Fans around the globe were left in limbo as the defending Motocross of Nations (MXoN) champions Team Australia worked to solidify their roster in recent weeks, with both Kyle Webster and Jed Beaton vying for a chance to represent the green and gold. Ultimately, Webster is going to line up for the 2025 edition, and is taking a familiar strategy into his Chamberlain Trophy defence alongside Jett and Hunter Lawrence.

As has been the case over the last two seasons, Boost Mobile Honda’s Webster and domestic title rival Beaton (Monster Energy CDR Yamaha) have shadowed each other in all facets of their riding, with the results sheet reading almost the same story between the two, week after week. 

However, with Beaton’s season-ending leg injury, it became clear that the final position on Team Australia unequivocally belonged to Webster, who played a crucial role in earning the nation’s first-ever team triumph last year.

With that in mind, having competed in the MX2 division last year – which he will do once more in 2026 despite it not formally being announced yet – there is a lot of experience from the Matterly Basin event that he can draw upon, both when it comes to competing and also, perhaps more importantly, in the lead-up.

Image: Octopi Media.

“I am stoked to represent Team Australia again this year, and it’s a huge honour for me to do so,” Webster told MotoOnline. “I’m over the moon for it, and I think having the experience that I had last year – you know, in terms of going over there and riding the bike, I think things in that regard might be a bit easier.

“Staying in the US, and the race itself being over there – not England or Europe – it’s just one less trip, and then what will make it better as well is that we’ll go race the Ironman track prior at the [Pro Motocross] National, which will be really good.”

Citing the unpredictability of the high-profile race, the 29-year-old is remaining measured in his approach, knowing that the event can throw everything at you, particularly in the form of weather.

“It’s always tough, though, you know what the nations are like… it’s probably going to piss down [laughs],” he explained. “But overall, I am really stoked to run the number two on the 250, which will be pretty sick.”

Image: Octopi Media.

In terms of equipment, Webster – with the help of the Lawrences’ US-based Honda HRC Progressive team – is expected to be on a HRC-spec factory CRF250RWE, as was the case last year, which is instrumental in levelling the playing field when it comes to competing against some of the best teams and riders in the world.

“As far as I know, yes, I’ll be on a HRC bike,” continued Webster. “Those guys have that bike dialled in, it is so sick, and transitioning from the 450 to that thing is really good, and it makes it so much easier. So yeah, all in all, just really stoked to be able to lock it in, and having that prior experience now makes it better.”

The defending ProMX MX1 champion is scheduled to contest the three remaining Pro Motocross events in 2025, with Ironman Raceway on August 9 commencing a three-week stretch of races, as both Unadilla and Budds Creek Nationals follow directly afterwards. He’ll compete in the 450MX division during those weekends, before reverting to MX2 for the Nations.

“I’ll be on a 450 for the last three because I think the transition from a 450 at QMP to a 250 at Ironman wouldn’t be great, but then after that I will go and spend some time on the 250 – we have a fair few weeks to get into it, so it should be good!” he concluded.

Image: Octopi Media.

Webster proved instrumental in last year’s Team Australia triumph, delivering a crucial 11th-place finish in the opening MXGP and MX2 combined race to accompany both Hunter and Jett Lawrence’s haul of front-running results, which ultimately earned them the overall win over Team USA by three points.

With the 2025 edition of the event taking place on more familiar territory – particularly for the US-based Lawrences – Team Australia features high on the list of favourites for the event, with the 78th edition of the historic MXoN event taking place from October 3-5.