The long-awaited 2025 campaign kicks off at a classic this weekend as the JuniorGP™, Moto2™, ETC and Stock classes land at Estoril
It’s finally time to say the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship is back this weekend and kicking off the season is a trip to a class: the Circuito do Estoril. Six races are coming up in Portugal as the JuniorGP™, Moto2™ European Championship, European Talent Cup and Stock European Championship 2025 seasons rev into life, with so many riders out to taste title glory this year.
With the top three in last year’s Championship all moving up to Moto3™ this year, Jesus Rios (Finetwork XTI MIR Racing Team) – a winner in Estoril in 2024 – is the highest placed returnee from last season and will naturally begin the campaign as the rider to beat. Brian Uriarte (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) is another top 10 name from last season who comes into this season as a rider to keep an eye on after the Spaniard became a race winner in 2024. Casey James O’Gorman (Estrella Galicia 0,0) comes into 2024 looking for his first win in the class after his two P3s last year, but there’s so many other names that we can expect to be fighting at the front – and you can be sure one of them is Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) after his impressive outings on the Grand Prix scene recently.
In the Moto2™ ECh, the reigning Champion returns to defend his crown in 2025 – Roberto Garcia (Cardoso Racing). In fact, four of the top five are back as Alberto Surra (Andifer American Racing) and Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork XTI Boscoscuro Team) come into the season expecting to challenge for the title, and the same can be said for Unai Orradre (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro). Daniel Muñoz (Swiss Superbike Academy Forward Junior Team) is also hunting a title tilt after his three race wins last year. And then when you factor in the likes of Harrison Voight (Cardoso Racing), MotoE rider Oscar Gutierrez (GV Racing Moto2) and some exciting rookies such as Xabi Zurutuza (Andifer American Racing), Alessandro Morosi (Eagle-1) and Facundo Llambias (Estrella Galicia 0,0), it equals a seriously competitive field.
A returning Champion is also what we have in the ETC as Carlos Cano (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox), winner of six races in 2024, aims to get his title defence off to a flyer in Estoril. Gabriel Tesini stays with AC Racing Team after his P10 overall finish last year, so he could provide a challenge to Cano this season, but as is always the case with ETC, there will be a lot of riders fighting at the front. Estoril will provide us with plenty of answers as to who to watch out for in 2025.
After finishing second in last year’s championship, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Pitformance VRS) will be hoping to go one better in 2025 and as the highest placed rider coming back for this season, the 2019 Moto3™ World Champion will be the benchmark for the field in Estoril. Who can challenge the Italian remains to be seen, but expect there to be a number of riders doing just that.
Source, Photo & Logos: FIM JUNIOR GP
Circuito Estoril