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Moto News Weekly Wrap
November 4, 2025

What’s New:

• Sexton to Kawasaki finally made official
• Heart-breaking end to Jay Wilson’s season in Japan
• Paris Supercross returns November 15
• Qatar International Baja this weekend
• 2026 FIM Freestyle GP World Cup schedule update
• Toby Martyn signed by Stark Racing for SuperEnduro
• Mikkel Haarup confirmed for Triumph’s 450 AMA efforts in 2026
• Full Monster Energy Kawasaki SMX line-up revealed
• Calvin Vlaanderen and Yamaha part ways
• 2026 WSC and SQXoN provisional calendars
• 2026 Racing Calendars

Heart-breaking end to Jay Wilson’s season in Japan

Jay Wilson’s championship winning streak came to an end after a disastrous weekend at the final round of the Japanese Motocross Championship at the Sugo Circuit in Japan, after entering the final with the lead in the IA1 (450cc) championship and with a comfortable points gap back over his rivals.

The round started well as Wilson finished the qualifying race on Saturday in second place behind MXGP World Champion, Romain Febvre, the technical and rutty Sugo track in good shape for a weekend of racing.

But that all went sideways halfway through race one on Sunday. Wilson had slotted into third and was just doing what needed to be done to secure another championship when in a wet section of track at the rear of the circuit, he lost traction in the mud and his bike speared off the track.

He slapped into the timber fencing and the bike shuttered to a holt. Wilson immediately knew there was damaged and although able to get back on board and get around to the mechanics area, Wilson knew his day, and championship were done. He was taken to hospital for further tests and missed race two, ending his championship winning streak at three.

Jay Wilson

“I knew as soon as I hit the post, I had done some damage to my wrist and hand. My initial thoughts were radius, ulnar and possibly some thumb damage as I had severe pain and no grip strength. Even if I could hang on to the bike, I would have at least tried to ride race two, but there was no hope, and I went to hospital to get X-rays and see what’s needed to be done. I still don’t have the exact answers as it was a public holiday in Japan so I will get further scans and know what the damage is in the coming days. I’m just so disappointed for the team and everyone around us. I have had a good run with injury over the years, and I can’t complain about that, and my emotions now aren’t about me, just the people that helped me to get in this position and I couldn’t get the championship for them. Thanks to Yamaha for all their efforts this year. It wasn’t the result we all wanted but I know they never stopped trying and put in a huge effort in their support of me. I know have some time of the bike, so I will get my wrist sorted and look to be back even better in 2026.”

Wilson sharing on social media in the aftermath:

“Sometimes you can have all the pieces of the puzzle and it still doesn’t come together. Yesterday I may have crashed and lost the championship, but when I woke up today I knew that there’s a powerful lesson here and that something great will come out of what to everyone else might seem like one of my hardest moments. This is a part of my story, this is the beginning of a new chapter in my racing career and if there’s one thing injuries do it makes you more motivated, stronger and more focused. We had an incredible year, won many races and I can walk away after yesterday knowing I gave it my all. I will heal up, and get back to work because there’s a lot I’m still going to achieve. I love this job even on the hard days. Thank you to everyone, my team, mechanic, family and fans who have supported me all year. Also congratulations to Yuki Okura, all championships are special and he deserves the win. Please remember failure is not the opposite of success it’s part of the process.”

Paris Supercross returns November 15

Every year since 1984 Paris has hosted the main Supercross event outside the USA, and again this November will see some of the best Supercross riders from around the globe lining up for the 42nd edition. Competition kicks off November 15 at the Paris la Defense Arena.

Last year a quartet of riders shone at Paris, and they will all return this year…

Jett and Hunter Lawrence are for sure two of the fastest riders on the planet. The Aussie brothers will be making their third consecutive appearance in Paris, and shared the top step at Ironman Raceway when Team Australia beat all the other countries at the MX of Nations.

Jett – King of Paris in 2023 – won five of the six races last year but couldn’t repeat his overall success from twelve months previous as he was forced to retire in one of the main events. He is back for revenge, and his brother Hunter – who finished runner-up in 2023 but missed the podium last year – will again be one of his main rivals after heading home his brother at the MX of Nations.

On his way to a further US Supercross title, Cooper Webb (Yamaha) was crowned ‘King of Paris’ for the first time in his career 12 months ago, andwill be back on-track this month to defend his title. Will he get back-to-back titles, like Johnny O’Mara (1984-85); Jean Michel Bayle (1990-91), David Vuillemin (1999-2000-2001), Andrew Short (2004-2005) or Marvin Musquin (2016-2017) have done in the past? Wait and see!

One of the attractions of this 42nd edition of the French Classic will be 2025 East Coast SX champion and local hero Tom Vialle, who will be making his much anticipated debut on two accounts – his first appearances in the “big boys’ class” and also in his new colours, which should be made official just before the event.

SX1 is the main class at Paris but the organisers always offer the youngest riders the opportunity to race in the SX2 class, and this year the Junior 125 have also been invited.

Paris will hold the penultimate round of the SX2 French Tour with the best riders in the standings (Calvin Fonvieille, Mathys Boisrame, Jules Pietre, American Kelena Humphrey, etc…) and a few ‘wild cards’ such as Australians Jake Cannon and Luke Clout or German Carl Ostermann.

The third and final category will be the Junior class, and for sure many fans will enjoy hearing the 125 bikes in the Arena! Yannis Lopez, unbeaten in the six rounds of the Junior championship to date, will be the youngster to beat in this class, with the top ten riders of the series behind the gate plus a special guest – 85cc rider Tim Lopes, who just turned thirteen this summer – who will jump on a 125 for the first time. Of course there will be a number of FMX sessions each day.

Qatar International Baja this weekend

The Qatar International Baja will be the penultimate round of the FIM Bajas World Cup this weekend, on November 6th-8th. The final round will then be held in Dubai at the end of the month.

Riders now return to the vast expanses of the Middle East desert for an event in Qatar that runs over a total course of 773.83km and offers 453.21km against the clock.

57 motorcycles and four quads will undergo administration and technical checks on Wednesday (November 5) at the Lusail International Circuit, north of Doha. This will be the nerve centre of the event over the weekend.

On Thursday, November 6th, riders will tackle a 10 km Prologue to determine the starting order for the opening special stage – a 363 km day that includes 219 km against the clock on Friday, November 7th.

Competitors will then tackle a route of 408 km on Saturday, November 9th with 234 km timed against the clock before the podium and awards ceremony at the iconic ‘Way to the World Cup’ viewing point on Doha Corniche.

Dubai-based Al-Balooshi will start the event with a nine-point lead over his Lebanese team-mate Rafic Eid in the 450cc World Cup standings.

Polish rider Konrad Dabrowski (Duust Rally) won the Qatar International Baja in 2022 and 2023 and will be a serious contender to watch. He is currently 13 points behind Spaniard Victor Manuel Moya Aguilera in the race to become the top junior rider in 2025. Rafic Eid leads the Veterans’ category by six points from Al-Balooshi.

The FIM Bajas World Cup also features the women’s category: Alona Ben Natan (Husqvarna) leads with 58 points, but she will have to contend with Joanna Modrzewska of the Duust Rally Team – who is determined to reach the top step of the podium – and Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet.

2026 FIM Freestyle GP World Cup schedule

Two months before the of the 2026 FIM Freestyle GP World Cup opening round in Pamplona, the official date of the second stop in Costa Rica is now confirmed.

On December 20, 2025, the Navarra Arena in Pamplona (Spain) will host the opening round of this new international championship, sanctioned by the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), which will bring together the world’s best Freestyle Motocross riders.

The calendar moves forward with the confirmation of the official date of the second stop: the competition will continue in San José (Costa Rica) on February 28, 2026, further consolidating its international scope with rounds in both Europe and the Americas. The third and final event of the inaugural season, to be held in Europe, will be announced soon.

The rider line-up highlights the exceptional sporting level of this new competition. Among the confirmed athletes are Rob Adelberg (Australia), record holder for the most gold medals in X Games history; Luc Ackermann (Germany), world champion and three-time X Games medalist; Julien Vanstippen (Belgium), two-time X Games gold medalist; David Rinaldo (France), world champion and double X Games gold medalist; Maikel Melero (Spain), five-time world champion; and José Canosa “Mincha” (Spain), international revelation of 2024.

Toby Martyn signed by Stark Racing for SuperEnduro

Stark Future is proud to welcome Toby Martyn to its SuperEnduro team for the 2026 FIM World Championship season. He’ll spearhead the Stark VARG EX effort alongside #42 Eddie Karlsson as the brand doubles down on its mission to redefine off-road racing.

Toby Martyn

“Stoked to finally share that I’m joining Stark´s race team for the upcoming SuperEnduro season! The bike’s next level and the crew’s awesome, can’t wait to get stuck in and make it happen this year.”

Sebastien Tortelli – Stark Racing Director

“We are super happy to welcome Toby to the Stark family. His skillset, mindset, and commitment to pushing boundaries fit perfectly with our vision for Racing SuperEnduro. With the season kicking off in Gliwice and Toby now on board, alongside Eddie, we are more determined than ever to make our mark on the 2026 championship and beyond.”

The 2026 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship kicks off on 13 December 2025 in Gliwice, Poland. Stark Future is locked in and ready to compete.

Mikkel Haarup confirmed for Triumph’s 450 AMA efforts in 2026

Following a positive first season in AMA Pro Motocross, Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup will stay in the USA for 2026 and step up to race the TF 450-X in the 450 division. The Danish racer has penned a deal extending his Triumph contract for two further years, with the intention of returning to the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship in 2027.

Mikkel Haarup – Triumph Factory Racing

“After two years of racing Triumph’s 250, I’m really excited for the next chapter of my career. Racing a 450 is something that I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time, and I can’t wait to get this next step started. I’ve been riding the 450 for a little while now and things have been going really well. I’m really thankful to Triumph for this opportunity and for believing in me. I can’t wait to go out and show what the bike is capable of, and for a second year of racing in the AMA Pro Motocross series.”

During 2023, Mikkel joined Triumph to develop the TF 250-X in readiness for the 2024 FIM MX2 World Championship, where he stood on the rostrum on multiple occasions throughout the year on his way to finishing fifth in the championship standings.

For 2025, Mikkel based himself at Triumph’s state-of-the-art training facility in Georgia, USA, as a test rider to develop the TF 450-X in readiness for its racing debut in ’26. However, in the lead-up to the 2025 Pro Motocross campaign, Haarup was given the opportunity to get back behind the gate and contest the series in the 250 Class – an experience the racer relished in.

The 24-year-old adapted quickly to the new circuits and racing schedule and ended the year a very credible sixth in the championship, despite missing the final two rounds with a collarbone injury.

With both Triumph and Mikkel having an ambition to race the 450 next season, competing in the 2026 Pro Motocross series will provide an opportunity to compete and test the TF 450-X in the USA in readiness for his return to the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2027.

Jeremy Coker – Triumph Racing America GM

“After Mikkel’s breakthrough performance on the 250 last summer, we’re ecstatic at the thought of him staying stateside to race our 450 here in the Pro Motocross series. His development and race craft have been phenomenal this season, proving he’s ready to take on the premier class, and the prospect of him doing it here is incredibly exciting for all of us. Over the next few months we’ll continue our preparation for his 450 race debut, and with his sole focus being on outdoors, it will be invaluable to our programme overall. We look forward to seeing what he can do on the bigger bike and can’t wait to get into next season.”

Full Monster Energy Kawasaki SMX line-up revealed

Monster Energy Kawasaki and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki are ready for another year of SuperMotocross in 2026, revealing a brand-new lineup, featuring 2023 Monster Energy Supercross and 2024 Pro Motocross Champion Chase Sexton aboard the KX450SR and former Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Garrett Marchbanks.

Sexton joins the team with a winning resume and renewed energy for the season ahead. The two-time champion’s impressive track record includes 30 combined 450 Class victories across supercross and motocross, including eight wins in the 2025 season. The No. 4 is set to make an immediate impact as he begins his next chapter with Monster Energy Kawasaki.

Chase Sexton

“Joining Monster Energy Kawasaki is an amazing opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to this new chapter in my career. The team has already made me feel very supported with anything I need, and they’re here to give me all the tools I need to win. I believe this is the next step I need to compete for championships, and I am motivated for the 2026 season.”

Garrett Marchbanks enters the 450 Class with fresh energy and determination. Marchbanks will rely on his previous experience in the Pro Motocross series in the 450 class, where he consistently scored Top-10 finishes. The No. 36 comes off a standout season, earning a career-best third overall in the 250 Pro Motocross Championship.

Garret Marchbanks

“I’m super pumped to be moving up to the 450 Class full-time with Monster Energy Kawasaki. This is an incredible opportunity, and I’m honored that they see the potential in me to move up. I’m looking forward to the new challenge and showing everyone what I am capable of. I’ve been wanting to show my skills on a 450, and I can’t picture a better team to do it with. Kawasaki has always been family for me since mini bikes, and I’m glad I get to continue my career with such an amazing crew.”

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team is set to compete in the 2026 SMX World Championship with a familiar lineup. With an unrivaled record of 306 combined SuperMotocross wins and 31 championships, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki is ready to build on its winning legacy, fielding riders Adams, Hammaker, Kitchen, and McAdoo.

Mitch Payton – Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team Owner

“For 2026, we have all familiar faces returning to the team, and we look to build on their success from this past season. Seth’s breakout season in supercross marked a significant step forward, and we’ll look for him to carry that momentum into next year. Levi is very hungry for his first championship, and we know he is capable of it. We look forward to having Cameron back healthy and fighting for wins again. After finishing his rookie season, Drew is eager to continue improving and battling with the top guys. This upcoming year feels very promising for the team, and we’re eager to show the capabilities of the KX250.”

Calvin Vlaanderen and Yamaha part ways

Yamaha Motor Europe has extended its sincere thanks to Calvin Vlaanderen as the South African concludes his five-year tenure with Yamaha following the natural completion of his contract.

Vlaanderen joined the Yamaha family in 2020, immediately taking the fight to the MXGP class aboard the YZ450F. A rider renowned for his technical prowess and determination, he quickly proved his potential by charging to a stunning Grand Prix victory in the demanding sand of Sardinia in 2022.

After three impressive seasons showcasing his talent with a Yamaha-supported outfit, his relentless drive and consistent podium-challenging speed earned him a well-deserved seat on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.

The last two seasons have been a testament to Vlaanderen’s work ethic and fighting spirit. In 2024, he charged to two podium finishes and climbed to an impressive fourth in the world standings before a late-season injury halted his momentum. Bouncing back with trademark resilience in 2025, he returned with fire, adding three more hard-fought podiums to his tally.

Alexandre Kowalski – Yamaha Motor Europe Off-Road Racing Manager

“On behalf of everyone at Yamaha Motor Europe, I would like to thank Calvin for his dedication, professionalism, and the many incredible moments we’ve shared throughout the past five years. Aside from his undeniable ability on a motorcycle, he is a great example of a top athlete – very humble, respectful and polite. It has been a genuine pleasure working with him. We wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”

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2026 WSC and SQXoN provisional calendars

The FIM and APO Multimedia have announced the 2026 provisional calendars for the FIM SidecarCross World Championship (WSC) and FIM SidecarCross and QuadCross of Nations (SQXoN):