It rained in Frauenfeld. Of course it rained. It always seems to rain in Switzerland when the motocross calendar says ride, and 2026 was no exception. The track crew had already drowned the clay overnight, the temperature was flirting with freezing, and chains were snapping like cheap toys.

Out of this misery rose Tom Vialle — the Frenchman whose MXGP career has so far been one long waiting room — and took his maiden premier-class victory. Meanwhile in MX2, Simon Längenfelder continued his quiet, Germanic efficiency that nobody seems able to stop, even though the spotlight tends to fall on flashier performances.

But we will return to the maths later.

Round 1: Argentina — New colours, old tricks

Argentina is the race the motocross world awaits like Christmas. It offers a technical track and an opportunity for journalists to stop writing vacuous “pre-season testing went well” pieces.

MXGP: Jeffrey Herlings debuted in Honda HRC Petronas colours. The team switch was the winter’s most talked-about topic — mainly because Herlings brings both victories and those famously blunt quotes that make manufacturers’ PR people look worried. On Sunday he went 1–1 and proved the speed has gone nowhere.

Tim Gajser, whose move to Yamaha was big news, finished fourth. Not bad, but not the dominance Yamaha’s boardroom was hoping for.

MX2: Längenfelder opened his season flawlessly (1–1). The biggest surprise, however, was the Triumph duo of Guillem Farres and Camden McLellan, who snatched the remaining podium places. The British marque has entered the series in earnest, which still feels as surprising as your grandfather taking up crypto investing.

“A ten-second misjudgement can cost a World Championship.”

Round 2: Spain — Coenen and the harsh truth of the sand

Almonte. Deep sand. A place where engines scream for mercy and a rider’s fitness is weighed without excuses.

MXGP: Lucas Coenen arrived in Spain like a man in a hurry. He won everything. The first moto came home with a margin of over 20 seconds. It was not merely a victory — it was a declaration of a new order.

Herlings rose to second, which is his customary way of salvaging a weekend, but in points terms it is an exhausting way to race.

MX2: History was made here. Triumph’s first-ever GP victory (2–1) was achieved. The first moto was won in front of the home crowd, but in the second moto the machinery let them down. Triumph’s official press release was no doubt civilised jubilation, but inside the pit tent they were screaming like children.

The red plate shifted to McLellan, and the KTM camp was clearly beginning to consider countermeasures.

Round 3: Switzerland — Mud and the fine print of the rulebook

Mud races should not be romanticised by writing how “mud tests a man’s character.” It mainly tests the washing machine and the mechanic’s patience.

MXGP: Lucas Coenen ran into trouble when his chain jumped off. The situation led to a disqualification for outside assistance. A ten-second misjudgement can cost a World Championship.

Vialle said thank you and took the GP win with a 1–6 result. That is the beauty of motocross: mathematics is the sport’s only democracy, and sometimes it rewards the one who best keeps moving.

MX2: Längenfelder restored order by riding a tactical masterpiece (1–3). Meanwhile Liam Everts — heir to the Everts dynasty’s legacy in the sport — finally reached the podium. McLellan lost the red plate back to the German, and the gap stretched to 22 points. A reminder that consistency ultimately wins championships, even if Triumph’s pace dominates the headlines.

Romain Febvre — last year’s champion

A title defence can be lost in two ways: a visible collapse or a quiet fade without major errors. The latter is often more devastating.

Defending World Champion Romain Febvre carries the number one plate but sits sixth after three rounds with 113 points. He already trails Lucas Coenen by 23 points. A second place in Argentina gave way to difficulties in Spain and a fourth in Switzerland. Febvre’s comment of “not bad” after the fourth place speaks volumes about a fading title dream.

The Kawasaki package is solid and the bike is last season’s championship-winning model, but results are lacking. When nothing is clearly broken, fixing it is hardest of all. You cannot fix nothing.

Analysis: Who is a threat and who is merely hopeful?

The title race can be viewed from several angles.

Coenen (MXGP) & Längenfelder (MX2): Both lead their series, but with different styles. Coenen is explosive and fast; Längenfelder is like a clock ticking steadily regardless of how deep the mud is.

Vialle & the Triumph boys: Vialle is the season’s only rider who wins when conditions are atrocious. McLellan and Farres have shown that a new marque can shake up the established order — if the bike just holds together to the finish.

Herlings: He is only 12 points off the lead. Never underestimate a man made of titanium and sheer willpower.

Febvre: Although the season is still in its early stages with a long road ahead, Romain desperately needs a shot in the arm at the very next GP.

Ducati: Calvin Vlaanderen sits ninth with 73 points — on a Ducati. Ducati is in MXGP. This is a fact that takes a moment to feel real. For now Vlaanderen is collecting points neatly, the bike works, and the Italian marque’s marketing department is certainly not sleeping soundly. Keep watching.

Next up: Sardinia and its sand

Sardinia is next. Deep sand has traditionally been Herlings’ kingdom, but the younger generation has shown it is not afraid to swallow a bit of sand in pursuit of victory.

The season has barely begun. The sand awaits.

Standings (3/20) — MXGP

Pos#RiderBikeCountryPts
1.5Lucas CoenenKTMBEL136
2.16Tom VialleHondaFRA129
3.84Jeffrey HerlingsHondaNED124
4.959Maxime RenauxYamahaFRA117
5.243Tim GajserYamahaSLO116
6.1Romain FebvreKawasakiFRA113
7.80Andrea AdamoKTMITA84
8.70Ruben FernandezHondaESP83
9.10Calvin VlaanderenDucatiNED73
10.74Kay de WolfHusqvarnaNED63

Red plate: Lucas Coenen — Gap to second: 7 points.

Standings (3/20) — MX2

Pos#RiderBikeCountryPts
1.1Simon LängenfelderKTMGER149
2.99Guillem FarresTriumphESP127
3.19Sacha CoenenKTMBEL124
4.8Camden McLellanTriumphRSA121
5.26Liam EvertsHusqvarnaBEL121
6.772Janis Martins ReisulisYamahaLAT105
7.317Mathis ValinKawasakiFRA98
8.18Valerio LataHondaITA90
9.47Karlis Alberts ReisulisYamahaLAT88
10.48Jens WalvoortKTMNED60

Red plate: Simon Längenfelder — Gap to second: 22 points.

Text: Photo & Moto