Lotte Van Drunen Keeps Cool in Darwin to Clinch Back-to-Back WMX World Titles

The 2025 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship wrapped up in Darwin with a dramatic final weekend at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex, where Lotte van Drunen held her nerve to secure her second straight world crown in front of an enthusiastic Australian crowd.

Under hot and humid conditions, riders praised the technical yet fun layout of the Northern Territory circuit, which proved a fitting stage for one of the closest title showdowns of the season. Van Drunen, riding for the De Baets MX-Yamaha Team, entered the finale with a 16-point advantage, but rivals Kiara Fontanesi and Daniela Guillén ensured the title battle went right to the final chequered flag.

In Saturday’s opening moto, Fontanesi wasted no time in signalling her intent, grabbing the holeshot and controlling the race from start to finish. The Italian looked untouchable as she powered to her fourth race win of the season, cutting Van Drunen’s lead and reigniting the championship fight. Guillén also gave it everything to keep her chances alive. After battling with Australians Charli Cannon and Taylah McCutcheon, the Spaniard came out on top, even recovering quickly from a collision with Cannon to finish second and add 22 vital points.

Van Drunen rode with the composure of a champion. Starting outside the top five, she slipped back further when Guillén came past, but kept calm, picked her lines, and capitalised on mistakes ahead to finish third. That safe podium meant she stayed in control of the championship heading into the decider. Just behind the title contenders, Amandine Verstappen finished fourth, with Larissa Papenmeier in fifth after a late pass on McCutcheon. Cannon salvaged seventh after two falls, with Aussie Madi Simpson in eighth.

Heading into Sunday’s final moto, Van Drunen’s advantage had been trimmed to 11 points, and the championship was still very much alive.

When the gate dropped for the last time this season, the Dutch teenager shot out of the middle of the grid and swept inside to take the holeshot, fending off Fontanesi and Guillén. Guillén slotted into second and quickly began attacking, making a move around the outside on lap four. Van Drunen responded immediately to reclaim the lead, but a lap later, Guillén made it stick. Fontanesi soon followed through to second, which also secured her runner-up position in the standings.

Out front, Guillén stretched her advantage to claim her fourth race win of the season, with Fontanesi in second and Cannon delivering a superb podium on home soil in third. Papenmeier crossed the line in fifth, while Van Drunen calmly managed her race, finishing fourth to secure the championship by seven points.

At just 18 years old, Van Drunen showed maturity beyond her years, resisting the temptation to override and instead keeping her focus on the bigger picture. With that measured approach, she etched her name into the record books as a two-time FIM WMX World Champion.

Reflecting on her triumph, Van Drunen admitted the title carried extra meaning given the doubts surrounding her recovery from injury. “Yeah, this is incredible,” she said. “I know some people thought the championship was over after the news of my injury, and that I wasn’t going to make it, but I did. I’m only 18 years old and already a two-time World Champion… It’s unbelievable! I can’t thank the people around me enough: my team, all my sponsors, my friends and family, and especially my dad, who is just incredible. Also, my trainer, who I know is watching from home, is probably going to be bald very soon after all the stress! Thank you to everyone for the support. I’m going to enjoy this moment.”

With Fontanesi finishing second in the standings and Guillén third, the Darwin finale capped off a thrilling season of Women’s Motocross and confirmed Van Drunen as the rider to beat heading into 2026.