Yamaha is changing the shape of its factory presence in the Motocross World Championship ahead of 2027. Its factory MX2 effort ends immediately, while Yamaha Motor Europe takes direct responsibility for the MXGP team’s daily operation and technical development. The move also brings the manufacturer’s long-running relationship with Kemea to an end.

MXGP work moves to Gerno di Lesmo

The premier-class programme will be based at Yamaha’s new Motorsport Research and Development facility in Gerno di Lesmo, Italy. The site serves as Yamaha’s main European research and development centre, alongside work on the company’s MotoGP, World Superbike and Rally Raid programmes. This structure places management and technical progress for MXGP under Yamaha Motor Europe’s direct control.

The MX2 withdrawal closes a successful chapter involving Hans Corvers and Kemea. Yamaha’s factory operation won the 2021 World Championship with Maxime Renaux and collected four manufacturers’ titles. The reorganisation also reaches the European EMX250 and EMX125 programmes. The Hutten Metaal team, run by Wim Hutten, delivered EMX250 titles with Thibault Benistant, Rick Elzinga and Andrea Bonacorsi, while Renaux had earlier come through the EMX125 programme.

The 2026 baseline

Further information on the new MXGP structure, its management and rider line-up will follow from Yamaha. During 2026, the factory MXGP team comprised five-time World Champion Tim Gajser and Maxime Renaux. Gajser placed third in the final standings and Renaux finished eighth. Yamaha’s MX2 line-up included Latvian brothers Kārlis and Jānis Reišulis, who ended the season seventh and sixth respectively. Andrea Dosoli said the resource shift is intended to support Yamaha’s ambition of returning to the top in MXGP.