Francisco Garcia and Venum Bud Kawasaki, the official KME support team, clinched the FIM European EMX250 title with three races remaining; the Spanish teenager set the seal on the campaign with a strong second place in the first moto of the weekend at Arnhem in The Netherlands.
The European series is the final step on the ladder to the FIM World Motocross Championships, first the MX2 series, which is also contested on 250cc machines, and then the premier MXGP championship on 450cc machines. Kawasaki’s race planning department has already recognised Garcia’s talent and determination and signed the Spanish youngster, who will celebrate his nineteenth birthday in October, to contest the MX2 World Championship alongside Mathis Valin aboard the factory KX250F-SR as a member of Kawasaki Racing Team MX2, the official Lime Green factory team, in 2027.
After heading his group of Timed Practice Garcia rounded turn one third from a safe inside gate, dived past for second already on the first lap and was already looking across to see where the race leader was. He was in the wheel tracks of the leader by lap three before a fall cost him six seconds but not second place.
Within four laps he was back on the rear wheel of the leader and leapt past him convincingly. He immediately pulled clear, responding majestically to any further challenge until an incident three laps from the finish cost him another moto victory but could not endanger his title victory as he took the chequered flag second.
Francisco Garcia: «It has been such a difficult last few weeks for me after I hurt my knee. The last five minutes of that moto were the longest of my life but now I am the EMX250 champion. It has been an amazing year with the Bud team and I am so delighted to stay as part of the Kawasaki family next year when I move up to MX2 with the KRT factory team.»
