There is no better team in the MXGP paddock that the HRC Petronas factory team, and the man in charge of that effort, Marcus Pereira de Freitas, who is the HRC General Manager for MXGP is pretty excited for the 2026 season and rightly so.

After the opening round, where his team riders, Jeffrey Herlings and Tom Vialle went first and second in Bariloche, Argentina, Periere de Freitas isn’t just a little happy, but over the moon with happiness. It wasn’t just about the top two thought, but a team effort from all four riders.

“A really great start for the whole of Honda HRC PETRONAS, to win the qualifying race with Tom yesterday and then for Jeffrey to go one-one today and taking the red-plate into Spain. I think we showed that our whole team is strong, with Tom getting third place overall today and leading laps in the first race. Ruben also showed in the second moto that he is going to a force this year and we are really excited to have all three guys fighting for the win and podium spots. Unfortunately, Valerio wasn’t able to finish the second race after a nasty crash, but he should be okay for Spain in a couple of weeks. A big thanks to all of the team for all their hard work!”

On the Saturday, it was Vialle who won, and while Herlings finished well down in the MXGP qualification race, his speed was on and the team manager knew good things would come on the Sunday.

“It was great to see Honda HRC PETRONAS win every session in the MXGP class today. Jeffrey being fastest in free and timed practice showed he is comfortable on his machine, but a big congrats to Tom for a great ride to win the qualification race. Ruben also had a solid day, placing inside the top 10 in every session so it just a good day all round. Valerio also showed his speed, and I think there is more to come from him, so we made sure all four riders had what they needed on the Sunday and keep pushing for more good results.”

Leading into Argentina, the whole team expected good things, but nothing could have prepared them for what went down in Argentina. Hard work, a lot of testing and making their new riders feel at home was the goal and that goal was reached.

“It has certainly been a busy winter for everyone at Honda HRC PETRONAS, but it has been extremely exciting too. Two new riders, but also two riders the same who are feeling really confident gives us a lot to look forward to this year and I think it can be a really productive year for everyone involved in the team. All four riders are coming in fit and healthy and while we all would have liked a bit more time, at the same time, we know that these guys will rise to occasion and show all the fans what they are capable of.”

Now, they head to Spain and the home country of Ruben Fernandez. While it was Herlings and Vialle who got all the attention in round one in Argentina, you can be sure that the Spaniard will want to make the most of what is coming in a little over a week’s time.

Bavo Swijgers image