Herlings on his win, Vialle on his crash

Jeffrey Herlings secured a hard-fought victory at the French Grand Prix held at the Lacapelle-Marival circuit, marking his third win in six rounds of the 2026 MXGP Championship. Battling intense heat and challenging track conditions, the Honda HRC PETRONAS rider managed a consistent one-two-one finish across the motos, edging closer to the championship lead by just two points. Despite not taking the holeshot in the second race, Herlings quickly asserted control, holding off his closest rival throughout the moto to claim the overall win. Tom Vialle endured a difficult weekend on home soil, struggling to find rhythm on the hard-pack terrain and ultimately missing the restart of the second moto due to a crash that severely damaged his bike. Although he showed promise with strong starts, a collision on the opening lap of race two forced him out, much to the disappointment of the French crowd. Vialle finished eighth in the opening race but was unable to capitalise further, turning his focus to recovery and preparation for the next round in Germany. Ruben Fernandez and Valerio Lata also faced challenges during the weekend, with Fernandez maintaining consistent point-scoring performances but still aiming to break into the top ranks. His sixth-place finish in race two was an improvement, yet he remains determined to close the gap to the leaders. Meanwhile, Lata experienced contrasting fortunes in MX2, recovering from a first-turn incident in race one to finish 12th and showing impressive pace in race two by leading laps, though the narrow circuit limited overtaking opportunities and he ended eighth. The French GP marked the resumption of a busy stretch of racing, with three consecutive rounds following a four-week break. All riders are now preparing for the German round at Teutschenthal, a circuit where each has previously experienced success and will be eager to build on their performances. Team manager Marcus de Freitas praised Herlings’ resilience and racecraft under tough conditions, expressed relief over Vialle’s health despite his crash, and acknowledged the difficulties Fernandez and Lata faced on a technical track with limited passing opportunities. The team is focused on regrouping and pushing forward in the coming races.