MXoN 2026, Shock: Great Britain Team Disqualified—Here’s Why

One month after the Motocross of Nations in Ernée, Great Britain loses everything. The FIM has retroactively disqualified the entire British team from the event held on October 4, 2026, over a fuel irregularity uncovered during checks on Ben Mustoe’s bike.

The trio of Ben Watson, Taylor Hammal and Mustoe himself had finished the team event in France in seventh place—a result that has now been wiped from the standings.

During the MXoN weekend, International Federation technicians took fuel samples from nine randomly selected bikes across the MXGP, MX2 and Open classes. Among the riders tested were some of the sport’s biggest names, including Cooper Webb, Lucas Coenen and Camden Mc Lellan.

The tests came back positive only for the sample taken from bike number 47, ridden by the British MX2 rider. The fuel used by Mustoe did not comply with any of the FIM-certified Category 2 competition fuels. This was a breach of both the federation’s fuel regulations and the Motocross World Championship Technical Regulations.

Race direction therefore decided to disqualify Mustoe from the entire event. Under Articles 5.42.5 and 5.42.6 of the Motocross Regulations, the rider forfeits all points and trophies earned in Ernée. But his teammates pay the steepest price: because this is a nations competition, the disqualification automatically extends to the entire Team Great Britain, voiding its results, finishing positions, trophies and prizes.

Watson and Hammal are therefore removed from the standings despite having no direct responsibility for the irregularity found on their teammate’s bike. That is the nature of the Motocross of Nations: you win together and, in cases like this, you lose together.

No appeal against race direction’s decision was filed with the FIM Stewards’ Panel within the prescribed deadline. The disqualification is therefore final, and the British federation, the ACU, accepted the decision in its official statement. The final 2026 MXoN standings have already been updated: Great Britain is left with only a bitter lesson to take into the next edition.

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