MXGP Rumors Impact USA: Vialle back to Europe with Honda?
Here’s an interesting wrinkle in what’s already set to be a wild silly season on the AMA SMX circuit. The MXGP paddock in Europe also sees a bunch of riders heading into free agency, and that could impact both sides of the pond. First, are you ready for this one? We’ve heard rumors that Tom Vialle might return to Europe to take an MXGP ride with Honda HRC. Credit to Vital MX’s Lewis Phillips for putting this one out there on X, and we have since heard the same from other sources.
Vialle to a Honda 450 in Europe actually makes sense. The Frenchman (and two-time MX2 World Champion in MXGP) has to move to the 450 Class of Monster Energy AMA Supercross in 2026 after taking back-to-back 250SX East Division Championships. Expect a steep learning curve in 450SX for Vialle…but in MXGP on a 450 he could be an instant contender.
If this move happens, it has big ramifications. First, Honda is rumored to be aggressive with its MXGP team because Tim Gajser is a free agent and is definitely shopping around. Gajser could still return to Honda to be teammates with Vialle, but we’ve also heard Yamaha and Ducati’s MXGP teams are talking to him. That’s not all, as Jeffrey Herlings' Red Bull KTM deal is up, and he’s shopping, too. Herlings could be back at KTM, but the Yamaha and Ducati slots could be available to him, as well.
With Herlings and Gajser riding for KTM and Honda, respectively, for their entire pro careers, it will be a wild look if either or both of them jumps. Or will Honda boast a super team of Tim and Tom?
I dismissed it at first, but there are some persistent rumors about Tom signing with HRC in MXGP.
— Lewis Phillips (@LewisPhillips71) July 1, 2025
I'm proud of this one. https://t.co/VvLC3lepXX
— Lewis Phillips (@LewisPhillips71) July 1, 2025
Meanwhile, back in the USA, let’s look at Red Bull KTM’s position. It is expected Chase Sexton is out and is heading to Monster Energy Kawasaki, but Eli Tomac is expected to fill that high-profile, big-money slot. As we’ve reported before, Yamaha simply can’t afford to pay Cooper Webb, Haiden Deegan and Tomac what they deserve. Tomac has found a perfect suitor in KTM, which has a major hole to fill with Sexton’s departure. Meanwhile, Aaron Plessinger has already signed to return.
KTM was expected to re-sign Vialle for a 450 deal and run three 450 riders and one 250 rider (Julien Beaumer). If Vialle is out, that changes the situation, and KTM could return to a lineup of two 250 riders and two 450 riders.
On the other end, we’re starting to hear some rumors about the rest of the KTM operations 250 squad. Dax Bennick, who currently races for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, could be making a move to Husqvarna (that team has a spot to fill in the 250s because RJ Hampshire is a 450 rider full-time now). Casey Cochran was shopping around as his deal was up, but now we hear he might be staying, as will Ryder DiFrancesco. However, we’re still not sure if both Husqvarna and GasGas will continue to operate full race teams as they are currently doing.
If the Vialle does return to MXGP, it will create a nearly perfect career arc for the Frenchman. His back-to-back MX2 titles would have forced him to MXGP for 2023, but instead he came to America and cashed in two huge 250 Supercross Championship bonus checks (that’s probably over a million dollars just between those bonus checks, let alone everything else he made in race wins, podium bonuses, purse and SMX money, etc.) Now instead of being forced to 450 Supercross, a return to MXGP might be a great path to more success.
