The highly anticipated opening round of the 2025 British Motocross Championship kicked off at the iconic Hawkstone Park circuit for the SC Sporthomes Husqvarna team. With it came a wave of excitement, nerves, and a stacked MX2 class that set the tone for a fiercely competitive season ahead.
Words by SC Sporthomes Husqvarna – Images courtesy of JHMX Media
With the MX2 field overflowing with talent an LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier) was added to the day’s schedule making every gate drop count that much more. Charlie Heyman wasted no time asserting himself, qualifying 3rd in his group and looking strong from the outset. Race 1 saw him right in the thick of the action, fighting hard for a podium spot and holding third for much of the moto. A couple of late race shuffles saw him cross the line in 5th, still a solid result to start the season.
Race 2 was a different challenge. After a tough start that left him outside the top 10, Heyman launched a charge from 13th, picking off the riders. But with so much effort spent in the early laps, he faded slightly toward the
end, bringing it home in 6th. A pair of top 6 finishes against one of the deepest MX2 fields in recent years.
Syd Putnam came into the weekend full of enthusiasm and eager to prove himself. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed out on a direct qualification spot from his group and was pushed into the LCQ. A mid pack start in that race left him with work to do and despite giving it everything he crossed the line in 10th, shy of the top 4 transfer spots. It wasn’t the day he had envisioned but plans to bounce back.
In MX1 both Tristan Purdon and Charlie Putnam came into the day looking sharp. Charlie qualified 11th, a strong outing that reflected the work put in over the off season, while Tristan clocked in 4th, a fantastic start to
the day for a rider not typically known for standout qualifying results.
Race 1 saw Tristan nearly steal the holeshot and rocket into 2nd place through the opening laps. Holding his own against the front runners, he eventually slipped into 3rd but maintained his pace to finish strong, his best
ever start to a British Championship campaign since joining the SC Sporthomes Husqvarna Team.
Unfortunately, the highs of race 1 were followed by a wave of setbacks. Charlie Putnam was forced to retire from the day after hitting a hidden tree root that caused a clean break to his finger. Following assessment from the
medical team, he now begins his recovery.
In Race 2, Tristan looked poised to repeat his early performance and was comfortably inside the top 10, lining up his passes and building momentum. However, a freak mechanical issue mid air forced him to eject from the bike. Thankfully, he walked away without serious injury but the DNF was a tough blow to an otherwise promising weekend.
British Motocross Championship Round 1 | Hawkstone Park
Overall Results
MX2
Charlie Heyman | 5 – 6 for 6th Overall
2nd in U21 Championship Ranking
MX1
Tristan Purdon | 3 – DNF for 11th Overall
While Round 1 delivered its fair share of challenges, there were strong signs of potential throughout the day. With flashes of brilliance from Heyman and Purdon and the promise of more to come from Syd and Charlie once back to full strength, the SC Sporthomes Husqvarna team remains focused and fired up for the season ahead!
