After returning to the MXGP paddock last year, the Van Venrooy KTM team are gearing up for the 2026 season with ambitions of bigger and better results.
The team will be active across three championships in 2026 and are excited to once again field a rider in the MXGP World Championship. Italian talent Mattia Guadagnini joins the team, bringing plenty of potential as he looks to make his mark at the top level.
In the MX2 World Championship, Hungarian rider Noel Zanocz will step up from the EMX250 series. Zanocz will use his rookie MX2 season to gain experience and learn as much as possible as he adapts to the World Championship level.
Completing the Van Venrooy KTM line-up is another promising Hungarian, Áron Katona, who will move up to contest the EMX250 series in 2026. Katona is widely regarded as a talent to watch for the future, and the team are confident in his potential.
Van Venrooy KTM are thrilled to welcome all three riders under their awning for the upcoming season. With the countdown now on to the start of the World Championship action in March, expectations are high for an exciting year ahead.
Mattia Guadagnini (MXGP World Championship):
I’m really, really looking forward to starting the season. The feeling with the team and the bike so far is really, really good. It is a really cool group of people that really put in the work like it should be. They’re also a super friendly group and we get to know each other a little bit in these few weeks in Sardinia while we are training here. I think it’s a really, really good situation for everybody.
I’m really, really enjoying the bike. From the first day that I jumped on the bike, I had straight away a great feeling and I’m really, really happy about that. We did some testing just to adjust the suspension and so far, it’s going really good. I had a few good weeks of training.
I’m feeling ready to start the season. Of course, it’s going to take long to get into 100% in shape, but it’s just the beginning and I’m really positive and looking forward for this season to get a solid season, to be there all the races and try to build up the season race by race. I want to be in good shape and competitive for some podiums around mid-season. It will be really, really good.
Noel Zanocz (MX2 World Championship):
I’m just very happy to complete this year in a full MX2 World Championship season. It’s going to be my first year in the class and I’m really grateful for the opportunity from KTM and Van Venrooy to allow me to race the whole season.
The winter preparation is going quite good. I’m hoping to do a good in the pre-season races. We should see where we are and then we can move forward from there.
My expectations for the MX2 World Championship, obviously it’s a completely new format and its way more races, so I will need to get used to racing in MX2. Obviously the 30 plus 2 moto’s are longer and they’re both on the same day. I just want to make good progress through the season. Of course, there are some dream results that I have in my mind, and I think I would like a top five finish. I know in the first year it’s quite difficult with all these fast factory riders, but I think we did a really good job with the team, and we are capable of big things.
Áron Katona (EMX250): I am very happy about this opportunity to compete in Van Venrooy’s team under KTM’s colour this year. I don’t have any specific goals for this season, but I would like to learn and experience as much as possible and end this year with a more positive and enjoyable season.
