Brilliant Bariloche Sees Herlings and Längenfelder Win at the YPF MXGP of Argentina
The 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship roared into life with an unforgettable opening round at the YPF MXGP of Argentina, as Jeffrey Herlings and Simon Längenfelder delivered dominant performances at the spectacular Bariloche MX Race Track.
Thousands of passionate fans packed the hillsides around the circuit, creating an electric atmosphere as the new MXGP season began with dramatic battles, stunning passes, and unforgettable moments under the Argentine sun.
Despite minimal overnight grading to maintain the track’s technical challenge, heavy watering was required to combat the strong sunshine and winds blowing down from the Andes. The result was a fast, rough circuit that tested the world’s best motocross riders from the very first gate drop.
Herlings Dominates on Honda Debut
Jeffrey Herlings could not have scripted a better start to his new chapter with the Honda HRC Petronas team. After a difficult qualifying race on Saturday, the Dutch superstar bounced back with a flawless 1-1 performance to claim his 113th career Grand Prix victory and his first Argentine win since 2018.
Herlings grabbed the holeshot in race one and eventually reclaimed the lead from teammate Tom Vialle with a decisive late-race pass. In race two, chaos at the start forced a restart and left Herlings outside the top ten early on. However, the five-time world champion charged through the pack before executing a spectacular pass on reigning champion Romain Febvre to seal the overall victory.
The result also puts Herlings into the MXGP championship lead, earning him the coveted red plate for the next round.
Febvre finished second overall for the third consecutive year in Argentina, while Vialle impressed in his MXGP class debut weekend with a strong third overall finish.
MXGP Overall Top 5
- Jeffrey Herlings (Honda) – 50 pts
- Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) – 42 pts
- Tom Vialle (Honda) – 40 pts
- Tim Gajser (Yamaha) – 35 pts
- Lucas Coenen (KTM) – 33 pts
Herlings reflected on his impressive debut with the team:
“Going 1-1 on my first outing with Honda HRC Petronas is amazing. I couldn’t have wished for a better debut.”
Längenfelder Starts Title Defence in Style
In the MX2 category, defending champion Simon Längenfelder proved once again why he wears the number one plate.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider rebounded from a difficult qualifying race to take a clinical double race victory, securing the 10th Grand Prix win of his career during the milestone 100th GP of his career.
Längenfelder controlled both races with calm precision, making decisive passes when necessary and pulling away from the competition once in front.
Behind him, Triumph Racing Factory Team enjoyed a fantastic weekend. Spain’s Guillem Farrés secured second overall with a consistent performance, while South Africa’s Camden McLellan thrilled fans back home with an impressive third overall finish, including a second-place result in race two.
MX2 Overall Top 5
- Simon Längenfelder (KTM) – 50 pts
- Guillem Farrés (Triumph) – 38 pts
- Camden McLellan (Triumph) – 37 pts
- Liam Everts (Husqvarna) – 34 pts
- Janis Martins Reisulis (Yamaha) – 33 pts
Längenfelder was pleased with his comeback performance:
“Coming here as the defending champion gives me more motivation. Today my riding felt good and I could make the passes and go 1-1.”
Thrilling Start to the 2026 MXGP Season
The opening round in Bariloche delivered everything fans hoped for: dramatic racing, breakout performances, and championship contenders immediately showing their pace.
With Herlings leading the MXGP standings and Längenfelder starting his title defence in commanding fashion, the 2026 season already promises intense battles across both classes.
Round two of the MXGP World Championship now heads to Europe, where the fight for the red plates will continue as riders look to build early momentum in what is shaping up to be an unforgettable season.
