The Oriental Beauty Valley MXGP of China was officially launched on Friday as the riders and teams of the FIM Motocross World Championship gathered at the West Bund Dream Center, set on the banks of the Huangpu River in the heart of Shanghai City, for a media event that captured all the excitement building ahead of the weekend.
The venue has been transformed into a space entirely dedicated to MXGP, with an impressive set up stretching from a practice area and ramp for children to a line of food carts and a spectacular stage, where fans from the area will be able to take part in an MXGP Watch Party throughout the event.
The riders began the event with a tour of the site and smiling and admiring the young children practicing on the electric bike in front of their heroes, before heading towards a signing session, where a crowd of eager fans was already waiting. Among those present were Honda HRC Petronas’ 2026 MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings and his teammate Tom Vialle, together with the Triumph Racing Factory duo and current top two in MX2, Guillem Farres and Camden McLellan.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo and Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Liam Everts were also in attendance, alongside Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP’s Calvin Vlaanderen and Beddini Racing Ducati Factory MX2’s Ferruccio Zanchi. Venrooy KTM Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, Team Honda Motoblouz SR Motul’s Kevin Horgmo and Osicka MX Team’s Julius Mikula completed the European contingent, while the Australian duo of Byron Dennis and Dylan Walsh added their own following to the occasion. Completing the line up were Brian Hsu and Li Yuzhang of JHL Factory Racing, representing the Chinese manufacturer making its debut in MXGP.
Following the signing session, the riders were presented with gifts by the organisers, a set of plush toys offered as a gesture of welcome, before gathering once more for an ultimate family photo.
The atmosphere was joyful throughout and showed once again that China is welcoming MXGP with open arms, delivering amazing structures and a set up designed for the most enjoyable experience possible during media events.
The Chinese round will return in 2027, moving to May and landing inside the Labour Day break, one of the biggest holiday periods of the year in the country. It is a clear sign of how quickly motocross is growing its reach in China, with an increasing number of fans following the championship and taking a genuine interest in the riders themselves.
With the Chinese Grand Prix now officially kicked off, all eyes turn to Saturday’s races, which are becoming so important in defining the outcome of the championships. In MXGP, Herlings has already secured the crown, but second and third in the standings are still to be defined, while in MX2 everything remains to be decided as Farres and McLellan prepare to resume their battle.
All the photos from the MXGP of China will be available HERE.
You can find the complete results HERE.
TIMETABLE
SATURDAY:
10:45 MX2 Free Practice, 11:15 MXGP Free Practice, 13:20 MX2 Time Practice, 14:00 MXGP Time Practice, 15:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 16:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.
SUNDAY:
09:55 MX2 Warm-up, 10:15 MXGP Warm-up, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.
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