, which gave me a bit more motivation to keep pushing.

I remember passing Valin from the French team, then later catching up to a 450 guy—Garcia, I think it was. By that point, my tear-offs were gone, my goggles were full of dirt, and I’d lost a bit of momentum, so I couldn’t make the pass stick. It was chaos—roost flying everywhere, someone right behind me, and knowing every single position mattered. It was game on until the finish.

ADB: Surely by that point, fatigue started setting in—you’d just fought through the field twice, back-to-back, in the heat. Did you hit a wall in those last ten minutes, or did the MXoN adrenaline kick in?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, there was definitely an adrenaline spike. I hit a bit of a flat patch mid-moto where I thought, uh oh, this is where I’m going to blow up. But when you’re in a battle like that, it’s easier to keep pushing—you’re focused on the next pass, the next corner. I caught a second wind towards the end, and it wasn’t until the last lap that I started taking those big deep breaths. When I crossed the line, it hit me like a truck.

I haven’t felt that smoked in years. I literally sat there in my gear, still breathing hard, completely spent. But honestly, it felt good. You know you’ve given absolutely everything.

I don’t usually drink energy drinks, but the first thing I grabbed was a Red Bull. I just needed something. That got me through the last race as a spectator and the podium stuff. But yeah, it was cool in a way—being that wrecked after a moto, knowing you’ve left nothing on the table.

When you start up front, you manage your energy and settle into a rhythm. But when you start dead last? It’s 200 percent effort from lap one to the finish. There’s no pacing yourself—it’s just everything you’ve got, every lap.

ADB: So, the final race—Jet and Hunter in the same moto. Was anyone from the team nervous at the start?

Kyle Webster: Nah, I don’t think so. When I finished that race, everyone was stoked. They were genuinely happy with how I rode and how far I came through the pack. Like I said, it wasn’t really a 250-dominant track—it was so high-speed and blown out that most of the 250 guys were right around where I was anyway. Even after that second moto, we were still leading overall, so we were actually in a pretty solid position with Jet and Hunter going into the final race.

ADB: That must’ve been a huge relief. It seemed like the other nations needed at least a 10 to 15-point gap to even have a shot once Jet and Hunter lined up together.

Kyle Webster: Yeah, exactly. Realistically, it was a nice feeling going into that last one. You knew those two had it covered.

ADB: So after your moto, you finally got to breathe and enjoy it. None of us can really imagine what it’s like knowing you’ve done your part for your country and can now watch what’s about to be one of the biggest races of the weekend. What was that feeling like heading to the pit area to watch it all unfold?

Kyle Webster: Honestly, it was awesome. I just went straight to pit lane and watched from there. It was cool—you’re done for the day, and you get to see the 450s go at it. Watching Jet and Hunter out there was unreal. Jet’s come-from-behind ride was impressive, but Hunter, man… he was just on another level all weekend. He was fired up, smooth, and aggressive. It was pretty special to stand there and see it all come together for Team Australia.

ADB: When you were watching that last moto—even after Jet went down—it still kind of felt like we had it wrapped up. I don’t know if you felt the same way after your second race, but it looked like you’d taken the wind out of the crowd. At what point did you think, yeah, this is ours? Was it before the third moto or halfway through?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, pretty much once Jet got rolling again after his crash and started moving through the pack. Then Lucas and RJ both went down, and from that point, we knew unless something really bad happened, we were safe. Last year it was way more stressful—points were bouncing all over the place through the moto—but going into that last race in the lead, with Jet and Hunter lined up against everyone else, you’re feeling pretty confident.

ADB: So when they crossed the line and you guys knew it was done—you’d gone back-to-back—what was that feeling like? Last year was already historic as Australia’s first win. Did this one mean more?

Kyle Webster: Yeah, I think this one hit differently. Obviously, Jet rode awesome both years and so did Hunter, but last year Hunter had a few problems in his first moto, so this year felt like everything just clicked. For me, I wasn’t dealing with the hand injury, I felt strong all weekend, and it just felt like everything was working.

Last year was amazing, don’t get me wrong, but this one was special because it was in the U.S.—racing the Americans on their home turf—and it wasn’t a mudder like last time. It was proper motocross. Watching the last race instead of being in it is a weird feeling, though. You’re in normal clothes one minute, then throwing on a jersey to get on the podium. Still, standing up there with all the Aussie fans going nuts was unreal. And when you get back to the truck, it’s just a sea of green and gold—everyone’s there, celebrating.

ADB: And when you got back to the truck, how was the atmosphere? We know Jet and Hunter don’t drink, but was there some chaos in the pits?

Kyle Webster: [laughs] Not so much chaos in the truck—everyone was stoked, but the Honda boys had a heap of work packing down three rigs, so they didn’t really get to let loose straight away. But there were definitely a few older legends in the crowd celebrating properly. One bloke even passed out in front of the truck and took the rope and chain down with him. It was pretty wild.

ADB: And then the “Webby” chants—mate, they were echoing across the crowd!

Kyle Webster: [laughs] Yeah, I know! That was surreal. You’re standing next to two of the best riders in the world, and people are chanting your name. It was epic. Definitely one of the coolest moments of the weekend.

ADB: Deservedly so. Honestly, your rides were the standout. Hunter and Jet were phenomenal, but without your comebacks, the title could’ve easily slipped away. No one else made passes like you did. Do you feel like that was one of your best rides ever, or was it just business as usual?

Kyle Webster: I’d say it’s up there. Every win at home feels great, but this was different. You’re racing guys you don’t know, from all over the world, so you can’t predict what they’ll do. At home, you know everyone’s tendencies—how they race, where they’re strong—but there, it’s all new.

By the numbers:

  • 2– Consecutive MXoN titles for Australia (2024 and 2025)
  • 3– Moto wins between Jett and Hunter Lawrence across MXGP, MX2 and Open classes
  • 13– Kyle Webster’s finishing position in his final moto after recovering from a first-turn crash
  • 1– First time Ironman Raceway hosted the Motocross of Nations
  • 78– The 78th running of the Motocross of Nations
  • 5– Nations within striking distance on points before the final moto
  • 20+– Positions gained by Kyle Webster in his first moto charge
  • 100,000+– Estimated crowd at Ironman Raceway across the weekend
  • 15– Point margin separating Australia from second place
  • 9– Different nations represented inside the top 20 overall individual results

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager

ADB: Lars, great day for the team—you’ve got to be proud of the boys. You’ve got to be rooting for both Australia and the USA, right?

Lars Lindstrom: Yeah, a little bit. Personally, I’ve got a strong connection with the Australian team. When I worked with Chad Reed for those five years, I was part of that first podium we got in 2011, which was super special—we even won a moto. That’s when I met all the guys: Gary Benn, Michael Byrne—who was still racing then—Metcalfe, and Moss. I spent time in Australia while working with Chad and built good relationships with so many Aussies.

When we got the Lawrence brothers on the team and went to RedBud in 2022, we tied for third, equalling Australia’s best result. Then at Ernée in 2023, we finished second. We didn’t necessarily put in a bigger effort—just the same commitment—and it paid off. Before we’d even finished celebrating in France, we were already talking about 2024 in England, figuring out how to finally win one. Guys like Mark Luksich, Byrner, Gary Benn, and Peter Doyle were all in, planning on team calls throughout the year.

It all lined up perfectly. Kyle Webster was winning back home, so when the opportunity came to get him on a factory CRF250R, it just made sense. The idea was either him or Jet on a works 250, and it ended up being Kyle. We put in a big effort from American Honda to make it happen, while MA and the team helped with costs and logistics. It was worth it—last year was special, and this year, coming in as favourites, was unreal.

The biggest moment today was Kyle’s comeback from two dead-last starts to finish 13th in the second moto—that really sealed it. The Lawrence brothers are on another level. I’m almost numb to how good they are now. Their dominance is easy to take for granted, but it’s unreal. We’re proud, and that’s why we support the Aussie team so much—they do so much for Honda that we feel we should do the same for them.

ADB: Do you think Jet’s one of the “greatest of all time” trajectory?

Lars: Honestly, yeah. He’s stacking up the numbers and doing things on a bike that we just haven’t seen before. And Hunter—he’s right there with him. Having both brothers on the same team is massive for us and a big part of why Honda’s winning so much right now.

ADB: It must be special to see Hunter’s growth too—he came from a tough place with injuries and rebuilding himself.

Lars: Exactly. Hunter came to the team when he was really struggling, but he’s worked his way up, now winning Supercross races and competing at the front everywhere. It’s been incredible to watch. And Jet… honestly, when I look at the stats, he’s probably the greatest Honda rider we’ve ever had. It’s only been a few years, but he’s already got ten championships on a Honda. Jeremy McGrath was here for four years, RC for three, but Jet’s breaking records at a ridiculous rate. He’s something special—we don’t take that for granted.

Hunter Lawrence

ADB: Hunter, mate—congratulations! Incredible day and an unreal weekend. You can see the scene here—it’s wild.

Hunter Lawrence: Pretty wild! This is unbelievable. We’ve got a bunch of Aussies over here, and a whole lot more back home waiting for us at the AUSX Open in Marvel Stadium. We’re so stoked—this is unbelievable. Thank you, Australia. You’ve always had our back, and we’ve always got yours.

ADB: Today wasn’t without its troubles—you went down while leading, Jet went down, and Kyle had two rough starts but fought his way through. Incredible effort from all you guys. How was the race and the track?

Hunter: Stoked, mate. It doesn’t matter how we did it—we did it. No pictures on the scorecard, right? The boys rode their hearts out. We all left everything on the track. I’m just blessed and thankful to our unreal team and everyone who made this happen. There’s not much else to say—stoked.

ADB: How does this compare to a personal championship? To do it with your brother and Kyle—it must feel pretty special.

Hunter: It’s unreal. This is the Motocross of Nations—the Olympics of our sport. Back-to-back for Australia! We never even thought we’d get a podium growing up. I remember when we got third overall in France—it must’ve been around 2011 with Mossy and Metcalfe—and it felt impossible to top that. Now, back-to-back wins? It’s insane. So blessed, so happy, so proud to be part of it.

Michael Byrne

ADB: Hunter went down, but the boys still pulled it off with some incredible rides to secure the win. What’s your take—and I’m guessing there’s a big night of celebration ahead?

Michael Byrne: Yeah, it was a great day. Both of Kyle’s rides were really special. We definitely couldn’t have done it without him digging deep and showing that never-quit attitude—especially in that second moto. From what I’ve seen so far, neither of those crashes were really his fault—just wrong place, wrong time.

Hunter made it a bit more interesting for himself by tipping over a couple of times, but he looked comfortable all day. And Jet—well, Jet’s Jet. I never really worry about him not finding his way to the front. Back-to-back wins—it doesn’t get better than that.

ADB: What about your strategy coming into the event—was there ever talk about putting Hunter back on a 250, or were you confident with Kyle based on his form? And how did you approach gate picks?

MB: There was talk—maybe for a day—about putting Jet on a 250. But when you’ve got a guy who can go 1-1 on a 450, it’s hard to justify changing that. If he crushed it on a 250, maybe it still would’ve been a win, but it’s a big risk to take.

At one stage, it could have been Jet or Kyle on the 250, but we decided to stick with last year’s setup. We gave Kyle first gate pick for Moto One, but that backfired a bit when other teams surrounded him with 450s. It’s tough being boxed in like that. We’d hoped the other 250 guys would line up around him, but they didn’t.

So for the second moto, we gave Hunter the first pick to see how the other teams reacted. Then for the final moto, Hunter got it again because we knew if he grabbed the holeshot and clean air, he could repeat what he did earlier. Jet also ended up with a great inside pick, which worked out perfectly.