Five-time world motocross champion Tim Gajser comes into the 2026 season with a new team, new bike and pretty much everything else new. Racing for the Yamaha factory team, means a new motivation and going by his pre-season riding, he looks more than comfortable on the blue machine. We caught up with him for a quick chat.

MXLarge: You had been with HRC for so many years and so many great memories. It was like a big family and a lot of celebrations and heartache. What stands out in the good moment for you from your time with Honda?

Tim Gajser: Of course, the title wins are the best memories. But what stands out most for me is how much the bike changed from my first title until now. We spent a lot of hours testing and working on it, and after 12 years, I’m really proud that I could help Honda build such a strong bike again.

MXLarge: I saw that you quickly got comfortable with the Yamaha. What was the first feeling or what was good and what needed some time to improve?

Tim Gajser: The first feeling was really good. I felt comfortable on the bike quite fast, especially with the balance and how easy it was to ride. Of course, some things always need time when you change bikes, but the base was good from the beginning, which made everything easier.

MXLarge: Many are saying the 2026 season is going to be one of the best ever. So many world champions, also from MX2. What are you most looking forward to from this coming season. What battles, which tracks, do you have your eye on anyone looking at maybe being a surprise for the championship?

Tim Gajser: I think it’s going to be a very strong season, that’s for sure. For me, I’m mostly looking forward to the battles every weekend and racing on tracks I enjoy. It’s hard to pick one rider or make predictions. In motocross there are always surprises, especially over a long season. The most important thing for me is to stay focused, be consistent, and enjoy the racing.

MXlarge: Your big rival, Jeffrey Herlings is now with Honda, and he has seemingly gotten very comfortable on the bike. Do you watch the videos from his prep, and if you do, what is your opinion?

Tim Gajser: I’ve seen some videos, yes. It looks like he’s comfortable on the bike, which is not a surprise. In the end everyone focuses on their own preparation, and I’m fully focused on my work and what I need to do.

MXLarge: Was it difficult changing clothing brands, like helmet, boots. Did it take some time to get used to wearing something other than FOX?

Tim Gajser: Yes, especially the boots. But Alpinestars did everything to make me comfortable as quickly as possible. They made a lot of custom things just for me, which I really appreciate. The speed of how they handled everything was impressive.

MXlarge: You have had such a great career, one of the all-time greats of our sport. What keeps you motivated to keep pushing and do you have any idea how many years you might want to continue?

Tim Gajser: I’m still motivated because I love racing and I still feel competitive. I enjoy the work, the training, and the challenge of trying to be better every year. I don’t like to put a number on how many years. As long as I’m healthy, motivated, and enjoying it, I’ll keep going.

MXlarge: We start in Argentina, end in Australia and have South Africa and China also as fly-away events. It’s a really nice calendar. What do you think of the calendar?

Tim Gajser: I think it’s an interesting calendar. Racing in different countries and on different types of tracks is good. The season is quite long though, so sometimes I wish we had a short summer break like in some other sports. It would help to reset a bit. But overall, it’s part of the challenge and part of the world championship.