Today at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Team Honda HRC Progressive rider Jett Lawrence successfully defended his premier-class SuperMotocross World Championship by racing his 2025 CRF450RWE to 1-1 moto tally and a first-overall result in the SMX Final. Last year saw the Australian earn the first-ever SMX crown by topping two of the three rounds, and he did likewise in the series’ sophomore year. (His teammate and older brother, Hunter Lawrence, topped round 2 and finished second this evening and in the series; the two actually tied on points, but Jett got the nod by virtue of winning two rounds to Hunter’s one.) It was a lucrative day for the Lawrence family; for winning the SuperMotocross crown, Jett earned $1 million, while Hunter took home $500,000 for second place. Words: HRC
Just 21 years old, Lawrence has raced for Honda’s factory team since 2021 (a year after he turned pro with the Honda-supported Factory Connection squad). In that brief four-year period, he has already collected eight professional championships, including this year’s 450 AMA Supercross title. An injury prevented him from successfully defending his 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship this year, but he returned for the first SMX round and picked up right where he left off.
“It means a lot to the team and my family,” said Jett, a native of Landsborough, in Queensland, Australia. “It makes it extra special with Hunter getting second—I always want to see him do good. I got a good start, and he was right there—I couldn’t make any mistakes. The injury in the outdoor season wasn’t ideal, but I think I actually needed it for a little break. It’s great to get the ’25 bike its first championship; I think this just shows how much input we had in developing the bike and how good it is to race.”
Since the SMX Playoffs launched last year, Honda has dominated the series, taking all six overall wins thus far.
“Honestly, it’s becoming difficult to find superlatives to describe Jett’s success, but it’s important to recognize the importance of each new accomplishment as it is added to his rapidly growing list,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda. “With its unique format, the SuperMotocross World Championship is proving to be an exciting series with a winner-take-all final. It seems to suit our riders and bike, and we’re pleased to end the regular season on a high note.”
Although the long 2024 regular season is now complete, Jett will have an active off-season, as he and Hunter will race for Team Australia in the October 6 Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin in England, and in the November 16-17 Paris Supercross.
Image: HRC
