Comments from multiple leading riders following the weekend.
The third round of MXGP 2026 took place in Switzerland over the weekend, with a mixture of riders at the front of the field across both the 450 and MX2 categories in varying conditions. Hear more from the leading riders of each division in this Reaction feature.
MXGP
P1 | Tom Vialle (Honda HRC Petronas):
I really didn’t know that I had won when I crossed the line. I thought I’d be on the podium because other riders didn’t have two good scores, but I just wanted to try and pass as many guys as possible in that second moto. Still, it is very cool to have won the GP, my first in the MXGP class and my first with this new team, and hopefully the first of many. It was a very tricky circuit and not something I’m used to, but I kept fighting until the end, and while I did make a couple of mistakes, it is good to know that I have been at the front in three different types of track.
P2 | Maxime Renaux (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a very good weekend overall. Qualifying was strong, and the first moto today was really positive, while in the second moto, I rode a bit tighter. I wasn’t completely satisfied with my riding in that one. Still, to come away second overall is a solid result. There’s still some work to do, but we’re heading in a really good direction. Getting that first podium of the season is a great feeling, so now the focus is on keeping the momentum going.
P3 | Tim Gajser (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was a bit of a mixed weekend, but there are some strong positives to take. The qualifying race went well in different conditions, and in the first moto, I actually felt really good, but a poor start made things difficult. After a couple of crashes, I could only finish ninth. I wasn’t happy with that, but I reset for the second moto, got a better start, found some good lines, and made some strong passes to finish second. It’s great to be back on the podium, and consistency is what we need. The speed is coming, so we’ll keep building from here. We’ve got some time now to test a few things before Sardinia, and I want to thank the whole team for their hard work.
P4 | Kay de Wolf (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
It was a really tough weekend with the conditions because the track was so sketchy and demanding, especially on Sunday. For me, to come away with fourth overall in only my second MXGP and while still dealing with the thumb is something I can be happy with. I’m still learning every time I go out with these guys, but I felt more comfortable as the weekend went on, and I could fight right at the front. Missing the podium is never the best feeling, but there are a lot of positives to take from this one, and we’ll keep building.
P5 | Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team):
For me, it was a bad day, but that’s racing. Many things happened in the first moto, but I also crashed twice, even on the last lap – I had been second, but I finished fourth. In the second moto I was third for a long time, but I could not find the good lines and I started to lose time. [Tim] Gajser passed me and I couldn’t figure out where he was gaining time because he went away quickly. I didn’t crash this moto but I was making too many mistakes. Fourth and fifth were not what I should have because I was second and third at one stage, so I am disappointed. I was just not good enough today.
P6 | Ruben Fernandez (Honda HRC Petronas):
Very happy with race one, but not very happy with race two. I think I showed I am capable of riding with the top guys, and I felt pretty comfortable at that pace. Unfortunately, in race two, I just couldn’t get that same rhythm going and struggled with lines and fell back from the people I should be fighting with. It is disappointing, but now I have a weekend off to try and put that right in Riola Sardo.
P7 | Alberto Forato (Fantic Factory Racing):
A positive GP, with a sixth place in race one and a ninth in race two. The speed is building, and I am feeling good on my Fantic. It was just a bit of a shame that I struggled at the start, but we still managed to secure seventh overall. So, all in all, it went well. I am happy and looking forward to continuing the work heading into two Italian rounds. I hope to see a lot of fans in Riola and especially in Arco.
P8 | Lucas Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
It feels good to keep the red plate, but I was a bit mad about the first moto. I really wanted to win that second one. I started well, didn’t crash, and controlled the gap. Happy to finish on a good note. Now we look ahead two weeks to Sardinia, and to continue like this.
MX2
P1 | Simon Laengenfelder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
A good round! Tough conditions and it wasn’t an easy race – passing, and the backmarkers were tricky – but I liked it out there today. It’s usually what we find here. Yesterday was hard, but I made it happen today, and we got the red plate back.
P2 | Guillem Farres (Triumph Factory Racing):
It was a challenging but ultimately positive weekend here at round three of the MX2 world championship. Saturday was difficult with a crash in the qualifying race, leaving me seventh, but I came into Sunday ready to fight. In the first moto, I got a decent start and worked my way into the lead, but a couple of crashes – including one with a lapped rider – cost me, and I ended up fourth, which was frustrating. We turned it around in the second moto, though, where I got the holeshot and led every lap, which was a great feeling. I’m really happy to show that I’m still a contender for the championship and that we belong at the front.
P3 | Liam Everts (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing):
Coming into the weekend, it was very much about damage limitation – I’m still really hurting with the ankle. I think we did a really good job, coming close to winning the GP, which was quite unexpected. I’m definitely really happy, but at the same time it hurts, you know? You never want to lose out – especially coming that close at the end. It is what it is. We scored great points for the championship, and it’s a long season ahead. It’s been a tough few weeks, but we push through it and go again in two weeks.
P4 | Sacha Coenen (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing):
Up-and-down weekend, but mostly positive. We made some changes to the bike on Saturday and won the qualifying moto, so a good start. Sunday brought the rain, and I had a bad start in the first moto. I came back to P2 and passed a lot of people, but also made mistakes. It was a hard race. Another bad start in the second moto, and I got brake-checked. I couldn’t really find my flow after that and finished seventh. I didn’t really like the track, but we finished the GP in a pretty decent way.
P5 | Valerio Lata (Honda HRC Petronas):
My best weekend of the year, and I felt comfortable right from the first session. Even with all the rain and snow, I still had good speed on the track, and with my good starts, I was able to fight with the top guys. There are a couple of moments that I’d like to have done better, but overall, I was consistent, and it is nice to score a lot of points ahead of two home GPs in a row.
P6 | Karlis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
Overall, it was a good weekend for me. The main positive is the consistency, as I finished inside the top six in both motos and put together solid results across the two races. My starts were good, and the riding felt consistent throughout, which is something I’ve been working on. Of course, there are still areas to improve, but overall, I’m happy with what we’ve achieved this weekend.
P7 | Janis Reisulis (Monster Energy Yamaha):
It was quite a difficult weekend for me. I didn’t have the best feeling on the track and struggled to really find my rhythm, which made it a tough experience overall. The second moto was especially challenging, as I was fighting some sickness all the way, and I ran out of energy and focus towards the end. There’s definitely work to do, but we’ll take the lessons from this one and come back stronger in Sardinia in two weeks.


