On the brink of clinching the EMX250 championship, Janis Reisulis has had a very strong 2025 season. What makes his success even more impressive is the fact that the Latvian talent sat out the entire 2024 campaign through injury, yet has returned to racing as if he never missed a beat.
Looking ahead to 2026, we understand that Reisulis will stay within the Yamaha structure but is expected to make the step up to the MX2 World Championship. Even more intriguing is that he is expected to share the awning with his brother, Karlis, who looks set to remain with Yamaha for at least another year.
The idea of two brothers lining up under the same factory setup brings an exciting dynamic to the paddock – similar to what we see with the Coenen twins at the de Carli KTM squad.
Behind the scenes, there could also be some restructuring within Yamaha’s programme. Currently, the VHR VRT Yamaha team is responsible for the official EMX250 effort, fielding Reisulis and Ivano van Erp. However, the future of that setup is uncertain, it is thought the team would like to remain in the paddock but it remains to be seen if they will receive support from Yamaha moving forward. It’s believed the Factory Yamaha MX2 team, run by Hutten Metaal, may add an EMX250 rider to their structure alongside the Reisulis brothers.
Rather than fielding three MX2 World Championship riders as they have in the past, Hutten Metaal are expected to also run an EMX250 rider. Rising French talent Mano Faure, fresh off an impressive EMX125 season where he narrowly missed out on the title, is tipped as the frontrunner for the EMX250 spot under the awning.
If these rumours materialise, the Factory Yamaha MX2 squad could be set for a shake-up – a pair of brothers competing side by side in GPs, coupled with one of the brightest young prospects stepping into EMX250.
As always, we’ll keep you updated as more news develops.
