Herlings seizes MXGP lead with perfect Loket sweep | Czech GP Results

2026 MXGP World Championship

Round 13 – MXGP of Czech Republic
Loketske Serpentiny – Loket

Jeffrey Herlings has turned the 2026 MXGP World Championship on its head after completing a perfect weekend at Loket, sweeping Saturday’s Qualifying Race and both Sunday motos to leave the Czech Republic with the red plate and a 49-point championship lead.

The Honda HRC PETRONAS rider had arrived at Loket 11 points behind Lucas Coenen after taking both moto wins at Foxhills one week earlier. Coenen, however, was still carrying the effects of his heavy British Grand Prix crash and could not complete Saturday’s Qualifying Race before withdrawing from Sunday’s programme.

Only two rounds ago, Coenen had held a 68-point advantage over Herlings. The Dutchman now leads by 49, representing an extraordinary 117-point swing across Foxhills and Loket.

Herlings was not simply the beneficiary of his rival’s misfortune. He was the fastest rider throughout the Czech weekend, topping both practice sessions before controlling the Qualifying Race and winning Sunday’s motos by 18.310 and 10.910 seconds respectively. His maximum 60-point haul extended his run to five consecutive race victories and delivered a second successive perfect Sunday.

Tom Vialle completed an outstanding weekend for Honda by going 3-2 for second overall, earning his first podium at Loket. Romain Febvre recovered from a first-turn incident in Race Two to finish 2-5 and secure his fourth consecutive Grand Prix podium, while Rubén Fernández placed fourth overall to move into fifth in the championship.

The MX2 contest produced a more varied pair of races, but the final outcome continued Guillem Farres’ remarkable mid-season run. The Triumph rider went 1-2 to secure his fourth consecutive Grand Prix victory and extend his championship advantage over Sacha Coenen to 33 points.

Camden McLellan joined his Triumph team-mate on the overall podium in second, while Karlis Reisulis secured the first MX2 podium of his career. Liam Everts rebounded from a first-turn crash in Race One to dominate the second moto and claim his first race victory of the season.

Loket also hosted the deciding rounds of the EMX85, EMX65 and EMX2T European Championships. Patriks Cirulis emerged from an extraordinary four-way points tie to secure the EMX85 crown, Jack Waters became the first British winner of the EMX65 title, and home favourite Vaclav Kovar completed a perfect weekend in EMX2T.

The warm, dry conditions left the historic Loket circuit hard, polished and increasingly slippery. Its steep climbs, abrupt descents and narrow racing lines rewarded precise riding and strong starts, while mistakes on the blue-groove surface were punished heavily.

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MXGP

MXGP Qualifying Race

Herlings had already established himself as the rider to beat by topping both Free Practice and Timed Practice on Saturday. Tom Vialle then launched his Honda to the holeshot in the Qualifying Race, with Lucas Coenen and Herlings immediately behind.

Herlings quickly displaced Coenen through the second corner and began applying pressure to Vialle. Andrea Adamo also moved ahead of the championship leader during the opening exchanges, while Romain Febvre methodically worked his way forward after completing the first lap in fifth.

Once Herlings found a way past Vialle, the Dutchman steadily opened a margin and controlled the remainder of the race. Febvre advanced to second with successive passes, relegating Vialle to third, while Adamo held fourth ahead of Tim Gajser.

Coenen’s attempt to race through the pain from the hip injury sustained at Foxhills proved unsuccessful. The Belgian slipped backwards during the early laps before retiring on lap six, surrendering his championship advantage one point at a time as Herlings continued towards the maximum Saturday score.

Jeremy Seewer finished sixth to score his first Qualifying Race points of the season, ahead of the returning Kay de Wolf. Jago Geerts, Rubén Fernández and Maxime Renaux completed the top ten.

The victory was Herlings’ third consecutive Qualifying Race success and reduced Coenen’s championship lead from 11 points to just one heading into Sunday.

Herlings strikes first in Race One

Coenen made the difficult decision to withdraw on Sunday morning after treatment had failed to relieve the effects of the haematomas around his left hip, which were compressing the sciatic nerve.

Calvin Vlaanderen was another non-starter after crashing during the morning warm-up and striking his head. Kawasaki’s Pauls Jonass was also absent from Loket, with the FIM medical protocol preventing him from competing within seven days of his heavy Foxhills accident.

Vialle again made the most effective launch when the gate fell for Race One, taking the early lead ahead of Herlings. The five-time World Champion required little more than a lap to settle into his rhythm before passing his team-mate and taking control.

Febvre had been squeezed during the start and was sixth at the opening timing split, but quickly climbed to fourth. He spent several laps setting up a pass on Adamo before taking third on lap six, then closed on Vialle and moved into second around the middle of the moto.

By that stage Herlings was already more than 12 seconds clear. Febvre reduced some of that advantage during the closing laps but could not threaten the leader, with Herlings taking the chequered flag 18.310 seconds ahead.

Vialle resisted Adamo to retain third by less than one second, while Fernández worked his way into fifth. Kay de Wolf completed an encouraging first Grand Prix moto since returning from an ankle injury in sixth, ahead of Brent van Doninck, Jago Geerts and Isak Gifting.

Gajser endured two separate falls on his way to 10th, while Renaux crashed during the opening lap and was forced out when his Yamaha was too badly damaged to continue.

Herlings completes the sweep in Race Two

Jeremy Seewer claimed the Race Two holeshot, while a multi-rider incident in the first turn delayed Febvre, de Wolf and Gifting. Febvre became entangled between several motorcycles and estimated that he lost around 20 seconds before rejoining.

Vialle, Gajser and Herlings quickly found their way past Seewer during the opening lap. Herlings then displaced Gajser before moving past Vialle and into the lead on lap four.

Once ahead, Herlings again managed the race with complete authority. Vialle maintained second while Gajser remained within sight, the pair eventually finishing just 1.388 seconds apart. Herlings crossed the line 10.910 seconds clear of his team-mate.

Fernández finished fourth to give Honda HRC PETRONAS three of the first four positions. Febvre produced one of the rides of the afternoon, climbing into the top 20 by the end of lap one, reaching 10th on lap four and continuing to fifth at the finish.

Renaux recovered from his Race One disappointment to take sixth, ahead of Jan Pancar, Roan van de Moosdijk and Geerts.

Adamo had been tangled in the early disorder and began his recovery from deep inside the top 20. The Italian reached seventh with two laps remaining before another fall dropped him to 10th.

De Wolf remounted after the first-turn crash, but damage to his handlebars eventually forced him to retire. Despite the DNF, sixth place in the opening moto and his pace throughout the weekend made Loket an encouraging return after three rounds on the sidelines.

Herlings turns 11-point deficit into 49-point lead

Herlings’ 1-1 Sunday result, combined with his Qualifying Race victory, delivered the maximum available 60 points. It was his seventh Grand Prix victory of the season and left him on 615 championship points.

Coenen remains second on 566, now 49 points behind, while Febvre has drawn to within 25 points of the Belgian after claiming his fourth consecutive overall podium.

Gajser remains fourth on 489 points. Fernández has moved into fifth on 414, three ahead of Adamo and six clear of Renaux. Vialle remains eighth, but his first Loket podium lifted him to 367 points and added further momentum to an increasingly competitive second half of his rookie MXGP campaign.

Herlings was understandably pleased with the perfect score, but his own championship history ensured there was no premature celebration.

Jeffrey Herlings – 1st MXGP – 1-1

“One-one-one is exactly what I needed to do and I just felt really good all weekend. The Honda is so good on this hard-pack terrain; it just sticks to the ground, and when I get three starts like I did it makes life a lot easier.

“I know I have the red plate right now, but I also know that it doesn’t really mean anything and that I have to keep performing like this for the last six rounds. I’m not going to stop working until we have the gold plate.”

Tom Vialle – 2nd MXGP – 3-2

“It was great to get back on the podium after a tough stretch of races, including missing a few rounds with injury. It is still my first season back in the GPs and on a 450, so I’ve been working extremely hard and now the work has paid off.

“There is definitely more to come and, with the starts I’ve been getting, I know I am capable of even more in the remaining six rounds.”

Romain Febvre – 3rd MXGP – 2-5

“I thought the podium was over after the crash, but I dug deep and had good lines to finish fifth. I am so proud of this podium. Nothing has changed in my approach to the championship; I always try to ride as well as I can, because that is the only way to fight for the title.”

Rubén Fernández – 4th MXGP – 5-4

“I think I did about as well as I could have done today and I can leave with my head held high. Race One was tough, but I moved through the field to fifth. I got the better start I needed in Race Two and fourth gave me fourth overall again.

“I’d love to be on the podium, but we have six rounds remaining and I’m determined to get up there before the end of the season.”

Tim Gajser – 5th MXGP – 10-3

“We tried a lot of different things this weekend and made some big changes before the second moto, which definitely improved things. I’m pleased with how Race Two went. The speed was much better and we were able to pull away from the riders behind. We’ll keep building from here.”

Andrea Adamo – 6th MXGP – 4-10

“I was really going for the podium this weekend. I knew I had the speed, the good starts and the rhythm, but I crashed in the second corner of the second moto and was completely last.

“I got back towards sixth but crashed again. Sixth overall is not bad, but considering what could have been, I’m a bit disappointed. I learned something again today.”

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MX2

MX2 Qualifying Race

Camden McLellan set the fastest time in Free Practice before championship leader Guillem Farres headed Timed Practice, but neither Triumph rider enjoyed a clean start to Saturday’s Qualifying Race.

Sacha Coenen launched into the early lead, with Czech rider Julius Mikula briefly taking control amid a frantic opening sequence. Simon Längenfelder remained close to the leading group and methodically worked his way forward as the race settled.

McLellan had begun around eighth and Farres was outside the top ten, leaving both with considerable work to do on a circuit where passing opportunities were limited.

Längenfelder closed a gap of approximately four seconds to Coenen and took over at the front on lap seven. McLellan had also charged into contention but crashed later in the race, allowing Liam Everts and Farres to move into the remaining podium positions.

Längenfelder secured his third consecutive Qualifying Race victory, ahead of Everts and Farres. McLellan recovered to fourth, while Coenen slipped to sixth as he managed the physical effects of collarbone surgery performed only ten days earlier.

Farres’ recovery to third ensured he carried a 14-point championship lead over Coenen into Sunday.

Farres takes control of Race One

Janis Reisulis produced the strongest opening to Race One and led the early laps, with Farres settling into second. Behind them, McLellan was forced to charge from outside the top ten after another difficult start.

Farres remained patient before passing Reisulis around the middle of the race. Once ahead, the Spaniard opened a secure margin and went on to record his 12th moto victory of the season.

McLellan’s recovery carried him all the way to second, 10.705 seconds behind his team-mate. Janis Reisulis held third ahead of his older brother Karlis, who recorded the fastest lap of the moto while progressing to fourth.

Längenfelder recovered from an error to finish fifth, while local rider Mikula took sixth ahead of Sacha Coenen, Maxime Grau, Valerio Lata and Gyan Doensen.

Everts’ hopes of fighting for the overall were damaged by a first-turn crash. The Belgian remounted and worked his way back to 12th, one position ahead of Kay Karssemakers, who had also been delayed by the opening-corner incident.

Everts answers with commanding Race Two victory

Everts secured a much cleaner launch in Race Two and moved into the lead before the opening lap had been completed. From there, the Husqvarna rider established a controlled rhythm and steadily extended his advantage.

Farres moved into second and attempted to match the leader, but Everts maintained the upper hand and took the chequered flag six seconds clear. It was Everts’ first MX2 moto victory of the 2026 season and arrived one week before his home Grand Prix at Lommel.

Längenfelder had also started near the front and became involved in a battle with Farres for second. The German fell while trying to defend the position, landing heavily on his right forearm. He returned to the pits after losing feeling in the arm and was unable to continue.

Karlis Reisulis again rode with speed and consistency. He moved past his brother Janis on lap 11 to claim third, which secured the first overall MX2 podium of his career.

McLellan finished fourth ahead of Janis Reisulis, who was affected by arm pump during the closing laps. Grau placed sixth, with Coenen completing a pair of measured seventh-place finishes.

Karssemakers improved to eighth, while Mikula and Doensen completed the top ten. Lata recovered from a difficult opening lap to finish 12th, while replacement Ducati rider Simone Mancini ran as high as sixth before fading to 13th as the longer World Championship moto exposed the difference from the shorter EMX250 race format.

Fourth consecutive Grand Prix win for Farres

Farres’ 1-2 score delivered 47 points and his fourth consecutive Grand Prix victory. It was his fifth overall win of the season and extended his championship lead to 33 points over Coenen.

McLellan’s 2-4 finishes secured second overall and his eighth podium of the year. The South African has returned to third in the championship on 548 points, just one ahead of Längenfelder.

Karlis Reisulis’ breakthrough podium moved him to seventh in the championship, while Janis finished fourth overall and remains sixth in the standings.

Everts’ 12-1 score left him fifth overall, but the manner of his second-moto victory provided a considerable confidence boost ahead of Lommel. The Everts family already has a rich Loket history, with Liam’s father Stefan sharing the record for overall Grand Prix victories at the circuit.

Coenen retained second in the championship after going 7-7 while still only ten days removed from collarbone surgery. Längenfelder’s DNF left him 13th overall and 71 points behind Farres.

Triumph’s first and second overall represented the team’s fifth double podium of the season and moved the British manufacturer to the head of the MX2 Manufacturers’ Championship.

Guillem Farres – 1st MX2 – 1-2

“I’m really happy to have taken my fourth Grand Prix victory in a row and scored more good points for the championship. I tried to match Liam’s pace in the second moto, but he was riding really well, so I settled for second and secured the overall victory.

“I’m happy with the weekend and already looking forward to the next round.”

Camden McLellan – 2nd MX2 – 2-4

“It’s good to be back on the podium, but I can’t say I’m completely happy with my weekend. My starts just weren’t good enough and that is something I need to figure out.

“My riding was good, but I feel like there was a lot more on the table. We’ll work on the starts and hopefully come back stronger in Lommel.”

Karlis Reisulis – 3rd MX2 – 4-3

“It was a really good weekend. My riding felt smooth, especially on Sunday, and everything came together well. Our suspension technician made the right adjustments, so a big thank you to him and the whole team.

“I had two solid motos with decent starts, which allowed me to ride my own pace. I felt in control and comfortable all weekend.”

Liam Everts – 5th MX2 – 12-1

“The Qualifying Race was really good, but in the first moto I had a big crash in the first turn. In Race Two I got a much better start, worked my way into the lead and controlled the race from there.

“It was something I really needed for my confidence. To come away with a race win just before my home Grand Prix is a super nice feeling.”

Sacha Coenen – 7th MX2 – 7-7

“It was a difficult weekend. My riding was not bad, but I was very sore. Ten days after surgery it was not too bad, and I completed two solid motos, but I was missing some energy and was just trying to survive.

“I’m really looking forward to our home Grand Prix next weekend and will try to do my best.”

Simon Längenfelder – 13th MX2 – 5-DNF

“Winning the Qualifying Race was a good start to the weekend and, with hindsight, the highlight. I tried to block Farres in the second race but made a mistake.

“I was too battered and bruised to keep hanging on for another 30 minutes. I need to reset, refocus and go again in Lommel.”

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EMX85

Cirulis wins extraordinary four-way title decider

The EMX85 European Championship produced an exceptional finish, with Patriks Cirulis, Robin Robert Mooses, Martins Cirulis and Harry Dale all ending the two-race final on 40 points.

Dale had dominated the opening moto ahead of Martins Cirulis and Mooses, while eventual champion Patriks Cirulis could manage only sixth.

Patriks responded when the title was decided in Race Two, taking victory ahead of Lilly Annelot, Mooses and Martins Cirulis. Dale finished sixth.

With all four title contenders level on points, the second-moto result determined the final order. Patriks Cirulis was crowned champion ahead of Mooses, Martins Cirulis and Dale.

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EMX65

Jack Waters becomes first British EMX65 champion

Lucas Bos won the opening EMX65 moto, with Jack Waters second ahead of Gines Alacid. Waters then delivered when it mattered most in Race Two, taking the victory ahead of Bruno Geitus and Salvador Quesada.

Waters’ 2-1 score gave him 47 points and a nine-point championship-winning margin over Alacid. Geitus completed the European Championship podium on 33 points.

The result made Waters the first British rider to win the EMX65 European Championship.

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EMX2T

Home victory and another European crown for Kovar

Vaclav Kovar delivered a perfect home performance in the two-stroke European Championship, winning both EMX2T motos at Loket.

The Czech rider secured the maximum 50 points, with Jekabs Kubulins taking second in both races and Brando Rispoli completing a matching 3-3 weekend.

Kovar’s clean sweep successfully defended his EMX2T European title in front of the Czech crowd.

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Next Up

The 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship now moves directly to Lommel for the MXGP of Flanders on August 1-2.

The bottomless Belgian sand will provide a dramatic contrast to Loket’s polished hard-pack and complete the current run of three consecutive Grand Prix weekends.

Herlings will arrive carrying the red plate and a 49-point MXGP lead, while Lucas Coenen faces a race against time to recover sufficiently for his home round. Farres takes a 33-point MX2 advantage into Belgium, while Everts heads home buoyed by his first race victory of the season.

Continue below for full moto-by-moto results and updated championship standings.

Six rounds remain in both World Championship contests.

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 MXGP Qualifying Race Results

MXGP Race One Results

MXGP Race Two Results

MXGP Round Points

MXGP Championship Standings

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MX2 Qualifying Race Results

MX2 Race One Results

MX2 Race Two Results

MX2 Round

MX2 Championship Standings