Dominance like this doesn’t happen by accident—and Max Anstie just made a bold statement to the entire supercross world with another win in Australia. And this is the part most people miss: it wasn’t just a victory, it was proof that he can still deliver even when the night feels slightly off and the pressure is sky-high.
Max Anstie’s win at the 2025 WSX Australian Grand Prix in Robina, Queensland, keeps his FIM World Supercross Championship season flawless so far, making it three wins out of three rounds. He had to fight hard for this one, going head-to-head with defending champion Shane McElrath in intense conditions that tested both speed and stamina. He also shared that he feels prepared to race the 250SX West Division in Monster Energy AMA Supercross starting in January if that’s the direction his team chooses.
The post-race conversation opened with a fun comparison: Max’s perfect season so far was likened to the legendary number 99 made famous by hockey icon Wayne Gretzky. Even though Max joked that he might not be too familiar with Gretzky, the point was clear—he’s making the number 99 stand for dominance in supercross as well. There was some playful debate about whether losing SuperPole on the night broke the idea of a “perfect season,” but the stance was that his clean sweep of all three mains keeps that narrative very much alive.
Interestingly, Max himself seemed pretty relaxed about whether the perfect-season label technically continues or not. He admitted that part of him wouldn’t mind if people stopped obsessing over it, because constant talk about perfection adds pressure and expectation. What really matters to him is that his race performances feel strong and locked in, and on that front he was genuinely satisfied. Even though every race day so far has come with its own set of challenges, he is proud of how he’s handling them.
On this particular day in Australia, Max described feeling a bit rushed from the very beginning—right down to breakfast and getting to the track. He didn’t have his normal, comfortable routine dialed in, which might sound like a small detail but can actually throw off a rider’s rhythm. He pointed out that this is exactly why racing events like these are so valuable: they force a rider to perform even when everything is not perfectly aligned.
Max also highlighted a key reality of championship-level racing: to win a major title in the United States, especially with long seasons like in the 450 class, you have to be able to deliver results under less-than-ideal circumstances. You cannot rely on everything feeling “magic” every weekend. Instead, you need to be capable of turning it on mentally and physically no matter what’s going on around you. That mindset is something he clearly takes pride in.
Despite the chaos in his day, he managed to make strong passes and put together solid motos when it counted most. The conditions added another layer of difficulty—it was hot, and the heat started to wear riders down physically. He mentioned how the temperature affected everything from tired legs to sweat on his goggles, small but annoying problems that can disrupt concentration if you’re not ready for them.
Those little issues might sound minor, but at their level they can be the difference between winning and losing. A smudged lens, a spike in heart rate, or a break in rhythm is all it takes to get passed. Max framed these obstacles as extra “wrenches in the works” that he had to manage, and he did so well enough to still come away with the overall win.
Looking ahead, he said he feels genuinely excited about the next round in Sweden, even after such a demanding race in the heat. His confidence in his overall performance was clear, and he sounded eager to carry that momentum forward. But here’s where it gets interesting: while the outside narrative is about perfection and dominance, Max’s internal focus seems to be on growth, preparedness, and adaptability more than a spotless record.
When asked about how he managed to finally get the pass on Shane McElrath, Max broke down the tactical side of the battle. The track layout, combined with the fact that it was only a 12-lap main, meant there was a limit to how hard he could push safely. Even though he’s generally been a bit stronger overall, he had to pick his spots carefully instead of just forcing things.
He noted that Shane was very strong for the first six or seven laps, and at one point he saw eight laps written on Shane’s pit board. That’s when Max realized the two of them had already created a solid gap over the rest of the field. The race essentially became a duel between the two of them, with strategy and patience becoming just as important as raw speed.
Max felt he had an advantage in the whoops section, where he believed he could go a bit harder if needed. However, he admitted he was hesitant to fully “send it” there because of the risk. Shane was riding down the middle of the whoops, and if Max got out of shape, he didn’t want to drift into him—whether to the left or all the way to the right—and cause a collision. That awareness shows a mix of aggression and respect.
He explained that he was able to get alongside Shane and that his opponent probably expected him to cut down in the corner, since Max had done that on the two laps before. This time, though, he changed it up. He saw that the berm in front of him looked good and decided that was the moment to commit fully and go for it. That precise decision ended up being a turning point in the race.
Max also mentioned pulling out the quad jump, which he had already used in SuperPole. Interestingly, he chose not to do it in the first two mains because the pace early on was already intense and he didn’t need to add extra risk. Once he felt the timing was right, he brought the quad into his rhythm and it allowed him to ride a bit more relaxed while putting his full focus into executing the whoops section cleanly.
He made it clear that Shane’s no pushover. McElrath has the number one plate for a reason and has had a very successful career as a 250 rider. Max also gave props to other riders like Enzo Lopes and Coty Schock, noting that they are fast, experienced, and smart. These are guys who typically don’t make reckless mistakes, which means positions have to be earned, not handed over.
Max took a moment to shout out his trainer, Gareth Swanepoel, praising the strong fitness base they built earlier. Even though he’s been away from the usual “boot camp” while traveling and racing WSX, he still feels incredibly solid physically. He believes he could handle a longer race format like a 15‑plus‑one without fading, which is a huge confidence boost.
Beyond pure endurance, he emphasized how these races are sharpening his intensity and sprint speed, especially in the opening laps. That kind of heat-race attitude—explosive, precise, and aggressive from the gate drop—is exactly what he felt he needed to improve. For him, each WSX event is not just about trophies but also about preparation for larger goals.
A fascinating detail came up about the quad section. The interviewer expected that this jump would gain Max a big chunk of time on Shane every lap, but it didn’t look that dramatic at first. The lap that really changed everything was the one where Max not only hit the quad but also absolutely nailed the following turn. That combination of execution is what finally created the gap.
Max revealed that while he was following Shane earlier in the race, he often chose not to push that section to the limit. He was worried that if Shane came up short on the triple and rolled the next jump, he might end up landing too close and clip Shane’s rear wheel. To avoid that scenario, he actually used that part of the track as a bit of a “rest zone” at times.
Even during that mini reset, he was managing his breathing and trying to close the distance, but not so much that he put himself in unnecessary danger. Then came the decisive lap where he told himself it was time to execute fully. He committed to a fast lap, nailed the quad, hit the whoops with full focus, and that effort produced about a two-second gap.
Once that gap appeared, he shifted into management mode. From there, the race dynamic changed—he no longer needed to take big risks to pass; he just needed to ride smart and maintain the cushion. In high-level racing, that ability to switch from attacking to controlling is a sign of experience and maturity.
After praising his race craft, the conversation moved to the upcoming rounds in Sweden and South Africa. When asked which one he was looking forward to more, Max gave a very honest, human answer that many traveling athletes can relate to. Right now, he’s not thrilled about the immediate future of long-haul flights, especially with cancellations affecting his plans to return to the United States.
He admitted that the travel side of the schedule is brutal and not something he’s excited about in the short term. However, from a racing and life experience perspective, South Africa stands out to him as especially interesting. He’s never been there before, and that sense of new adventure adds a cool element to the trip.
As for Sweden, he described it as “cool because it’s Europe,” but also pointed out a big challenge: it’s likely going to be snowing and extremely cold. Combine freezing temperatures with serious jet lag and you get a pretty tough environment for performance. Because of that, he leaned slightly toward being more excited about South Africa than Sweden, though he still enjoys racing in Europe.
Travel aside, he made it clear that racing anywhere in Europe is always fun, probably because it feels a bit closer to home and brings a different kind of atmosphere compared to the U.S. And here’s a subtle but interesting angle: the contrast between the glamour of global racing and the very real exhaustion of constant international travel could spark debate. Are fans underestimating how much the travel grind affects performance?
To close things out, Max was asked the big question on many fans’ minds: is he going to race East or West in the upcoming Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX season? His answer revealed just how fluid things can be inside a big race team. He joked about how someone like Levi Kitchen might be lined up for West in practice, and then the team could decide to shuffle plans around at the last second.
He suggested that it wouldn’t be surprising if the team boss had multiple riders turn laps in free practice before finalizing who lines up where. That uncertainty shows how riders, even at the top level, are sometimes waiting on decisions that are completely out of their hands. It’s a reminder that team strategy and politics can be just as important as individual desire.
Max was very clear about his personal preference, though: he would love to race the West region. To him, it makes sense after everything he’s been doing in WSX, and he believes it would be the logical continuation of his current momentum. In his mind, West feels like the right fit.
At the same time, he understands that final decisions rest with the team, not the rider. He said he’ll be fully ready if they put him in the West, but if it doesn’t happen, he accepts that it’s not his call to make. That mix of ambition and realism is part of what makes his current run so compelling.
But here’s where it gets controversial: should a rider in his form have more say in where and how he races, or is it right that teams keep full control over those choices? And what do you think about the “perfect season” talk—does losing something like SuperPole actually matter, or is winning the mains all that counts? Drop your thoughts: does Max Anstie deserve to be seen as the clear rising force of WSX right now, or are fans and media overhyping his dominance this early in the season?
