Ken Roczen is the name no one expected to see leading the overall standings of the 2025 AMA Monster Energy Supercross Championship after the first three rounds. The HEP/Progressive Insurance/ECSTAR Suzuki rider, who started the season without much fanfare, now carries the coveted red plate to Glendale, a feat that has left the motocross community stunned.
After a series of underwhelming performances in the two AMA Pro Motocross events last summer and the Supercross World Championship (WSX) during the pre-season, expectations surrounding Roczen were moderate. However, the German rider has been surprising, delivering remarkable consistency with results of 2nd, 4th and 2nd places in the first three rounds. This solid performance, combined with fast starts – the best of the season so far – has allowed him to reach the top of the standings.
Interestingly, his qualifying performances have been erratic, with times that placed him in 14th, 5th and 9th places respectively. However, when it comes to the race, Roczen has shown enough speed to compete with the best. In Anaheim, he was just 0.022 seconds off the fastest lap, recorded by Jett Lawrence, proving that his success is not just due to good starts and consistency, but also to his competitive ability.
At the press conference after the race in Anaheim, Roczen was enthusiastic about his performance: ‘The whole main race was incredible. I felt like I was in a four-rider battle the whole time. It was a very complicated track, with quite slippery areas and many technical details. I stayed focused and felt very strong in the whoops sections. Honestly, being on the podium is a dream. I’m super happy’.
On the fact of carrying the red plate, Roczen confessed: ‘Last week, I thought about how it would have been to share it with Eli [Tomac], if I had managed to get third place. It had been a while since I had a taste of the red plate, especially on a yellow bike. It’s really a dream come true’.
Despite the surprising start, Roczen admitted that he came to the season without great expectations: ‘Sometimes, we are surprised, aren’t we? We worked hard in the pre-season, even if I didn’t always feel 100%, nor was the bike on point. But it is at these times that experience makes the difference. If I had been told that I would have the red plate after three rounds, I would have laughed and asked: «Really?«’ he said with a laugh.
Even so, not everything is easy for Roczen. He admitted that Anaheim 2 is still a difficult place due to the monumental accident he suffered in 2017: ‘Honestly, Anaheim 2 is always a bit strange for me. I try not to let it affect me, but I feel more anxious. It’s something that still hangs over me’.
In addition, Roczen revealed that the changes made to his bike’s suspension contributed significantly to the performance in Anaheim: ‘We tested some things this week and, before the last practice session, I went back to the base configuration. It was the best decision we made because everything seemed more familiar and comfortable’.
