After a final season in the premier class with Calvin Vlaanderen in 2023, the Van Venrooy team took a step back in 2024 before returning to the GP paddock in 2025. The Dutch outfit then relied on Cas Valk in MX2 and Lynn Valk in WMX to relaunch their racing program.
For 2026, the team managed by Klaas Hattem has undergone a major overhaul. Cas and Lynn Valk have both left the structure, while we await the official press release – Noel Zanocz (MX2) and Aron Katona (EMX250) will join the team for the 2026 season. However, a key piece of news is now confirmed: Mattia Guadagnini will race for the Van Venrooy KTM team this season.
A new year’s day announcement that has almost been overshadowed by the major off-season moves involving Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser. At 23 years old, Mattia Guadagnini makes his return to KTM after racing for Ducati during the 2025 season. Backed by the Austrian manufacturer upon his arrival in MX2 in 2021, the Italian chose to step away from the class as early as 2022 following a difficult start to the season, making a direct jump to the MXGP heavyweights. Having raced for the factory KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna teams, Guadagnini ultimately lost the confidence of the KTM group at the end of 2024 after several up-and-down seasons, despite flashes of strong potential.
Picked up by Ducati for the Italian manufacturer’s MXGP debut, Mattia Guadagnini started his 2025 campaign in promising fashion with two fourth-place finishes in the first three Grands Prix. However, the remainder of the season proved more challenging, with Guadagnini often battling just outside the top ten following further health setbacks.
Not retained by Louis Vosters, who took over management of the Ducati program during the off-season, Mattia Guadagnini now finds a new home with Van Venrooy KTM. For the first time since entering the World Championship, the Italian will not be riding for a full factory team. A new environment that could nonetheless allow him to reset and rebuild, within an experienced structure and under reduced pressure and expectations.
