Dirt Store Triumph Racing celebrated an amazing start to the 2026 MXGB Championship after a triumphant weekend at Hawkstone Park, with Ben Watson’s 2–1 scorecards clinching the TF 450-X’s first ever win in the British Championship.
MX1 Class: Watson Claims TF 450-X’s First MXGB Win
In demanding conditions at Hawkstone Park, Ben Watson delivered a remarkable performance to clinch the overall victory for the weekend, mounting the red plate to his TF 450-X heading into round two.
In Race 1, Watson gated well in fourth and made quick work to move into second by the halfway mark, beginning his charge toward race leader Oriol Oliver. A late push put the #919 right on Oliver’s rear wheel in the closing laps, with the pair separated by just one second as Watson crossed the line in a solid second place to start the season.
Watson rocketed out of the gate on his TF 450-X in Race 2, grabbing the holeshot as the former Grand Prix winner led every single lap. He amassed nearly a 40-second lead and lapped up to 10th place en route to his season-opening victory. The off-season development of the TF 450-X shone through from the get-go, with the Hawkstone win marking its first on British soil.
READ MORE: BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
MX2 Class: Searle and Askew Battle Through Adversity
In the MX2 class, reigning and defending champion Tommy Searle and title favourite Billy Askew fought hard through adversity in an attempt to salvage their weekend. Despite the results not reflecting their efforts, the pair battled every lap, fighting their way through the field in both races. It was a valiant effort from both riders, with their eyes set on returning to the podium at round two at Preston Docks.
Weekend Summary:
Ben’s debut with the team, and return to the MXGB series, rewarded the team’s efforts this off-season with the continued progression of the TF 450-X. His pedigree shone through from the qualifying session to the final lap, and we are incredibly proud to kick off our British campaign in winning ways. Whilst it wasn’t the start we would have hoped for in MX2, there are plenty of races remaining to get back to winning ways for both Searle and Askew.
Watson will have to wait a couple of weekends to run the red plate at round two, as our focus now switches to MXGP and EMX250 action this coming weekend in Spain. We cannot wait to kick off our campaigns on the world stage this weekend.
Words by Dirt Store Triumph – Images by Cult Moto
