KTM on the attack in MXGP/MX2 2026: Adamo steps up to 450, Coenen and Laengenfelder lead the charge

The Coenens, MXGP rookie Andrea Adamo, MX2 world champion Simon Laengenfelder: four fierce riders for KTM’s assault on the Motocross titles.

After the end of the Herlings-KTM partnership, the manufacturer resets with other key figures, including a promotion for our Andrea Adamo, who steps up to MXGP alongside Lucas Coenen, last season’s runner-up. No changes in MX2, with reigning world champion Simon Laengenfelder once again paired with Sacha Coenen. The Italian and the German will be supported by former multi-time world champion Joel Smets, while the Belgian twins will be led by Davide De Carli and his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team. Four riders, split between two KTM 450 SX-Fs and two KTM 250 SX-Fs, will form the Austrian brand’s factory squad for the 2026 Motocross World Championship: it all kicks off March 7-8 in Bariloche, Argentina, the first of 20 events across 18 countries, through September 19-20 in Australia.

Lucas Coenen, 2025 runner-up: “Training is going well—probably everyone says that! But the test days went smoothly and we’re in pretty good shape, so now we’re counting down to the first races and the opening Grand Prix. My goals are always the same: be the best version of myself and try to win.”

Andrea Adamo: “Things are going well with the 450. Every time I get on track I discover something new and that makes it exciting and interesting. I spent many years on the 250 and it was very familiar, and now there are a lot of new sensations. Overall, preparation is going well. I’m healthy and fit and the winter has been positive, even if we still have a bit of time before the first GP. I think the bike is fantastic and it makes me want to get to Argentina as soon as possible! 2026 will be a different kind of racing with a different kind of rival. Guys with so much experience, so I have to learn from them. It will be a challenge and I can’t talk about expectations, but I want to try to stay as close as possible to the top five and then we’ll see… because there are a lot of strong guys in the mix. We need to learn as much as possible. I’m happy to be joining the ‘big class’!”

Simon Laengenfelder, reigning champion: “For 2026 there have been quite a few changes for me: the fitness coach, the mechanics and the people around me, even the gear is Alpinestars now! Luckily the bike hasn’t changed much and I’m super excited. I’m really happy right now and having a title under my belt has even boosted my motivation because I want to show everyone I can do it a second time. I’ve trained hard and I feel strong and ready. The pre-season races will show if we need to work on any other aspects, but in a month I’ll be at 100% to start fighting.”

Sacha Coenen: “I think we’re ready. We’ve done a good job so far this offseason with the bike and our prep. We still have a bit of time… but we feel strong and I think we can expect something good.”

Joel Smets (Laengenfelder and Adamo): “We had a good winter with some changes in the team, going from three riders to two, which, to be honest, makes the job a bit easier: more efficient and more tailored to each rider. The improvements to the bike—once again—have yielded good results, so big kudos to the factory. The riders are in good shape for the upcoming pre-season races. The goal for the year is to defend the championship and win back-to-back titles. Fortunately, I’ve had experience with that in my career! So there are some tips and tricks I can pass on to Simon, and as for Andrea I’m quite satisfied with how he has adapted to the 450 so far and understood that he needed to change his style a bit. Next season will be exciting.”

Davide De Carli, Team Manager: “It’s been a fun winter. The brothers spent some time riding in the United States and then came back to Rome for a few weeks of testing. We trained in the sand and now we’re in Sardinia to keep working. I think both brothers have taken a step forward; one more year, one more year of maturity. With Sacha we want a bit more consistency for the season and we’re working on it. He’s faster again, but he’s also working more on technique. It will be Lucas’s second year in the MXGP class and he’ll benefit from his 2025 experience. Last season he was very fast and learned from the ups and downs. We’d love to put it all together and bring home two titles!”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “2026 has started quickly and super positively for us in Dakar and SuperMotocross, and we know the MXGP guys will keep it going because the level of the whole team is very high. Results showed that in 2025 and have shown it every season. Once again, we have a reigning world champion thanks to Simon and there’s a mix of rookie development with Andrea and further growth of other world-class race winners like Lucas and Sacha. Our KTM SX-Fs will once again be the benchmarks for starts and speed, so everything is in place. Good luck to the boys and I hope they stay healthy and up front!”