Oriol Oliver heads into his home Grand Prix in Spain on the back of an eye-catching ride at Hawkstone Park, where the Gabriel SS24 KTM rider put together a composed and competitive performance to secure second overall at round one of the 2026 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship.
The Spaniard looked immediately at ease on the iconic Shropshire circuit. After clocking the fourth quickest time in qualifying to lock in a solid gate position, Oliver wasted no time asserting himself once the racing got underway.
In the first MX1 outing, he exploded out of the gate and quickly put himself in contention at the front. After initially slotting into second, Oliver stalked the leader before making a decisive move at Hawkstone Hill to take control. From there, he dictated the pace and managed the race with confidence, fending off late pressure to take a well-earned victory.
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Race two tested him in different ways, but again Oliver rose to the challenge. Another strong start put him firmly in the mix, and he settled into second place early on. As the track conditions worsened, he maintained a consistent rhythm, keeping the leader within reach. A mistake midway through the race caused complications, leaving him to deal with damage to the bike, but he adapted quickly and limited the impact. Despite the setback, he brought the bike home in second, ensuring he left Hawkstone tied on points at the top.
It was a fantastic performance, which will build his confidence heading into a significant weekend on home soil.
Speaking after the event, Oliver said:
“Overall I was happy with how the first British of the year went, and I really enjoyed the track with it being natural, big hills and it being a long lap and it was a good racing as well as great training for Spain. Going P1 in the first moto and P2 in the second honestly, I’m happy with the P2 as after the crash I lost a lot of time, and the handlebars were bent then I lost my seat. So to be able to save some points with that mistake it was good to finish the day as the same points as the leader. I am exiting for the next rounds, I think it will be an interesting championship and I will try to be the best and try to win it. The focus is now on the GP of Spain as it’s the only race I will have there and I will try to enjoy it.”
With confidence building and race pace already proven, Oliver now turns his attention to a special occasion—the MXGP of Andalucia in Spain. Competing in front of a home crowd always brings added motivation, and after a strong start to his British campaign, he arrives in form and ready to make his mark.
Images courtesy of JHMX Photography
