Red Bull KTM Factory Racing concluded the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship with solid performances at the season finale in Australia, as Sacha Coenen secured third place in the MX2 championship standings and Andrea Adamo finished fifth in MXGP following an impressive rookie campaign in the premier class.
The nineteenth and final round took place at Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin, where both KTM riders delivered top-five results on the day. Adamo finished fourth overall in MXGP aboard the KTM 450 SX-F, whilst Coenen placed fifth in MX2 with the KTM 250 SX-F to confirm his bronze medal position.
The 19-year-old Belgian enjoyed a breakthrough season in MX2, winning four Grands Prix and achieving eight podium finishes to claim his career-best championship result. However, the final round proved challenging as Coenen struggled to match the pace of title contenders. After a gate touch left him at the back in Saturday’s qualifying heat, he recovered to sixth. Sunday’s races yielded 5-4 finishes, with the Belgian exercising caution on the fast and rough red dirt circuit.
“Australia finished; and not the best one,” Coenen reflected. “Saturday was a bit difficult but my feeling was better on Sunday and I was a bit closer to the front. At least I was able to make a good pass to finish fourth [in moto two]. That’s it for this season. Now for the USA.”
Adamo’s fourth-place finish in Australia capped a successful maiden MXGP campaign that saw the Italian record 13 top-five moto appearances. His third-place finish in the opening moto marked his second podium result of the term, demonstrating the progress made throughout the season with KTM’s prototype 450.
“I’m really happy about the season. It’s been solid, and I’m really proud,” said Adamo. “Fifth in the championship and only a handful of points from the top four: we reached our goal. I know we need to work a bit more, both on what I am doing but also for the bike because when you bring a new one to the track then there are obvious improvements but also some development to do.”
Simon Längenfelder was forced to miss the Australian round due to illness. The reigning MX2 champion had been battling a virus that caused fever and stomach issues, leaving him too weak to compete. Despite his absence, Längenfelder finished fifth in the championship with four qualification heat wins, five moto victories, and three Grand Prix successes.
Team Manager Joel Smets acknowledged the mixed results across both championships whilst expressing satisfaction with Adamo’s progress: “In MXGP we had P5 but with a rookie and it feels like a victory. We took the decision to race the prototype and we were very consistent. We didn’t have ‘high’ highs but also no ‘low’ lows. We learned a lot and we are definitely ready to make the step with Andrea next year.”
Red Bull KTM will now turn their attention to the 79th Motocross of Nations at Ernée, France, on 3-4 October, where Adamo, Längenfelder, and Coenen will represent Italy, Germany, and Belgium respectively.
Photo: KTM Media
