The Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP has signed former MX2 World Champion Pauls Jonass to its roster for the 2025 FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.
The talented Latvian will partner with Romain Febvre, marking the first time in the team’s history that it will field two former World Champions.
Jonass, 27, began his career early, claiming his first youth title at age ten and going on to become a two-time World Junior and European champion. He entered the World Championship a decade ago, quickly making his mark with three FIM medals and eleven GP victories in the MX2 class. His transition to the premier MXGP class in 2019 was equally impressive, finishing sixth in his debut season before injuries hindered his progress in the following years.
After battling back from injuries, including a thigh injury in 2023, Jonass returned to form, claiming his first MXGP victory this year in Agueda. Despite a mid-season setback due to a dislocated shoulder and broken arm, he remains determined and will have a full winter to prepare for the 2025 season aboard the Kawasaki KX450-SR.
Jonass expressed his excitement: “First of all I would like to thank my previous team for the amazing four years we spent together, and I’m super excited to join the Kawasaki Racing Team; every rider dreams of racing for a factory team. I have worked with Antti in the past and I see how well he runs the team so I’m delighted to be given this opportunity. It will be the first time that I will be working with a Japanese factory team and, having seen how well the bike has worked the last two years, it is a dream to be riding the KX450-SR. Now it’s time to go to work to achieve the best results and hopefully we can soon battle for some wins.”
KRT Manager, Antti Pyrhönen, added: “We at KRT are very excited to have another really top-level rider joining the team. Pauls Jonass is still young yet he has already accumulated great experience of MXGP on the World stage. Pauls’ passion for racing, his will and his rock solid determination are second to none, so this really gives great motivation to all at KRT. We can’t wait to see Pauls alongside Romain to race the acknowledged race winning KX450-SR.”
Steve Guttridge, KME Race Planning Manager, commented: “It’s great to see the momentum that KRT are establishing for a new season with a stable of riders that represent the pick of the pack. Not only will all Kawasaki fans be delighted to retain the services of Romain Febvre, but the addition of Pauls Jonass sets sturdy foundations for a formidable Championship challenge in 2025 for Kawasaki and KRT.”
