The 2026 MXGP World Championship is underway. The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team returns from the opening Grand Prix of the season in Argentina with valuable championship points. Despite what he described as “a battle with the track,” Tim Gajser secured fourth overall in Bariloche, while teammate Maxime Renaux finished seventh.
#243 TIM GAJSER
Qualifying race 10 Race 1 6 Race 2 3 Overall 4 Championship 5
Tim Gajser. Image @fullspectrum.media
It was not the easiest start to the weekend for Tim Gajser, who made his Grand Prix debut for Yamaha. The five-time world champion suffered a heavy crash during Saturday’s qualifying race when he landed on a much slower backmarker after a jump. The Slovenian hit the ground hard, but fortunately escaped serious injury, although he was left with a painful upper arm.
In Race 1, Gajser exited the first corner just outside the top ten. The Slovenian built his race patiently and steadily worked his way through the field. After passing teammate Renaux, he capitalised on a crash by Bonacorsi and later overtook Adamo to eventually cross the finish line in sixth place.
Gajser made a much stronger start in Race 2, quickly settling into fifth position. Determined to move forward, he advanced one position after Renaux crashed before setting his sights on Vialle ahead. The Slovenian closed the gap and made a decisive inside pass on the Frenchman to secure third place in the race, which earned him fourth overall in the Grand Prix.
Gajser: “We have to focus on the positives, especially the second race. Things improved with every session this weekend and that’s something we can build on. Of course I want to be fighting at the front, but that will come. I was also battling with the track all weekend. It’s a very unusual circuit with very little grip. Now we have two weeks before the next Grand Prix, so we’ll keep working hard to be ready for Spain.”
#959 MAXIME RENAUX
Qualifying race 4 Race 1 7 Race 2 8 Overall 7 Championship 6
Maxime Renaux. Image @fullspectrum.media
Maxime Renaux secured a strong gate pick thanks to a solid fourth-place finish in Saturday’s qualifying race. The Frenchman ran near the front from the start and spent the entire race battling with Adamo for third place, but despite several attempts he was unable to find a way past the Italian.
Renaux delivered another solid ride in Race 1. Launching out of the gate in seventh position, he was only passed by Lucas Coenen on the opening lap and by teammate Tim Gajser on lap three. Remaining calm, Renaux eventually reclaimed seventh place after a crash by Bonacorsi and a well-executed move on Adamo.
Renaux stormed out of the gate in Race 2 to grab the holeshot, with fellow French riders Vialle and Febvre right behind him. Vialle soon took over the lead, but Renaux stayed close until he crashed on lap five. The fall dropped him back to sixth, and after losing his rhythm he surrendered two more positions in the closing stages of the race.
Renaux: “It’s not the start to the season I was hoping for. I didn’t feel comfortable on this track all weekend and was riding quite tense. The positive is that despite that feeling I still scored some important championship points. In such a long season that’s what matters. You always have to keep the bigger picture in mind. Now the focus immediately shifts to the next Grand Prix in Spain.”
QUALIFYING RACE
1 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon)
2 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
3 Andrea Adamo (Ita/KTM)
4 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
5 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
10 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
RACE 1
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon)
2 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon)
3 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
4 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
5 Pauls Jonass (Lat/Kaw)
6 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
7 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
RACE 2
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon)
2 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
3 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam)
4 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon)
5 Ruben Fernandez (Esp/Hon)
8 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
OVERALL
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon) 50
2 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 42
3 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon) 40
4 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam) 35
5 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 33
7 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 27
CHAMPIONSHIP (1/19)
1 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/Hon) 50
2 Tom Vialle (Fra/Hon) 50
3 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 48
4 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 42
5 TIM GAJSER (Slo/Yam) 36
6 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 34
Next race: March 21/22, MXGP Almonte, Spain
Images @Fullspectrum.media
