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Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP rookie Kay de Wolf will miss the remainder of the 2026 world championship season with a hand injury.

Following a crash on Monday, the 21-year-old sustained an injury to his hand that will rule him out of the final three grands prix of the year in Turkiye, China and Australia.

De Wolf will also be unable to represent the Netherlands at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France, on October 4. The setback brings an early end to de Wolf’s rookie MXGP campaign, during which the former MX2 champion established himself as a regular contender at the front of the premier class.

“Unfortunately we had a crash on Monday which has ended up bringing my season to an early finish,” the 21-year-old explained. “I picked up another injury to my hand, which means I’ll miss the final rounds of the season and also the Motocross of Nations, which I’m really disappointed about.

“I would have loved to represent my country at the Nations, but unfortunately that won’t be possible this year. The focus now is on recovery. I’ll have surgery around the middle of the month to fix my ankle, and then we’ll get straight into rehab with the aim of being fully fit for next season. I’m already really excited for 2027 and motivated to start working towards coming back strong.”

De Wolf had already underlined his potential with podium finishes in Sardinia and Latvia before an ankle injury interrupted his season earlier this summer. After returning to racing, the Dutchman quickly rediscovered his front-running pace, with a pair of runner-up results coming at the MXGP of Flanders in Lommel and his home GP in Arnhem.

“It’s obviously disappointing for Kay and for the whole team to see his season finish this way, especially after the level he showed in recent races,” Rasmus Jorgensen, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team manager, added. “His rookie MXGP season has already demonstrated just how competitive he can be in the premier class, and the performances at Lommel and Arnhem were a real reflection of that.

“The most important thing now is that he takes the time he needs to recover properly. We’ll support him fully through the surgery and rehabilitation process, and the focus is firmly on getting him back to 100 percent for 2027. Kay is incredibly motivated, and we’re all looking forward to seeing him come back strong next season.”