It was an intriguing development when Stark Future announced its factory WSX team would be entering Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross in 2026, signalling another important step for the brand. Beneath the surface, it’s a newfound opportunity to fast-track development of the VARG in professional competition.

Committed to AUSX in a multi-year agreement, the Barcelona-based electric-powered manufacturer brought WSX internationals Vince Friese and Jorge Zaragoza in the SX1 category, alongside SX2 teammates Michael Hicks and Brian Hsu for the Townsville season-opener on Saturday night.

And as we saw at round one of WSX in Canada, they were clearly competitive against their combustion-powered opponents, featuring prominently up front off the starts in what has been a clear area of improvement for the Stark organisation since debuting in the world championship one year ago.

While not yet eligible for Monster Energy Supercross as part of the wider SMX League, or Infront’s MXGP World Championship at this time, like WSX before it, AUSX regulations have opened the doors for Stark to compete right there alongside the 450 and 250 regulars. And that’s exactly where founder Anton Wass wants to be positioned.

The VARG appears solid across the board in 2026, and in fact, it was good enough for Hicks to initially claim the SX2 overall courtesy of a race two victory, before a post-race medical flag infringement relegated him to third on the box behind Brodie Connolly (Honda Racing) and Lux Turner (Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha).

Image: Foremost Media.

A quick pause is needed here. Stark – which launched its VARG machine in late 2021 – is genuinely battling the likes of powerhouse brands Honda and Yamaha, with plenty more performance to unlock as development continues. Add in a P4 overall from Zaragoza on its AUSX debut in SX1, and the brand must be quietly confident about what possibility lies ahead.

They’ve also acquired the services of two-time world champion Sebastien Tortelli to lead the program, with the Frenchman having built a decorated career across both Europe and the United States. He knows exactly what it takes to compete at the front, with AUSX having been on his radar for some time.

“I mean, it’s been a while that I’ve been watching the [AUSX] supercross championship,” said Tortelli. “It’s been, you know, one of the best out there, so I was looking at it and trying to see when was a good opportunity and a good time to come over, and the cards fell into place for this year.

“So that was a commitment that we wanted to make, and we plan on doing it for many years. This year was the time, so we are very motivated. You know, the first year will be a learning year.

“We don’t know the championship, we don’t have a structure on-site, so we are working out of crates, and we are learning from it. But I think the guys are good, they have good race bikes, same as WSX, so it brings us extra racing and the speed is [already] there.

Image: Foremost Media.

“The track [in Townsville] is amazing. I mean, it’s a huge stadium, and I was expecting a nice stadium, but this one is bigger than what I was expecting. So it’s always a nice surprise to have a track that nice and be able to race on big tracks.”

The racing program also represents a wider push into the Australian market, which remains a key region for motorcycle sales. Getting the VARG in front of more eyeballs – and backing that exposure with strong on-track performances – will be important as Stark Future looks to build a larger footprint across the Southern Hemisphere.

That’s where much of the value is ultimately driven by what happens on the race track, making it all the more important for Stark Future’s riders to contend at the front if the brand is to turn that exposure into sales on Australian showroom floors.

“I mean, it’s obvious for a factory that sales are something important for us,” Tortelli added. “Australia has big sales – it’s the second-biggest country for bikes, so it’s important for us to be here. We have a headquarters here, but we haven’t developed Australia, so it was the right timing to step in and start to bring Stark a little more into the knowledge of people.

“We are still building that knowledge. Not everybody knows the bike, so the best way for us to be in front of people is first to be able to go racing so they can see it. They can hear about it and then – not just hear about it [laughs] – but actually see it.

Image: Foremost Media.

“From there, you know, we help the shops and build the brand as we go. So definitely, it’s a long-term commitment from Stark to come to Australia, and we plan to be here for quite some time.”

Whether people welcome it or not, Stark Future has arrived on the racing scene, with its 2026 podium results across both WSX and AUSX representing a significant step forward from where it previously ranked. We’re yet to see how the World Supercross saga unfolds – and how that impacts Stark’s racing plans – but so far, so good for the electric manufacturer.

We’ve witnessed convincing performances in AUSX from Hicks and Zaragoza already, with Hsu crashing out on Saturday night, but appearing to have avoided any major injury. If the polarising, yet experienced American Friese can find his true form through ongoing Stark seat time, then we’ll soon see all four VARGs in the contention.

“All put together, basically, it’s perfect timing for us as Stark Future is growing,” continued Tortello on the eve of AUSX round one. “You know, we have good guys on the team, and we made a big step this year with the commitment in WSX. The bikes are ready, the riders are ready, so it’s a step that we’ve wanted to make for a long time.”