The Van Venrooy KTM Racing Team started the 2026 MXGP season during the Grand Prix of Argentina in Bariloche. For riders Noel Zanocz and Mattia Guadagnini, the weekend was mainly about finding their rhythm on the fast and technical circuit.
For Noel Zanocz, the weekend began with a sixteenth time in time practice, after which he finished fourteenth in the qualifying heat. In the first moto, the young rider again managed to finish sixteenth. In the second moto he had bad luck and was involved in a heavy crash after the start, forcing him to retire from the race early.
Zanocz nevertheless looked back positively on his first Grand Prix of the season.
“The circuit in Argentina was really fast and the layout was quite cool, but the surface was very strange and developed very sharp bumps in the fast sections. That is not the best combination, but it was still nice. It was a great experience to go to Argentina and it was really fun. I enjoyed it. I struggled quite a bit, but it is a good base to build on from here. We take the positives with us and learn from the negatives.”
Teammate Mattia Guadagnini showed throughout the weekend that the speed was there. He set the thirteenth time in time practice and rode to a strong eighth place in the qualifying heat.
In the first moto the Italian crashed at the start and had to begin the race from last place. He rode his own race and crossed the finish line in fifteenth position, while in the second moto he finished the race in fourteenth place. Guadagnini was satisfied with the feeling on the bike, despite a few crashes that stood in the way of a better result.
“The speed and rhythm in the race were good, especially in the qualifying heat on Saturday. That one went really well and I finished eighth. In the two motos I had a few heavy crashes that affected the result a bit, but the feeling was positive. With a good start and by staying out of trouble we can definitely ride strong races. It was only the first race of the season, so I look forward to the rest of the year with confidence.”
After the opening round in South America, the MXGP paddock returns to Europe for the next round of the world championship. For Van Venrooy KTM Racing, the Grand Prix of Argentina forms an important first benchmark, in which the team can continue to build with confidence towards the upcoming races of the season.
