Watson Wins on Return as the MXGB 2026 Season Opens at Hawkstone Park

The 2026 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship roared into life on Sunday 15th March with Round 1 at the iconic Hawkstone Park circuit near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Widely regarded as one of the most demanding and celebrated motocross tracks in the country, Hawkstone provided a dramatic and muddy canvas for the opener of what promises to be a thrilling eight-round season.

Rain made its presence felt throughout the day, turning the already challenging sand circuit into a gruelling test of rider skill. Despite the difficult conditions, large crowds descended on the Shropshire countryside to witness the season-opener, and they were not disappointed.

Ben Watson announced his return to British championship racing by taking the MX1 overall, while Gyan Doensen edged out a chaotic MX2 class, and Drew Stock swept both 125cc motos on his way to a convincing class win.

The premier MX1 class provided arguably the day's most compelling narrative, with Ben Watson's return to the British championship delivering immediate results. Watson, riding for Dirtshore Triumph, had been out of the series for some time, and his performance sent an immediate message to his rivals.

In Moto 1, it was Oriol Oliver who delivered a superb ride for the Gabriel SS24 KTM outfit. The Spanish rider managed the difficult conditions with great composure to take the moto win ahead of Watson, who charged through from the rear of the field to finish second, and Taylor Hammal in third.

Moto 2 saw Watson leading from start to finish to claim the moto win by a comfortable margin with Oliver finishing second and Mewse rounding out the top three.

On combined points, Watson and Oliver finished level, but Watson's moto win secured the overall victory by virtue of the tiebreaker. Mewse completed the podium in third.

The MX2 class delivered its own share of drama and chaos over the course of the day at Hawkstone. Gyan Doensen, riding for Gabriel SS24 KTM, emerged as the overall winner with a strong ride in the final moto to seal the deal.

Moto 1 produced a surprise result, with rookie Jamie Keith announcing himself to the British championship with a memorable debut moto victory. Keith led Ollie Colmer to the line in an impressive display. However, both riders would encounter difficulties in the second moto that severely affected their overall standings, falling outside the top ten and denying them a strong combined result.

Charlie Heyman on the SC Sportshomes Husqvarna was the picture of consistency throughout the day, posting a 3-3 scorecard to secure second overall. The defending champion Tommy Searle endured a difficult opening round, managing only a 7-11 combined result and failing to challenge for the podium.

Joel Rizzi completed the podium in third place for the SevenSeven2 Ride Kawasaki team with identical 5-5 scores across both motos.

In the MX125 class, Drew Stock was in a class of his own, storming to a perfect 1-1 scorecard across both motos to take the round win with authority. Stock, riding for JK Racing, was dominant throughout, leaving the rest of the 125 field behind on the challenging Hawkstone circuit.

The day also produced some remarkable debut performances in the class. Harley Marczak put in an impressive showing on his 125cc debut to claim second overall, while Joel Winstanley Dawson rounded out the podium in third, also on his very first outing in the class. The strong debut results from both riders suggest a bright future for this generation of young British talent and bode well for the competitiveness of the 125cc class throughout the 2026 season.

The championship now heads to Preston Docks in Lancashire for Round 2 on April 5th with a very different challenge to Hawkstone, trading sandstone hills for the flat, hard-pack of the iconic dockside venue. Teams and riders will have just three weeks to regroup and prepare for what is always one of the most unique rounds on the MXGB calendar.

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