On The Ground: Friday in Buenos Aires 9

The FIM World Supercross Championship faces renewed scrutiny this weekend, yet the lens through which it's evaluated continues to vary. Is it fair to measure it against the polished Monster Energy AMA Supercross series or should it stand as a concept with no direct comparison?

The opening round of the current season, the Grand Prix of Buenos Aires City, muddies the water further, as MXGP's successful visits to South America set a clear bar. All of this reaffirms that it's impossible to discuss WSX without bias – an uninfluenced perspective simply does not exist. There lies SX Global's first problem.

I've attended more WSX events than most. Cardiff, Birmingham and Abu Dhabi sit on my resumé, yet this is my first visit to an event that's steered by Tom Burwell and his F1-influenced team. It's apt timing, as this is their first true test. Last season's three races were about survival and education; there was no room for their influence.

2025, however, is a blank canvas. It's time to deliver.

Consequently, it's curious that the Argentine fixture bears no resemblance to WSX's previous offerings. There is no stadium or arena in sight – it feels as if supercross has been stripped back to its fundamentals. Is this an attempt to underline the series' unique position within the market, building its identity from zero, or proof that the world remains unfit to accommodate supercross in its best form? Time will tell.

I expected to arrive in a SuperMotocross environment – this is a road-race venue with permanent grandstand and other attractive features. The road-race circuit is active this weekend, however, so a pop-up event has formed in its car park. Grandstands that accommodate 8,000 fans are in place (and sold out) along with a compact layout expected to produce 40-second lap times.

It's not as dire as that might sound. 

This is one of WSX's quiet advantages: flexibility. The fixed entry list, controlled team count and limited brand activation allow events to be staged virtually anywhere. For context, this entire event could fit within the paddock space that MXGP used for its Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina. It may appear uninspired but it opens the door for the sport to squeeze into new spaces.

Speaking of MXGP, the promoter of that race is heavily involved in the Buenos Aires City Grand Prix (I am yet to determine whether the name is a result of financial support from the local government, although that tends to be the case when an event's title becomes so specific). It seems that his influence extends across Argentina's two-wheel landscape – even beach races fall under his remit.

That network helped secure sponsorship from the national distributor of Monster Energy. The familiar claws are scattered around the circuit, though not in the same fashion as seen in SMX or MXGP. Still, Rome wasn't built in a day and this local engagement has been key to WSX's growth. KTM's support has risen in a similar fashion: it's an Argentine deal rather than Austria pledging its backing for the series.

As for the on-the-ground picture in Buenos Aires, the first day included unexpected rainfall. Many believe that it'll be of benefit to the track, which was bone-dry on Thursday. The rain has worked moisture into the dirt – a lot of it – and it will almost certainly be muddy for free practice, but don't write the race off that early. Conditions should improve by the time that the main events launch into life at the oddly late time of nine o'clock.

The late start makes sense in this culture – the city truly comes alive after an afternoon siesta. 

These notes may seem irrelevant. Haiden Deegan is mere hours away from an SX1 debut, so it would make more sense to pen thoughts on his position in the ultra-competitive landscape. Yet to me, it's more interesting to think about how WSX itself fits into a chaotic space. It's a question that I posed to some riders, because their viewpoints mean more than most.

Everyone has a different answer depending on where they stand. It's no different to the spectators. WSX offers Christian Craig a lifeline and chance to revitalize his career, so his stance will be different to that of Justin Cooper who has been paid start money and treats this merely as an exhibition. This is another fundamental issue: Everyone agrees that Anaheim 1 is of unspeakable importance. The question does not need to be asked.

Can WSX arrive at that point? Yes, but there is no shortcut. Time and consistency are the only cure.

The Autódromo de Buenos Aires Oscar y Juan Gálvez is unique, odd, inspired and more. The manner in which it's judged will be a direct result of the preconceived notion that each observer starts with. Remember, it's impossible to look at this from an unbiased stance. Perhaps it's time to try.