As the reigning MXGP and MX2 Manufacturer’s World Champions, Yamaha Motor Europe is gearing up for what promises to be a thrilling 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship campaign. Building on Yamaha’s previous success and with a dynamic new team structure in place, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are primed to harness the untapped potential of their six factory riders as they gun for both individual and brand glory.
Leading the charge for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team is former MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux, who is preparing for his third season aboard the YZ450FM. Despite facing an unlucky setback in 2023, the 23-year-old Frenchman has kept his head up and remains determined to build on his impressive track record of eight Grand Prix victories and 30 podium finishes, while vying for the MXGP crown in 2024.
Joining Renaux on the gate is his former MX2 teammate Jago Geerts. The 23-year-old Belgian brings a wealth of talent and potential as he transitions to the YZ450FM, boasting 55 podium finishes, 24 Grand Prix wins, and five MX2 championship medals. Already showing signs of confidence, Geerts aims for consistent progress in his rookie MXGP season.
Rounding out the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP roster for 2024 is Calvin Vlaanderen. Over the past three years, Vlaanderen has demonstrated remarkable progress in MXGP, securing the top spot among satellite riders for the past two seasons. With Yamaha’s full support, the 27-year-old South African aims to build on his twelve podium finishes and two Grand Prix wins, striving for even greater success.
MX2
In MX2, the new Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team will feature a familiar line-up of Yamaha stars Thibault Benistant, Rick Elzinga, and Andrea Bonacorsi.
Benistant, with three MX2 Grand Prix victories and twelve podium finishes to his credit, has been labelled a clear title contender. Now entering his fourth season in the class, the 21-year-old French prodigy is bursting with confidence and looks forward to lining up at the season opener with a clean slate and a new opportunity to go for gold.
Gearing up for his second MX2 season, Elzinga aims to use the year of experience gained to contend for podium finishes. The 22-year-old Dutchman showed flashes of brilliance in his debut season and is poised to make further strides in 2024.
Meanwhile, Bonacorsi, the reigning EMX250 Champion, is ready to take on the challenge of competing at the highest level in 250cc racing. Already showing his impressive strength aboard his YZ250FM, the 20-year-old Italian is eager to establish himself as a front runner in the pro ranks.
20 Grand Prix
With a packed schedule of 20 Grand Prix events and 60 races in the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2024, the teams are all set for an intense year of racing. Over the next three weeks, all six riders will put the finishing touches on their pre-season preparations before making the journey to Argentina for the season opener on March 9th and 10th in Villa la Angostura.
Alexandre Kowalski
Yamaha Motor Europe Off-Road Racing Manager
“We’re looking forward to the upcoming season and the chance to defend Yamaha’s manufacturers’ world titles in MXGP and MX2, particularly with our new team structure that aims to get the most out of our six factory riders. While our line-up for 2024 remains familiar, with all six riders having been part of the Yamaha Family for the past few years, we’re looking forward to the MXGP debut of our MX2 star Jago Geerts in his rookie season. Alongside him, Calvin Vlaanderen, who has achieved remarkable results as a satellite rider and has long been on our radar, will step up to the challenge. Both Jago and Calvin will join forces with our current Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP title contender, Maxime Renaux, who is determined to fight for the crown. At the same time, MX2 holds its own promise of excitement this year, with Thibault Benistant, Rick Elzinga, and Andrea Bonacorsi leveraging the same team setup that propelled them to European Championship success. Thibault’s goal is crystal clear: we believe he has the best shot at contending for the title, while Rick and Andrea can utilize this season to steadily progress towards consistently challenging for podium finishes. Overall, we have full faith in our teams and the strength of our riders this season, and on behalf of Yamaha Motor Europe, I would like to wish them the best of luck in 2024!”
