In recent years, the Grand Prix paddock has seen an influx of new manufacturers looking to make their mark at the highest level of motocross. With the likes of Ducati and Triumph already establishing themselves across both the MXGP and American racing scenes, the trend shows no signs of slowing down. We can reveal that another ambitious project is on the horizon, with Kove Factory Racing planning to enter the MXGP paddock in 2027.
The Chinese manufacturer is preparing for a long-term push into the sport, with development work already underway. Testing is set to begin immediately as the team lays the foundations for its debut campaign, focusing first on building and refining their new machinery ahead of competition.
The initial step into racing will come in 2027, with plans to field two riders in the highly competitive EMX250 championship. From there, the project is expected to progress into the MX2 World Championship in 2028, provided development and results meet expectations.
A key figure in the project is Tom Steensels, who brings valuable paddock experience from his previous role running the TBS Conversions setup. Now heavily involved in the Kove Factory Racing effort, Steensels is relishing the opportunity to return to the GP scene with a fresh and ambitious manufacturer.
“I’ve missed being in the paddock but then this project came up with the Kove Factory team, so I’ll be back in the paddock next year,” Steensels told GateDrop.com. “The plan is that for 2026 we will do testing with the new KOVE 250R and in 2027 we will race the EMX250 series. It’s very exciting to be a part of this new project with a new manufacturer. Everything is new for everybody so it’s different than what I’m used to, but that makes it a nice adventure for me.”
“The plan for 2027 is to have two riders racing the EMX250 series and if all goes good in 2028 we will enter the MX2 World Championship. We will do the first test of the bike this weekend and we will build up from there. The dyno tests are really promising so we are looking forward to it,” Steensels concluded.
With testing already underway and a clear pathway mapped out, Kove Factory Racing’s arrival adds further intrigue to the evolving MXGP landscape. If their early development proves successful, the coming years could see yet another new manufacturer fighting for position on the world stage.
