Gajser Joins Monster
Energy Yamaha
Factory MXGP
T
im Gajser officially
signed with the
Monster Energy Yamaha
Factory MXGP team in a
new multi-year deal. Ga
-
jser's only ever raced a
Honda as a professional
and now begins a new
chapter in his career.
He'll line up aboard a
factory YZ450FM along
-
side teammate Maxime
Renaux at the start of
the MXGP season.
"I'm excited to join the
Yamaha family," Ga
-
jser said. "After more
than a decade with
the same brand, it's
exciting to be enter
-
ing a new chapter in
2026, and a change
like this brings fresh
motivation. I can't wait
to get on the new bike!
My first priority will be
getting comfortable with
it as quickly as pos
-
sible. Not being able to
ride until the new year
gives us limited time to
prepare—but honestly,
I'm looking forward to
the challenge. Once the
season begins, the most
important thing is to
stay healthy, be in good
shape, and enjoy the rac
-
ing. I'm ready to give it
my all and hope we can
fight for the title."
CN
VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P21
Five-time MXGP World
Champion Tim Gajser
officially joins the Monster
Energy Yamaha Factory
team for 2026 and beyond.
Herlings Signs With Honda HRC MXGP
J
effrey Herlings has
officially signed a
multi-year agreement
with Honda HRC, leav-
ing behind the Red Bull
KTM team after 16
seasons. Herlings is a
five-time World champi-
on and the winningest
MXGP rider in history.
It is the first time the
Dutchman will race
anything other than a
KTM during his profes
-
sional career. He joins
Tom Vialle and Ruben
Fernandez as Honda's
third rider in the MXGP
division.
"Obviously this is a
big change for me, but
honestly, I am so excit
-
ed to join Honda HRC
and ride a CRF450R,"
Herlings said. "Hav-
ing been around the
paddock for a long
time, you get to see
how different teams
and people operate, so
once I found out that
they were interested in
signing me, it wasn't
a hard decision to
make because I knew
that I'd be joining an
extremely profes
-
sional and organized
operation that does ev-
erything it can to help
a rider succeed. From
today to the MXGP of
Argentina is just over
two months, so I don't
have a lot of time to
adapt to this brand-new
machine. But we are
going riding right now,
and I'm like a kid at
Christmas just waiting
to unwrap a new toy. I
wasn't sure I'd ever be
in this position, but now
that I am, I can't wait to
get started as a factory
HRC rider."
CN
Jeffrey Herlings
signed with Honda
HRC, leaving behind
the Red Bull KTM team
after 16 seasons.
