The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are set to begin a new and ambitious chapter this weekend, travelling more than 12,000 kilometres from Europe to the brand-new and largely uncharted venue of San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, for the opening round of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship.
Poised to launch a strong title challenge from the very first gate drop, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP squad arrives in Patagonia with a powerful rider pairing in Tim Gajser and Maxime Renaux. Between them, the duo brings an extraordinary level of experience and success to the start line, combining for 156 career podium finishes, 116 race wins, 61 Grand Prix victories and six FIM World Titles.
Gajser heads into the new season with confidence after closing out his pre-season preparations with a dominant victory against several of his fiercest rivals, signalling clear intent heading into round one. The five-time World Champion also boasts the strongest record of any rider on Argentine soil, with three Grand Prix victories, seven podium finishes and five race wins to his name.
Speaking ahead of the opener, Gajser said he is eager to finally return to racing after a long off-season while also acknowledging the unknowns of starting a new campaign with fresh surroundings.
“I’m really looking forward to starting the season—it’s been a long and busy off-season, so I’m excited to finally race,” Tim Gajser explained. “I don’t know exactly what to expect from the track, but from what I’ve seen on Social Media, it looks good: fast, with big jumps. I like the look of it. My goal for the first GP is to learn as much as possible. Obviously, I want to do well, but I need to be realistic. Everyone starts the year hungry, and for me, I’m with a new team, on a new bike, so there are some unknowns. I understand it’ll be a weekend of learning, but I feel really good and I know what I’m capable of. I don’t want to set expectations—I just know that if I ride the way I can, I can be up front. I have a lot of good memories from Argentina. I’ve won a few GPs there, and the crowd and fans are always amazing. I expect it’ll be the same this year, and I really look forward to being back.”
Alongside him, Renaux also arrives in Bariloche with proven form in Argentina. The former MX2 World Champion carries the momentum of his victory at last year’s Argentine season opener in Córdoba and is determined to start the new campaign strongly. After a productive winter and encouraging pre-season races, the Frenchman believes he is well placed to fight for early podiums and build momentum across the demanding 19-round championship.
“I’m feeling pretty good heading into the first round of the 2026 season,” Maxime Renaux said. “I had a strong winter and some good preseason races, so I’m coming in with confidence. I don’t know much about the track yet, but I hope they prepare it well—last year it was really nice. My goal is to start the season with a solid result and get off to the best possible start. I have a really good memory from last year in Argentina, winning the first GP and taking my first MXGP red plate. I’m looking forward to hopefully creating another nice memory like that one in Argentina.”
In MX2, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team introduces an intriguing dynamic this season with Latvian brothers Karlis Reisulis and Janis Reisulis lining up together in the class.
Karlis enters the season with a year of valuable MX2 experience already under his belt and continues to build steadily on the progress shown during his rookie campaign. His 2025 season began strongly with an eighth-place finish at the Argentine round and was later highlighted by an impressive seventh overall result at the season finale in Darwin, Australia. After a productive winter of preparation, the #47 is focused on continuing that upward trajectory.
“I’m feeling good after the long winter—ready to get the season started,” Karlis Reisulis said. “I don’t know what the track looks like yet, but I’m excited to see it and get out there. I’m not really setting a specific goal this time; I’m just focused on riding my best and enjoying the process. I have some good memories from last year here, with a few strong finishes, so that gives me a confident feeling heading back.”
Meanwhile, younger brother Janis steps up to the MX2 class carrying strong momentum after claiming the 2025 EMX250 Championship title. The 17-year-old has enjoyed a smooth and uninterrupted winter of preparation and has already shown impressive speed during pre-season races, taking multiple wins while building confidence ahead of his MX2 debut. This weekend will also mark his first visit to Argentina and the brand-new circuit in Bariloche, which is unfamiliar territory for the entire field.
“I’m feeling very good and full of confidence heading into this year,” Janis Reisulis said. “We did some preseason races as well, which helped, though I’m still getting fully back into race mode. I had a very good winter—I attended every training session and, most importantly, stayed injury-free. That alone made this winter ten times better than previous ones. My goal is to really understand this class and nail my starts so I can fight up at the front, which is where I want to be. This will be my first time ever in Argentina. I’m really excited to explore the world while racing in the world championship—I believe there couldn’t be a better combination in my life than this.”
With experienced title contenders in MXGP and a promising young pairing in MX2, the Monster Energy Yamaha teams head to Argentina ready to begin the 2026 season with confidence as the championship kicks off at the spectacular new venue in San Carlos de Bariloche.
