The 2026 MXGP season is without question, one of the most anticipated seasons in Grand Prix history. With multiple former or present world champions involved in the 450 class, from the big two, Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser with their five world titles each, then two-time world champions in Romain Febvre and Tom Vialle and single time world champions in Kay de Wolf, Andrea Adamo, Pauls Jonass and Maxime Renaux.

A total of 18 world championships in MXGP and hundreds of GP victories this 450 classes is no joke. When you consider, Lucas Coenen, who could very easily be the favourite to win the title isn’t a world champion yet and then you have names like Jeremy Seewer, Calvin Vlaanderen, Ruben Fernandez and Jago Geerts, all multiple GP winners.

Just a little under a week to go before the european season opens in Sardinia and below are some comments from legends and leading people in the sport.

Romain Febvre – Defending World MXGP Champion

Yeah, if it possible (to get a third world title), then yes, for sure, I am going for it. We will see. It will be a different year, and some riders are changing teams and brands. Maybe for Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser, it will take a little bit of time to get used to their surroundings. At the same time, yeah, maybe at the beginning of the season I can be better than them and try to fight for GP wins and the championship. Yeah, for sure, if I have a good winter and I am in a good spot, then why not go for three titles.

Jeffrey Herlings – Five Time World Champion

The motivation of this team, I mean, Tim was in the team a long time and it’s a big change for the team and like some fresh wind with me coming in. Everybody is so motivated. I have been riding in Spain with the KTM and just went home for Christmas and I started riding the Honda on January 1 and we plan to just keep training here in Spain, and we have another test planned with HRC at the end of the month. We should race Mantova on February 8, that wasn’t my plan, but the team requested I do Mantova, and then a week later its Hawkstone Park and then I will do Lierop the weekend before Argentina. That is pretty much it for now. I know some riders who are riding in this area in Spain and maybe I will message them and try and ride together. Just to see where my speed is and the feeling. Most guys are training and testing in Sardinia and as you know, the weather in Holland is terrible, with a lot of snow. The first test for me will be Mantova.

Tim Gajser – Five Time World Champion

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. 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.

Joel Smets – Five Time World Champion

We don’t know how exciting it is going to be of course. I have been in the sport as long as you, maybe even longer and I am like f**k, this is going to be really interesting. How the hell is Jeffrey (Herlings) going to do, how the hell is Tim (Gajser) going to do, how the hell is Tom Vialle going to do, how is Kay de Wolf going to be on a 450, Andrea, how is he going to do. You also have Calvin Vlaanderen changing teams, we have Mattia Guadagnini, he won’t be fighting for the championship, but how will he do. Really, the top eight, there are a lot of contenders.

Dave Thorpe – Three Time World Champion

On paper, there is no reason this season isn’t equal with any other era. There are so many world champions involved. There are a lot of young guns, who have had MX2 success coming into the big class and Romain, you cannot argue he wasn’t a deserved world champion and there is so much talent out there. I agree with you, 2026 will be amazing and there is a lot of depth. I would say and its exciting and it is going to be interesting to see how it all unfolds. It doesn’t matter who everyone rides for, it is a huge honour to race for HRC, just like for a footballer, you want to play for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, it is it. You know when you have arrived when you get there. There are like four or five top teams in MXGP and Garibaldi is one of the best, if not the best.

Marcus Pereira de Freitas – HRC Team Manager

Obviously, the hopes are very high. Having Jeffrey onboard, the best rider in the world, coming to HRC, we are honoured to have him. With the short time with him, the whole crew spent three days, 12-hour days to make him feel comfortable and give him a bike he can work with. He was really happy with what he saw in those three days and all the Japanese technical guys and how they worked. He was impressed and maybe saw anything like this in the past. To hear his comments on the bike and how easy it was to handle and turn and how good the power was and how it was delivered. It was just amazing.

Paul Malin – The Voice of MXGP

There is a lot, a lot in terms of 16 GP winners and 8 of those are world champions. If you count the riders who have won in MXGP alone and the world champions, just like the US, we have a lot of team changes and class changes. Everyone knows where everyone is going, even though we cannot discuss that yet. We have two world MX2 champions coming up in De Wolf and Adamo, so a lot of talent and massively looking forward to it. I really don’t know and it’s the fascination and so many unknowns. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tim and Jeffrey can get a sixth world title, or will Romain get a third, or Lucas his first. How will Kay be in the MXGP class, and the others. So much to talk about before the season even starts. As we get closer, we won’t have a great idea, because pre-season means little. Look at Tomac for instance from the WSX on the KTM, he looks the same as on the Kawasaki and the Honda and the Yamaha. With Prado, he was having trouble with the bike change, he just didn’t look right. So, these pre-season races, we might see how Tim and Jeffrey look on the new bikes. We might be pleasantly surprised.

Calvin Vlaanderen – Factory Ducati Rider

I think its good for the sport and hopefully, MXGP does well in promoting it, getting it out to the people. I think for the fan, it is so cool to see so many riders in different bikes and in different colours. Even yesterday with the KTM USA release, with Tomac and Prado on the KTM. Its going to be so cool to see them on the start line and how they do. It is great for the sport, and I hope MXGP promote that and capture that.

Bavo Swijgers image