Camden McLellan may have missed out on the 2026 MX2 World Championship, but the South African has plenty of positives to take from an impressive season.
The Triumph rider secured five MX2 Grand Prix overall victories throughout the campaign and ended the season in winning fashion, making a statement with his speed and consistency in the final rounds.
While his team mate, Guillem Farres ultimately claimed the championship, McLellan has shown that he has the pace and potential to fight for the title. The South African will spend the winter working towards his dream of becoming MX2 World Champion.
Having finished runner-up this year, McLellan will enter 2027 with plenty of expectations surrounding him. Many will view him as one of the leading favourites for the title, but the Triumph rider knows he still has work to do.
Reflecting on his final weekend of the season and his motivation heading into the off-season, McLellan explained:
“It was very important, the title was not really in my mind, I’ve spent a lot of time with Guillem, and I know a mistake from him was going to be very rare, and that’s what it was going to take for me to win the title. That was not really on my mind, but I was very motivated this weekend to prove a point, going into the off-season, and I think I’ve done a good job all weekend. Unfortunately I didn’t win the second race, but I had good starts, good speed and everything. I was riding well and feeling good. China was also great, so the last two have been pretty good, and that’s what I wanted to do, leave a little statement going into the off-season, and show everyone what my plans for next year are. The holeshot was a surprise (smiles)”.
McLellan praises Farres after championship battle
Although finishing second in the championship was not the outcome McLellan wanted, he was quick to acknowledge the impressive season produced by his teammate.
Farres delivered a remarkable campaign, securing his maiden MX2 World Championship before moving up to the MXGP class in 2027. McLellan believes his teammate was the strongest 250cc rider throughout the season and sees an opportunity to learn from his riding style.
“It’s unfortunate I was second this year and obviously not what I wanted, but full stop Guillem was in my opinion the best 250cc rider throughout the year. You can say I had this, Sacha had that, but I think once he started rolling in Portugal, there was not much that would stop him and it didn’t matter who was healthy and who wasn’t. I think the best man won, which is tough to say, and it’s also tough to see on the other side of the garage, the guy winning, and I’m in second. It’s not an easy pill to swallow, but I’m very happy for him, and what I like most is I can learn a lot from him, and that was also a little bit the goal for me in China and Australia now, is to implement a little bit of his riding style into my riding style. I can be a little bit loose and wild sometimes, whilst he’s very smooth and calculated. I feel I can grow in that area, so I’m learning a lot from him, next year he is on the 450cc, so we’re not direct enemies, not that we were this year either, but then he can offer me even more guidance I think. I still have a big room for improvement, and this winter that’s what I want to work on. I want to come out next year as the Guillem, Farres of this year, the most well-rounded rider on the track that I can be”.
Triumph Racing’s progress continues
McLellan has been part of Triumph Racing’s development journey and has witnessed the progress made by the manufacturer since its arrival in the MX2 World Championship three seasons ago.
While he was disappointed to see Farres secure the title ahead of him, McLellan also highlighted the importance of Triumph’s championship-winning season and praised the team members who worked tirelessly to improve the bike.
The 2026 season marked a significant step forward for the manufacturer, with Farres and McLellan finishing first and second in the championship.
“I’m bummed he beat me to it, I have to say it hurts. I got the first moto win, I got the first overall win, but he got the big one, he’s going to have the nice bike and jersey there in the Triumph factory, being the first world champion for them. I’m bummed that he got it, and I’m not the one that’s going to have the display in the factory. But like I said, still got a lot of room for improvement, and I’ve been there from the start, I’ve seen the growth of the bike, and it’s been very much a learning curve/ I think from 2024 to 2025, in terms of the bike, we did a step back, but from 2025 to 2026, we’ve done a major, major step forward, which is always really, really nice to see. This 1-2 in the championship is very, very important for the guys like Clement, Vince especially, they work night and day, and when we were struggling last year with the bike, they took all of the criticism that we had, and turned it into a world championship winning bike this year. I’m really happy for them, I think they deserve it more than anyone in the world”.
With five Grand Prix overall victories and a runner-up finish in the 2026 MX2 World Championship, McLellan has established himself as a serious title contender heading into next season. The South African will now focus on winter preparation, with improvements in his riding and further development of the Triumph machine likely to be key priorities.
Farres’ move to MXGP opens a new chapter for Triumph Racing, while McLellan will look to build on his strongest season yet and challenge for the championship he narrowly missed out on. The dream is clear: 2027 MX2 World Champion.
