Cornelius Tøndel will make the move to the Monster Energy Kawasaki team this weekend after being confirmed as the fill-in rider for the injured Chase Sexton for the remainder of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship.
The Norwegian rider will make his debut at Round 6 of the championship at Southwick, where he will line up alongside Garrett Marchbanks.
Tøndel steps into the role after Sexton suffered a torn ACL during press day at the Thunder Valley National. Sexton has since undergone surgery on his knee and will now focus on preparing for the 2027 season.
Bringing extensive international experience to the team, Tøndel arrives with a strong background from his time competing in the FIM Motocross World Championship, along with valuable experience racing in the Pro Motocross Championship.
The Norwegian competed in three Pro Motocross rounds during the 2025 season, including Southwick, giving him prior knowledge of the demanding sand circuit ahead of his factory Kawasaki debut.
Tøndel also started the 2026 Pro Motocross season with the ISRT Kawasaki team, where he recorded four top-15 moto finishes. That experience will help make his transition to the factory bike a seamless one.
Before stepping onto the MXGP stage, Tøndel enjoyed a breakout 2022 season in the EMX250 FIM Motocross European Championship. The Norwegian rider claimed his first career overall victory at the MXGP of Italy, secured multiple race wins, held the championship red plate during the season and finished third overall in the highly competitive series.
Following his success in EMX250, Tøndel progressed into MXGP competition, where he raced against many of the world’s leading riders and achieved a career-best fifth-place overall finish. His MXGP highlights included a moto podium at the MXGP of Portugal before he began his journey towards racing in the United States.
Speaking about the opportunity to join Monster Energy Kawasaki, Tøndel said he was grateful for the chance to become the first Norwegian factory rider to compete in the United States.
“I’m super happy to have this opportunity. It’s a really big deal for me, and being the first Norwegian factory rider in the United States is very special to me. I am super thankful to have this opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Tøndel said.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Manager Dan Fahie said the team was excited to welcome Tøndel and believes his experience will be valuable as the championship continues.
“We’re really looking forward to having Cornelius join the team. We believe that with his valuable experience and insights, he’ll be an asset to the team. We appreciate his willingness to step in and look forward to seeing what he can accomplish,” Fahie said.
