At the lastest round of MXGP which took place in Italy, Maxime Renaux secured his second podium of the season at Montevarchi, finishing third behind Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen. The Monster Energy Yamaha factory rider bounced back after a Latvian Grand Prix to forget, where Maxime could only manage 17th overall after being plagued by problems.
“I was disappointed after Latvia,” explained Maxime Renaux following the Italian GP, the ninth round of the 2026 season. “There, I had two mechanical issues: one in the qualifying race which forced me to start from the very outside of the gate afterwards, and then another one in the second moto. It was really a bad weekend for me. But we put that behind us and arrived at Montevarchi motivated to regain some points.”
Mission accomplished. From disappointment to redemption, the French rider recorded his best points haul of the season by collecting 44 points from the Italian GP. He also moved up to fifth in the championship standings after battling hard in both motos on a demanding track.
“The track wasn’t easy, but I felt pretty good from the start of the weekend. It was really, really hot, especially on Saturday and early on Sunday. But we managed to make the most of it. I’m dealing with a few health issues at the moment, so it’s not easy. I really pushed hard behind Jeffrey in the first moto to find an opening, and it was a bit of a yo-yo. I attacked, made a mistake, lost contact and then came back. I felt it was within reach, but Jeffrey is a very experienced rider. To pass him, you really have to commit. I couldn’t find a way through and Lucas came back super strong towards the end of the moto. I had to give everything in the last lap. I think my fastest lap was actually on the final lap of the moto because Lucas was coming like a rocket. The first moto was pretty good, actually really good.”
Despite staying close to Jeffrey Herlings in the opening stages of the moto, Maxime Renaux was unable to find a way past the Honda HRC rider despite several attempts. Lucas Coenen’s late charge after a poor start forced both the Frenchman and the Dutchman to raise their pace again in the closing laps, setting up an exciting three-way battle to the finish.
“We had a really strong pace in the first 15 minutes. We pulled away from everyone else and I just kept attacking. Then I started wondering if I was actually going to be able to take the lead. I was getting hammered by the roost and by the heat. I eased off a little and followed Jeffrey, and I was quite satisfied. Then they pit-boarded me that Lucas was coming. I told myself I needed to wake up. We both closed back in on Jeffrey and were right on his rear wheel. It wasn’t easy to manage because I had Jeffrey right in front of me, I was taking his lines and lacked visibility. Behind me, Lucas was moving from left to right trying to pass me. I think it must have been a great moto to watch on TV, and I hope we get the chance to have more motos like that this year.”
Physically drained after his efforts in the opening moto, Maxime Renaux salvaged his podium by hanging on to sixth place in the second moto. Although he benefited from a late crash by Tom Vialle, the Yamaha factory rider was immediately caught again by Romain Febvre. However, the podium would not escape him. Maxime gained confidence heading into the Portuguese Grand Prix before the championship travels to South Africa for its first-ever Grand Prix there.
“I got a good start in the second moto, but I hit a false neutral in the corner and lost a few positions. On this track, it was really important to start up front. From there, I really struggled physically. By the fourth lap, I was completely exhausted. That’s just how it was. I did my best. Getting on the podium this weekend is a nice improvement and a step forward for the season and the championship.”
After Montevarchi – and with De Wolf absent after being injured in practice on Saturday – Maxime Renaux moved up one position in the championship standings and now sits fifth overall, 24 points behind his teammate Tim Gajser and 42 points behind fellow Frenchman Romain Febvre, who occupies third place ahead of the Portuguese GP.
Since stepping up to MXGP, Maxime Renaux has never enjoyed much success at Águeda. He finished 11th there in 2022, 10th in 2023, missed the event in 2024, and was seventh overall in 2025. The Portuguese venue now presents an ideal opportunity to build on his current momentum and reverse that trend at the Crossdromo Internacional de Águeda.
