Image: Octopi Media.

A 2-2 moto scorecard and second overall at Southwick for Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence reflects a wider uptick in comfort with his 2025 specification CRF450R, indicating that he and the team are ‘in a lot better position now’.

Lawrence, 25, opened his Pro Motocross campaign with P3 this year at Fox Raceway, followed by two fifth-place performances at both Hangtown and Thunder Valley.

He has returned to podium contention since Colorado, with runner-up results at High Point and Southwick seeing him close to within five points of Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), who currently sits second in the championship.

Detailing the progress made in achieving cohesion between both he and his works Honda, Lawrence is confident that he’s beginning to close in on being able to challenge teammate and younger brother Jett at the front of the field.

“I think that’s the very popular question on everyone’s mind,” reflected Lawrence when asked what the plan was in beating Jett. “If you put it down to a percentage, maybe it’s two percent, five percent, 10 percent… I’m not sure. The opening laps of the first moto, I felt like I needed to be better – that’s where I feel like I can improve.

“The first few rounds, we were working through some bike stuff, and I was just not willing to go to that limit in the first few laps like honestly we have to. It’s an all out sprint and there are some things you need to do that maybe you don’t want to, and that takes a lot of confidence in the bike.”

Having spent the majority of the Monster Energy Supercross season sidelined with a collarbone injury, coupled with the introduction of an updated bike for this year, seat time to develop settings has only been a recent possibility for the number 96, who admits things are starting to come around.

“We’re in a lot better position now,” Lawrence continued. “I’m a guy who needs to get the time under my belt. I can’t just click my fingers and go, ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to do this,’ then wake up tomorrow and do it. I have to log the laps, log the time, and work at it.”