Tough debut for Glenn Coldenhoff in Brazil Motocross

The 2026 MX1 GP Brasil season kicked off in Canelinha this past Sunday, April 12th, with a race format that immediately tested both speed and resilience. Riders first contested a standalone MX1 moto, followed later by a combined MX1 + MX2 race, where classes share the track but score points separately.

Much of the pre-race attention centered on the debut of Glenn Coldenhoff with Yamaha C6 Bank IMS Racing, but the Dutchman endured a difficult introduction to the Brazilian series. From the outset, he lacked the outright pace of the frontrunners, posting modest times in both practice and qualifying sessions—noticeable gaps, albeit not alarming given his experience and adaptation phase.

In the MX1 race, Coldenhoff started around eighth and spent most of the race in that range, struggling to break into the leading group. A late push allowed him to climb to sixth by the finish, offering a glimpse of recovery but still short of expectations.

The second race, shared with MX2, proved even more punishing. A heavy crash in the first corner—also involving Greg Aranda and Jeremy Van Horebeek, left Coldenhoff with significant ground to recover. Despite the impact, he remounted and continued, salvaging a seventh-place finish in the race. Combined with his earlier result, it placed him eighth overall on the day.

Up front, it was a completely different story. Enzo Lopes delivered a flawless performance on home soil for Honda HRC. Grabbing the early lead in both races, Lopes dictated the tempo from the front and steadily built comfortable margins, securing a dominant 1-1 sweep to open his championship campaign in style.

Behind him, Van Horebeek rebounded impressively from his second-race crash to claim second overall with a 2-3 scorecard, including a remarkable charge from last place in the final moto. Gustavo Pessoa completed the podium, the private Honda rider putting together a consistent day (7-2) to secure third overall.

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