The past two years have been far from easy for Marc-Antoine Rossi, but the young French rider looks set to have a strong opportunity to bounce back and rebuild in 2026. Technically, the French prospect will begin his third MX2 season. In reality, however, Rossi has only taken part in 8 of the 40 GP rounds over the past two years.
Still racing in the EMX125 European Championship in 2022, Rossi joined the official KTM EMX250 team for the 2023 season – VRT KTM – and quickly established himself as one of the championship’s top riders. He was also one of the biggest revelations of the year, finishing a remarkable 7th in his first MX2 appearance in France. In other words, it didn’t take long for him to get noticed, as the following season he joined one of the most prestigious teams in the MXGP paddock, racing alongside Simon Längenfelder and Jorge Prado under the official GasGas awning for his MX2 World Championship rookie season.
Rossi opened his 2024 season with a 7th place in Argentina, followed by 8th in Spain. He finished 10th in Sardinia and 13th in Trentino. The Red Bull GasGas rider then had to miss the Portuguese GP after a crash in Italy, which resulted in complications with his thigh. From there, the troubles snowballed. He retired in the second moto back at Lugo, then again in France, before suffering a torn ACL in Germany. His 2024 season ended prematurely, with surgery scheduled to help him return in 2025.
After an off-season marked by a second knee operation, Rossi was announced as a Red Bull KTM rider for 2025. Unfortunately, the young Corsican would not make it past the Argentine GP, suffering an injury during training ahead of the second round. After shoulder surgery and three and a half months of recovery, he decided to ease back into racing by lining up for the MX2 Elite final at Rauville-la-Place. His return was a success, finishing second behind Janis Reisulis. However, a full comeback to the World Championship never materialized: persistent shoulder pain combined with further knee complications – already operated on multiple times – made a proper return impossible, and Rossi ultimately stepped away for the 2025 season.
Marc-Antoine Rossi will not be retained by KTM for the 2026 season. Spots are limited, and despite his undeniable potential, the lack of results led the Austrian manufacturer to release the Corsican rider at the end of the current season.
However, Rossi’s future does not appear to be in jeopardy, as he has reportedly already finalized plans for next year. Following Maddii Racing’s loss of the Ducati contract, the Italian team will run Honda machinery for the 2026 season. The goal: field young talents in the MX2 World Championship and the EMX250 series, strengthening Honda’s presence in both categories at a time when the MX2 seat of Zanchi at HRC will not be filled in 2026.
While the full details of Maddii Racing Honda’s program are not yet known, all signs point to Marc-Antoine Rossi competing in the MX2 World Championship aboard the team’s 250 CR-F, alongside two – or possibly three – other riders who will contest the EMX250 series.
