The 2008 World MX1 Champion, David Philippaerts, is back for VMXdN, and he is excited for the change to Hawkstone!
Philippaerts was part of the 2025 Italian team who were joint winners of the International class but lost the top slot to the American team by way of number of race wins. As you can imagine this has only motivated the 43-year-old Italian to come back swinging.
His pedigree in the sport cannot be denied. A multiple time member of the Italian MXdN squad culminating in a podium at the most prestigious event on the modern MX calendar in 2013. Philippaerts long career culminated with 4th in the Italian MX1 championship as recently as 2023 at the age of 39. Since retiring from pro motocross in 2024, he has continued within the sport helping up and coming racers through his DP19 rider training program.
READ MORE: BRITISH MOTOCROSS NEWS
Philippaerts will be bringing out the big guns for Hawkstone and will race a KX500 prepped by long-time friend and mechanic Bruno Mamprin. For 2026, he is part of a very exclusive three-man team who you would be brave to bet against for the honours when the gate drops at Hawkstone on August bank holiday weekend – August 27-30.
The buzz around VMXdN 2026 brought to you by main sponsors The Range has well and truly shifted up a gear for 2026, and with the move to the iconic Hawkstone Park Circuit in Shropshire, anticipation is at an all-time high. Rider announcements are already dropping thick and fast. There is plenty more still to come, so keep your eyes on their social channels because you won’t want to miss a single announcement.
VMXdN is the ultimate event for MX fans of all ages, the Woodstock of two strokes, as Racer X Magazine once put it. And they weren’t wrong. The fun begins the moment the gates open at 12 noon on Thursday, August 27th, giving you four full days of everything you love about this sport. Meander through the trade village, explore the open paddock, walk the famous Hawkstone hill, soak up the Show’N’Shine on Friday, and then hold on tight as the gate drops on Saturday morning with legends past and present from across the globe going bar to bar just like the golden era of nineties motocross.
Spectator tickets and camping passes are on sale now, and if you are planning to camp, do not hang about. The promoters have secured additional fields from local landowners to meet demand, but camping is still limited and passes are selling fast. Whether you’re after a standard camping pass or the VIP option (where you can watch the racing directly from your own awning), now is the time to secure your tickets to the most anticipated race on the British motocross calendar.
Don’t be the one scrolling through the socials wishing you’d been there.
Spectator tickets and camping passes are available here https://www.vmxdnhawkstone.com/buy-tickets
Words and Feature Image by VMXDN
