Taylor Hammal delivered one of the standout performances of the opening round of the 2026 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship, claiming fourth overall at Hawkstone Park and finishing level on points with reigning MX1 champion Conrad Mewse.
Taking on a stacked MX1 field that featured established Grand Prix contenders such as Ben Watson and Oriol Oliver, the DRT Kawasaki rider proved he belongs firmly in the mix at the front. What made the result even more impressive was the context—Hammal continues to balance racing with a full-time job, while competing on what is essentially a stock bike.
Right from the start of race one, Hammal showed he meant business. Getting himself into the leading group early, he matched the pace of the front runners and stayed in contention deep into the moto. Holding off Mewse and running with proven GP talent for much of the race, he secured a superb third-place finish.
Race two saw more of the same determination, with Hammal once again mixing it at the sharp end. Although he couldn’t quite make the move needed to break onto the podium overall, his consistency across both motos earned him fourth on the day—an eye-catching result that places him right in the early championship fight.
READ MORE: BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
It marks a major step forward compared to 12 months ago, when injury ruled him out of the opening round entirely. Now, heading into Preston Docks, Hammal finds himself in joint third in the standings and full of confidence.
Adding even more intrigue to round two is the expected appearance of Jeffrey Herlings. The Dutch superstar—widely known as “The Bullet”—is set to line up once again on British soil, setting up a mouth-watering clash with the MXGB regulars.
Hammal will head into that showdown with belief, having already proven he can run with the very best. At last year’s Monster Masters in Wales, he famously beat Herlings in a moto—an achievement few riders can claim, and one that underlines his potential when everything clicks.
Reflecting on his Hawkstone performance, Hammal said:
“I’m really happy with how the weekend went. A good start in the first moto and my riding felt solid. I’m never a fan of these conditions or this track but felt it pretty decent. I managed to hang onto the front two until about four laps to go and took home third in the first race.
I couldn’t quite get it done in the second moto to get on the podium, but I’m joint on points for the championship. Considering I work pretty much full time and was on a stock bike, it felt like a cracking start to the year.”
DRT Kawasaki Team Manager Steve Dixon was equally encouraged by what he saw:
“I was really pleased with the way Taylor rode at Hawkstone. It’s always a tough track and the conditions can catch a lot of riders out, but he showed good speed and composure all day.
To run up there with the front guys in the first moto and bring home third was a strong ride, and it showed the level he’s capable of riding at. Considering Taylor is working close to full-time and racing on what is essentially a stock bike, it makes the result even more impressive.
The team did a great job supporting him over the weekend, and the Kawasaki performed well in some difficult conditions. To come away from the opening round joint third on points for the championship is a solid start and something we can build on as the season progresses.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Taylor develops over the next few rounds.”
With confidence high and a proven ability to mix it with world-class opposition, Hammal now heads to Preston Docks with a real opportunity—not just to chase his first MX1 podium, but to once again go head-to-head with one of the sport’s biggest names.
Images courtesy of Kawasaki UK / Insight Media
