Image: Supplied.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has formally announced Eli Tomac and Jorge Prado to the team for the 2026 SMX World Championship, the accomplished pair recruited alongside returning riders Aaron Plessinger and Julien Beaumer to complete next year’s roster.

The team is being launched at RD Field – the official testing grounds of KTM North America – today, with returning riders Plessinger and Beaumer introduced alongside Tomac and Prado.

Plessinger, Tomac and Prado will each be equipped with the latest generation KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, which was also officially presented to media this morning, in the 450 Class across Monster Energy Supercross, Pro Motocross and the SMX post-season, while Beaumer has the new KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION at his disposal in the 250 division.

“We are really excited to continue working with Aaron and Julien for another season, while we also welcome both Eli and Jorge into the team for 2026,” commented Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team manager. “This year started strongly for Aaron, and after spending an extended period on the sidelines, he is focused on getting back to where he was.

“In addition, it is always interesting to bring in a rider such as Eli, who we have raced against over the last decade, and we’ve always looked for ways to beat him, but now we are focusing on how we can support him to win. I am confident that our team and all of the riders will benefit from his experience and maturity.

“Jorge, on the other hand, had been in the KTM family for a long time with a lot of success in Europe prior to this past season. He trained alongside our team at the beginning of 2024, so for us, it is an opportunity to have him back where he feels most at home and to help him achieve his goals in the United States.

“Collectively, the team dynamic is really strong leading into the new year – everybody is
quite familiar, even if 50 percent of the rider lineup is new for next season. Right now, it’s time to keep our heads down and to keep progressing leading into Anaheim 1, and we will be ready to go racing together come January.”

Joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2026 will be legendary 32-year-old Tomac, who arrives with four 450MX championships and two 450SX crowns to his name. He ranks second on the all-time Supercross premier class career wins list (53) and fourth outdoors (32), firmly establishing himself among the greats of SMX.

Tomac stood on top of the 450SX podium in San Diego this year prior to having his indoor campaign cut short, before recovering to finish third overall in both 450MX and 450SMX to complete the 2025 season. A graduate of the KTM Junior Supercross program at Phoenix in 2011, the Colorado native has previously ridden for Geico Honda (2009-2015), Monster Energy Kawasaki (2016-2021), and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (2022-2025).

Making a welcome homecoming to KTM is four-time world champion Prado, the Spaniard who previously made his mark with the group by winning a pair of championships in both MXGP (2023-2024) and MX2 (2018-2019). After first debuting in Supercross during 2024 with four 450SX appearances and claiming a career-high of P7, the 24-year-old enters the new year motivated to define his career in the US following a troubled 12 months at Kawasaki.

Previously confirmed in May, fan favorite Plessinger, 29, is remaining with Red Bull KTM through 2026, entering a fifth-straight term together and it’s one that the Ohio native is eager to make count. ‘The Cowboy’ achieved five podiums in 450SX this season, including a second-career main event victory in Foxborough, before illness disrupted his campaign.

As the team’s sole 250 class representative, Beaumer is preparing for his third year with Red Bull KTM. At 19, the Arizona prospect recorded a breakout first Supercross victory in San Diego on his way to second in the 250SX West standings this year, but was injured during the SMX post-season and isn’t scheduled to return until later in the year.