Adam Sterry made a welcome return to Ireland at the final round of the Irish Championship at Mountain Quarter MX, and despite missing out on the overall victory, the British rider showed plenty of speed as he battled at the front with Taylor Hammal and Josh Gilbert. Sterry ultimately finished third overall with a pair of 2-2 results, with the starts proving costly as he had to come from behind in both races.
The weekend also provided a chance for Sterry to reflect on a frustrating 2026 season. After entering the year feeling stronger than ever, a series of injuries disrupted his MXGP campaign, forcing him to spend much of the season rebuilding his fitness and racing himself back into shape. While he admits he has not yet returned to his best, his form in recent weeks suggests he is heading in the right direction.
With the 2026 season now almost over and no MXoN appearance on the cards, Sterry is already looking towards the future. The Brit admits he is still unsure exactly what 2027 will look like, but he has an interesting vision for the next chapter of his career, including fewer MXGP rounds, selected AMA races and more national events where he can target another British Championship title.
We caught up with Sterry to discuss his return to Ireland, his weekend, the difficult 2026 season, the strength of the British Championship and what he would like to do next year.
GateDrop: Adam, first time for a while in Ireland, is it nice to be back over and race – something completely different from Desertmartin from the last time you were here. Just sum it all up for me, did you enjoy being over here and racing something completely different?
Sterry: Like you said, I haven’t been to Ireland since Desertmartin and I think that has to be around 2013-2015 or something the last time I was here, so it has been a long time. I really enjoyed it, the track was better than I expected, the racing was really fun and actually I’m coming away with some money so all good. I couldn’t knock it, the organisation was good and it was nice to be here in Northern Ireland.
GateDrop: I mean the speed, you probably had the speed to win, just the starts really, I think you were going up the uphill before the finish, you were sort of going up there fourth both races I think. That was probably what cost you, the starts?
Sterry: The starts cost me, I don’t really know what happened at the starts to be honest. For the first one, I got completely caught out because, well, I should have expected it in these type of races. It’s a 10 second board, five and then go and I was still on the start when they all set off. I was actually really happy to come out of that start in third. It’s hard to pass and try not to take too much risk and the roost was really bad, but again, Taylor and Josh were riding good but like you said, I feel like maybe overall I had the speed to win but just 2-2 in both races, closed the gap and almost passed them at the finish in both races. At the end of the day I was third so it is what it is and like you said, I think the starts let me down.
GateDrop: Just on the track, I mean you weren’t here last year but I thought the track was way better than last year because last year was bone dry, this year there’s a few more ruts here and there, it was more technical than last year probably but in terms of constructive criticism, what do you think they could do to make it even better if they were going to have a bigger race here?
Sterry: I actually really like the track, I really like tracks where the bike moves and it’s quite slippery underneath so this was quite suiting to me and what I like to be honest. The track seemed to have good flow, like you said, I’ve never rode it before but the track had good flow and there’s some good lines. It was a bit sketchy with the stones in some places but I think when they change that and a few changes to the layout on the start and a few tweaks here and there, I think it’ll be a really good track.
GateDrop: Just on the GP’s, it was a bit of a slog, you got a bit of injury this year, just how would you reflect on the season? I mean it’s obviously not easy racing at that level, even just to get points, but I feel like you’ve got better every week since you came back from that injury?
Sterry: It’s definitely not easy. I know everyone always says it but I honestly had such a good winter, maybe too good, maybe that’s what happened, I don’t know. I felt really good in the winter, trained really really hard and felt really really fit. I came into the season and ended up hitting my hand at Hawkstone and I actually broke my hand but it wasn’t too painful to ride but it’s not ideal. I then got to Spain at the first round and jarred my back, like a disc in my back and that was that and then broke my foot in Arco. It just seemed to be one thing after another and I did everything to come back from my foot in Arco as soon as possible. I did a lot of recovery and maybe I did come back a little bit too soon, for the British it was okay but for how stacked the GP is and with the two days as well. Every time I caught my foot it set it back a little bit and it probably was not the smartest but you know what it’s like, you want to come back racing. It’s not like football where you get replaced, it’s my living so you need to come back and I did everything I could to come back soon – probably too soon but racing myself back into shape wasn’t easy. I couldn’t train as much as much I’d have liked, I actually needed probably like a month training camp again after having eight weeks off but didn’t do that. I raced myself back into shape like you said it’s difficult, it didn’t really go my way. The GPs if I’m honest, I’m not happy with it at all but it is what it is, I tried my best at all the rounds so we’re here and we’ve just one more race to go.
GateDrop: You’re still riding quite well at the minute but I wouldn’t say you’re at your absolute best, probably you just need more races but unfortunately the season’s finishing now but how far off do you think you are off your best at the moment, you’re getting there!
Sterry: I am getting there. I’m definitely not at my best and there’s a few things here and there. It’s kind of a shame because it’s the end of the year so there’s just one more race because I’m not in for the Nations so I haven’t got to think about that. It’s just a bit difficult when you have such good winter and you have such a disappointing year but it’s Motocross and that happens, you can’t always go perfect. There’s been a lot of injuries this year, a lot of struggles but I’m giving my best as always at every moment and every round so that’s all you can do and we can only hope to get something good for next year.
GateDrop: The British Championship obviously we’ve got Ben back, we’ve had Oriol this year, we’ve got Taylor, yourself and Conrad, it’s fast at the front in the British as well?
Sterry: Definitely. I mean I would have liked to have been mixing at the front with them guys a bit more but with the injury and what happened at Hawkstone, I felt like I was there ready to fight for the title but like we said it is what it is. I tried my best and missing two rounds I was never going to be in the championship.
GateDrop: And plans for next year, have you got anything yet? Would you like to do GPs? Would you maybe like to just do national championships?
Sterry: To be honest at the moment I don’t really know what I’m going to do.
GateDrop: What would Adam Sterry like to do? Would you like to do GPs again?
Sterry: I would like to do the GPs that I want to do, maybe a few less GPs, a bit more like Roan (Van de Moosdijk) did this year. Maybe some AMA rounds, a few less GP’s, pick the ones that you want to do and maybe not so far away. I would like to do more races like this because today I really enjoyed it and just pick more races that you want to do and have a real good shot at being British Champion again.
