New team, new bike, same high targets for Anstie

Max Anstie first came to the USA to race in 2009, making his debut on a Monster Energy Boost Mobile KTM as a 16 year-old in the 250cc class of the 2009 AMA Motocross Championship.

The son of Swervin’ Mervyn Anstie, a British Grand Prix racer who competed in the FIM 500cc world championship from 1985 through 1995, Anstie the teenager lined up for the first eight rounds of the 2009 season, ultimately finishing in 18th position overall. Impressed with what they saw out of the young Englishman, the DNA Shred Stix Racing Yamaha team picked him up for 2010.

Returning back to Europe for the 2011 Motocross World Championship, Anstie spent nine seasons globetrotting before returning to the States in 2020 to race for the HEP Motorsports Suzuki team.

He's still here. Having left the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing organization mid-way through 2026, Anstie is now a team rider for the ClubMX Yamaha outfit, and after competing in the recently-shuttered World Supercross Championship, he's now preparing for the Australian Supercross Championship.

“With the World Supercross Championship going away right now, it’s obviously changed the plans a little bit,” said Anstie, a two-time Australian Supercross SX2 champion.

“So luckily I was able to figure out a deal to go and race the rest of the Australian Supercross Championship. It’s a really good program, to be honest. I did the first round a couple of weeks ago and the way they run it, the tracks, the stadiums was all really good. I’m looking forward to going back over there and racing the rest of that championship.

"It’s nice to be able to kind of pivot from the World Supercross Championship to go to the Australian Supercross Championship. We’re rolling into 2027, so these races are great preparation on a 2027 bike. I’m racing the 2027 Yamaha for those Australian races. In SMX, I did a couple of rounds with the new team there, and I was still on the old bike. We were just kind of laying things out and seeing what worked and what didn’t with motor stuff, with clutches, with suspension and with all this and that. For now, these next couple months are going to be proper preparation for Anaheim or for Tampa or whichever coast we do in 2027.

"I’ve got Justin Brayton, who has been a bit of a mentor to me, and he was the king of doing all those off-season races. He was making himself as ready as possible for coming into the start of the new season. And it has worked for me the couple years. I’ve been able to utilize those races to test and develop and feel good so that when you come into round one, you are already firing. You know that’s a big thing for me.”

Nothing tops actually being out there and racing, does it? 

“Exactly” replied Anstie. “But a lot of these teams, like the bigger teams, they don’t actually want you to do it; they don’t allow you to do it. It becomes tricky, because you show up to the first round of the season and you think you’re good, but then when you show up, obviously there is a whole different element to it. There is the racing, being in the stadium and seeing what the bike feels like under pressure with starts and things like that.

"I’m definitely pumped that it worked out and I’m still able to go and do some of these races this off season. I’m still going to be on the 250 for these races and for supercross. Now with the World Supercross Championship going away, I’m not sure about next year. I’m not sure if after supercross, I’ll jump on a 450 and do some outdoor races. Maybe I’ll do the off season races on the 450 next year.

“I’ll now start working with the new group of people that I’ve kind of got around me with the guys there at ClubMX. We’re full speed ahead with the World Supercross Championship preparation and that kind of just blends in to this Australian stuff with the new bike.

"The 2027 YZ250 is completely different. It has a completely different chassis and frame and engine. It also has a hydraulic clutch. There is quite a bit of work to go through to do all of it. I was able to go and race the SMX races, but it was kind of bouncing back and forth with just the testing and kind of fine-tuning things. I was kind of going there just to test and develop and work with the team and figure out what we need to work on for next season. It was positive. With all of those things combined, it’s just kind of trying to get as much work and preparation done as we can so that we’re firing on all cylinders come January of next year.”

Thus far, Anstie is pleased with his new 2027 YZ250F.

“I was able to spend a little bit of time on it before SMX and I just did one race in Australia last weekend and, honestly, the new chassis is working well," he said.

"Our suspension guy had some time to develop it, and honestly, I’d say our base platform is better than where we were on the 2026 bike. It’s always tricky when these manufacturers bring out new bikes, because you kind of have to start again with the testing and everything that you’ve done. Luckily, we’ve been able to find a pretty good spot straight away, so now it is just fine-tuning things. Like fine-tuning the clutch, and the tuning the engine mapping, and things like that. Overall, it’s a really good starting point going into this off season. Yeah, it’s very positive looking forward to next year.”

Anstie continued on to speak about his transition into the ClubMX organization and infrastructure.

“Yeah, it has been nice,” said the 33 year-old. “I like the attitude of the people. I think the way that they go about things and how we work together, I think, has been quite refreshing. They are definitely keen to keep working and are motivated to make those one or two percent gains. That’s been nice.

"And then as far as the facility goes, it’s a pretty amazing facility there at ClubMX. I’m impressed with just the amount of resources I have for recovery stuff and the training. We have the full-time PT guy and trainer there that goes through everything. You have injuries in this sport, and he is able to go through everything and works out a training program is specific to me or specific to each guy. Even the blood test and the nutrition stuff – they really have not been leaving any stone unturned with all of that. I think it’s what the sport needs to grow, and also for longevity in the sport.

"At this point in my career, it’s me feeling good and my body feeling good, so I definitely think it’s what I need to be able to continue to race. When you’re 16 or 17 or 18, it doesn’t matter too much what you eat and what you do. However, when you get older, you kind of fine-tune all those things to make the difference and keep bouncing back.

"It has been a really good transition thus far. I’m excited these next few months to keep dialing it in. As far as it goes, we’ve got a really good platform and a good group of people to go and do the job. I think we’ve got all the pieces of the puzzle that we need.”

A race winner in 2026 – he won the opening round at Angel Stadium to launch his 2026 race season – Anstie knows he’s capable of running up front and winning, and wants to continue that same momentum entering 2027.

“It’s one of those where we’ve had a lot of success in individual races and have had the red plate, so now it is just being able to put it all together for the season to be in the championship hunt right to the end," he said.

"The last couple of years I have come out hot the first rounds and even won the first round, and it has gone stale after that. For me, I want to continue to grow and build throughout the race season and try to fine tune that little area from the midpoint in the season. I can still be in this thing to the end. That’s the goal.”