Overlooking the Timor Sea in Australia’s far north, the city of Darwin hosted the nineteenth and final round of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship. Measuring 1,540 meters and featuring a mixed sand and clay surface, the track is located within the Darwin Motor Sport Complex and winds through the hills of Hidden Valley.
Fresh off a seventh-place finish in Saturday’s qualifying race, Calvin Vlaanderen lined up for the first moto determined to fight for a strong result. Running close to eighth place after the opening corner, Vlaanderen battled for fifth throughout the race, posting impressive lap times and crossing the finish line in sixth. Calvin got an even better start in the second race; aboard his Desmo450 MX, he fought with the leaders and passed sixth at the end of the first lap—the same position he held at the finish—securing sixth place overall for the day.
The Dutchman’s championship campaign—during which he was forced to miss two races due to injury—concluded with an 11th-place overall in the standings. It was a season defined by consistent effort, yielding two fourth-place overall finishes (in South Africa and China) alongside numerous top-ten results. Ducati Corse Off-Road and the Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team would like to thank Calvin for his commitment throughout the season—demonstrating that he is a serious and reliable professional—and wish him all the best for the future of his career.
Calvin Vlaanderen: “The final race is in the books; it was a pretty good day. I’m not entirely satisfied with my riding—I think it could have been better—but I’m happy to head home with two sixth-place finishes. I want to thank everyone involved in this project; it’s been a season of ups and downs, but we kept fighting and never gave up, and that’s something we can be proud of. I wish everyone the best for the future.
It was also the final round of the season for the MX2 class, marking Ferruccio Zanchi’s second Grand Prix since returning to racing. The Beddini Racing Ducati Factory MX2 Team rider secured another positive result, finishing both motos in the top ten. His 10th-place overall finish in Australia aboard the Desmo250 MX allowed the Italian rider to move up one spot in the championship standings to finish 14th—an impressive feat considering he competed in only 11 of the 19 scheduled rounds due to injuries sustained early in the season and in Great Britain.
Ferruccio Zanchi: “The last Grand Prix of the year is done; I can’t say I’m fully satisfied with my speed, but it’s only my second race back. We used the final two rounds as good preparation for the Motocross of Nations, which takes place in two weeks. I’m really looking forward to Ernée, where I’ll be representing Italy for the first time.”
