The MXGP of Switzerland powered by IXS is the third stop on March 28 and 29 in Frauenfeld-Gachnang.
The Motocross World Championship kicks off its 2026 season in Argentina this coming weekend. After the next stop in Spain (Andalusia), the MXGP of Switzerland powered by IXS in Frauenfeld-Gachnang will be the third round of this year's 19-part series on March 28 and 29.
The Swiss World Championship round on the demanding Schollenholz track will be the fourth edition of the modern era of the Swiss Motocross Grand Prix, taking place earlier than ever before. As in the previous year, the program will feature the two World Championship categories MXGP and MX2, as well as the European Championship classes EMX250 and EMX125.
The cards have been reshuffled
Due to changes in brands, teams, and classes for some of the riders, this year promises to be even more exciting. Last year's two main protagonists, reigning world champion Romain Febvre from France and runner-up Lucas Coenen from Belgium, will once again be competing in green for the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP and orange for Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, respectively.
The situation is different for five-time world champions Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser, who were beaten below their true value last year due to injuries. "The Bullet" from the Netherlands, who has been part of the KTM family since 2009, has moved to the Honda HRC PETRONAS factory team, taking over the seat of Slovenian Tim Gajser, who has been riding for Honda since 2014. "TiGa243," on the other hand, is looking for a new challenge in the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team with the manufacturer with the three crossed tuning forks in its logo.
Strong climbers
But that's not all. Following their successes in the MX2 World Championship, Frenchman Tom Vialle (MX2 World Champion 2020 and 2022), Italian Andrea Adamo (2023), and another Dutchman, Kay de Wolf (2024), are joining the premium MXGP class this year.
In his World Championship comeback after a three-year hiatus, Vialle will race alongside Jeffrey Herlings for Honda HRC PETRONAS in the U.S., while Adamo will now ride a larger KTM for Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and de Wolf will also ride a more powerful Husqvarna for Team Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing. Lucas Coenen serves as proof that they, too, should be counted among the favorites in their first MXGP year. Last year, as a rookie in the class, he impressively demonstrated how to compete at the very front right from the start. In the end, he even secured the most wins of the season with six Grand Prix victories.
"There are a lot of exciting new developments this year in terms of the rider line-up. With our MX-GP, we are the first in Central Europe, so we hope and believe that many international fans will also come to Frauenfeld-Gachnang to see live how the new rider-bike constellations prove themselves," says OK boss Willy Läderach, already full of anticipation.
The Swiss permanent starters
We can also look forward to seeing how Swiss permanent MXGP riders Jeremy Seewer and Kevin Brumann perform. The veteran rider from Bülach secured his first podium finish in his first year with the fledgling Ducati motocross factory team at his home Grand Prix a year ago and would naturally like to repeat this feat on the fourth weekend in March. However, he would like to improve on his tenth place in the World Championship standings.
Kevin Brumann from Ehrendingen, who will be 21 until March 25, achieved his best individual result in the MXGP to date in 2025 with a 9th place finish in the heat and wants to finish in the top 10 more often this year.
For Nico Greutmann from Merishausen, Switzerland's third regular MXGP rider since the second race, the main focus this year will be on learning and gaining a foothold in the premium category after his promotion from EMX250, which he finished in a remarkable fourth place.
The Längenfeld Hunters
In the "small" MX2 World Championship class for riders up to 23 years of age with 250cc machines, Germany's Simon Längenfelder will be defending his title with Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. His main rivals will be his teammate Sasha Coenen, the twin brother of Lucas Coenen, South African Camden Mc Lellan (Triumph Racing MX2 Factory Team), and Belgian world champion son and grandson Liam Everts (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing).
Once again, there are no Swiss riders permanently competing in MX2 this year, but at the MXGP of Switzerland powered by IXS on March 28 and 29 in Frauenfeld-Gachnang, several riders from the canton will once again be taking part in all classes via wild cards.
