The opening round of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship in Bariloche lived up to all expectations. On a selective track, lined with thousands of passionate fans and swept by the winds of the Andes, the world hierarchy took shape amid pain and panache. While Jeffrey Herlings reminded everyone that he remains the fastest man on Sunday, it was the consistency of French prodigy Tom Vialle that was rewarded with the red leader's plate at the end of this first weekend.
MXGP: A royal trio within two points
The Argentine Grand Prix was a nail-biting affair. On Saturday, Tom Vialle (Honda HRC) made a big impact by winning the qualifying round, pocketing 10 points for the victory. On Sunday, the Frenchman confirmed his excellent form on his return to 450cc, finishing 2nd and 4th. With a total of 50 points, he immediately established himself as a contender for the title.
Tom Vialle: "It's really nice to be back in GP. I didn't really know what to expect because the level in 450 is very high, but my speed was good. I had a little problem stalling in the second race, but overall it's an excellent start and we're going to continue to build on that."
Alongside him at the top of the standings is his teammate Jeffrey Herlings. After a blank Saturday, "The Bullet" pulled out all the stops on Sunday with a masterful double (1-1). This performance also earned him 50 points and gave him the 113th victory of his career, his first under the Honda Petronas colors.
Just behind this duo, defending champion Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) showed metronomic consistency. With 6 points for his 5th place on Saturday and his results on Sunday (3-2), the Frenchman is in 3rd place overall with 48 points.
Romain Febvre: "We made a few changes to the bike that helped. In the second race, I had good flow, but when Jeffrey came back at the end, it was difficult to defend. He was the best today, but the season is long and starting with a podium finish was my goal."
MX2: Längenfelder, the boss doesn't falter
In the MX2 class, reigning champion Simon Längenfelder (Red Bull KTM) lived up to his number 1 status. In his 100th Grand Prix, the German delivered a clinical performance despite a crash on Saturday.
In the first race, he let Janis Reisulis lead before launching a decisive attack on the sixth lap to pull away at the front. In the second race, he had to battle hard against Liam Everts (Husqvarna), who was hampered by illness, but eventually overtook him with some spectacular braking on the downhill section.
Simon Längenfelder: "Yesterday, I tried to be too aggressive and it backfired. Today, I had two good starts and I knew what I was capable of. Coming back here as champion gives me even more motivation."
The surprise came from Triumph Racing, which placed both of its bikes on the overall podium. Guillem Farres (2nd) and Camden McLellan (3rd) proved that the British brand is ready to compete at the highest level.
Guillem Farres: "I felt really good on the bike. The goal is to be consistent. We had a great training session this winter and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
Overall Standings after Argentina
Top 10 MXGP World Championship
Top 10 MX2 World Championship
The next race is on March 22 at the Almonte track in Andalusia for the Spanish Grand Prix. Will Tom Vialle be able to hold off Herlings' comeback on his home turf in Europe?
Credit for information and photos: mxgp.com
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