The 2026 MXGP World Championship continued into Turkey for round 17, where another pivotal weekend of racing unfolded as the season entered its closing stages. Hear more from the leading riders of each division in this Reaction feature.

MXGP

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P1 | Jeffrey Herlings (Honda HRC Petronas):
Tom [Vialle] definitely didn’t make my life easy in that second race, but it was a great GP and to win the GP, win my sixth world title and keep my winning streak alive is something I am very happy with. It’s been a lot of work throughout the year to get to this point and I’ll make sure to celebrate tonight with all my friends and family who came here to watch. However, I’m already excited and motivated to keep this going in the last two rounds and even for next year as well.

P2 | Tom Vialle (Honda HRC Petronas):
I gave it everything I had in that second moto to try and win but Jeffrey just didn’t make any mistakes. Still, I think I showed that I’m close and we have six races left to try and get the win so that is my aim in China and Australia. I knew after yesterday I’d be close, but I wasn’t able to get the holeshot in either race, despite getting really good jumps, and that made life a lot harder. Overall though, a good return to Turkiye and I’m excited to get to China and see what I can do there.

P3 | Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team):
I feel that if I could start at the front I could battle for the win, but with the starts I got again here I’m happy to be third. The other fastest guys are starting 1-2 every week and I am in the pack, so I have no chance to catch them – by the time I get to third they are gone. I needed to work hard to come back every time, you can pass the slower guys but it gets really hard to pass anybody who is near your speed. The start is so important, especially here, and the results do not show what I can do. On the positive side it was a good day for the championship.

P4 | Tim Gajser (Monster Energy Yamaha):
Considering the condition I’m in, this weekend wasn’t too bad. The speed was there, but I was riding in a lot of pain, so overall I feel like it was a decent weekend. It’s a shame about the second moto. I was third, but I made a small mistake and went off the track, which allowed two guys to pass me. I tried to push again, but I made another small mistake and the track was getting quite sketchy. The pain was also getting worse, so I decided to settle for fourth. I’m definitely disappointed because we missed out on the podium, and I think we deserved it this weekend, but that’s motocross. We don’t have much time before the next round, so I’ll try to recover as much as possible before China.

P5 | Pauls Jonass (Kawasaki Racing Team):
It was a good Sunday with my third top-five of the year; the speed was already good yesterday but the crash cost me a better result. Today I took two good starts – we still have some work to do to stay with the front four. I was happy with my riding this weekend and it would be nice to carry this on through the last two GPs.

P6 | Andrea Adamo (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
I’m not super-pumped about my weekend. Somehow this track has not really suited me, and I missed some speed to run with the guys up front. I should have been closer. Fifth was okay in the first moto but I was struggling a bit with the circuit and needed to feel out some things with the bike. I’ll go home now for two days before going to China and Australia. It will be tricky for the jetlag – and the heat last year was tough – but it will be a challenge.

P7 | Jan Pancar (KTM):
P7 at MXGP of Turkey. Happy, but need better starts for more. I didn’t find the solution for the starts at elevation.

P8 | Kevin Horgmo (Team Motoblouz Honda Motul SR):
Eighth in Turkey! 10-8, it was a decent day – I enjoyed myself out there. Now, onto China.

MX2

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P1 | Guillem Farres (Triumph Factory Racing):
It was a good weekend here in Turkiye. I got good starts in both races and in moto two I had a much better pace than in moto one, so I was able to manage the gap for the win. So yeah, I’m really happy. The whole Triumph Factory Racing team did an amazing job and I can’t thank them enough. Thank you.

P2 | Simon Langenfelder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
The last few GPs have been quite tough for me so getting that win felt good. I gave it my all in the first race and it was my first win since Sardinia, it’s been a long time! I was third in that second moto but stalled the bike and then everyone had their position. The track was also a bit sketchy. P2 overall day is fine and now I’m looking forward to the flyaways in China and Australia. It’s always a bit different [at those races] and nice to change things up.

P3 | Liam Everts (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
It was a solid day overall. I struggled a little in the first moto, but we made some small changes to the suspension and I felt definitely better in race two. I was still missing a little bit of an edge, but my riding was consistent and I was always there. To go 4-2 and take another overall podium – my third in a row – is really positive, so I’m happy to be back on the box again.

P4 | Camden McLellan (Triumph Factory Racing):
Overall, it wasn’t too bad of a day. I finished third and fourth in the two races, which isn’t terrible at a track I normally struggle at. I had a better feeling than yesterday and did what I could, but third and fourth in the motos was the maximum today. Now I’m looking forward to China and Australia. Hopefully I can get a little bit more out of myself there, but overall, it was a good weekend.

P5 | Kay Karssemakers (DRT Kawasaki):
Finally two good motos on one day! It’s not easy to stay focused after a few setbacks but I’m not one to give up. I’m fit and I knew I can be up there if I get the starts. I have the speed and I got two pretty good starts today. In the first moto I had a little crash as I tried to pass Mikula which cost me a few places but I felt even better in race two and could push quickly from seventh to fifth; I got a little armpump in the middle of the moto but I picked it up again at the end. Two solid motos today, now I’m looking forward to China.

P6 | Maxime Grau (Maddii Racing Honda):
Sixth here in Turkey. I’m happy about my riding, we were on the same points as P5 overall – so close! We will keep going, thank to my team.

P7 | Julius Mikula (Osicka MX Team KTM):
It was a hot two days in Turkey, but a positive weekebnd going 5-7 for P7 overall. Thank you, team!

P8 | Karlis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
I was struggling this weekend and just didn’t feel like myself at all. There was something bothering me and I couldn’t really find my usual feeling. The first moto was really difficult. From the start, I struggled to focus on what was happening in the race and made mistake after mistake. The second moto started off better, but I stayed in pretty much the same position for the whole race. At times I was close enough to make a pass, but I just couldn’t make it happen. It wasn’t a weekend to be proud of, but it was definitely a weekend to learn from.