Image: Foremost Media.

Honda Racing’s Cole Thompson has transitioned to the all-new 2025 CRF250R for this weekend’s penultimate round of the 2024 Fox Australian Supercross Championship in Adelaide, which comes after a test ride of Shane McElerath’s series-leading entry.

Thompson, who as at the centre of a controversial clash with teammates at the season-opener, has been Honda Racing’s sole SX2 rider aboard the 2024 model across the first half of the series while SX2 teammates started the season on board the updated 2025 edition.

The Canadian native indicated he struggled to find a required level of comfort that became apparent in Wollongong – despite finishing third overall – and after a sample of McElrath’s bike, the number two insisted on making the transition.

“I felt the ’24 was a good platform to get started on with the limited time we had coming into round one, so I stuck with that up and until we had this break between rounds three and four,” Thompson explained to MotoOnline.

“Ultimately, it was down to a decision I made personally that felt I kind of had some issues where I wasn’t necessarily finding the comfort I needed, especially at Wollongong when the track got rough. I hopped on Shane’s [McElrath] bike and did three or four laps – I instantly knew I had a decision made that I wanted to go to the ’25.

“I just wanted to find any edge I can to be closer to Shane, and obviously up in the mix more.”

Thompson is ranked second in the championship standings, just seven points behind teammate McElrath. This weekend’s fourth stop is running in conjunction with Supercars’ Adelaide 500, which will see qualifying and heat races for the SX1 and SX2 categories staged today before the finals take place tomorrow night.