As we await the fourth round of the 2026 MXGP championship, I would say it’s pretty fair to say that the big favourite in the deep, deep sand of Riola Sardo in Sardinia is the Belgian teenager, Lucas Coenen. The Red Bull KTM factory rider has had three races this year, where he was levels above everyone else and it is little surprise, he holds the red plate going into Sardinia.

As good as Jeffrey Herlings was in the opener in Argentina, winning first time out on his HRC machine, the performances by Coenen in the Spanish GP races and that second race in Switzerland last week, just make it impossible to tip anyone else, but the Belgian for victory in round four.

Until now, it’s been a bit of an up and down season for just about everyone in the MXGP class and Coenen hasn’t missed out in the bad luck department. Fifth overall in Argentina with 2-4-6 scores, then that perfect 1-1-1 in Spain, before going 2-Disqualified-1 in Switzerland.

In the championship chase, he sits on 136 points, seven ahead of last weekends GP winner, Tom Vialle, who is on 129 points and 12 points ahead of third placed man, Jeffrey Herlings, who sits on 124 points.

We all know from last season, when Tim Gajser was in total control, that early rounds mean nothing when it comes to championships, but the KTM racer, who is in just his second season in the MXGP class is the early favourite to win this championship.

Chain Problems in Switzerland

Coenen pushed from a top five start to take second in the qualification heat on Saturday, earning the Belgian nine points and the second pick of slots in the gate. On Sunday the Andalucian GP winner had an eventful first moto.

A good start was derailed by a fall on the third corner and misplaced chain. Lucas was able to get back into the race and reached the fringes of the top ten but was then disqualified for outside assistance. In the second outing, Coenen seized the holeshot and built up a lead of more than ten seconds by the fifth lap. He cruised to the finish for his third win from the last four and was 8th overall.

“It feels good to keep the red plate, but I was bit mad about the first moto. I really wanted to win that second one. I started well, didn’t crash and controlled the gap. Happy to finish on a good note. Now we look ahead two weeks to Sardinia and to continue like this.”

Coenen Victory in Spain

Coenen was unchallenged and an undisputed winner across the sandy layout at Almonte for the Grand Prix of Andalucía as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing moved to the first of nine European-based MXGP rounds on the 2026 schedule.

“My first red plate! I am so pumped at the moment, but we all know the season is still so long. The team worked really hard for me after the GP in Argentina and we bounced back pretty good. Fast starts and I passed people quickly here. I then managed the storm. Three wins this weekend: I can’t do better. We’ll try to keep it like that and look to the next round.”

Coenen aced his first MXGP win and first podium of the season with perfect race executions on Saturday and Sunday in Spain. The Belgian moved to the peak of the MXGP standings as a result.

Coenen started the Grand Prix in the best possible way with a dominant run in Saturday’s MXGP Qualification Heat. The Belgian led from the first lap to the flag and then stretched that authority into a repeat performance for the first moto on Sunday. In the second outing Lucas again bossed the field from the end of the second lap and took the flag by over 14 seconds.

Argentina – Eye Problems

Coenen rode to 5th overall with results of 4th and 6th in the two motos. The Belgian entered the Sunday races with a vision issue in his right eye. Nevertheless, he pushed close to the podium running in the first outing until a brief fall dropped him to P4. He rallied to the top six in the second moto with many of his rivals cutting similar lap-times.

“Saturday was quite OK and I was looking forward to the motos but that evening I started to have a lot of problems with my eye and couldn’t see that well on Sunday. We tried some treatment…but it got worst while riding. It was like racing blind! I was just cruising to not make an extra mistake. We’ll get it sorted in time for Spain; otherwise, everything is going in a good way.”

It should be points out, last year in Sardinia, Coenen went 2-1-DNF, showing his amazing skills in the deep sand. His DNF came after a poor start, moving from around 20th to ninth place, when he collided over a jump with Jeremy Seewer, causing the DNF. That moto win in the opening race of Sunday was his first MXGP race win.