Antti Pyrhönen has played a pivotal role in Kawasaki’s resurgence at the highest level of Motocross, and the 2026 season is beginning to provide tangible rewards for the hard work behind the scenes. The Japanese manufacturer celebrated a landmark moment in Germany when Mathis Valin secured Kawasaki’s first MX2 Grand Prix victory since returning to the class and the first Kawasaki MX2 overall win since 2016.
While Valin’s rapid rise continues to impress, Kawasaki’s MXGP campaign has also shown encouraging signs, with Romain Febvre remaining firmly in championship contention despite a challenging start to the season. Pauls Jonass, meanwhile, is working to convert flashes of speed into consistent results as the team looks to strengthen its presence across both classes.
During the German Grand Prix, We caught up with Pyrhönen to discuss Kawasaki’s breakthrough MX2 success, Valin’s development into one of the sport’s brightest young talents, the progress being made with the KX250, Febvre’s title challenge, Jonass’ season so far, future rider plans and the possibility of expanding Kawasaki’s MX2 effort in the near future.
GateDrop: Antti, in terms of MX2, unbelievable. We’ve waited years for this. Just what was it like, standing there and watching Kawasaki on the top step of the podium? It must have been a proud moment, because that’s what all the hard work is about….
Pyrhönen: Sure, it was a great feeling. To be honest, because last year was our first year to go into the MX2 World Championship class, you know, it’s not that easy. You basically sometimes take two-steps forward and then make three steps back, so it’s like that.
But nevertheless, it was an incredible race for Mathis. What a talent, you know. Considering he had an injury already this year and not so much time on the bike, being able to do this level of racing and take the first win is incredible, and we are very proud of that.
GateDrop: Just to go back to last year, what kind of lessons and things did you learn from last year? Because, like you said, it was the first year for you in that class. You must have learned a lot…
Pyrhönen: Yeah, overall technically, you know, it’s a great platform for us. It’s so challenging to try to make even more power and keep the reliability. So it’s great for both our teams. We are gaining lots of information and learning a lot, so it’s really good on that aspect.
To work with a talent like Mathis is rewarding. When we improve, he capitalizes it straight away, so that’s great to work with him. And like I said, it’s a good combination. He is still growing, he is getting more speed, fitness, maturity, and at the same time, we are improving the bike, so it’s a good combination.
GateDrop: I was going to ask about Mathis. You know, when he was really young, he maybe wasn’t a really super big talent, but his final season racing the EMX 125 class, that was probably the first year you sort of started to see him winning at a really high level and it’s been quite a big jump since then. What’s it been like, you know, watching that development from the EMX125 class to now?
Pyrhönen: It’s fascinating, like I said. I definitely like to work with a talent like he is. You put in the work and that’s rewarding because he can make it happen there at the track, speed-wise, start-wise, everything, you know. So all the effort we put in as a team and a manufacturer, it’s paying off. So it’s fascinating and we are very happy and proud to work together.
GateDrop: With Romain Febvre, obviously Saturday was amazing. It was his first qualifying race win of the year. You must have enjoyed that one. It was an intense race, too. There was sort of not much between all four guys. You must have enjoyed that one…
Pyrhönen: Yeah, for sure. Romain has the capacity to go for it and still to win. We just need to put the package together. It’s so close with four guys, who have that similar pace. So it’s really close racing and small details matter, like the start and putting yourself in a good position. Like yesterday, he did that and he won straight away, you know. Today was a tough day at the office, but that’s racing and we go for it again in Latvia. The championship is so long. We are third in the points and we know how brutal this can be so we just try to be there each week and see where we are in Australia.
GateDrop: When you reflect back to the start of the year, I mean, it hasn’t been ideal. He’s had things go against him, but, you know, he’s still third in the world championship. That’s not bad when you think about it…
Pyrhönen: No, absolutely not. We had many, many equal points for the fifth place, you know, so it’s not bad. He’s been doing a good job and there’s been a little bit of bad luck along the way. So hopefully from here on, we don’t have luck, not good and bad. We don’t need it. We just need to put in the effort and work and Romain does as well for sure. We just need to have solid races and then for sure we are there.
GateDrop: With Pauls Jonass, how would you reflect on his season so far? He does seem to have good pace, but again starts are key in that class and starts maybe haven’t been great for him…
Pyrhönen: Tough, tough. Pauls is putting in the effort for sure, putting in the work. But it’s like many second turn crashes or first turn crashes and they aren’t helping. You have always a little bit some bad luck, good luck that no injuries. But like for example in Lacapelle-Marival, it was already quite a nasty crash so we had some good luck that he had no injuries, but you don’t put yourself into the position that you can consistently weekend after weekend to get comfortable to ride in the front. So that’s our next target, that he is getting three motos together. And from there on, you know, maybe he stays top five, the first time 15 minutes and second time 20 minutes and then eventually he will stay the whole moto. That’s the target to keep building up to try to reach top five and then go from there.
GateDrop: Mathis and Romain are both in contract years. It’s still early, but are you confident you can keep both of them for next year? I’m sure you’d love to continue working with both of them.
Pyrhönen: Yeah, for sure. It’s still early.
GateDrop: Just what was the break like for the team? It was quite strange to not have an MXGP and have four weeks off. What was that like for a team? Obviously, you’ve still done a few Dutch races…
Pyrhönen: Yeah, we had a MXGP break, but we kept racing almost every weekend so it was important. We were able to make some steps with the boys and with the bike as well. So we didn’t rest, we kept working. And like I said, it seems to pay off.
GateDrop: The MX2 project is going very well. It was talked about last year, you might run two riders. Are you still open for that for next year? And do you think it’s realistic you could have two MX2 GP and two MXGP guys?
Pyrhönen: Yeah, we work on it. It is still a little bit early stage, but the goal is for sure to have two guys but like I said, nothing’s been decided yet. It depends also which riders we have available.
GateDrop: BUD Racing, they’ve obviously done an amazing job with Mathis. They’re now doing an amazing job with Jake and Francisco. It must be nice to see Kawasaki at the front of that class too with two good riders.
Pyrhönen: Yeah, amazing. That’s a great asset for Kawasaki and even for us. They have an unbelievable team spirit with Lili and her father, they run a great show. Also Thierry van den Bosch, he’s a great trainer and really working with the young boys amazingly so hats off to them.
