Honda HRC’s Valerio Lata is approaching the final two rounds of his debut season in the MX2 class. The young Italian, formerly with the Beddini Racing Team, signed a two-year contract with Honda to begin his professional career on red machinery. The 2025 season has marked a positive step for Lata, with standout rides at rounds such as Trentino, Ernee, and Teutschenthal. His most notable performance came at the German Grand Prix, where he secured a qualifying race win and a pair of fourth places. His weekend in Afyon was another indicator of his progression, as he set the fastest lap time in both time practice and warm-up. However, struggles out of the gate prevented him from securing a stronger overall result.

A factor many may not consider is that for riders transitioning into a full-time MX2 seat, the race calendar expands, with more rounds and frequent travel outside of Europe. We caught up with Valerio in Afyon to hear his thoughts on his first full season in the class, the increase in race weekends, adapting to the Honda and more!

You can watch the interview on the Cult Moto YouTube channel via the link below, or listen to it on the Cult Moto Spotify.

Feature Image: MXGP