Barry Baltus: "I expected to be fast, but not so soon in the season"

There’s a rider in the Moto2 World Championship who’s proving to be the real sensation of the 2025 season. His name is Barry Baltus, and since joining Fantic Racing after four seasons with RW Racing GP, he’s been regularly at the front of the field, as he has even scored podiums and fought for the win on multiple occasions.

Few people would have expected to see Baltus at such a high level, and that sometimes he could even give a hard time to Arón Canet, his much more experienced teammate and usual top 3 finisher. Yet the Belgian rider, whose name and race number (#7) pay tribute to Barry Sheene, has shown remarkable improvement compared to previous years. At the time this interview is published, Baltus has achieved six podium finishes this season, including five second places and one third place, and he currently sits fourth in the championship standings with 195 points, just 10 points behind Canet. His performance has exceeded all expectations, leading to a contract extension with Fantic Racing for the 2026 season.

Palmen in Motorradsport had the chance and honour to interview Barry Baltus during the Czech GP at Brno, to talk about his significant improvement and some key moments of his career.

Barry, 2025 season is going pretty well, isn't it?

Definitely not so bad. At the moment, we are making race by race. We try to get the best as possible every day on the bike. There are some races still left, but we can be optimistic and I am having a lot of fun on the bike. Moreover, I have felt part of the Fantic family since the first day I joined this team, and we work well together.

This year, you have scored multiple podiums and been way more consistent than in the past seasons. Did you expect to be so fast?

To be honest, I was expecting to be that fast towards the end of the season. I did not expect to be at this level already after few races. But well, I needed a change after four years in the same team and since I jumped on this bike and joined this team, I feel fast and I can ride the way I want. We take it race by race, weekend by weekend, and we'll see where we end up in Valencia.

And what's been the best race so far?

The first podium in Jerez was very meaningful, since it was the first one with the team. But the best race was maybe at Motorland Aragon, because there I led a Moto2 World Championship race for the first time, and for quite a few laps. Anyway, we have kind of got used to the podium and now we are waiting all for the first victories. Anyway, like I said, we take it day by day, weekend after weekend, and even if we finish this weekend in the top 10 it's a good result, since it was the goal at the beginning of the season.

What was missing in the past seasons, but you have found in 2025?

The 2024 season was really hard, to be honest. The previous seasons were tough as well, but last year I definitely understood that I needed to move to a different team, also because it was getting kind of "routinary" with the previous team. With Fantic Racing, as I said, since the first test I jumped on this bike I have immediately felt faster. On the other hand, in terms of preparation nothing changed. I just enjoy riding my bike, and this is the most important thing.

In 2024 you had started with your maiden podium in Moto2 in Qatar, but then you were not able to keep that level in the following races. Is there any specific reason behind that?

The first podium was really unexpected and particular, because it was the first race with Pirelli tyres and I was one of the only three riders who chose the good tyre. Then, I found it very difficult to manage the pressure after that first podium and things started to go wrong. Nothing was going as planned. However, this year I have found the consistency I was looking for and now I am almost always in the first positions.

And how are you handling the pressure now, compared to 2024?

It's going much better, because the pressure is not on me, but on the team. This year, I am the "second rider" and the pressure is on my teammate (Arón Canet, ed) rather than on me. That makes me feel more relaxed and enjoy more every weekend. Maybe in 2026 there will be more pressure on me, but this is not the case this year.

What can you share on your previous seasons in the World Championship?

In Moto3 it was really hard, because I had finished third in the Moto3 Junior World Championship (today JuniorGP, ed) in 2019, and in my first season here I didn't score any point. Still I had enough luck to find a seat in Moto2, so I could make that step at 16. It was good to move to Moto2, because in Moto3 I was struggling with my height and weight. I gained a lot of experience during these seasons and it's cool to think that I am 21, so still very young, and already have five years of experience in the World Championship.

What has changed in particular in yourself, as a rider and as a person?

When I came into this paddock in 2020, I was looking at the other riders as superstars. Two years before I was watching them on TV, and in that moment I realised I was riding with them. Now, instead, I arrive to the circuit and feel I am a superstar too. I don't care about anybody. I just make my job with the goal to race in MotoGP one day.

You’ve had many important seasons in your career, both in the World Championship and previously. How did it all start for you in motorcycle racing?

It started quite naturally. I was about seven or eight years old when I began riding in Belgium, but there there weren’t enough tracks or proper championships so we went racing in Spain and that made a big difference. The level, the weather, the circuits...everything helped me grow quickly. After three years, I was already competing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Who inspires you, both in motorcycle racing and in life?

In racing, I don’t really have one specific idol. I like Marc Márquez, because he’s just an "animal" on the bike, but I don’t have a particular rider I look up to. I can say something similar also on my life outside racing. I just try to focus on improving myself and making my own way.

Last year, you raced the Suzuka 8 Hours (with the AutoRace Ube Racing Team, ed). How was that experience for you?

It was amazing, honestly. Before going, I didn’t know much about that race. I was going through a tough time in Moto2, so riding there felt really good. The event is incredible: the fans, the atmosphere and all the rest. It was really hot and physically demanding, but I enjoyed it a lot. If I get the chance again in the future, I’ll definitely go back.

What surprised you the most from that race?

How intense it is. Every stint feels like a race: you push flat out for 45 minutes each time. It was my first endurance race, and we were doing well, running in the top seven, until my teammate crashed about 20 minutes from the end. I expected endurance racing to be more about managing the pace, but at Suzuka, you just went full gas during every single lap.

How has your family lived your passion for motorcycle racing?

They’ve always supported me completely. I’ve loved riding since I was a kid, and they always pushed me to follow this dream. Now, we’re all proud that I’m a World Championship rider. There are only a few people in the world who can say that.

Last year was also very tough on the personal side, after the passing of your mother. Do you have any particular memories about her connected to racing?

She never came to the races because she got too stressed, so she preferred to watch it on TV. It was really hard to accept that she left us, but it made me stronger. Now, I feel like I’ve become a man, not a kid anymore. She taught me everything, and now I want to win races to make her proud, from wherever she is now.

Outside of racing, what are your other passions?

I just love sport: cycling, running, swimming...If I weren’t a rider, I’d still be an athlete in another sport for sure. Right now, I really enjoy cycling, but honestly, I just love being active.

Was there ever a moment in your career when you thought about giving up?

Never. I even have a tattoo that says, “I will never give up.” Even when things are tough, I just keep going. There’s always another category, another chance...you just don’t stop!

Finally, who would you like to thank?

All the people who have supported me since the beginning: my team, my family, everyone who believes in me. Now, let’s enjoy the future.

Palmen in Motorradsport thanks Barry Baltus for his time and Alessandro Zampieri from Fantic Racing for making the interview possible. Best wishes to both the rider and the team for the next races and seasons.