Which colours will Maxime Grau race under in 2026? The answer to that question may well have changed in recent hours.
Quiet about his plans since the end of the 2025 season, the French rider has continued riding the 250 SX-F and was initially expected to receive backing from WZ Racing for the 2026 campaign. However, that agreement appeared to be built on shaky foundations, and an opportunity is said to have arisen within an Italian team.
Although Maddii Racing Honda has not yet officially announced the departure of Marc-Antoine Rossi, the next communication from the structure run by the Maddii family is expected to confirm it. Maxime Grau would then be among the leading candidates to take over the Corsican’s ride, alongside the trio entered in the EMX250 Championship (Alvisi, Mannini, Escandell), as part of the project to develop a rider in the MX2 World Championship.
A look back at the 2025 season
In 2025, Maxime Grau stepped up to the MX2 World Championship with WZ Racing, joining the season mid-way following the knee injury he sustained in Loket in 2024. After many months of recovery, he returned to action in Trentino, running between 10th and 15th place in his first Grands Prix of the year. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in Finland forced him to withdraw from the rounds in the Czech Republic and Belgium. He later returned to complete the season but skipped the final two overseas rounds (China and Australia). His best result last year came in Germany, at WZ Racing’s home GP in Teutschenthal, where he finished 11th overall.
Vice German Junior Champion, Maxime Grau – as is often the case – remained discreet about his plans during the off-season. He was nevertheless expected to contest the MX2 World Championship, mainly at the European Grands Prix, as well as the ADAC series, with the support of WZ Racing. Having faced some financial difficulties in recent years, the team was planning a scaled-back programme for 2026: one rider in MX2 and one female rider.
An Italian turning point?
But the Frenchman’s plans could quickly change. Recently, Maxime Grau travelled to Italy to test the Maddii Racing 250 CR-F. With one month to go before the opening round of the MX2 World Championship, he could secure the ride left vacant by Marc-Antoine Rossi, who is no longer expected to line up in the world championship for the 2026 season. A significant shift that marks an important turning point for both French riders, whose career paths now appear set to head in completely opposite directions.
