The 2026 FIM Europe EMX250 Championships burst into life for the first time of the season in the demanding sands of Almonte, delivering a spectacular opening round. Under the eyes of an electrified Andalucian crowd.
Words and Images by Infront Moto Racing
In EMX250, local hero Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Francesco Garcia was simply untouchable, securing a dominant 1-1 scorecard to claim a perfect overall victory on home soil.
The opening race of the EMX250 Championship exploded into life in Almonte, with aggressive racing from the very first corner.
Filippo Mantovani dived to the inside at the start, but it was Team VHR Racing Yamaha Official’s Mano Faure who emerged with the early advantage, leading the field out of Turn 2. Garcia, however, quickly became the rider to watch. Starting just outside the top five, the Spaniard surged forward, passing Dirt Store Triumph Racing‘s Billy Askew on the opening lap before moving into second shortly after.
With the home crowd behind him, Garcia wasted no time attacking Faure. On lap two, he executed a decisive move around the outside to take the lead, one he would never relinquish.
Faure’s race then began to unravel. After losing the lead, he came under pressure and was passed by Askew before crashing heavily. Although he remounted, a second fall dropped him deep in the order, eventually recovering to ninth.
Venum BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Jake Cannon steadily worked his way forward and made a late-race pass on Askew to move into second, securing a one-two finish for the Bud Racing Kawasaki squad.
Askew held on for third after running near the front throughout, while Cat Moto Bauerschmidt KTM’s Mads Fredsoe and JK Racing Yamaha’s Jekabs Kubulins completed the top five.
Out front, though, it was all about Garcia. In dominant fashion, he controlled the race from lap two onwards, delivering a standout victory on home soil to open his 2026 campaign in perfect style.
Race 2 on Sunday kept the intensity and exciting racing going with warmer and drier conditions. Kubulins grabbed a superb start to lead the early laps, immediately putting himself in a strong position at the front. In the meantime, third in Race 1, Askew crashed in the early stage and unfortunately had to retire from the race after a great showing on Saturday.
Behind Kubulins, Race 1 winner Garcia did not get the cleanest getaway, starting just inside the top ten. However, the Spaniard wasted no time responding, slicing through the field on the opening laps to move into the top five by lap two.
Garcia’s charge was relentless. Despite a big moment on the long straight where he nearly lost control, he maintained his momentum and continued to push forward, setting the fastest laps as he hunted down the leaders.
At the front, Kubulins initially controlled the race, but the intensity of the deep sand began to take its toll. As the race progressed, the gaps tightened, and the pressure from behind started to build.
Garcia made his move on lap six, passing Kubulins to move into second before setting his sights on Faure, who had inherited the lead. With the home crowd behind him, Garcia closed the gap steadily, riding on the limit as he chased down the Frenchman.
Behind them, the battle for the podium was just as fierce. Cannon fought his way through the pack after a mid-pack start, making crucial passes in the closing stages to move into the top five and keep himself in contention for the overall podium.
As the race entered its final minutes, the decisive moment arrived. Faure, under increasing pressure, made a mistake and lost crucial time, allowing Garcia to capitalise and take over the lead to the roar of the crowd.
From there, Garcia controlled the final laps to secure victory in Race 2, completing a perfect 1-1 scorecard. Faure regrouped to finish second, while Brazilian rider Bernardo Tiburcio delivered an impressive ride to claim third in the race.
Overall, Francisco Garcia was untouchable. With two commanding race wins, the Spaniard secured the overall victory with a maximum 50 points, delivering a dream performance on home soil and establishing himself as the early championship leader. His performance has definitely riled up the impressive Andalucian crowd coming to see him.
Jake Cannon’s consistency across both races earned him second overall, completing a strong weekend for the Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki team with a double podium result.
Mano Faure rebounded from a difficult Race 1 to take second in Race 2, securing third overall, while Jekabs Kubulins and Mads Fredsoe completed the top five after solid performances in the demanding conditions.
In the end Askew wpould finish 9th overall but showed he has the speed to run at the sharp end. Joe Brookes also showed fantastic pace, topping his free practice group. The races werent meant to be though and he finished 25th on Saturday before crashing out on Sunday and taking a trip to the medical centre. Joe will be back for Switzerland though.
Francisco Garcia: “It feels really good to have the red plate, especially here at home. I’m really happy with how I rode. Last year I was already fighting for the title, but I made some mistakes. This year I feel stronger and more consistent, and I know what I need to do. Riding in front of the home crowd was amazing. I tried not to focus too much on it during the race, but at the end I could really hear them, and that feeling was very special.”
EMX250 – Race 1
MEC_EMX250_R1_RaceClassification-4102_6_46_351_1_097488F70D64011A2423D938E4DD17CBEMX250 – Race 2
MEC_EMX250_R2_RaceClassification-4102_6_46_352_1_FB0AC9E83D59D516B620FEE23AB3B416EMX250 Overall
EMX250 Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Francisco Garcia (ESP, KAW), 50 points; 2. Jake Cannon (AUS, KAW), 38 p.; 3. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 34 p.; 4. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 31 p.; 5. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, HUS), 26 p.; 7. Tom Brunet (FRA, YAM), 23 p.; 8. Bernardo Tiburcio (BRA, YAM), 20 p.; 9. William Askew (GBR, TRI), 20 p.; 10. Francesco Bellei (ITA, KTM), 19 p.;
EMX250 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kawasaki, 50 points; 2. Yamaha, 38 p.; 3. KTM, 31 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 26 p.; 5. Triumph, 20 p.; 6. GASGAS, 18 p.; 7. Beta, 15 p.; 8. Honda, 7 p.
