Wild Rumor!

RUMOUR: Jeffrey Herlings bound for Honda HRC in 2026?

 

Image: Ray Archer

When it comes to legends of the sport, Jeffrey Herlings needs little introduction. The Dutchman is one of the greatest to ever throw a leg over a motocross bike with five world titles and a staggering 109 GP overall wins to his name – and counting. It’s often said that if not for injuries, Herlings’ trophy cabinet would have been even more jaw-dropping.

Since bursting onto the GP scene back in 2010, Herlings has been synonymous with Factory KTM machinery. That iconic partnership has now spanned 15 years – a rarity in modern motorsport and one of the most successful rider-manufacturer collaborations in motocross history.

However, things look set to change. We understand that Herlings is poised to make a switch for the 2026 season – to none other than Honda HRC, the factory effort run by Giacomo Gariboldi. If confirmed, this would mark the end of an era and the start of a new chapter for both Herlings and Honda.

As previously reported by us and other sources, Tom Vialle is also heavily linked with a move to the HRC setup. That would give Honda a completely revamped and formidable MXGP rider line-up for 2026 as they push to get back to the very top of the sport.

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In a further shake-up, Herlings is expected to make the switch to Fox Racing gear – Herlings has been with Alpinestars gear for many years due to his association with KTM.

While details around contract length are still unclear, fingers crossed for a two-year deal because truthfully, the longer Herlings remains in the GP paddock, the better it is for the sport. We also understand that he held discussions with Ducati earlier in the year and even had an offer on the table to contest the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2026. However, those options didn’t materialize and now a move to Honda to take on the MXGP World Championship is looking the most likely.

At the moment, Herlings is currently recovering from a broken collarbone but hopefully he can recover soon so he can end his KTM career on a high note.

The Herlings-to-Honda story adds another layer of intrigue to what’s already shaping up to be a wild silly season. 2026 is going to be very, very interesting.

Vialle to miss Washougal

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle has been sidelined ahead of Saturday’s Pro Motocross Championship round at Washougal, unable to ride this week following a hard impact at the Spring Creek National that left him with soreness in his knee and shoulder.

Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Vialle raced to a sixth-place finish in the first 250MX moto at Millville, before an unfortunate fall entering the sand whoops on the opening lap of Moto 2 saw the current 250SX East title-holder retire from the race.

As a result, Vialle together with the full support of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, has made the decision to withdraw from this weekend’s race in Washington, before taking advantage of the two-week break that is scheduled prior to Round 9 at Ironman Raceway on August 9th.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s definitely unfortunate to announce that Tom Vialle will be sitting out this weekend’s race. It’s a long and demanding season for our riders, and we’ve been extremely fortunate up to this point to have had a full roster through the majority of Supercross and Pro Motocross. Of course, we love seeing our entire team out on the track representing the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing program, but our riders’ health and safety always come first. We fully support Tom’s decision to take the weekend off so he can focus on finishing the season strong and continuing to fight for podiums.”

Vialle is currently positioned fifth in this year’s 250MX standings following 7 of 11 rounds, with a pair of P2 overall results at both High Point and Southwick marking his best results of the outdoor season to date. He is also currently positioned third in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) points.

Plessinger Out

Ongoing health issues rule Plessinger out of Washougal

Section: Competition Post: Kane Taylor

450MX contender prioritizes recovery before planned return date.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger has been ruled out of the Washougal National this weekend, with a focus on addressing ongoing health issues that have plagued the 450MX contender across both RedBud and Spring Creek events.

Two challenging rounds have seen the 29-year-old withdraw from three of the last four motos, attempting to race the seventh round at Millville on the weekend, only to retire at the halfway mark of race one.

RedBud was a similar story for the number seven, who powered through for a sixth-place finish in the opening race, before electing to exit moto two. A light week of training wasn’t enough to remedy the issue, with both the team and Plessinger electing to sit out Washougal.

“The whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team is fully behind Aaron Plessinger,” explained Red Bull KTM team manager, Ian Harrison. “Our priority right now is making sure he receives the best medical advice and care possible. Aaron came into RedBud not at 100 percent, but he gave it his all and continued to push through to line up at Millville.

“Unfortunately, he felt the effects of his illness early on and, despite fighting hard in the first moto, was completely depleted and unable to recover for the second.

“By sitting out Washougal and heading into the break, it gives him a few weeks to focus on figuring out exactly what’s going on with his health. Most importantly, it allows him time to gain peace of mind and make the best decision on when he’s ready to return to racing.”

A two-weekend break in the schedule follows the Washougal round, with Plessinger and the team looking to regain 100 percent fitness before returning for the final three Pro Motocross rounds beginning at Ironman Raceway, and then into the SuperMotocross World Championship post-season in September.

Hunter Charges!

Since the weekend off following the High Point National, Hunter and Jett Lawrence and their Honda HRC Progressive CRF450Rs have pulled away from the pack. Early-season moto winner Eli Tomac has fallen way off, and Chase Sexton is not ready to battle the brothers yet in his return. Justin Cooper and Aaron Plessinger have taken some lumps, Cooper Webb is out and Jorge Prado is still not there. Early in the season, the Lawrences admitted they had some work to do with their bikes. Now they're set and have ripped off 1-2 finishes overall in the last four races.

In the same order, of course. Jett still hasn’t lost an overall this year and has still only lost one 450 Pro Motocross race in his career. Spring Creek might have been Hunter’s toughest challenge against his brother, though, holding him at bay in the first moto in a matter in which he could not just a week ago at RedBud. Jett, just like RedBud, went down early, but this time his march to the front stopped in second place. He reeled in a few seconds off of Hunter and cut the gap from nine seconds to about six, but that was as close as he could get.

“First one I had a really good start and just tipped it over,” said Jett. “Yeah, I just worked my way back to second and couldn't make it back to Hunter. Second one was able to make a good start again and then just tried to ride with no mistakes, and not make that same mistake twice, and we just pulled it off. He was there the entire time, he was running really well. It was a good moto.”

 

Jett wins again, but Hunter becomes the first rider outside to Eli Tomac (and Jett) to grab a moto win.Align Media

Hunter ended up 1-2, yet another runner-up finish for a rider who somehow has never finished out of the top five overall in a 450 pro motocross race in his career, which started last season, and yet also still doesn’t have an overall win.

“I'm just trying to go fast,” said Hunter Lawrence. “It's as simple as that. It's not rocket science. I'm just trying to go faster to catch him. And yeah, I'm frustrated after [the race] because I want to win. So I think everyone can almost probably imagine in their head what I'm thinking out there because it's not that crazy of a thought. It's just exactly what it is.”

Don’t confuse Hunter’s frustration over not winning with frustration toward his brother. The Lawrences long ago established that they each make each other better, especially as teammates, so this package deal is a necessary component. Yes, Jett is tough to beat but Hunter and Jett make each other better, and pulling away from the rest of the field, first, is a heck of an accomplishment. Maybe Hunter could win more if Jett weren’t there, but would Hunter be as good if he didn’t have Jett to ride and test with? Would Jett be as good without Hunter? They’ll both tell you no.

“Hunter went to another level today," said team manager Lars Lindstrom.Align Media

Thus, the real win is for both, as they add a gap on the rest of a very deep 450 pack. Rarely do two teammates roll this strong together. Last week at RedBud, they even switched bikes on press day to try different settings. That never happens between teammates who are not also brothers. Building and improving together has led to better days for both, and leaves them with nothing left but to battle each other. Frustrating? Can be, but that’s better than the alternative.

“The 450 race was incredible to watch, and it reminded me of 2022, when the brothers went at it on 250s,” said team manager Lars Lindstrom. “Hunter went to another level today, and it’s one of the only times I’ve seen someone get the best of Jett; I’m super proud of him. In the second moto they put on an absolute clinic, and Hunter was giving Jett all he could handle—it was a blast to watch!”

As the bike changes took hold after the first few rounds this year, Jett started to move out on the field. Hunter has explained several times that his brother's alien-like talent allows him to adapt quickly. Hunter needs more reps, more data, more laps to truly adjust to a new setting. It seems he's reaching that point, and closing the gap. It could be up to Hunter, now, to prevent Jett from winning all the overalls this year. At Millville, he was closer than ever.

Ricky Carmichael is famous for having two perfect seasons with every moto win in 450 Pro Motocross, but in 2005 he pulled a third season where he won all the overalls, just not all the motos. Will Jett Lawrence do the same this summer?

Sexton on Millville and an update on Plessinger

MILLVILLE, Minn. – Third overall in Round 7 of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Spring Creek National continued Chase Sexton’s successful return to racing in the mid-stages of the 450MX season, with the defending champion posting a consistent 3-3 scorecard across the pair of premier class motos.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to sixth during the morning’s qualifying sessions, before charging to a solid P3 result in Moto 1 after featuring toward the front of the field on what was a high-speed Millville circuit this weekend.

Faced with a deteriorating track later in the afternoon, the number 1 posted another measured performance in Moto 2, recording another third-place result, and continuing to build back into form as the series develops.

Chase Sexton: “I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming back during the season. I think speed-wise, especially my first few laps, were better today than at RedBud, but we still have a lot of work to do. I enjoy Washougal, as well as the next few tracks coming up, so we’ll keep aiming to improve and get closer toward the battle at the front.”

450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger entered today still feeling the effects of the illness he experienced at the previous round. Still, he qualified fourth onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before running as high as second in Moto 1. Despite displaying that impressive speed, a depleted Plessinger would ultimately be forced to retire from the race and elected to withdraw from Moto 2.

Davies Riding Again

250SX Rookie of the Year recovers from injuries sustained in Salt Lake.

Image: Octopi Media.

New Zealand teenager Cole Davies has returned to riding after a lengthy stint on the sidelines, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie recovered from a broken arm and nose sustained during Salt Lake City’s 250SX West qualifying session in May.

Davies had opted out of completing a rhythm lane during the session, which led to a fully-committed Jordon Smith (Triumph Factory Racing) landing on the back of the number 100, ultimately resulting in a frightening clash for both of them upon impact.

Sidelined since the event while recovering from his injuries, Davies began riding yesterday as he continues to build towards a return to competition.

“Man, I’ve missed this,” the 17-year-old said. “It’s been a tough few months since Salt Lake, and the whole injury process was something pretty foreign to me. I watched the boys ride once during that time, and I won’t lie… it sucked.

“The team has been unreal through it all, and so have all the people who reached out to show support. Today’s the day I’ve been waiting for. I’m back on the bike and all in!”

No official timeline has been released regarding Davies’ return to racing as five rounds remain in Pro Motocross, with a two-week break between the Washougal and Ironman Nationals. He currently sits P13 in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) 250 Class standings.

MXGP of Finland

Vialle's Future

The Lawrence Bros Again!

Dreams Are Important!

If you're a racer, former racer or trail rider we've all had dreams of reaching the top of our sport. It's a long, tough, expensive road to travel. I know this young man he is committed to succeed. He works hard and is dedicated to developing his craft. He is polite, courteous and committed to his family. He has big dreams! 

Art - MX43

Join Me on the Road to Loretta Lynn’s – Support a Rising Motocross Star!

My name is Christian Humphrey, and I’m a dedicated motocross racer with a deep passion for the sport. I’m thrilled to share that I’ve earned first place in two classes at the Northwest Regionals—officially qualifying me for the 2025 Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship! This prestigious event showcases the top 3% of amateur riders in the nation, and I’m honored to be among them.

Loretta Lynn’s is more than just a race—it’s a launching pad for future professionals, with national media coverage, thousands of fans, and industry scouts watching closely. But getting there takes more than talent—it requires strong support.

I’m currently seeking sponsors or financial assistance to help me compete at this elite level. Your support would go directly toward critical expenses like travel, entry fees, lodging, equipment, and gear—everything it takes to compete with the best in the country.

https://gofund.me/481991dd

About Me:

• Name: Christian Humphrey
• Age/Class: 15 years old / 125cc & Schoolboy 1 (14–17)
• Race Team: Privateer
• Instagram: @Christianhumphrey47

2025 Highlights:

• 🥇 NW Loretta Regionals: 1st in 125cc & Schoolboy 1
• 🏁 Ricky Carmichael Daytona SX: 5th in 125cc
• 🏆 Cal Classic National: 4th in 125cc
• 👊 Mini Monsters National: 1st in 125cc, 1st in 125cc Jr, 3rd overall in Schoolboy 1

Whether it’s through sponsorship, a donation, or helping spread the word, your support means everything as I chase my dream of becoming a professional motocross athlete. I’d be proud to represent your brand or business on this journey.

Let’s ride to the top—together!
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Christian Humphrey
#47

https://gofund.me/481991dd