French rider Thibault Benistant will step up to the MXGP class in 2026, joining Kevin Horgmo in a young and dynamic line-up for the Honda Motoblouz SR Motul squad.
Benistant arrives from the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team, where he wrapped up the 2025 MX2 season in seventh place. He picked up two podium finishes along the way, both third places, first at the MXGP of Europe and again at the MXGP of Trentino.
After turning 23 this year, Benistant, like Horgmo two seasons earlier, must leave the MX2 category to make the jump into the premier class. His overall record speaks for itself – he’s a two-time European champion, a three-time Grand Prix winner, has taken nine MX2 race victories and stood on the podium 18 times.
The move brings him into a team he already knows well. Over the past year he’s been training with long-time team coach Yves Demaria, working alongside Horgmo, and the pair have quickly formed a strong bond. With Benistant at 23 and Horgmo at 25, team manager Josse Sallefranque believes this youthful partnership is full of promise for both the French and World Championships next season.
Benistant said the move was the right time and place for him. “After so many years in blue and in the MX2 category, it’s time for me to change colours for this move to MXGP. I needed a change of scenery, and that’s why I came back to the south last winter to train alongside Yves. I’ve been working with the riders and staff of the Honda SR team throughout the season in training, and it went very well. I’m very happy to be joining a French team, made up of serious and very competent people, and I can’t wait to start training and have fun on the Honda for my MXGP debut.”
Sallefranque said the signing shows the faith Benistant has placed in the team. “Very happy to see Thibault join us, it’s great to have a rider who was competing in the top 5 in MX2 trust us. It’s very rewarding for the team, and the fact that he’s a French rider is excellent for many of our partners. Thibault has great qualities that should allow him to achieve great performances in MXGP and we’re going to have a great duo of riders with Kevin; we know that this sport can have setbacks, we saw it this year, and we hope to achieve good results with them as it was at the beginning of the year before Kevin’s injury.”
Demaria echoed the confidence in the new signing. “We are very happy to welcome Thibault to the team. Working with him this year allowed me to discover him, and he has great qualities. He is French, we decided to make him an offer and it was a natural choice to have him alongside Kevin. They spent seven or eight months together, they get along well and that is important for the team’s cohesion. We have high hopes for this duo for 2026.”
For Benistant, the next step is clear: a fresh start, a new colour, and the challenge of proving himself in MXGP
