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Sexton on fifth in Seattle

Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen had the hometown crowd on their feet as he delivered a standout performance to take second place in the 250SX Main Event at Round 6 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Seattle. Teammate Cameron McAdoo powered through adversity to secure a solid fifth-place finish. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton put in a solid effort on the day to take home fifth place in the 450SX Main Event. Garrett Marchbanks rebounded from a late race incident, but without enough time left in the race, the No. 36 Kawasaki would ultimately finish 22nd.

Sexton stated he will do even more testing this week to find answers: “Today was a bit frustrating for me. I expect to be at the front right now, but we’re not there yet. This week we worked on starts a lot and it paid off, as we saw today. Right now, I’m headed back to Florida and the team is going to come out and test more with me this week. We’re hopeful to make some positive changes and come into Arlington ready to fight.”

Seewer & Ducati 2026: A game of patience or a warning sign?

January wasn't a typical preparation month for Jeremy Seewer, filled with endless training sessions, but rather a period of intense technical fine-tuning. While others were already gaining race experience, the 31-year-old spent many days in Sardinia in test mode – gathering data instead of waiting on the starting gate. The goal: to bring the Ducati to a level where he could not only keep up, but also be himself again.

Jeremy Seewer go with Ducati Corse into the next MXGP season – but there's little sign of euphoria. Instead, sober analyses, technical issues, and the hope for new parts dominate.

Lots of analysis, little racing experience

Seewer skipped the first pre-season races. A move that raises questions – but also reveals a lot about the current state of the project. The direction is clear: more groundwork than cosmetic results in February. But the downside is obvious. Race toughness isn't developed in testing programs, but in direct competition. And that's precisely where it will become clear whether the development work pays off.

According to Seewer, the Ducati is noticeably better than last year. Nevertheless, the final piece of the puzzle is still missing. That sounds like progress – but also like a project that isn't yet where a title contender should be in February. However, anyone still waiting for crucial frame components in February isn't in attack mode – but rather in development mode. And that's certainly debatable in the second year of a factory project.

Wilvo effect: More structure, more influence

With the operational switch to the Wilvo-led factory team, several things have changed internally. More manpower, clearer structures, fewer financial constraints. Ducati remains the technical driving force, but the team is more involved. For Seewer, this means: more of a voice – but also more responsibility.

His assessment of the internal dynamics is interesting. According to the Zurich native, his taller teammates have apparently been coping better with the Desmo450 MX so far. This delayed the problem analysis. Only when the Results during the Internazionali d'Italia EICMA Series 2026 When things weren't quite right in the race setup, it became clear that the limit wasn't solely due to the rider's skill. An honest, almost brutally honest assessment – ​​and an indication of just how fine the line is between "works" and "isn't enough" in MXGP.

The bike sets the limit.

Particularly revealing is his assessment that everyone is currently performing at a similar level at the absolute limit, and that additional speed is only possible through increased risk. This sounds less like the self-evident assessment of a contender for victory and more like the reality of a driver still grappling with the technical limitations of the package.

It's clear that for 35 minutes at the limit, he needs not only fitness but also confidence. Seewer intends to work on precisely that in Belgium before his first race in Sommières. Argentina is coming soon – and the competition is fierce.

Broad tip, small margin of error

The 2026 MXGP season promises an even closer competition. New faces like Kay de Wolf and Andrea Adamo will be in the mix at the front, while returning riders like Tom Vialle will bring additional quality to the field – the room for experimentation will shrink. In such a densely packed starting grid, every technical detail will become a factor. A bike that isn't perfectly suited won't just cost tenths of a second, but positions.

That's precisely why the situation surrounding Seewer and Ducati seems like a balancing act. In motocross, nothing can be forced. Anyone who tries to compensate for a lack of performance by brute force will pay the price sooner or later – either on the track or physically.

The focus is therefore not on grand pronouncements, but on substance. Crucially, the Ducati must function in such a way that Jeremy Seewer can once again ride intuitively – without overthinking, without constant corrections, without compromises when entering corners or braking. Only when this fundamental confidence returns can the foundation for consistency be built. And only on this basis can progress translate into genuine aggression.

Will the new parts make the decisive difference? That won't be revealed in the test, but in the first Grand Prix, when for 35 minutes no excuses will count.

And that's exactly where the real test begins – for Seewer and for Ducati alike.

When even FMF warns: The sound debate reaches a new level

The debate surrounding new noise limits in motocross has reached a new level of escalation. Not because the topic is new – but because one of the most important voices in the industry is speaking out openly. The criticism comes from FMF Racing, one of the world's leading manufacturers of off-road silencer systems and also the namesake of the EMX125.

FMF is stating what has long been a reality in the paddock: The current developments surrounding noise limits threaten to hinder the sport more than they protect it.

Stricter rules announced in advance – the new FIM limits

The regulatory background is particularly sensitive. For 2025, the FIM had once again significantly lowered the noise limits. Instead of the previously permitted 114 dB Bikes were allowed in 2025 only a maximum of 111 dB (including a 2dB tolerance). Three decibels less sounds harmless on paper – but in practice it represents a massive technical compromise. Because every further reduction becomes exponentially more difficult, expensive, and involves more compromises.

This is precisely the point of current criticism: The bar is being lowered faster than meaningful technical solutions can emerge.

Not a protest – but a deliberate signal

To state it upfront, we too do not want to return to facilities beyond tolerable levels. Excessively loud motocross was never the solution. A decision with high symbolic significance falls within this context: Kay the Wolf According to FMF, it will be in the 2026 MXGP We deliberately chose to start with the FMF standard header. Not an exclusive factory solution, not an MXGP-only prototype – but a near-production component at the highest sporting level.

For FMF, this is not a step backwards, but a clear statement against an excessive spiral of development and costs.

Production bikes pushed to their limits – racing as collateral damage

Particularly alarming: Even production motorcycles are increasingly failing sound tests. Bikes arriving from dealers no longer reliably pass measurements. Manufacturers are reacting with closed airboxes, reduced airflow, and increasingly significant compromises in performance and characteristics.

What is forced in top-level sports trickles down – including costs, limitations and technical dead ends.

Technical tricks instead of real progress

In professional racing, a clear pattern is currently emerging: development is no longer primarily focused on performance, but on measured values.

• Closed airboxes from several manufacturers
• Akrapovič “EVO3” header, specifically for frequency control
• MXGP-specific FMF header, designed for sound tests, not lap times

The fact that FMF – a specialist in exhaust gas technology – is publicly expressing doubts is telling. The message is: At some point, what is technically feasible is achieved.

Akrapovič as a pioneer – visible in factory use

That this development is not a theory is demonstrated by the approach of AkrapovichThe Slovenian manufacturer recently addressed the issue of sound reduction. very offensive and visible This was investigated – including during factory use by KTM last season. The focus was clearly on resonance volume, modified exhaust routing, and additional chambers – but even here, not all sound tests after the race could be passed.

The invisible avalanche of costs

What's rarely mentioned in regulations hits teams hard. Development costs explode – and ultimately end up with private teams, national championships, and junior categories. The sporting benefit? Minimal.

FMF sums it up perfectly: If, despite the already reduced 111 dB limit, further tightening of regulations is being discussed and even top drivers are consciously opting for near-stock performance, something is getting out of hand.

Road protection, yes – but with discretion

Of course, the goal remains the same: to secure routes, protect residents, and maintain public acceptance. But the crucial question is: Are blanket limits the right approach – or are more realistic, technically feasible concepts needed? When production bikes fail, racing technology becomes a cost trap, and even industry giants issue public warnings, more than just the next downward adjustment of decibel levels is required.

When the specialist brakes, you should listen.

FMF thrives on racing, performance, and sound – yet warns against current trends. The fact that Kay de Wolf, a top MXGP rider, will consciously use the FMF standard header in 2026 lends additional weight to this warning.

Motocross needs to become quieter. But not at the cost of skyrocketing costs, technical rigidity, and diminishing accessibility. Perhaps being closer to production models isn't the problem – but rather the only realistic way to ensure that motocross remains rideable, affordable, and vibrant in the future.

Seth Hammaker in for 250 East

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker has went on an up and down journey throughout his career. He made his professional debut in 2021 and immediately put the sport on notice, winning his third career main event at Arlington. Multiple podiums and flashes of speed put Hammaker on the radar, but injuries began to pile up. 2025 was a return to the front for the Pennsylvania native after changing his program. With a move to Florida joining The Dog Pound, Hammaker rebuilt his career and returned to the top step of the podium. A pair of main event wins including an East/West Showdown triumph at Indianapolis and a runner-up finish in both the 250 East and SMX Playoff standings proved that Hammaker was ready to fight and showcase his true potential.

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When asking Hammaker about his shift last year, the two biggest aspects of his comeback were evident right away: preparation and confidence.

“I feel like I’ve been able to grow as a rider more than ever,” Hammaker said. “It started with the move to Florida. Working with Michael Byrne, coming up with a plan and goals to maintain health and solid rides throughout the year helped me a ton. Then, executing and gaining confidence helped me secure the best season of my pro career. The main priority of last year was to get through the full season healthy and nothing changes this year to be honest.”

Two wins last year and experience with the red plate showed Seth Hammaker’s progression and confidence in the 250SX East series.

Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment.

Hammaker only missed one race last year after a big crash at Hangtown and put together his best season to date. While he remained competitive all year and healthy for most of the season, Hammaker underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum after his runner-up finish in the playoffs. I asked the 25-year-old about his progression back to standard practice, which he described as “smooth”.

“I got the surgery the Tuesday after SMX. Rehab went smooth and I was able to hit the three month goal to get back on the bike, which was ideal. I was back on the bike at the end of December and rode a few weeks of the turn track and outdoors, then hopped on Supercross and it felt great. I’ve been working on perfecting my technique more and being consistent throughout my motos.”

The sport of SuperMotocross tends to be a meat grinder, chewing up young, talented racers and spitting them out. While the mental and physical toll can crush dreams, Hammaker has stayed sharp and kept pushing with continued backing and support from Mitch Payton and the entire Pro Circuit team. Hammaker’s goal for the 250 East season is crystal clear: bring a #1 plate home.

“The loyalty means a lot to me. I really respect it and I want to get them a championship really bad,” Hammaker said. “I’m going to have to be consistent with my riding and put myself up front to stay out of the chaos. If I stay levelheaded and be the best I can be each race, that’s all I can ask for.”

Next weekend, the 250 East series kicks off at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the same venue where Hammaker claimed his first professional win. He will sport #10 this season and attempt to deliver the Pro Circuit team’s first championship since the summer of 2019.

Mike Alessi Returns to Europe

Mike Alessi is heading back to Hawkstone Park – and this time he’s doing it in red, white and blue...

By Team TMX

The buzz around VMXdN Hawkstone, brought to you by The Range, has already stepped up a gear for 2026 with the switch to the iconic Hawkstone Park circuit, and now the rider announcements are starting to land thick and fast. Set your calendars for August Bank Holiday weekend, August 27-30, 2026, because the four-day motocross festival is building nicely – and this one’s a big hitter.

Alessi turned pro back in 2004 and lined up at the Hawkstone International the following spring. Fast forward 21 years and the holeshot maestro – one of the most decorated amateur racers in US history and a multi-time professional race winner – has agreed to represent Team USA at VMXdN Hawkstone 2026.

He’ll be 38 when the gate drops on what is not only the biggest MX race in the UK but widely regarded as the greatest vets event on the planet. And make no mistake, Alessi isn’t coming for a lap of honour. He’s a racer to the core and he’s not travelling across the Atlantic to make up the numbers.

From a dominant schoolboy career to a 15-year professional stint packed with wins in the 125, Lites and 450 classes, Alessi has built his reputation on brutal starts and uncompromising aggression. The journeyman spirit still burns bright too, with the American continuing to compete internationally in Canada, Brazil and beyond.

For Hawkstone, he’ll line up on a 2002 Yamaha YZ250 supplied by BT Motion – a proper bit of kit for what promises to be an all-action weekend on the Shropshire sand.

If you’ve been to VMXdN before, you already know the score. If you haven’t, believe the hype. It’s a celebration of motocross heritage, noise, nostalgia and full-gas racing that pulls in fans of all ages.

Spectator tickets and camping passes are available at www.vmxdnhawkstone.com

And if you’re planning to make a weekend of it – which you should – don’t hang about securing a camping pass. Space is limited and they’re shifting quickly.

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