Anstie Targets Second SX2 World Title After Injury-Hit Season

Max Anstie is one of Supercross’ most well-travelled stars. Born in Great Britain, based in the United States, and already a World Supercross Champion, there is little he hasn’t experienced in his professional career. Now, he is counting on that wealth of knowledge to reclaim the SX2 crown he first secured in 2023 and close out 2025 on a high with Team GSM powered by Star Racing.

A second SX2 title would help banish memories of a torrid year, where he spent most of the time sidelined with a troublesome leg injury. The broken bone, sustained in Alabama back in March, should have healed without an operation, but the reality was far different to what the medical professionals predicted, forcing him to embark on a lengthy recovery process.

“The medics initially said that I would need surgery, but then the specialists said that I would be fine as that’s a non-weight-bearing bone,” Anstie says. “I had to push through the pain, they said. I was trying to ride and train in May, after some time off, but it hurt. I tried to push on, they told me I did not need the bone! The same doctors then turned around after that and said it hadn’t healed.

I tried to push on, they told me I did not need the bone!

“They didn’t want to do an operation at first, because the recovery timeline was longer, as they had to cut through muscle and whatnot. I’m not a doctor, but it was unfortunate. It took 12 weeks to recover from the operation, then I felt quite OK by the start of September and while I am not quite where I was in terms of fitness, it’ll come with more racing and time.”

Anstie started to ride on a simple turn track, a process that allows the riders to ease back into on-track activities without the risk that comes with jumps before stepping up to a full Supercross track. He had another setback, suffering a crash on his return, only for it to be proved to be a minor accident that meant he was back in hospital no sooner had he arrived. Now, though, he is eager to get some racing under his belt in the World Supercross Championships before the end of the year.

“I wanted a gold medal from the FIM since the very start of my career, no matter if it was in motocross or supercross,” he says. “It has always been my priority. I want to win every race and championship that I’m a part of, but that medal means a lot. Another gold to add to my collection would be really nice and I believe that I’ll be in a good position to do the job.”

Not only has his health come around at just the right time, but he’ll be able to lean on a year’s worth of experience with Yamaha’s YZ250F and knowledge on how to adapt to different cultures from his time in the FIM Motocross World Championship. Although he will be racing in new venues, Jersey has raced in Argentina on a few occasions.

Another gold to add to my collection would be really nice and I believe that I’ll be in a good position to do the job

“It is funny, doing motocross rounds in remote locations in Asia helped me learn a lot about preparation,” Anstie recalled. “I have seen it all. Even moving to the USA needed some sort of adaptation, so I think I can take these different venues in my stride. I just try to be as prepared as possible.”

For Anstie, the road back to the top has been anything but smooth, but adversity has only sharpened his determination. With a fresh start, renewed health, and the backing of Team GSM powered by Star Racing, he’s ready to chase history once again. If his journey has proven anything, it’s that setbacks may delay success but they never define it.