After a difficult run with injury last season, Australian teenager Liam Owens is firmly back on track in 2025, building momentum in the EMX250 European Championship and establishing himself as a rising talent in the series. Still only 17, the Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna rider has taken significant strides in recent months to piece together multiple top-five performances, and we found out more about the Queenslander’s progress in this Profiled feature.

Owens’ season has been one of steady progression. From a difficult opener in Cozar, Spain, to a breakthrough run of fifth-place results at Ernee and Kegums, his form has improved round by round – something he puts down to experience and time behind the gate more than anything.

Despite logging 29th and 24th-place finishes at Castilla La Mancha and Saint Jean d’Angely, Owens has begun to find his groove in the middle stages of the season. A string of encouraging results – 17th in Trentino, 13th in Switzerland, and back-to-back 12th-place finishes in Portugal and Lugo – laid the groundwork for a major step forward, which came with a pair of impressive P5 finishes in France and Latvia.

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“I think it’s a bit mental really, just going to the weekend to actually race,” Owens told MotoOnline. “In Australia, we didn’t race as much, and now I’m just gaining experience and race craft. This is the most I’ve ever raced in a season – 11 weeks in a row – and I’ve got to do that again after the break to finish the season. That’s definitely played a part, just learning how to qualify, manage motos, and get into a routine. I think I’ve had the speed from the start of the year, but putting it all together was the tough part.”

Owens is returning from a right shoulder reconstruction that sidelined him for three months during 2024, which was an injury that halted his momentum at a key stage in his development and limited his opportunities to gain race experience in Europe. While frustrating at the time, the extended break gave him the chance to reset physically and mentally, and he came into 2025 prepared to rebuild and push forward.

“I’d say the biggest thing after the injuries was realising that the world doesn’t stop when you get hurt in motocross, you just have to get back as fast as possible,” he explained. “You’re always worried about losing a ride or your place, but you just can’t compare yourself to other people, you’ve got to focus on your own program and try to be the best version of yourself.”

Now based in Germany and living away from home full-time, Owens is sharing a house with a member from his team, while his parents – who still manage to visit as much as possible – remain back in Australia. It’s a lot for a young rider to take on, but it’s a sacrifice he and his family have embraced, and one that’s proving to be already paying off.
“Over here, I’m fully focused on motocross, giving it everything I’ve got,” Owens continued. “The biggest development period has been the European winter. There are no distractions, it’s not like the off-season in Australia where you’ve got the beach and jet-skis and all that. Here, it’s so cold you don’t even want to go outside, so you actually look forward to a big three-hour cycle because it’s something different to do.”

That structured environment has helped him build a program around riding, gym and recovery, and without the distractions of school or long travel days, he’s able to focus entirely on development: “In some ways, the workload is easier than in Australia, just because everything’s so close.

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“From where I’m living, there’s 20 tracks nearby and the team is based around here too. That makes a big difference. The gym’s at my house, so I don’t have to drive anywhere. I can sleep in a bit if I want, then go straight to the gym. It’s all just so easy and efficient.”

With the physical program in place and race-day execution improving, Owens is starting to unlock the level required to compete at the pointy end of the EMX250 field. But it’s no easy task, the class is packed with world-class emerging talent, and the racing is aggressive and relentless from the drop of the gate.

“You’ve got to start with the right attitude, you basically need to be on the offence straight away and really aggressive before you even have to play defence,” he explained. “Guys here are willing to take your front wheel out when you’re in 22nd, even if it’s for no points. They’ll risk everything for one more spot. That’s probably the biggest thing you notice coming over. And you’re racing grown men here – that’s another level.”

Getting off the line remains a work in progress, but Owens is finding ways to adapt, especially with strong qualifying performances giving him better gate picks at recent rounds.

“My qualifying has been solid all year, the speed is there, but the start’s still the big one. At a few of the recent rounds, the way they qualify – fastest on the inside, slowest on the outside – has helped,” added Owens. “It gives me a bit of an advantage even if I don’t nail the start. But you’ve got to keep pushing the whole time because the boys over here don’t really back it down until the last couple of laps. That’s probably the biggest difference compared to Australia – over there, the pace fades a bit after the halfway mark, but not in EMX.”

Image: Supplied.

Owens also had the chance to step up to the MX2 World Championship at Teutschenthal earlier this year, gaining a first-hand look at the level required to compete with the world’s best. While results weren’t the focus, the experience gave him a clear benchmark to work toward as he continues to develop in the EMX250 development tier.

“It was a really cool experience getting to race MX2 at Teutschenthal, it definitely opened my eyes to how fast those guys are and what it takes to be on the podium at that level,” Owens said. “I was a few seconds off the front, but it was more about seeing the full picture – the pace, the preparation, how dialled everything is. It gave me heaps of motivation to keep improving and close that gap.”

Looking ahead, Owens has his sights firmly set on a long-term future in Europe and remains open to the possibility of racing in the US if the right opportunity arises: “I really want to be part of the world championship and chase my goals there, I’d love to be on the top step one day. I’ve definitely got aspirations for America too, but I’m realistic.

“If you’re going to go there and be competitive, you’ve got to go pretty soon, especially now that kids are training on Supercross from such a young age. I’d love to give it a shot within the next four or five years if the opportunity comes up, but honestly, I’m loving Europe, and I could see myself becoming a full-time GP guy because I really enjoy it here.”

Fresh off a sixth-place finish at Matterley Basin, Owens currently holds eighth in the 2025 EMX250 standings after nine rounds, with countryman Jake Cannon – the reigning national MX3 champion – positioned 13th. As the series resumes with round 10 at the KymiRing circuit in Finland on 12-14 July, Owens will look to carry his strong form into the second half of the championship.