Coming up through the EMX ranks, Brian Hsu was tipped for the very top. The German-born rider of Taiwanese heritage burst onto the scene as a teenage sensation, winning the EMX125 title with the factory Suzuki team and appearing destined for Grand Prix success. But a career rarely follows a straight line. Injuries, missed opportunities and time away from the sport meant Hsu disappeared from the MXGP paddock for five years, leaving many to wonder what might have been.
Now, at 28 years of age, Hsu is writing a new chapter. Based in Italy and competing in the Italian Championship, he has quietly worked his way back to fitness and form, earning podium finishes domestically before returning to the MXGP World Championship with Honda machinery. The results may not yet tell the full story, but the determination and enjoyment that once made him one of the sport’s brightest prospects are beginning to resurface.
We caught up with Hsu to discuss his comeback to Grand Prix racing, the challenges of adapting to the pace and intensity of modern MXGP, his ambitions in Supercross, reflections on the decisions that shaped his career, and why, despite everything he has experienced, the passion to compete still burns strong.
GateDrop: Brian, you raced Arco, that was your first GP in five years I believe. Firstly, why did you decide to come back and race at the highest level? It’s been a while…
Hsu: Yeah, first of all, I like the challenges, but I came back in 2025 with the 250cc and then the goal was to come back in shape and slowly get to see what I can come back too. The first year on the 250cc was not so bad, I got fifth overall in the Italian championship, so Honda wanted me to race the 450cc the following year, which is this year. As I am physically getting better and then I just need more experience on the 450cc. My last race in France was my second race with the 450cc. I got some points, so I guess I’m pretty happy.
GateDrop: I mean, being away from racing at the highest level for five years, how difficult is it to come back at this level? This year in MXGP, the field is very, very fast.
Hsu: It’s really tough, the speed is so fast and that’s one of my problems because I’m not used to the speed. Like with my mind I can do it, and I have the imagination to do it, but I just cannot transfer it to the track. I just have to step back a little bit in order not to get hurt because I just want to continue. Even if I lose a few positions, but I can keep on riding and training for better results, that’s the plan.
GateDrop: In France, I mean, you got points. It’s only your second MXGP on the 450cc. You must be pretty proud of yourself, to be honest, because like I said, the field’s stacked and you’re battling with good guys there so you must have been happy?
Hsu: Yeah, I was. But actually, the last 10 minutes of the race, I believe I was close to 15th place and I was trying to keep that position, but I just collapsed from the heat and the track conditions. Everything was adding up so I had to lose a few positions and that’s where I could have been, I know what I have to work on, I am slowly getting there and then we will get better.
GateDrop: And I mean, track conditions, I think you’ve mainly been racing in Italy in the Italian championship, the level’s still pretty good, but this is a whole other level, especially with track conditions. Are you needing time to adapt to these conditions again? Obviously, 16-year-old Brian Hsu probably find these things easy, but when you’ve been away for so long, it can be quite difficult, I’d imagine…
Hsu: When I was 16, I didn’t care. I just had to go out there and I had to win and I had the fire in me. At this moment, from being away for such a long time and then coming back, I still have to realise what my plans are. I’ve got a few options, but I just need to get back the fire inside me. I need to be willing to win more, I’ve got the fun back and I enjoy riding. When I got the enjoyment back and the bike setup is back, I’m just happy to ride and I just need to believe more in myself.
GateDrop: You’re racing for an Italian team. Are you living in Italy full-time?
Hsu: Yes. I am living in Italy and I’ve been in Italy since 2008. We’re travelling here and there, but every time I go back to Italy, so I’m actually almost becoming an Italian.
GateDrop: I assume you like it in Italy since you’ve been there for so long?
Hsu: I do. We go to many places, like, for example, this weekend we came to Germany. It’s always a pleasure to come back to Germany, because this is where I was born and it’s nice to see the countryside. But it’s nothing like going back home to Italy, it feels like home.
GateDrop: You’re racing the Italian championship. How is that going for you and is that a series that you’re enjoying as well? I think you recently got a podium…
Hsu: It’s going pretty good, I got on the podium twice. I didn’t expect to do that good but I just keep on racing and then the other experiences. I will try to keep it on the podium. The level is high and the tracks are good, it’s all about experience and we keep going.
GateDrop: I think this is your third GP of the year. How many do you plan to do? Do you know yet which races you’ll do in MXGP this year?
Hsu: Yeah, we plan to do a few more, a few of the closer GP’s. We will go to Loket and just the ones that are pretty close.
GateDrop: Any sand rounds or not?
Hsu: No, just the hard pack rounds.
GateDrop: For the future, do you see yourself in this paddock more regularly or are you just taking it one race at a time or is this where you’d like to be in the future, like maybe do the European rounds?
Hsu: I just take it race by race and just go with the flow and see where it goes. I am still rooting for Supercross, I am still onto that so if I have any chance to race Supercross, I will take it. Even now I’m doing this race, it’s just to keep up my training, the toughness, you know, and just keep on racing and see where it goes. Even if I do get a better deal, I would continue with MXGP for the whole season.
GateDrop: You mentioned Supercross, I suppose my question is World Supercross, would you be open to that or when you say Supercross, do you mean in America or ADAC, where would you like to race Supercross?
Hsu: I’m open to any Supercross and I think it’s a good way to start with World Supercross. We never know what happens. Of course, my goal would be to win that one too and enjoy the Supercross.
GateDrop: Have you had any interest from any World Supercross teams? If not, then they can give you a call (laughs).
Hsu: Well, we’ve been working on Honda but still nothing yet because I guess there’s still a lot of riders, but I don’t know.
GateDrop: When you look back at your career, I mean, talent was never really in question, an EMX125 champion, it never really happened for you in the GPs, when you look back, do you have any regrets? It kind of seemed like you were all in on going to America, but if I remember rightly, you went over there, you thought that you had a ride, but then it never really came together. When you look back, do you think you should have stayed in MX2 for longer – have you any regrets?
Hsu: Well, I could have. You never know where every decision you make will go but you believe that’s the right one. If I look back, we could have made other decisions but who knows if it’s right. Maybe I could have stayed longer and stayed a few years longer to racing MX2. I believe I could have won at least one title and then go to the States but you never know.
GateDrop: When you look back at your time at Suzuki, that was probably, when you look back at your career, maybe the highlight of your career, you had such a good team there when the team was in the paddock, you were working with Stefan Everts, you also had really good teammates. Just talk to me a little bit about that experience being part of the Suzuki setup and, of course, winning that EMX title…
Hsu: I mean, it’s a high-level factory team so you get everything you need and so everything depends on the rider and all the support you can get. From there on if you can work as hard as you can, you can just go forward. With the private teams, you have got limitations but those experienced people, they can see who has potential. Especially if you are on a factory team, you get all the privileges to train and go anywhere or ride as much as you want. It’s important to have a good structure.
GateDrop: When it comes to money, you know, obviously everyone wants to make money at this, what kind of deal are you on at the minute? do you get good money for doing the Italian Championship and coming to do some MXGP. Or do you think that’s maybe something MXGP need to look at and give you guys a bit of help?
Hsu: Well, it’s tough because you don’t get any money to race at the GPs. Everything is by yourself and then you have to invest in it by yourself. Then you have go to compete and with a private team you spend so much and then you are barely in the top twenty. So it’s like, we do this for what? It’s tough. If you are riding in the top twenty, it’s not easy. If you are in the top ten, maybe people start to look, but if you want to go top ten, you need a good bike, you need everything to be perfect. Pretty much all the factory guys are in the top ten.
GateDrop: You worked with Stefan Everts during your time at Suzuki, what was it like working with him? He’s known to be very hard on the riders. Did you find that and did you enjoy working with him?
Hsu: Actually, I had just a year working with him. We got some training days going on and mostly we were just training together, but I didn’t find any problems with that, you know. I guess each rider has their own method and then you just have to adapt to, or even the trainer has to adapt, each of us have to adapt to each other with how it goes. But once you believe in the training, it’s good.
GateDrop: Are you still playing the Violin and do you still enjoy playing it?
Hsu: Yeah, I still do, not as much as before, but I still do, I still keep up with it. But you need a goal, why do you play? I’ve been spending so much time on the bike that I have less time to do other things but I still do keep up with the training.
