A watershed move in 2023 in the SuperMotocross League raised Max Anstie to stardom, and he is more than content to ride in the 250cc class as one of the division’s elder statesmen.
Making his debut in American competition in 2009 in Pro Motocross, Anstie finished 18th that season and 20th in 2010. His first year on a 250 in Supercross was not much better, finishing 16th in 2013.
The results were lacking, but the talent was there, and when he moved to the 450 division in MXGP competition, he flirted with the top 10 in points each year. One of the tallest riders in the field, Anstie finished ninth in his debut season in 2017, was 10th in 2018, and 12th in 2019. He had unfinished business in the United States, however, and during the COVID-19 season of 2020, he capitalized on the momentum and finished ninth in Pro Motocross and was 11th on the outdoor tracks the following season.
The stadium discipline continued to elude him. Monster Energy Supercross in 2021 and 2022 produced results outside the top 20. His 2022 Motocross effort was also in the 20s, but then he found his rhythm.
Dropping down a division in 2023 proved to be the right move. He came out of the gates strong in Supercross East that year and finished second in Houston, Texas. Another podium in Tampa, Florida, was part of a five-round sweep of the top five. He stumbled in Detroit, Michigan, and then got right back in the groove with a fifth-place finish on the hybrid track at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Anstie finally succeeded on a muddy track in an East/West Showdown race in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He finished the season off with a fifth in Nashville and seventh in the season finale in Salt Lake City.
Anstie found his place, and he confirmed as much in 2024 with a podium at Detroit to start the season and another victory later in the year in Philadelphia.
His team, Firepower Honda, was not scheduled to race in the Motocross series, but with the current SuperMotocross rules that combine the stadium and outdoor series points, he needed to maximize his starts. Anstie moved to Star Yamaha and was immediately competitive at Southwick, finishing 13th in his first 250 Pro Motocross race since 2010. He scored a top-10 in his next outing at RedBud MX Park in Buchanan, Michigan, and kept climbing the ladder. Anstie finished fourth at Spring Creek in his third race.
Anstie was established now, and despite missing half of the Motocross series, he was seeded 12th, entering the SuperMotocross World Championship. A sweep of the top 10 in the playoffs brought him all the way up to eighth in SMX points and puts him in a great position for the 2025 season as he heads into a third season. His longevity in that division could be in jeopardy. Should he win the Supercross championship, he will be forced to climb back on a 450 in short order.
2024 Statistics
Feature starts: 18
Average feature finish: 9.72
Top-fives: 4
Wins: 1
Podiums: 2
Top-fives: 5
Top-10s: 13
Best finish: First (Philadelphia SX)
SMX Standings/payout: eighth/$17,000
2024 News
Max Anstie to race World Supercross opener in Vancouver
Riding for Team Great Britain in Motocross of Nations
Completes return to Star Yamaha with Southwick start
One day after Firepower release, Anstie announces Star Racing deal
Anstie secures immediate release from Firepower Honda
British rider Anstie wins in America’s first capital
450 Countdown
12. Dylan Ferrandis
13. Christian Craig
14. Shane McElrath
15. Dean Wilson
250 Countdown
13. Julien Beaumer
14. Coty Schock
15. Ryder DiFrancesco
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Julien Beaumer ended 2025 season with SMX top-10 sweep
Casey Cochran injures leg, timeline for return uncertain
Mitchell Oldenburg signs with Beta for 2025 Supercross
SuperMotocross stars join the 2024 Paris Supercross
Christian Craig needs to prove detractors wrong
Joey Savatgy wins Australian SX Round 3 in Wollongong
Imitating human design, Mips reduces force impact
