Josh Gilbert made a welcome return to Ireland at the final round of the Irish Championship ending up on the top step. He put the disappointment of his previous visit to the circuit firmly behind him. After a difficult 2025 outing, the Apico Honda rider arrived back at the track with something to prove and delivered a strong performance to become the first rider to beat Taylor Hammal around the venue.
Gilbert continues to build back towards full fitness following injury. While the British rider admits he is not yet back to 100%, he has seen significant improvements in recent weeks, with races in France and Ireland providing valuable bike time and allowing him to assess his progression.
With a stronger international field also lining up in Ireland this year, Gilbert enjoyed the opportunity to race alongside riders such as Hammal, Adam Sterry and Tristan Purdon, while also putting on a show for the sizeable crowd. The Apico Honda rider also opened up about his first season with the team, his battle with arm pump and his plans for the future, which could include further MXGP and AMA racing alongside the British Championship.
We caught up with Gilbert after his Irish Championship victory to discuss redemption, his injury comeback, life with Apico Honda and what could be next for the British rider.
GateDrop: You had to come here again this year after everything that happened last year, but you were able to put them demons to one side and you are the first man to beat Taylor Hammal around here, so you must be pretty pumped for your day?
Gilbert: I mean I wasn’t happy with the first race but the second race I am definitely much happier. Especially like you said, it is a bit of redemption from last year because everything in one day just seemed to go wrong last year. Fair play to the guys who put a lot of work into the track this year to make some improvements. It still just needs a little bit of time to just tweak things but it’s getting there. It’s nice to come over and put a show on for the crowd and get the win as well.
GateDrop: Obviously this year felt like it was much better atmosphere and also a better level. Last year it was kind of only you and Taylor from the top boys that came over, you had a bad day so it wasn’t so great at the front but with Adam, Tristan and a better entry, was it nice to come here and ride against some riders you raced with in a different atmosphere?
Gilbert: Yeah, like you said and it’s better for the people watching. Taylor seems to like this place, he’s good around here. I don’t know what it is about it, but he just seems to get on well with it so he’s always tricky to beat around here. Like you say, it’s just better all round I think, because I’m only coming back from an injury, the more races I can do at the minute the better. I know it’s getting to the end of the season but still, it’s better for me to race in competitions.
GateDrop: It’s never ideal to pick up an injury like you say but how do you feel on the bike at the minute? Like obviously probably not 100%, maybe a little bit race rusty but how close are you, do you think, to being back to the best Josh Gilbert?
Gilbert: I’m getting there, I am close. It’s a tricky one because I’ve been struggling a lot with arm pump recently.
GateDrop: Is that something you would have struggled with in the past?
Gilbert: I don’t know, that’s the big question mark. After the first race I was pretty annoyed with myself because I got the holeshot and it was fine to start the race but then just the arm pump crept in. But to be honest, my shoulders are actually really aching after today and I haven’t had that in a while. I don’t know if it’s because the track with the stones and stuff, it’s quite edgy and it’s jarring my shoulder. I don’t know if maybe that has played a bit of a toll on it. I’m obviously still not 100% but it feels pretty good and each week I’ve noticed big improvements. I don’t think I’m quite there yet but I’m close.
GateDrop: Last weekend you were racing in France, what was that experience like, racing against some different competition in another different country?
Gilbert: It’s always nice at a French International. To be honest, there was a lot of people here watching today actually but you get even more over there. There were some good riders like Tixier, Soubeyras, Boisram, there was a lot of French guys and it was a typical French track being tight and hard pack. Again, it is good to get gate drops and there was a lot of riding on the day. I was actually really happy with how my riding was there last week. I had last week, this week and it’s nice to see the progression.
GateDrop: Throughout your career you’ve been with quite a few Honda teams, you’ve been with Thorpe, you’ve been with Lexa and now you’re with Apico. Obviously not the season you want with the injury but what’s the change of setting been like with the team? Have you adapted well? Are you enjoying your time with Apico Honda?
Gilbert: The team has been really, really good. I’m happy. They do what they say and it’s black and white – that’s how I want it. At the same time it’s a real friendly atmosphere. It ran as I would have hoped and planned for the team to be ran for a British Championship team. Like I said, I haven’t really got any doubt with them, and everything’s been going very well. So hopefully, obviously this year hasn’t gone to plan which is really gutting because I think everyone obviously expected to have a good year which you always do coming in. Hopefully next year if it all works out I can repay them.
GateDrop: Just on next year, any plans for next year? Obviously, we’ll probably see you race the British. Any ambitions to race some GPs or any AMA as well? It’s always good to see British riders race internationally…
Gilbert: This year there was always a plan to do something. I was hoping to actually make AMA work but obviously it depends on help and budgets and things like that and staying injury free. As soon as I got injured that just sort of put all plans to screw that. But definitely I’ll do something, maybe I’ll do some GPs, some AMAs, I don’t know. But I definitely still want to keep dipping my toe in at that sort of level. At the minute, if you do just the British Championship it’s not an awful lot of racing. You’ve got to stay sharp, and I want to race at that level as well. I’ll definitely do something if I’m fit and healthy.
