DRT Kawasaki’s Taylor Hammal has had an impressive debut season in MX1 and heads into the final round of the 2025 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship in fourth position. After an Arenacross injury and missing the first MXGB round at Hawkstone, Taylor has been consistently snapping at the heels of the Podium places and in recent rounds has started to edge ever closer to that elusive top three.
Feature Image courtesy of DRT Kawasaki
We caught up with Taylor ahead of the Lyng finale to get his take on the season so far and what the future holds for the Hampshire-based racer…
Dirt Hub: 2025 seems to have been a really good year for you… Is that how you feel? Have you met your own expectations?
Taylor: It’s been abit different I feel, definitely a different approach this time round than normal. I’ve had zero pressure or expectations and I’ve actually really enjoyed it. I started out with some Arenacross, which was great, but I broke my talus bone in my ankle, which meant I missed the first British round.
Coming into the season, I did maybe 2/3 days riding motocross and then got injured. When I came back riding, I only did maybe 5 days before racing, so I had no prep or any time on the bike. I’ve always felt comfortable on the kawi, so I wasn’t too worried, just lacking a lot on my physical side. All year, my ankles have been sore, probably because I didn’t give them enough time to recover. I had to get back to racing and working during the week, pay bills, but looking back, I think it was the right decision. I’ve been really consistent, getting 4ths nearly every race, so I’m happy, but I also want a bit more.
READ MORE: BRITISH MOTOCROSS NEWS
DH: You definitely seem to suit riding the 450. Have you enjoyed your racing more this year?
Taylor: Yeah, 100%, I enjoy the 450 a lot more as I’m taller and heavier than most riders, so it suits me. My approach this year has been to just try my best and if it’s not going well, just to forget about it and move on, which seems to be working this year as I’ve been pretty consistent all year with good results. I probably took the pressure off myself.
DH: You have had some fantastic results this year, including beating Jeffrey Herlings in a race at the Monster Mountain Cup, which must have been great for your confidence.
Taylor: Ahaha, yeah, I mean, if he didn’t crash, then I wouldn’t have, but I’ll take it. I can say I beat him. Those races are brilliant during the week up at Monster Mountain. Good riders like Jeff and great prize money. I felt like I rode my best all year at those rounds for some reason. That win did almost give me a kick up the arse to realise I can actually ride up there with those guys and beat them. Maybe not Herlings but our British guys.
Dirt Hub: Conrad, Adam, and Josh have dominated the MX1 podium this year, but you have been getting closer all the time and seem to be bridging the gap. Do you feel you could finally get on the box at Lyng?
Taylor: It’s been frustrating, I’ve always ended up the wrong side each round of the podium. Yeah first two rounds after my ankle I didn’t expect to beat them. But I’ve had good races like Landrake, where I fought up to 2nd but couldn’t pass. I beat Sterry in both races at Duns on Sunday, so I wouldn’t say they’re dominating.
Yeah, results they are. Obviously Conrad’s another level to all of us and fair play to him but Josh and Adam are beatable for me I think. There are some tracks like Duns and Landrake where I suit more, and I guess Sterry is maybe better on the sand. When you look at it, they are all world-level riders. I go to work during the week. I haven’t had any off-season riding. I did one day of suspension testing in April, and that’s it. I just crack on. So to beat them or be up with them for me is great in itself.
DH: The British Championship has had a strong year in 2025. Have you noticed the difference with Paul Irwin running it, and do you feel it is going in the right direction for UK Pro riders?
Taylor: It’s been brilliant this year; it’s nice to see a much-needed change with what Paul and his team are doing. Each round, there’s been big crowds even without Herlings at some like Canada Heights. I’m enjoying it a lot, and the guys running it, I think, are doing great, so hopefully they can keep going, although I hope next year the prize money improves for us riders.
DH: There has been rumours about a new Pro MX Championship in the UK for 2026, do you feel there needs to be more Pro level races in the UK now that the Fastest 40/MX Nationals is no more?
Taylor: Yeah, I’ve heard, but no idea what or who’s running it. I’m not too worried about it. If there’s another series, then it’s good for us riders in Britain, as there should be more races. We only have 7/8 rounds and for me this year that’s all I’m doing which isn’t enough I think. Some more weekends racing will be good for us all I think.
DH: What are your plans for next year? Are you staying with DRT Kawasaki or do you have something else lined up, also will you be racing Arenacross this winter?
Taylor: Yeah, I believe I’ll just do the same again next year as I’m doing this year. I haven’t had anything else come to light for next year. It seems hard, and I think for most riders it’s difficult to sort stuff out, or maybe that’s just me ahaha.
I really enjoy working with Steve and those guys this time around. I understand how he works and the other side of stuff. Especially because I’m only in the British championship, there’s barely any stress compared to when I rode there doing MX2 world. It’s been good, I have a good relationship with everyone there and with Kawasaki, so I hopefully will.
I’d like to do maybe a couple of GPs next year. One’s close and suited to so have to see. Yeah, I’ll probably be doing the Arenacross again. It was really good. It took me to places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which I would never have gone to if it wasn’t for racing the Arenacross, so it was an amazing opportunity.
