Aussies Racing Abroad | April 2026

We have Aussies scattered globally, making us proud fans from OZ. Ed has us covered with his monthly Aussies Racing Abroad International road and off road race news for Aussies...

Aussies Racing Abroad April 2026 | With many Australians showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines, both on-track and off-road, our latest column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their chosen classes…

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Jack Miller’s Jerez was a difficult weekend at the office. Kicking things off aboard his Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP on the opening day of the GP reasonably, the Friday was all about gathering data ahead of the sprint and the race to build momentum.

This proved easier said than done, however, for the Aussie star struggled in the rain-affected sprint, where he frustratingly fell before switching over to his second bike. While he was hoping to make up ground, a double long lap penalty for speeding in pit lane compounded his problems, as 16th was the best he could muster in the trying conditions and circumstances.

“Not an ideal day for us, but in these kinds of conditions you have to take risks and try to make the right calls. We were making good progress during the race, and the pace wasn‘t too bad, but when the rain started to come down, it became a bit of a gamble. On that lap we were debating whether to come into the pits or try to stay out, especially with only a few laps remaining. You‘re trying to make that decision in real time, doing the calculation in your head, and unfortunately we didn‘t get the timing quite right,” Miller lamented.

Fighting in the lower positions in the main dance, Miller’s race disappointingly unravelled when a rear-brake dilemma limited his speed. Despite hanging on as best he could, he finished a demanding afternoon in 18th.

“It was one of those weekends for us. The race itself didn‘t feel too bad – I got a decent start, but I made a mistake in the last corner on the first lap where I carried too much closing speed. After that, I was starting to find a rhythm and make my way forward. I had just passed Diogo and put in a couple of strong laps, but then I lost the rear brake. That obviously made things difficult, especially in the heavy braking zones, and Diogo was able to come back past me. In the faster, flowing corners I actually felt quite good, but overall it limited what I could do. Tomorrow we resume work and will be trying different new things that hopefully can be a new step in the right direction,” Miller stated.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius picked up exactly where he left off after Texas, much to both he and the team’s satisfaction. Beginning Friday with a quality P3, he then flexed his muscles in practice by setting the fastest time. A composed fifth in the rain‑soaked FP2 further underlined his speed and form.

While he fell just short in qualifying, banking second still put him in a fine position to enjoy a brilliant race. And that he did. Wasting no time getting going, the speedster immediately moved up a spot on the first lap to slot in behind Colin Veijer and Manuel Gonzalez. He proceeded to secure second on lap five before pushing fiercely in the final third of the race to ultimately seize the lead and defend it all the way home to record a famous victory.

Now into second in the standings after his second consecutive triumph, all eyes turn to the French Grand Prix at the historic Le Mans circuit, where he’ll be gunning to make it three straight.

“Celebrating two wins in a row has always been my dream for me being a World Championship rider. Of course, you have to get that first win first, but winning two races in a row after a few victories is a huge goal of mine. I’m super proud right now. As for the race, it was tough because I was so strong at the start. I was firmly convinced that if I’d been able to pass in the first few laps and would have had a bit more speed on the straights, I could have set my own pace at the front since I had a much better pace. But I was at the limit with my front tyre. So I was at my limit, just held my position and tried not to lose any time. I couldn’t attack. Then I saw how the others were struggling, while I gradually realised where my strengths lie. Towards the end, I pushed hard one last time to win the race,” Agius reflected.

“That said, it was definitely not an easy race for me in terms of the front tyre. But I’m so proud of the work we’ve done here once again. A huge thank you to Jurgen and the entire Intact GP team for their support. That also goes to my crew, including my crew chief and data technician, as well as everyone involved in this project. Things are going fantastically for us right now, and we’ll continue to give it our all to fight for this championship. But first, it’s back to training, keeping our feet on the ground and heading to Le Mans with a strong mindset.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Joel Kelso’s Jerez started brightly with a solid seventh in qualifying despite enduring some bike issues on the Friday, as this left him optimistic he could enjoy a strong race. But once things got underway, technical problems turned his race into a grind, and he could only bring it home in 14th. To his credit, the #66 remained upbeat as he quickly recalibrates his focus to Le Mans.

Pic: Joel Kelso Racing FB

“We knew it was going to be a bit of a slog today at Jerez. Learned a lot about the Honda and will take it into the next round. Thanks to the team for putting in the hard yards, the results are coming. Overall, it’s been a very tough weekend for us. It’s a bit of a hiccup in our progress, but we’ll come back stronger. We have an important test here in a couple of days, which will help us reset and come back stronger in Le Mans,” he told the media.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner eased into FP1 at Assen by logging steady laps, refining his race setup and evaluating tyre options, for he concluded the session in 18th. In FP2, the focus was firmly on pace with used tyres, and he moved up to 16th overall. Gardner then notably showed strong speed in FP3, with him finishing the session in sixth and heading into Superpole with confidence. A mistake in the final corner cost him a shot at the second row, though, leaving him 10th on the grid.

Race one then saw him launch well, as he ran with the group fighting for sixth, but some mid‑race contact dropped him to 16th. Gardner admirably dug in over the remaining laps and recovered to 14th to bank some valuable points. The sprint saw Gardner battling for a top‑nine finish and a better race two grid slot, only to miss out in the final corner.

Starting 11th in the main race, it was positive to see him settle into a promising rhythm, but as grip faded, the best he could manage was 14th following a gradual decline in a round where he couldn’t translate his speed into the results he wanted.

“This wasn’t the weekend we were aiming for, but today we pushed hard and tried a few changes. The superpole race was decent, and it’s a shame to have missed out on the top nine at the final corner. In race two, our early pace was quite strong, but I struggled more in the latter stages and lost a couple of positions. Now we focus on what’s ahead – the potential is there, and we’re determined to show it,” noted Gardner.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

Oli Bayliss’ race one was shaped by a qualifying penalty that forced him to start from 33rd. Undeterred, he fought his way through the pack across the 18 laps to clinch 18th, finishing just 11 seconds behind the winner in a field separated by small margins. Sadly for Bayliss, Sunday brought further frustration. Lining up 19th, an early spill on lap three at the final chicane after taking evasive action to avoid the slippery wet kerbs ensured it was a day to forget for the Aussie youngster.

“A difficult weekend in Assen. Chasing feeling issues on Friday and a back-of-the-grid penalty on Saturday. The feeling on the bike finished good, but a small crash finished our Sunday race too early. I’m looking forward to one of my favourite rounds at Balaton Park in a couple of weeks,” insisted Bayliss.

Off-Track
Hunter Lawrence – Supercross

Hunter Lawrence is enjoying an outstanding AMA Supercross campaign on his HRC Honda, as he’s claimed four wins, held the red plate for large chunks and put himself in a strong position to contend for the coveted title. Although fending off the challenge of superstar Ken Roczen won’t be easy, the #96 heads into the final two rounds just four points behind. His excellent starts, speed and consistency, aside from a couple of unfortunate falls, have been crucial to his success.

Despite losing the points lead last time out in Philadelphia after a crash limited him to third, he remains fully locked in on responding strongly and finishing the crusade in style as he pushes to reign supreme.

“We invested a lot more time into the starts in wet conditions, and that was a big positive this weekend. I had good starts in the heat race and the main event, so it’s good to see the work pay off. I felt really good with how I was riding, and just the smallest little mistake in the wrong part of the track bit me. Then your gloves are all muddy, so it’s just kind of trying to get back into a rhythm and not have the train completely come off the tracks. They say mud is the great equaliser, but it’s more like a minefield. We didn’t quite get the end result we wanted, but that’s racing. I’m excited to leave here having learned more, so we’re ready for whatever the last two rounds bring – it’s going to be good,” he said.

Jake Cannon – EMX250

The fourth round of the EMX250 European Championship in Italy, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Dolomites, proved a memorable one for talented Aussie Jake Cannon. Delivering a scintillating breakthrough performance to secure his first overall victory, it marked a fitting reward for all his hard work since moving to Europe.

After charging from outside the top 15 to snatch second with a late pass in race one, he backed it up with another P2 in race two. That consistency sealed the round win and lifted him to third in the championship, now just a few points off second place. More exciting times await for this rising ace.

“2-2 for my first overall victory. Starts were definitely not where they should have been, but I fought hard in both motos to get back into a good position, which was enough to take the overall victory. Such an unreal feeling to stand on top for the first time after all the hard work, ups and downs and hours on the bike,” Cannon posted.

Read our previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

Liam Owens – EMX250

Although Liam Owens has mixed the highs with the lows at the start of his EMX250 season, there has been plenty of upside to take from his speed and intensity. Clearly one of the standout riders in a stacked class, his highlights include a fifth overall in Switzerland, where he claimed second in the opening moto, and his encouraging pace in the sand at Riola Sardo. Once he cuts out the errors, expect him to be fighting for wins and podiums again sooner rather than later.

“Had some bad luck with crashes on the opening laps this weekend at round four of EMX250. After that it was all on me, and I didn’t pull through. I was able to salvage some points, but now I have some serious digging to do. Sorry to everyone that supports me. Need to make life easier with better starts and go back to basics with process goals. Everything else is where it needs to be”.