Honda HRC PETRONAS hoping to keep the good times rolling at rocky Uddevalla
UddevallaUddevalla, Sweden is hosting the 15th round of the 2026 MXGP World Championship with Honda HRC PETRONAS in a rich vein of form, thanks to the continued excellence of their MXGP riders Tom Vialle, Ruben Fernandez and in particular, Jeffrey Herlings.
The Dutchman has won the last eight motos of the season and also went one-one-one at the Keiheuvel International this past weekend, so he is at the top of his game, and now leads the championship by a commanding 104 points. A victory in Sweden would see him take another large step towards his goal of a sixth world title, but right now, he is just taking it one moto at a time as he tries to keep the momentum going.
After his podium in the Czech Republic, Vialle put in an excellent showing at Lommel – the toughest track in the world – narrowly missing out on the podium, but showing that his sand skills are very much up to standard after his recent return from America. Now, racing on the rocky terrain of Uddevalla, the home of his first GP victory back in 2019, he is motivated to get back on the box and really try to finish his rookie MXGP season with some good results.
Fernandez was sixth overall in Lommel, but he was fourth overall at both Loket and Foxhills – two hard-pack tracks, and he’ll be hoping he can challenge for the podium spots again in Sweden. The Spaniard has shown impressive consistency this year, but would love to be on the box a couple more times before this campaign comes to an end and Uddevalla is the first of these last five opportunities to do so.
Valerio Lata is also hoping his can mix it up nearer the front of the field, after struggling in the deep sand of Lommel. The Italian should be much more at home in the hard-pack terrain in Sweden and if he can get out the gate well, he knows he has the speed to challenge with the best MX2 riders in the world.
To leave Lommel in one piece, without had any incidents whatsoever is a big boost for me, and one that gives me a lot of confidence for this final part of the season. Uddevalla is a rocky track, so not the same challenge as Lommel at all, but I think if I can get some good starts, I will be able to fight with the top guys a bit easier than in Belgium and hopefully battle for a podium position.
To leave Lommel in one piece, without had any incidents whatsoever is a big boost for me, and one that gives me a lot of confidence for this final part of the season. Uddevalla is a rocky track, so not the same challenge as Lommel at all, but I think if I can get some good starts, I will be able to fight with the top guys a bit easier than in Belgium and hopefully battle for a podium position.
I feel like Sweden could be a good round for me, as it is a hard-pack track with an important start, and just being able to keep a good pace and pick the right lines. It is a completely different challenge from Lommel, but at the same time, I am very happy how that round went, and I think this one could be even better. Two good starts would really help things so that is the goal and then just to ride a consistent pace.
I feel like Sweden could be a good round for me, as it is a hard-pack track with an important start, and just being able to keep a good pace and pick the right lines. It is a completely different challenge from Lommel, but at the same time, I am very happy how that round went, and I think this one could be even better. Two good starts would really help things so that is the goal and then just to ride a consistent pace.
Perfect weekend in Czech, then the same in Lommel and now I was able to win Keiheuvel one-one-one as well, so I’m definitely feeling good and I think we’ve got the bike in a really good place as well. Of course I can’t take my eye off the ball because we still have work to do, so the goal is just to keep putting in the effort and making sure we maximise every situation. Had some good races in Sweden and a couple of bad ones, but the start is extremely important there so thankfully we have had some holeshots recently, so it would be great if I could repeat those and get myself challenging up front right away.
Perfect weekend in Czech, then the same in Lommel and now I was able to win Keiheuvel one-one-one as well, so I’m definitely feeling good and I think we’ve got the bike in a really good place as well. Of course I can’t take my eye off the ball because we still have work to do, so the goal is just to keep putting in the effort and making sure we maximise every situation. Had some good races in Sweden and a couple of bad ones, but the start is extremely important there so thankfully we have had some holeshots recently, so it would be great if I could repeat those and get myself challenging up front right away.
I didn’t enjoy my Lommel experience, so now I really have to show what I am capable of, on what is a totally different type of track. There are only five rounds left and I’d like to finish 2026 off strongly and that means stepping up my game and challenging for the top five places this weekend.
I didn’t enjoy my Lommel experience, so now I really have to show what I am capable of, on what is a totally different type of track. There are only five rounds left and I’d like to finish 2026 off strongly and that means stepping up my game and challenging for the top five places this weekend.
The team is in a good place right now, with Jeffrey performing at his very best, and Tom and Ruben not too far behind. Valerio is someone we are always trying to bring his potential out because we know that he can ride better than what he is showing on a GP weekend. Jeffrey won the Keiheuvel International really convincingly and showed his continued progress in the sand, but Uddevalla isn’t like that at all. The start here is probably the most important all season, so we are working with him, Tom and Ruben to try and get a repeat of these recent holeshots and get all our riders out front early on.
The team is in a good place right now, with Jeffrey performing at his very best, and Tom and Ruben not too far behind. Valerio is someone we are always trying to bring his potential out because we know that he can ride better than what he is showing on a GP weekend. Jeffrey won the Keiheuvel International really convincingly and showed his continued progress in the sand, but Uddevalla isn’t like that at all. The start here is probably the most important all season, so we are working with him, Tom and Ruben to try and get a repeat of these recent holeshots and get all our riders out front early on.
