Cooper Webb...What's Next?

Free-agent' Webb to determine future beyond 2026

'I would love to keep going though at a supercross level'

Reigning Monster Energy Supercross champion Cooper Webb will work to determine his future beyond a third 450SX title defense in 2026, not ruling out a supercross-only deal for the following year.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider turned 30 in November and, after winning premier class titles in 2019, 2021 and 2025, Webb intends to race-on in 2027.

It’s been suggested that the North Carolina native is considering an supercross-only program that would be headlined by continuing in the high-profile US series, in addition to an international schedule that could extend to either WSX or the Australian-based AUSX championship. It’s unclear if that would be inclusive of the lucrative SMX post-season.

“I’d love to keep racing past [next] year, but I am a free-agent after [next] year,” Webb explained at SMX Media Days. “So just deciding… you know, I think at this point, I don’t know where I’m at. I’m still enjoying it and I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been, which I love that part.

“Like I said, I’m more fired up right now to go defend than I probably ever have been, so the motivation’s still clearly there. But it’s like anything – as you get older, there’s a lot of other things that come into this sport. I’ve achieved a lot and want to continue to achieve that, and I feel like if I’m able to do that, I’ll keep going.

“And obviously, I think I’d probably transfer into a supercross-only side of things. Clearly, that’s kind of my specialty, but we’ll see. I’m all-in on this year, and that’s kind of been my goal this whole year – after this year, we’ll kind of reassess and decide. I would love to keep going though at a supercross level, for sure.

“You know, I think certain things like the excitement of when you’re young, you’ll never replace that, right? And just like learning those things, but I am genuinely enjoying it. But it doesn’t get easier, you know, the competition gets gnarlier. There is pressure when you win, which is part of it, but it definitely takes sometimes the fun out of it.

“With me, I’ve always felt like I’ve had a good way of handling that pressure and I enjoy having that pressure, so I think that’s what’s maybe kept me in it maybe longer than others. And yeah, I mean being around good people, good team, having something to wake up every morning and go chase is exciting, and as I’m getting older I really do appreciate that.

“And having a family now, like it’s cool to be able to share these moments with them and travel the world and have a more deep purpose of like, ‘Hey, I’m not just doing it for myself anymore – I’m doing it for my wife and kids.’ So yeah, it’s a sweet journey. Obviously, it’s been very rewarding up to this point. And we’ll see… I got this year and we’ll go from there.”

Webb has previously contested the off-season Paris Supercross and AUSX Open events, and made his World Supercross debut in Australia last month. His lone Pro Motocross title came in 250MX during the 2016 season, while his success in the SMX playoffs has been mixed since its introduction in 2023.

With a new YZ450F being introduced by Yamaha for 2026, Webb is in the early development stages with the latest generation model, and has taken charge of development following the departure of former teammate Eli Tomac to Red Bull KTM at the end of last season.

“It’s been very busy,” he commented. “Obviously, we got the new bike, so we’ve been just working through that. Like anything, just taking time, waiting on parts, putting them on, trying them – all those kinds of things. I’m kind of the guy to do it all now, we don’t have [Eli Tomac] here anymore.

“So, I’ve been basically developing it solo, and yeah, obviously did those two off-season races. It’s been wide-open, that’s for sure. And then you’re just always fighting something, whether it’s weather or, obviously as the champ, you’ve got a lot of obligations you’ve got to do, which is a part of it.

“It’s been quite hectic, but I’m enjoying it. It’s a process, and we’ve had some long days. I think I’m in a good spot. Like I said, as far as my experience and where I sit mentally, I’m happy. With a new bike, there is some challenges that you don’t prepare for sometimes – we’ll keep working on that. I’m sure we’ll be ready once that time comes.”

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RJ...A couple of Bruises!

"I got humbled real quick." -RJ Hampshire on an off-season crash

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire surprised a lot of people in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship when he not only raced less than two weeks after wrist surgery but moved up to the 450 class and did well. All summer long RJ improved, and his once wild riding style seemed to tame down on the larger displacement. RJ sat down for the SMX Media Days last week and tried to dampen expectations for the fast-approaching 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.

“I'm literally going into supercross, like I went into outdoors," he said on expectations. "I mean, outdoors, dude, I was barely hanging on, but that was one arm there at first. But I'm trying to not expect too much. Take it as it kind of comes the first round or two. And, I mean, I told you guys I would grow into it as the season went on and by where I said I'd be, I think it was after High Point, you know, I'd be battling for podiums. That's where I was. And I feel like I'll kind of be in that same kind of situation here in supercross. Give me till, you know, round five or six, and I should be kind of in that same spot where I was for outdoors. Don't expect something crazy right off the bat because I don't think I'll be at that level, but I do feel like I can grow pretty fast. And, I mean, I need to learn a lot on this 450 and get some get some time on it.”

A 450 on a supercross track is a whole new beast, one that demands respect. As RJ quickly learned, suffering a crash while testing recently.

“I got on the 450, I'd say the end of October it was and that was my first time testing on it. So, I tested for a full week out here in California. Made a lot of progress. I felt like, for myself, got back to Florida and road a couple of days with Malc [Stewart] and we were pretty close and [I] had a big one. That was very humbling, right off the bat. So yeah, had a big one that that one stung. And then yeah, just, you know, last week or so back riding feeling good.”

Pressed further about the crash, RJ went into a little more detail.

“Dude, it was, like I said, I got humbled real quick. I was out here in California, and, I mean, rode with someone that had something else, and I thought it was going to be a good change. And it felt great out here. And then I got back to Florida and, dude, yeah, it got away from me in the whoops and couldn't bring it back. And that was it. So, it's off my bike now and I won't be back on it. So that was my answer [if it worked or not].”

He continued: “I broke my scapula and a couple ribs. But, yeah, that was nothing compared to what I thought it was. So, I was off the bike to two and a half weeks. So, yeah, I've been back on the bike about two weeks now.”

So, coming off an injury, and learning the 450 on a supercross track, RJ knows not to expect greatness right off the bat. However, if his learning curve is anything like it was in 450 motocross, we should expect to see RJ battling for podiums by the end of 17 rounds.

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2026 SX...No Free Practice

2026 Supercross Qualifying: No Free Practice, Two 12-Minute Qualifying Sessions

Last week at the 2026 SMX Media Days, our media room of reporters had on the record conversations with over 40 individuals in two days. While this time was mostly with riders, we also got on-record interviews with Feld’s Mike Muye and Dave Prater from the SX operations/management side, plus Ken Adelson from the TV broadcast department. In our talks with Mike Muye, the Sr. Director of Operations for Supercross, we learned about a big change to the race day schedule for Monster Energy AMA Supercross.

Muye confirmed the new race day schedule for ’26 supercross events will not have free practice. That’s right, free practice sessions (eight minutes per session) will go away and instead of two ten-minute qualifying sessions like there were in 2025, there will now be no free practice sessions and instead just two 12-minute qualifying sessions. Steve Matthes has mentioned this previously, but now we have it confirmed directly from Muye. (Note, the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross rulebook and the '26 Anaheim 1 SX race day schedule have yet to be posted publicly, but we will post a link to them once they are released.)

Here is Muye explaining the change.

“I think the big thing this year that we focused on was the amount of track maintenance that we want to incorporate in," he said. "So, we've made the decision to remove free practices, and we'll be running two qualifying sessions at 12 minute[s] each. And we use the majority of that extra time for track maintenance and rebuilding portions of the rhythm lanes and those types of things. Whoops are always challenging just because of the time that it takes to build them, but hopefully with the reduced amount of traffic over the whoops, they won't break down as much.”

 

Mike Muye at the SMX Media Days in California.Mitch Kendra

With free practice not counting for overall qualifying sessions, eliminating these sessions does eliminate the risk factor for riders pushing it in a session that has no result on qualifying position. This change makes it so that each time riders are on track, it counts for something. 

He continued to say the schedule is flexible when it comes to the night show/main program as he said, “We can adjust the schedule as much as we need to: we have a three-hour broadcast window and that’s what we fit into.”

Muye noted the emphasis on rider safety too, especially when it comes to the whoops. Previously, the decision was made to go to nine whoops at each round, with hopes to cut down on the number of crashes in the dangerous and tricky obstacle. However, Muye said we will see a few races in ’26 with varying number of whoops and a few tracks with ten or 11 whoops are in the plan. The whoops section has been a talking point the last few years as Feld and the AMA continue to navigate the fine line of allowing a tricky track that separates riders but also creates good racing while also maintaining a safe racetrack.

He also noted the team is looking at options for in-helmet communications, which might be a possibility in the near future—although not for 2026. He did say if there would be any communication devices used that it would only be one way, so the riders would not be able to talk back. That is an ongoing discussion.

All in all, Muye, among the other personnel within the supercross division of Feld Motor Sports, wants the sport to grow and they are always looking at options for improvement on every front when it comes to the racing, safety, broadcast, and more.

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Jorge Prado...Has He Got What It Takes?

Jorge Prado: “My goal is still to win a Supercross title and an outdoor title”

What should we expect from Jorge Prado in 2026? It’s one of the big questions right now. Back with Red Bull KTM after a season to forget with Monster Energy Kawasaki, the Spanish rider is deep into his preparation for the new season. Despite his lack of Supercross experience and some criticism sent his way, the ambitions remain unchanged, as Jorge explained during a media roundtable ahead of the 2026 season opener.

“Training is going very well at the moment. We’ve been working for a few months now, and I feel really good on the bike, with the team, and we’ve been spending a lot of time riding. I needed that. Supercross is still very new to me, so the goal this off-season was to put in a lot of laps in practice to feel comfortable with the bike and the tracks. I’ve been able to ride many different tracks, and that has helped us a lot – to see where I’m at, but also how to set up the bike properly. I’m excited as we approach the 2026 season.”

Jorge Prado heads into the new season with a mindset very different from 2025. With his motivation back, the Red Bull KTM rider hopes he can finally put behind him his extremely difficult first campaign on American soil.

“Last year was crazy. I arrived at Anaheim 1 with only 12 days on the bike – and it was Supercross, and a brand-new bike. It was honestly really tough. This time, it’s the opposite because I’m back on a bike I know very well. The settings were good right from the start, and we’ve ridden a lot in training. I’ve also been very consistent and haven’t had a single issue. I’ve been able to train well, which is perfect. There’s still a month to go before Anaheim 1, but so far everything is going really well. I’m going to Bakers Factory for two weeks, then come back to California for Christmas, and then return there for the first half of the season.”

The return to KTM seems to be paying off for the Spaniard, who admits he quickly found his bearings again on the 450SX-F after a 2025 season spent searching for solutions on the factory Kawasaki – a partnership that deteriorated as the months went on.

“I was surprised at how good the settings were on the KTM right from the beginning. They were much better than what I rode with in 2024 when I came over to do a few Supercross rounds. Back then, I didn’t really do any testing. For me, it was more about living a new experience, an adventure. I wasn’t coming to chase big results. This time, we wanted to start with the same settings as in 2024, but we quickly realised we’d need to switch to the new base because it’s much better. The frame is also different now and, actually, it’s quite similar to the one I had in GPs.”

In 2026, Jorge Prado will have two high-profile teammates: Eli Tomac and Aaron Plessinger. But on paper, the Spaniard hasn’t yet been able to benefit from the experience of the multiple AMA champion, who trains alone in his home state of Colorado.

“Eli raced WSX, and he lives in Colorado. We really haven’t had the chance to ride together apart from the photoshoot and media day. It’s a shame – I would have liked him to spend more time in California so we could train together, and so I could learn from him. It’s always great to have someone like him, with so much experience and so many titles, as a reference point. I think I could gain speed if he were with me on the track.”

While Aaron Plessinger had to skip the Paris Supercross due to a health issue, Eli Tomac competed in two rounds of the World Supercross Championship. Jorge Prado, meanwhile, chose to skip potential offseason races to focus entirely on his preparation, away from the spotlight.

“Considering how my off-season has gone so far, I think we made the right decision by not racing this winter. We were able to take the time to make adjustments to the bike and improve it. I could take my time, without feeling rushed thinking ‘I have a race in two weeks’. That kind of thing adds stress to training. I was able to stay relaxed and focus on my training while improving each week. And since Eli raced WSX with the KTM, I think they got enough data from him on that side.”

Image: Simon Cudby

With the Kawasaki chapter now firmly closed, Jorge Prado is reunited with the KTM group for the 2026 season – and with it, his confidence. With the Austrians, the Spaniard had already won four world titles, and returning to his roots quickly became the obvious choice to reboot his American journey.

“Riding again for Red Bull KTM is going to change things. Outdoors, for example, because I already have settings I know, I have a good base, and I know where to improve. I’m not too worried because I know I feel comfortable on the bike, and that I can just focus on improving. The mindset is very different for 2026 – I’m more relaxed and I can focus on myself, on my progression. I don’t need to think too much about the technical aspect or the bike’s development, because I know everything is ready on that side.”

With one month to go before the 2026 season opener, Jorge Prado feels ready – even if he admits he still doesn’t know exactly what to expect in Supercross, a discipline in which he still lacks significant experience.

“My goal is to race the full Supercross season. I’ve never raced on the East Coast where the dirt is a bit softer, and I think that will be even better for me. Right now, I’m doing a lot of riding in California to get used to the harder tracks. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself in terms of results but obviously I’m a competitor, so when I’m behind the gate, I’m not going to settle for a top 10. I want to run up front, but I also have to be realistic. The goal will be to race all the rounds. I don’t even really know where I stand right now. I don’t really know how to judge my level compared to the others who have much more experience than I do. For now, I’m taking things as they come. My goal is still to win a Supercross title and an Outdoor title. Maybe it will take one year, maybe two, maybe three – but I won’t leave until I’ve succeeded.”

Based in the USA since the end of 2024, Jorge Prado reflects on his overall experience living in the United States.

“Living in the USA is very different from Europe. The US is where you need to be for Supercross. The Outdoor tracks are also very nice. But to live, I prefer Europe. Obviously, my family and friends are there. It’s a lifestyle thing. Here, you always need to take the car to get around, and food is also a bit more complicated. Spain is a very social and lively country. You can go out at 8 p.m. and the streets are full of people walking around. Here, you don’t see many people outside – mostly cars!”

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Chase Sexton ...2026?

Why 2026 could be Chase Sexton's most important yet

Post: Kane Taylor

Making his three-year deal with Monster Energy Kawasaki count.

It’s a defining season for former 450SX and 450MX champion Chase Sexton, making a high-profile move to Monster Energy Kawasaki entering SMX 2026 to open an extensive three-year commitment. With prior stints at both Honda and KTM yielding title success, this may just be the most important chapter of the 26-year-old’s entire career.

There are tiered riders in any generation of talent, with the top echelon considered those who can win races and championships. In the current era, that claim realistically lies with three, maybe four, racers – Sexton being one – which means that teams are prepared to do what it takes to earn their signature.

This is all the more critical for Kawasaki, which since the domination of Ryan Villopoto as well as the success of Eli Tomac, has experienced a rocky patch in recent seasons. You could suggest that Jason Anderson was solid, especially in 2022,but this year with him and Jorge Prado was disastrous for the factory organization.

That said, for both Sexton and Monster Energy Kawasaki, 2026 represents a sense of opportunity for the pair, with the team eyeing a return to the front of the premier class pack, and Sexton hired as the man for the job. After achieving a career-high seven 450SX wins and finishing second in the standings, anything less than winning from the outset in year one could come into question.

“They pay me to win, so yeah, I think their expectations are for me to go out there and to win races at least, and hopefully be in the spot to win a championship [next] year,” Sexton said during this week’s SMX Media Sessions. “That’s my expectation. My biggest thing is that I want to get better every year and try to improve from last year.

“If I can do that, I’ll be happy, but I’d also love to win a championship – at least one. We’ll try to win a lot of races. That’s the main goal, so my mindset is pretty much that. They’re all hands on deck, and yeah, we’ve had to change a lot of stuff on the bike. I think the last two or three guys who were here haven’t really voiced a lot of stuff about the bike.

“We’re getting the bike in a good spot and a good direction. It’s definitely not like when I made the change last time, when I was really far off. I feel like I’m in a good spot, and we’re making good progress. I’m happy.”

The deal came out of left field initially, with speculation building that the number four was indeed destined for a Red Bull KTM exit – the team he signed with for 2024 and 2025 after being part of the Honda HRC beforehand since mid-2020. For multiple reasons, KTM and Sexton never seemed to ‘click’, even with his 2024 450MX crown and ongoing success in Supercross.

That ultimately led to a lucrative, three-year Monster Energy Kawasaki offer, with the team splitting with both Anderson and Prado for 2026, instead recruiting what will be a clean slate for their KX450 racing program for next year and beyond. That resulted in Sexton and newcomer Garrett Marchbanks being drafted in.

“I mean, it’s a tough decision,” he added. “I think, honestly, the one before when I went… When I was at Honda and I went to KTM, I had more options that time, so I think that was the tougher one. This one, it felt like I kind of knew where I was going, or I knew what I wanted to do pretty early.

“And then it was an easy decision for me. So I think the one before was harder, because I had more options, and I was younger too, and I didn’t really know what to do – this one was kind of a no-brainer and I got a really good feeling with the group of people that are there. The deal is three years – we went into it all-in – so we’ll see.”

Sexton admitted that enjoyment has also been a focal point, noting that the fun of riding a dirt bike had been fading in recent years, which is something he has been looking to ignite once more. Whether Kawasaki can bring that out once the pressure mounts, time will tell that side of the story.

“I think last year I was, not that I was tired or, I mean, I was tired, but I think mentally I just got really just tired from whether it was worrying about the bike or whatever it is, the grind of the last two years got to me last year, especially later in the outdoors and then even in SMX,” the Illinois native explained.

“So I took a step back in the off-season and tried to work on finding the fun again. And I think we’re off to a good start with the team, and kind of getting the fire back in me, so right now, as I said, I’m in the best spot I’ve been in in a while.

“I think the thing with KTM, like everyone thinks I’m a super-serious person – straight-laced – and just do the work and be done, but I have both sides. I am very focused when it comes to my racing, and I take it very seriously, but there’s also a point where you kind of have to have fun, and you enjoy what you do. I think when I was at KTM, I lost the aspect of having fun.

This latest transfer marks a significant milestone for Sexton, who, at least for the time being, sees Kawasaki as a long-term home, and one that could see him through to the end of his professional career. Getting off to a good start appears pivotal to the extended success of this combination, which are all things he is aware of entering his sixth term of Monster Energy Supercross 450SX.

“It’s definitely important,” Sexton said. “ I mean, that was in the back of my mind when I made the decision. As I’ve said before, I don’t really want to change teams again. Like, I would love to be able to find a home and stay somewhere for the rest of my career. That was in the back of my mind when I made this move.

“I don’t want to do another two-year thing and then be done. It is a big year. I feel like I’m in the prime of my career. I still feel really young as a person and as a racer. I still feel like I have a lot of good stuff ahead, but I know I need to make this move stick and make it successful.

“I didn’t win a championship last year [in 2025]. That was tough, so I think Kawasaki and I are both really determined to kind of get back and establish ourselves as the guys to beat, and I think that’s a cool spot to be in and try and get back there.”