For the first time in 18 years, MXGP action arrived in South Africa, with the Terra Topia circuit in Johannesburg hosting round 11 of the 2026 season. Our Captured feature revisits the weekend in illustrated form, unpacking the key moments that defined the event.

It was a solid homecoming for Calvin Vlaanderen, who continues to make strides aboard the Ducati Desmo450 MX as the season progresses. The Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team will be encouraged by the South African result, with Vlaanderen recording a season-best fourth overall.

Back on the podium in South Africa was Red Bull KTM’s Simon Laengenfelder, with the defending MX2 champion ending a seven-round podium drought. It was a timely result, and one he desperately needed to keep his title hopes alive.

There was plenty of praise for the South African circuit, which featured a spectacular skyshot jump that produced some epic images – as showcased by Guillem Farres and Janis Reisulis above.

Tom Vialle showed encouraging speed throughout the weekend, with 12th overall not reflective of how competitive he was. The Frenchman crashed out of third in moto one and was forced to retire due to bike damage, before rebounding with a sixth-place finish in moto two. A return to consistent front-running form doesn’t appear to be far away for the Honda HRC Petronas rider.

Red Bull KTM’s Sacha Coenen also encountered bike issues after crashing in moto two, although he was able to nurse his KTM 250 SX-F to an important sixth-place finish, salvaging 15 valuable championship points.

Third in qualifying and fourth in MXGP race one was a welcome return to form for the 2017 MX2 world champion Pauls Jonass.

It was nothing short of an MXGP masterclass from points leader Lucas Coenen. The Belgian swept both motos and Saturday’s qualification race, carrying a wave of momentum into this weekend’s Pro Motocross round at Southwick.

Defending MXGP world champion Romain Febvre gets the post-race download from Guillem Farres, who was scintillating in the MX2 division after 1-1 results.

That’s career podium number two for Janis Reisulis in as many races – you have to think that this is only the beginning for the 18-year-old.

Febvre found the podium once more on the weekend, admitting that the gap is closing between he and the Coenen/Herlings combination at the front: “I am getting there step-by-step, closer to the front two every week, and the three of us are gone from the pack. I could always hold their race pace and I have been working on my one-lap speed these last few weeks.”