The first drops of the gate for the 2026 FIM World Motocross Championships took place today at the new Bariloche MX Race Track, starting the race action for the YPF MXGP of Argentina in front of packed hillsides of eager Motocross fans!

The new circuit, as with previous venues in this South American country, has been well received by riders and fans, as the fast straights and corners developed through the day to leave a rugged circuit for the Qualifying Races, and it offered plenty of thrills and spills for the local crowds and those watching on MXGP-TV!

The much-anticipated MXGP class saw many surprises, including that of Tom Vialle launching his new Honda HRC Petronas machine into the lead from the very drop of the gate, and holding off the challenges of Lucas Coenen to win by over five seconds at the flag! The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pairing of Coenen and Andrea Adamo rounded out the top three finishers, meaning that in the Battle of the Ages so far, the advantage has definitely swung in the younger generation’s direction!

For once, Sacha Coenen didn’t get the Holeshot for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, but the young Belgian still fought through to a solid win ahead of Guillem Farres for the Triumph Racing Factory Team and the Kawasaki Racing Team MX2 machine of Mathis Valin!

With issues for many of the experienced contenders in both classes, there will be those with vengeance on their minds as we head into Grand Prix Sunday in Argentina!

It was an impressive start for the new Honda HRC Petronas duo of Jeffrey Herlings and Tom Vialle, as they blasted around Bariloche to take a 1-2 in Free Practice, ahead of early pace-setter Lucas Coenen. The Belgian managed to split the two red bikes in Time Practice, but on his blistering second flying lap “The Bullet” put in a time that was over a second faster than the teenager’s best!

From that third gate pick, Vialle took a commanding Holeshot at the first time of asking in MXGP, as the Red Bull KTMs of Coenen and Adamo disputed second place. The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP pairing of Maxime Renaux and Tim Gajser were also giving chase early ahead of Herlings, but the Dutchman slid to the ground at the start of the first full lap, his back wheel sliding out as he asked for the power heading back onto the start straight!

Having to pick it up from there, Herlings had to charge back through the pack, but couldn’t pull the trigger on the Red Bull Ducati Factory MX Team bike of Andrea Bonacorsi, and those two would finish just outside the points in 11th and 12th.

Meanwhile, reigning World Champion Romain Febvre launched his Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP machine around the outside of a downhill section to pass Gajser for sixth on lap two, and gave chase after the Honda HRC Petronas rider Ruben Fernandez, who had slotted into fifth after the crash for his teammate.

The #1 plate holder was able to move past the Spaniard along the Pit Lane straight, and in chasing Renaux, both Frenchmen closed in on Adamo for third. The roost from the rear wheels of the 450s was painful for any riders who stayed close to those in front, however, and neither man was able to pull the trigger on the Italian, who took a fine third in his first Qualifying Race in the MXGP class!

On lap eight, there was a scary moment for Gajser, who had committed, as usual, to the big uphill triple jump, only to find a lapped rider in his path exactly where he was set to land! The collision could have been a lot worse as only Tim hit the floor, but he has escaped with minor bruises, recovering to finish tenth at the flag.

This left Renaux and Febvre to come home fourth and fifth, with Fernandez sixth, and Pauls Jonass putting in a great rider to claim seventh. Mattia Guadagnini claimed points for eighth on his debut for Venrooy KTM Racing, with Calvin Vlaanderen taking the only two points for Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing in ninth, ahead of Gajser.

Vialle held off a late charge from Coenen with some fine technical lines, looking smooth and in control of his new machine, and picked up his first ever Qualifying Race win in Argentina, the seventh of his career. He will wear the red plate on Sunday for the first time since July 2022, and take full confidence into his first MXGP Grand Prix Sunday as the series leader!

The Battle of the Ages has begun, and none of us can wait for the next clash to come tomorrow!

Tom Vialle: “Feels nice to be back. First Quali Qace. I win, so it was really nice. The track is actually pretty sketchy, but my first thought is I want to thank the team, everyone who believe in me, my mechanics, my trainer, my family of course, everyone around me, close to me, I just want to thank them for trusting me. It's a long season, but it's nice to start with a P1.”

MXGP - Qualifying Race Classification: 1. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), 25:22.564; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:05.479; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:12.300; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:14.278; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:19.850; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:25.297; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:31.412; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +0:40.323; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:41.770; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:43.524

MXGP - World Championship Classification: 1. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 10 points; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 9 p.; 3. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 8 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 7 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 6 p.; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 5 p.; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 4 p.; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 3 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 2 p.; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 1 p.;

It may be a new season, but the name at the top of both Free Practice and Time Practice in MX2 was very familiar. Sacha Coenen got to the top early in both sessions, and was never beaten from there. Reigning World Champion Simon Längenfelder was seven-tenths of a second back in both sessions for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, while Camden McLellan was a tiny fraction behind to take the third gate pick for the Triumph Factory Racing Team.

For his first gate drop in Grand Prix racing, Janis Reisulis charged into the lead for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2, making it two straight Qualifying Race holeshots for both the team and the Reisulis family, as his brother Karlis took that honour at last year’s final round in Australia!

Farres was chomping at his heels while Valin battled with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing lone wolf Liam Everts for third, until Coenen blasted round the outside of both of them through the third corner to force himself into the top three!

The teenage charger was far from finished with his advance, as he made another blinding outside pass on Farres at the top of the biggest uphill section of track. The rookie out front suddenly had Sacha on the attack behind him, but where was the reigning Champion?

Längenfelder had tangled with the Dixon Racing Kawasaki of Kay Karssemakers in the first corner, and had to stop to change a mangled front wheel before he could complete a lap! A second crash at the top of the biggest downhill two laps later put him even further back, and although he had no chance of making the points from there, he would still make his mark on the race…

Noel Zanocz was making an impressive MX2 debut for Venrooy KTM Racing, passing Everts through the waves for fourth on lap one, but he took the brunt of a rude welcome to the class by McLellan as the South African moved him aside to take sixth. The Hungarian would slip to 14th at the flag.

It took until halfway round the second lap for Coenen to get past Janis Reisulis for the lead, and the reigning EMX250 Champion tried to cling to his heels. Farres and Valin got past him on successive laps to drop the Latvian to fourth by lap six, then Everts and McLellan eased past on lap nine. It still gave him a fine debut with sixth place ahead of Honda HRC Petronas pilot Valerio Lata.

Julius Mikula enjoyed the second-best Qualifying Race result of his career with eighth for Osička KTM Racing, while Cas Valk scored points on his debut for CRD Motosport TM Moto with ninth. Karlis Reisulis put the second Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 bike in the points with tenth place after passing Zanocz at half-distance.

Valin tried to catch Farres late on as Everts and McLellan were also charging behind him, but the Spaniard, who finished third three times in Qualifying Races last season, scored his best career Saturday result with a fine second spot ahead of those three in that order.

Coenen eased off the gas in the closing lap but still won by nearly five seconds, but there was a late sting in the tale as he lapped Längenfelder, only for the German to unlap himself a few minutes later, showing that despite his early misfortune, the reigning Champion might just have something for the young Belgian in Sunday’s races, despite having just the 22nd choice of gate position!

Sacha will wear the red plate for just the second time in his short career, while the Champion already has a ten-point gap to catch up. The others will be out for more as well in what should be an intriguing contest!

The YPF MXGP of Argentina has only just got started, and the hillsides should see even bigger crowds turn up for the show! Blockbusting Bariloche is ready to deliver a day of brilliant Motocross racing!

MX2 - Qualifying Race Classification: 1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 26:04.512; 2. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:04.896; 3. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.851; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:07.208; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:10.031; 6. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:24.719; 7. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +0:36.563; 8. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:40.002; 9. Cas Valk (NED, TM), +0:41.708; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:46.935

MX2 - World Championship Classification: 1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 10 points; 2. Guillem Farres (ESP, TRI), 9 p.; 3. Mathis Valin (FRA, KAW), 8 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, HUS), 7 p.; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 6 p.; 6. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 5 p.; 7. Valerio Lata (ITA, HON), 4 p.; 8. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 3 p.; 9. Cas Valk (NED, TM), 2 p.; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 1 p.;