Mystery solved! Haarup was forced to make the jump to MXGP in 2025 due to the age limit rule, has had to look for a new brand as Triumph’s 450 project is not yet developed enough. There was even speculation that Haarup would pack his bags and head to the United States, but in the end he will remain in Europe and also with Triumph, playing a new role as a development rider on the 450cc machine with which he will then make his full-time debut in the 2026 MXGP World Championship.
Full press release:
Triumph is pleased to announce that Mikkel Haarup will remain with the brand for 2025 and 2026. During the first year of the new agreement, the talented racer – who secured fifth in the 2024 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship – will transition into a development role between Triumph and Monster Energy Triumph Racing to fine-tune the TF 450-RC ahead of its MXGP debut. Then, in 2026, Haarup will return to racing full-time by lining up in the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Having played a vital role in developing the TF 250-X ahead of the 2024 MX2 World Championship, Haarup is the perfect candidate for this hybrid role. Mikkel’s experience, attitude, and work ethic have proven invaluable to Triumph, and given his multiple podium results during last season, it was an easy decision for Triumph to retain the services of the talented Danish racer.
In his new role, Mikkel will divide his time between working with Triumph’s in-house development team and Monster Energy Triumph Racing throughout 2025. This pivotal position will ensure the TF 450-RC is fully competitive for its MXGP debut in 2026 and allows all involved in the project ample time to develop settings for the variety of circuits visited on the MXGP calendar.
Mikkel Haarup:
“It’s an honour for me to once again say that I’ll be a part of Triumph and Monster Energy Triumph Racing. Next year I’ll be working closely with Triumph’s engineering department to develop the bike that I’ll be racing on the following year. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity and something that I couldn’t say no to. It’ll be an experience that will set us up nicely for the MXGP season in 2026 where I’ll not only make my debut in the MXGP class, but it will be Triumph’s as well. To be able to do this with the brand and the racing team that I have worked with for more than a year already really is something special and I’m excited to get started.”
