Image: Foremost Media.

The first indication of how Williams Event Management (WEM) will reshape Australian motocross in 2027 has emerged, with an eight-round ‘AUSMX’ championship condensed into two blocks of competition being proposed for next year.

A competitor survey circulated by Motorcycling Australia (MA) outlines two rounds apiece in March-April, followed by a break across May and June, and then concluding with two rounds each in July and August.

While the schedule is yet to be confirmed, it marks the first substantial detail of a change in direction since WEM’s return to the series – informally being labelled AUSMX in early communications – offering a look at the sport’s future under the leadership of Kevin Williams.

With specific dates and venues remaining unannounced, the survey provides riders/teams with an opportunity to influence WEM’s comeback season, including evaluating support for staging the Victorian and South Australian rounds on consecutive weekends in April, along with a similar back-to-back arrangement for the final two Queensland events.

A shift from single-day to two-day formats is also under consideration to allow additional practice and qualifying time. Two distinct options have been outlined as options – separate practice and timed qualifying sessions, or a combined session in which a green flag signals the transition to timed laps.

For MX3, a proposed qualifying system would see the fastest 30 riders from Saturday’s timed qualifying advance directly to the main races, with the remaining entrants contesting an LCQ for the final 10 positions. This would only apply only when entries exceed 40 riders.

The appointment of WEM follows MA’s decision to return the national championship to independent promotion, having operated under the now defunct ProMX banner since 2021. WEM previously managed the MX Nationals from 1997 until 2020, with its return as promoter for 2027 bringing the series back under a familiar organisation.

As it prepares for its first season overseeing Australian motocross since 2019, WEM has also separately begun assembling personnel to support the delivery and promotion of AUSMX, spanning media, broadcast, content production and event operations.