The MRT Racing Team Beta Factory is back at the Cozar Motor Ranch for the Grand Prix of Castilla-La Mancha, the second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship 2025. The adverse weather conditions of the days before the race and over the weekend made the track particularly treacherous and challenging.
Nineteenth in timed practice, Ben Watson (Beta RX450) did not have a good start in qualifying but managed to recover to nineteenth position. In the first heat the British rider struggled at the start but once again recovered to end in fifteenth place. In the second heat, with the track getting worse with every lap due to rain, Watson improved to thirteenth. Despite the difficulties Ben managed to finish thirteenth overall on the day while in the Championship he moved up to sixteenth.
Ben Watson: “It was a really difficult weekend, the weather was terrible on both days. On Saturday I had a good feeling despite my forearms hardening up. On Sunday, I tried not to make any mistakes despite the heavy rain. In the second half of the races I felt better in the bike. After all, this is only the second GP of the season and, despite the difficulties, I think I took another step in the right direction.”
Tom Koch started the weekend at Cozar by setting the twenty-second fastest time in the time trials. The German rider struggled to find the feeling for the track in qualifying and finished twenty-third. The poor track conditions did not help him. In the first heat he crashed due to a contact with another rider, and starting from last position he did not finish more than twenty-third. In the second heat he started in the top ten, but after a few laps, as the rain started to become more and more incessant, he was forced to take off his glasses. Despite the limited visibility, Tom finished in sixteenth position, earning the points that allowed him to finish twentieth overall for the day.
Tom Koch: “Difficult weekend. The track was always very heavy, especially on Sunday. At the start of race one I got off to a good start but at the first corner I crashed, unfortunately I only recovered to twenty-third position. In race two I touched with an opponent right out of the gate. At the first corner I got into a good line and found myself in ninth position. When it started raining again, water got into my goggles and after a few laps I was forced to take them off. In the end I finished in sixteenth position. I hope I can do better next weekend in France.”
Next weekend the MRT Racing Team Beta Factory will take to the track at Saint Jean d’Angely for the Grand Prix of France, the third round of the FIM 2025 Motocross World Championship.
Words and Images by MRT Racing Team Beta Factory
