Lucas Coenen leads the MXGP class. Jeffrey Herlings is still close enough to be a real threat, but the German GP gave Coenen his strongest position of the season so far. In the MX2 class, Sacha Coenen rose alongside his brother to become the red plate holder, making the Coenen name the hottest topic of the season. This is no longer the cautious point-gathering of the early season. Now we will see who can truly withstand the championship pressure.

Sardinia

Lucas Coenen made the first strong statement

Riola Sardo is never just another race. Sardinia’s deep sand mercilessly exposes weak starts, incorrect rhythm, insufficient physical conditioning, and equipment that fails under continuous stress.

In the MXGP class, Lucas Coenen used Sardinia exactly as a championship contender should: he won both races and took the overall victory ahead of Jeffrey Herlings. Kay de Wolf climbed to third.

The result was significant because Herlings is still considered one of the world’s toughest sand riders. Coenen didn’t just win a single weekend — he challenged Herlings on one of his strongest surfaces and succeeded. That immediately changed the tone of the situation.

In the MX2 class, Simon Längenfelder took the overall victory and shared race wins with Sacha Coenen. Sacha again showed his starting speed and aggressiveness, but Längenfelder’s consistency decided the weekend. The message from Sardinia was clear: Sacha can win races, but Längenfelder was still very difficult to beat over the entire GP.

Italy

Herlings responded, Sacha Coenen rose to a new level

After Sardinia, the series moved to Trentino, where the surface, rhythm, and riding style changed completely. The deep sand gave way to a harder and more technical track, demanding different precision from the riders.

In MXGP, Jeffrey Herlings responded to Coenen’s Sardinia performance with a strong overall victory. He took the GP win with race finishes of 1–2, while Tim Gajser won the second race and finished second overall. Lucas Coenen’s Sunday was more difficult, and he lost some of his points lead.

Trentino quickly reminded everyone that Herlings had not been relegated to just a chasing role. He can still dominate a race weekend when conditions and his own performance align.

In the MX2 class, the name of the weekend was Sacha Coenen. He won both races and delivered one of the season’s most convincing performances. This was more than a single success: Sacha no longer looked merely like an explosively fast race winner, but a genuine championship candidate.

Meanwhile, Guillem Farres rode his Triumph to second overall, and Mathis Valin completed the podium. MX2 began to look like a class where momentum can shift quickly — and none of the top names can afford to sleep for a moment.

France

Herlings and Coenen traded blows, Farres broke through

The French GP kept the MXGP championship battle tight. Lucas Coenen won the first race, Herlings responded in the second, and the overall victory went to Herlings.

This was an important weekend for Herlings. Coenen had the speed, but Herlings found the result. France didn’t decide the championship, but it prevented Coenen from pulling away too early.

In the MX2 class, one of the season’s most significant breakthroughs was seen when Guillem Farres won both races on his Triumph and took his first MX2 GP victory. The result was big for two reasons: Farres entered the championship discussion more strongly, and Triumph showed it could win at the front on its own performance, not just through others’ mistakes.

France thus produced two different but important stories: Herlings kept the MXGP battle alive, and Farres brought a new serious challenger to the MX2 class.

Germany

Lucas Coenen took back command

The German GP in Teutschenthal was the turning point of this four-race period.

Lucas Coenen rode exactly the kind of weekend expected of a championship leader: clean, controlled, and ruthlessly effective. He won both MXGP races and took the overall victory.

Herlings’ weekend suffered a severe blow from a DNF in the first race. He climbed strongly to second in the second race, but the points damage had already been done. After Germany, Coenen led the MXGP series with 344 points. Herlings was second with 313 points, meaning the gap grew to 31 points.

That doesn’t decide the championship yet, but it gives Coenen a real buffer. Herlings doesn’t just need speed — he needs consistent weekends, reliable equipment, and likely also for Coenen to make mistakes.

In the MX2 class, Mathis Valin took the German overall victory and strengthened his position as a rider who can win a GP on his own performance. Sacha Coenen, in turn, left Germany as the MX2 class points leader. After seven rounds, he had 320 points, just three more than Simon Längenfelder.

Germany created the biggest headline of the season so far: Lucas Coenen leads MXGP, Sacha Coenen MX2. The same surname, two red plates — but two very different championship battles.

What changed in rounds 4–7?

MXGP: Lucas Coenen became the benchmark

Lucas Coenen’s four-round stretch was the strongest story in the class. He won in Sardinia, absorbed Herlings’ counterattacks in Trentino and France, and returned stronger than anyone else in Germany.

This is important. Young riders can win races. Championship riders respond to adversity.

Herlings is still a clear threat. His victories in Trentino and France showed that he still has the speed and experience to control GP weekends. But Germany was costly. A 31-point gap means Herlings can no longer afford bad weekends.

Febvre, Gajser, and Renaux are in the leading group, but are not currently dictating the championship battle. The main dynamic in MXGP is now clearly Coenen versus Herlings.

MX2: Sacha leads, but nothing is decided

MX2 is tighter and more unpredictable. Sacha Coenen leads the series, but the gap to Simon Längenfelder is only three points. That is practically nothing.

One bad start, a crash, or a weak race can turn the situation immediately.

Längenfelder is dangerous precisely because of his consistency. Farres has emerged as a credible third force because France showed he can win. Valin’s German victory adds yet another variable to the class. Camden McLellan and Liam Everts are also close enough to influence the course of the championship battle.

MX2 is not a parade. It is a knife-edge points battle.

Ducati and Seewer: confirmed change, not rumours

One off-track news item affects the overall picture of MXGP: Ducati and Jeremy Seewer ended their collaboration at the end of May 2026.

Seewer was originally part of Ducati’s MXGP project for the 2025–2026 seasons, but the manufacturer confirmed the collaboration ended by mutual agreement. Ducati continued the season with Andrea Bonacorsi and Calvin Vlaanderen.

This is an essential and confirmed change. There is no need to go further without proper sources. Future transfers, internal reasons, and paddock rumours should be omitted unless there is clear evidence.

Summary: the season found its true direction

Rounds 4–7 gave the 2026 MXGP season its first true identity.

In MXGP, Lucas Coenen is now the rider others are chasing. Herlings has the experience, speed, and ability to respond, but after Germany, the pressure is clearly on him.

In MX2, Sacha Coenen leads, Längenfelder is breathing down his neck, and Farres has brought Triumph into the championship discussion. Valin’s German victory makes the overall picture even more interesting.

The headline is easy: after Germany, both red plates belong to the Coenen brothers.

But a better conclusion is this: neither championship is decided. MXGP has a clear leader who must defend his position. In MX2, the leader has almost no safety margin.

That’s where the season gets interesting.

Points standings after 7 rounds

MXGP Top 10

PositionRiderBikeCountryPointsGap to Leader
1Lucas CoenenKTMBEL344—
2Jeffrey HerlingsHondaNED313-31
3Romain FebvreKawasakiFRA263-81
4Tim GajserYamahaSLO256-88
5Maxime RenauxYamahaFRA251-93
6Kay de WolfHusqvarnaNED223-121
7Tom VialleHondaFRA219-125
8Ruben FernandezHondaESP216-128
9Andrea AdamoKTMITA211-133
10Alberto ForatoFanticITA142-202

MX2 Top 10

PositionRiderBikeCountryPointsGap to Leader
1Sacha CoenenKTMBEL320—
2Simon LängenfelderKTMGER317-3
3Guillem FarresTriumphESP301-19
4Liam EvertsHusqvarnaBEL281-39
5Camden McLellanTriumphRSA278-42
6Mathis ValinKawasakiFRA264-56
7Janis Martins ReisulisYamahaLAT252-68
8Valerio LataHondaITA189-131
9Karlis Alberts ReisulisYamahaLAT188-132
10Julius MikulaKTMCZE144-176