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It was a promising start to the 2022 World Supercross Championship (WSX) for Aaron Tanti, landing a top-five overall finish in SX2 despite a costly heat race mistake in Wales.

The current Penrite ProMX champion stepped back to a 250F for this year’s World Supercross Championship, with Cardiff the first time he has competed on a quarter-litre since 2020 in 250SX West.

Tanti set the fourth quickest time in practice and was 11th fastest in qualifying at Principality Stadium. He worked his way up to fifth in the heat race before a costly tip-over set him back and out of contention for superpole, meaning a good gate pick for the finals was not an option.

The first final saw the number 19 seventh, before completing the second main event in ninth. Tanti saved his strongest race for last and finished the super final P3, placing him fifth overall for the round with a 7-9-3 scorecard.

“I felt good from the get-go in practice and then in qualifying I made a few little mistakes, before in the heat race I had that little tip-over and it cost me massively,” Tanti explained.

“The gates on the outside were so far out and, although I got awesome jumps out of the gate, the guys just beat me into the corner and it was chaotic from there.

“My riding was good in all of the mains and it was awesome to finish inside the top three in that last one to push me up in the points for a top-five result overall. It’s a good spot to be and I know where we stand going into the Melbourne round.”

Tanti will race both World and Australian Supercross Championship rounds with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy at Marvel Stadium on 21-22 October, competing on a YZ450F in the domestic SX1 series and continuing on the YZ250F in the world championship for SX2.