Fear not, all you traditional Motocross fans who are tiring of all this indoor action and just want some good old-fashioned wind and rain in your face while dirt bikes blast around in front of you – it’s just one month until the Shropshire sands of the legendary Hawkstone Park circuit opens its gates for the Ashbrook Hawkstone International Powered by Syntol Lubricants on the 25th of February! Here we run through the main contenders and list the confirmed riders – with more to follow – so far announced by the Salop Motor Club.
Words: Ben Rumbold. Featured Image: KTM Media
The headline names for MX1 really do catch the eye, as five-time World Champion Jeffrey Herlings has stated that he intends to leave Hawkstone Park with that winning feeling once more, so expect “The Bullet” to push hard in order to test himself before the upcoming MXGP season! Arch rival Romain Febvre, the 2015 MXGP World Champion who pushed Jeffrey all the way in the 2021 title chase, will be no pushover after relishing his first Hawkstone experience last year. The all-new factory Fantic squad of Glenn Coldenhoff and Roan van de Mossdijk will also be right in the mix, and former MX2 Hawkstone winner and World Champion Pauls Jonass makes a welcome return to the event after his injury troubles. The ever-popular and charismatic Italian Alberto Forato will also be keen to show what a winter in Belgium has done for his sand prowess as he makes his racing debut alongside Jonass for the Standing Construct Honda team.
“How about the Brits?” I hear you cry, well they will be in there! Reigning British Champion Conrad Mewse, plus the two men who finished behind him in both major domestic Championships in 2023, Josh Gilbert and Harri Kullas, will look to make the GP regulars’ lives difficult on a circuit they all raced hard on last season. Gilbert and honorary Brit, the Estonian Kullas, have shifted to Austrian machinery and Josh in particular will be looking to measure his pace against riders he will be seeing a lot of in his first full MXGP season for the Gabriel SS24 KTM squad. Crendon Tru7 Honda man Mewse, as well as Kullas, should be sharp off the line as they will have raced the final round of Arenacross the night before in Wembley Arena!
The new Apico Honda Racing team will also make its debut at Hawkstone, with Hawkstone lovers Tom Grimshaw and Martin Barr looking to impress in red, and Adam Sterry makes a rare British appearance as he is now based in Germany full-time. And don’t forget the Belgian Brent van Doninck, who entertained us all with maximum effort to beat Febvre in a race last year, as well as Jamie Carpenter, starting off in his own JC184 colours for 2024.
MX1:
- Jeffrey Herlings
- Romain Febvre
- Brent van Doninck
- Pauls Jonass
- Alberto Forato
- Henry Jacobi
- Glenn Coldenhoff
- Roan van de Moosdijk
- Conrad Mewse
- Harri Kullas
- Josh Gilbert
- Adam Sterry
- Jamie Carpenter
- Tom Grimshaw
- Martin Barr
MX2 looks to be a tantalising prospect as well, running back in separate races this year and strengthened with current World Champion Andrea Adamo from Italy making his Hawkstone debut, and joined by his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Liam Everts, who has won in the Youth classes at this event! They will attempt to hold back Dutch GP star Scott Smulders, plus Van Doninck’s JM Racing teammates Hakon Osterghagen from Sweden and German teenager Max Werner. Cas Valk will be Gilbert’s teammate in EMX250 this year, and will also be looking to impress against the stars of MX2. Then a whole slew of hungry Brits will join the fray, including Welsh 2023 winner Joel Rizzi for Dirt Store Kawasaki, the rising star Joe Brookes for 426 Motorsports, Alfie Jones, Jake Nichols, and teenage hopefuls Bayliss Utting and Domonic Newbury.
MX2:
- Andrea Adamo
- Liam Everts
- Scott Smulders
- Jake Nichols
- Cas Valk
- Joel Rizzi
- Hakon Osterhagen
- Maximillian Werner
- Joe Brookes
- Bayliss Utting
- Domonic Newbury
- Alfie Jones
- Lewis Hall
- Harvey Cashmore
- Ben Franklin
There will also be a full line-up of EMX125 racers, with further international flavour, for two extra races on the programme. See >>>here<<< for that line-up!
So don’t forget the date, meet up with your MX buddies from across the country, settle those debates you started online by meeting face-to-face, and get that wind and sand in your face. Weather permitting, the hill will be in, and I’ll see you at the top of it!
