2025 FIM 85CC JUNIOR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPION
Regularly tipped as a potential star of the future by the Motocross media in his native France, Rafael Mennillo travelled to Romagné in early July with home advantage and a burning ambition to contend for the 2025 FIM JMX85 Junior Motocross World Championship title and the thirteen-year-old certainly justified all the favourable attention.
Having learned to ride aged just two-and-a-half years old on an OSET electric Trial bike, Mennillo started racing when he was six and his natural talent quickly shone through, attracting the attention of David Vuillemin who has helped to mentor him.
On the wet and slippery Romagné track, Mennillo traded passes in the first race with his compatriot Enzo Herzogenrath before being finally forced to settle for second on the final lap.
In race two he gated well and while Herzogenrath struggled after going off track, Mennillo wasted little time in pushing through up to second behind Estonia’s Lucas Leok and, keeping a cool head, he maintained this position for the full nine-lap race to clinch the crown.
In becoming the first-ever French FIM JMX85 Junior Motocross World Champion, he follows in the footsteps of senior FIM Motocross World Champions Ken Roczen, Jeffrey Herlings and Pauls Jonass who all accomplished the same initial global success.
PALMARES
FIM 85cc Junior Motocross World Champion: 2025