Petronas Lubricants International (PLI) has been announced as the title sponsor of the Honda HRC MXGP team, with Ruben Fernandez, Tom Vialle, Jeffrey Herlings (all MXGP) and Valerio Lata (MX2) set to represent Honda HRC PETRONAS in the 2026 Motocross World Championship.
It’s been a busy off-season across the board, with new riders integrating onto unfamiliar machinery and the team working closely with new partners to ensure everything is in place for what promises to be another demanding 20-round global campaign. The championship opens in Argentina, concludes in Australia and travels through multiple European nations, along with a return to South Africa in between. Across that journey, all four riders understand that speed and consistency will be crucial if they are to make 2026 a rewarding year.
For Jeffrey Herlings, already the winningest rider in Grand Prix history, the focus is not only on extending that record but also on adding to his five world championship titles. Officially joining Honda HRC PETRONAS on January 1 in a statement signing, the Dutchman has been testing extensively since the new year and will contest a handful of pre-season races to fine-tune his race fitness before the opening round in Bariloche, Argentina, on March 7–8.
Herlings said the transition has been intense but motivating. “It’s definitely been a hectic preseason so far, just learning the new bike, learning the team and just trying to get myself ready for the season ahead,” he explained. “I’ve done a lot of training since January 1, and we’ve made a lot of steps to get the bike where I want it, but we will keep working and testing and just make sure that I’m as ready as possible for Argentina. It has been a lot of changes, but so far, I am enjoying the challenge and the motivation is high coming into round one.”
Alongside him in MXGP will be another major signing, two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle, who returns to Europe after a hugely successful stint in the United States, where he also secured two Supercross titles. The Frenchman steps up to a 450cc machine for the first time in his career and, like Herlings, will be racing Honda machinery for the first time.
Vialle said the move back to Europe has been smoother than expected. “Coming back to Europe has been a change, but not a massive one, so I think I have got back into things over here quickly,” he said. “The bike is, of course, completely different, but I’ve been riding it since November, and we done a lot of work and got things to a level that I’m happy with. However, testing and training is a lot different than racing GPs, so that will be the real test, but I’m confident in my ability, and I feel ready to get back in the series and really show everyone what I’m capable of on the bigger bikes.”
The MXGP trio is completed by Ruben Fernandez, who wrapped up the 2025 season fourth overall in the MXGP World Championship. Sporting the #70, the Spaniard delivered consistency throughout the year and showed flashes of podium speed on multiple occasions. For 2026, he wants to convert that potential into regular top-three finishes.
“I’ve had a really good preseason, and I’m really excited to get down to Argentina and start this campaign,” Fernandez said. “Obviously, the first two rounds are in Spanish-speaking countries so that’s always a nice boost, so I’m confident that I can start off strongly and just keep that going. Last year I was consistent, but not on the podium as much as I would have liked, so now the goal is to just really aim for the top three and make another step forward.”
In MX2, Valerio Lata enters his second season in the class and is aiming to build on a breakthrough 2025 campaign that ended with his first podium for the team in Australia. With a full season under his belt, the young Italian believes he is better prepared for the demands of a 20-round world championship.
“I’m feeling fit and healthy, and excited to start the season,” Lata said. “Last year was a tough year, and a steep learning curve to be able to race all the rounds but I feel like I have made a lot of improvements and I think I am much better prepared to race 20 races around the world. I have been riding with the other guys a few times and I think it is really helpful to see how they do things as they are a lot more experienced than me. Overall, I am very happy with how things have gone and I am really looking forward to Argentina.”
From a management perspective, the strength of the 2026 line-up has not gone unnoticed. HRC General Manager – MXGP, Marcus Pereira de Freitas, believes the calibre of riders reflects the level at which the team is operating.
“I think the signings that Honda HRC PETRONAS have made this year have shown the level that we are operating on,” Pereira de Freitas said. “To have a line-up of riders of such a high calibre with multiple world championships like Jeffrey and Tom, really raises the profile of the team, not just amongst motocross, but in motorsports in general. Of course, now we must match that standard on the race track, but we’ve had a productive month or so, and I believe all four riders are ready to compete at the highest level in Argentina.”
Team HRC Team Manager Giacomo Gariboldi echoed that optimism, confident the squad has the depth to challenge at the front. “I am very excited for this year, both the rider line-up we have,” Gariboldi said. “I think all four riders are capable of winning races, and while that might not happen immediately, I really believe we will get stronger and stronger as the season progresses and I can’t wait to watch it all unfold, both as a fan and as the Team Manager.”
