ANTTI PYRHÖNEN AND KAWASAKI

When Frenchman, Romain Febvre crossed the finish line in the Australian Grand Prix last September and was crowned MXGP champion of 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship, one man wasn’t just happy, but he also felt a huge load come from his shoulders.

Former world number three (in MX3) and a man who has put more into the sport than most, Antti Pyrhönen celebrated as he should after the Febvre win. A loyal man, with a strong connection with Kawasaki, Pyrhönen knew that this world title wasn’t just a victory on the track, but a victory against all the tough luck over the years.

His relationship with Formula One legend, Kimi Räikkönen ads something of a Hollywood theme to the team and these two former Finnish sportsmen, have earnt themselves a world motocross championship. Räikkönen a former F1 world champion has been the backbone of the efforts of the team and remains a huge motocross fan.

“It is incredible,“ Pyrhonen said. “With Kimi, we started this team 14 years ago, so we have been together for 13 seasons. We have had our ups and downs, but one thing is for sure, we never gave up. Are target being once to win a world title and mission accomplished. I am extremely happy and proud of this. You know, we just kept working, kept trying. Getting through severe rider injuries or some years not having a rider with the capacity to battle for a title and now we did it. This is also a moment that I felt a big stone has rolled out of my heart, that after so many years of trying, I was able to reward Kimi and Kawasaki. Also, a big relief.”

The 2025 title though also meant a lot to Kawasaki, who hadn’t won in the premier class since Sebastien Tortelli won the 250 championship from Stefan Everts, in Greece, in 1998. It was Jan De Groot, the legendary Dutchman who managed that Tortelli effort, some 27 years ago, and to be honest, Pyrhönen is starting to make his own legacy in a sport that isn’t always kind. For Pyrhönen though, the win for Kawasaki means more to him than anything else.

“It is very important for Kawasaki and Romain is a guy with a big heart and he is a big champion and that is why I support that we carry the number one plate on his bike in 2026. Kawasaki’s last major title was 27 years ago with Sebastien Tortelli in 1998, and they deserve that title. Kawasaki, all the people there who supported this and they have given us the maximum support, and I am happy and proud to give them this title. Our Japanese colleges, they would fly in fly out and also because of the new regulations, everyone needed to work super hard. I can say else but my humble thank you, to Romain, to our team, ever staff member and of course Kawasaki. This has been team work at its very finest.”

Now, the Kawasaki factory team will enter 2026, with not only a number one plate on their bike, but also a huge pressure to defend the title, something Kawasaki have not done in the premier class or the MX2 class, in the sports history.

Photo credit: Pascal Haudiquert