On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Retained by Yamaha for 2026, Jack Miller returned to the V4-powered M1 during the Valencia MotoGP Test following the season finale, as he and his fellow Yamaha riders face the seriously tough challenge of helping shape Yamaha’s V4 project.

Read last month’s Aussies Racing Abroad here…

First on track after a delayed start, Miller completed an important 51 laps and finished 20th. “It was a busy day. I did a lot of laps. I was shaking down the new bike and trying to understand it. Trying to make some headway in the development. We have got some work ahead of us, but I am not afraid of a little work,” he insisted.

One of the key learnings was the Australian ace identifying the electronics as an area needing attention. “Electronics still need a lot of work, as we still have to deal with the same problems as last year when I got on the M1 at this juncture, so the acceleration and progression,” he told GPOne.

“In terms of traction control, we are not in bad shape. It’s just the way it works. We have to find a way to get a better delivery and allow the bike to be fluid and not skate as soon as you go on the gas.”

He then resumed action on Wednesday for a private test with Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins and Toprak Razgatlioglu, which was also crucial to log some more data and extract some further insight for future reference.

“Today was about gaining experience on the bike. We have some clear issues we need to work on. Going into tomorrow, we have some items to try to fix the issues and give us as much speed back as possible before the break. The engineers will go away and try to come up with some solutions over winter and bring us some developments come Malaysia,”commented Miller.

While there’s still plenty of work to be done, the immensely experienced Miller’s feedback will continue to be vital in the bike’s development in their quest to enjoy a strong 2026 campaign.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

While Joel Kelso’s move to the MLav Racing Team was announced back in September, it’ll be fascinating to see how he fares following another largely positive season in Moto3, which saw him grab his best finish yet of sixth in the final championship standings.

“I can’t wait to get started and to deliver strong and consistent results. It’s a new challenge on the Honda, which I believe will be a great experience. I’m pleased to have my future secured for the next two years, and I’m looking forward to working hard with the team to build this project up,” stated Kelso.

“Having Joel on board is a major step forward for us. He brings proven speed, experience and the determination of a front runner eager to keep progressing at the highest level. His arrival underlines our long-term commitment to strengthening this project,” explained the team.

Clinching 16 top 10 finishes and six top fives last term, it’s been terrific to see him already make a fast start to life in new colours, for he impressively set the fastest time on day two of testing in Jerez on his very first outing with the Honda. Now entering his fourth season in the lightweight class, riding for his fourth different team, Kelso boasts the potential to be a legit title contender in 2026, which will be another massive year for the gifted maestro.

Jacob Roulstone

After Red Bull Tech Moto chose not to renew his contract for 2026, Jacob Roulstone was on the hunt for a new ride. Fortunately, he’s found one, with the talented Aussie confirming he’ll race for Team Ciatti Boscoscuro in the 2026 FIM Moto2 European Championship within the FIM Junior GP World Championship framework.

This transition represents an intriguing step, with him going from the 250cc lightweight bikes to the larger 765cc bikes. “The opportunity to progress to a Moto2 machine is one I am definitely ready for, and doing it in partnership with an experienced and professional team like Team Ciatti is fantastic,” said Roulstone.

“To finally be in a position to confirm my plans for next season brings a real sense of a new door opening, and that fuels my motivation. My focus during the off-season is to ensure I am 100 per cent ready to tackle the demands of this new championship.”

With a pre-season neck injury derailing Roulstone’s 2025 campaign and a late-season broken hand ending his hopes of keeping his Red Bull KTM Tech3 seat, this is an outstanding opportunity for the youngster. All his energy will now be channelled to preparation for this new chapter in the seven-round FIM Moto2 European Championship, which visits Catalunya, Estoril, Jerez, Magny-Cours, Aragon, Misano and Valencia.

Jacob has also signed to race ASBK Superbike on the Motocity Wollongong Honda CBR1000RR-R Superbike for 2026.

Jacob Roulstone “Excited for this new challenge. Huge thanks to Motocity and Honda Australia for giving me this opportunity. Can’t wait to get on the bike very soon.”

Marcus Hamod “Really happy to announce the move to superbikes full time next year with Motocity and the support from Honda Australia. Can’t wait to get started, can’t thank everyone involved enough for the opportunity.”

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

While injury prevented Remy Gardner from participating in the Jerez test due to a shoulder ailment sustained in a training incident, the Australian pilot is now fully locked in on recovering as soon as possible to start getting ready for 2026.

Finishing the crusade 11th in the standings, having banked a memorable podium in Assen and a host of top 10s, the former Moto2 World Champion, who signed a two-year contract extension with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, will be looking for more in 2026. Excited at signing his new deal a few months back, the classy Gardner knows there’s huge scope for improvement.

“I am happy to be continuing with Yamaha in WorldSBK. Our journey together so far has been good, but I still feel that we are only scratching the surface of what we can achieve. We’ve shown that when everything comes together, we can be quick and fight for the podium. My target is to do this more consistently over the remainder of the 2025 season and look towards taking a further step in 2026,” he acknowledged.

Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Sporting Manager, Nicolo Canepa, then added: “Remy has become a valuable member of our line-up over the last few years, not just through his speed and potential, but also his ability to give detailed feedback, which proves useful to our engineers as we look to continue developing the R1 in WorldSBK. We have already seen he can fight for the podium, and the target is to be more consistent in this goal towards the end of this season and then build on this for next year.”

Archie McDonald – 2026 Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup

After two consecutive seasons balancing racing commitments across the ASBK Australian Superbike Championship and European competition, Joe Rascal Racing has announced Archie McDonald as its first rider signing for the 2026 Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup.

McDonald, 19, arrives with an impressive resume, having already claimed five Australian Flat Track Championship titles to accompany the aforementioned. Widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest rising talents, he embarks on this exciting adventure right as the team builds toward its 2026 campaign.

The squad expects McDonald’s combination of pace and racecraft to translate well to the Bagger World Cup, with confidence high that he can be a regular front-runner. The championship gets underway at the Americas Grand Prix, with the opening round scheduled for March 27-29.

Off-Track
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Jett Lawrence and HRC have confirmed that the Australian suffered a fractured right ankle/foot in a practice crash last Friday at the Dog Pound in Florida. Lawrence immediately underwent surgery to repair fractures to the talus and navicular bones and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months. The devastating injury ends his AMA Supercross title ambitions before the season begins, but he’s hoping to be back in time to defend his AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross crowns.

The 22-year-old phenom, who owns 10 AMA championships, will now switch his focus to his recovery and getting back out there sooner rather than later.

“Words can’t describe how I’m feeling right now,” Lawrence reflected. “The team and I put in so much work during the off-season to improve. I keep reminding myself that we have overcome challenges before, and this is no different. I’ll put the same focus into my recovery that I put into being the best athlete I can be each day. My goal is to get this ankle fully healed up and return as competitive as ever and make the 2026 season as successful as we can.”

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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. This month we have Jack Miller, Senna Agius, Jacob Roulstone, Joel Kelso, Remy Gardner, Oli Bayliss, Tom Edwards, Jett Lawrence and Hunter Lawrence.

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller’s endured a mixed start to the 2024 MotoGP season, with one unsatisfactory and one positive result. Kicking things off with a tough opener in Qatar, where an early fall dashed his hopes of achieving a strong outcome, this wasn’t ideal at all. But, to his credit, the popular pilot remounted to valiantly finish in 21st.

Moving on to Portugal, and he enjoyed a far better time at the iconic circuit, with his fifth on Friday and in the sprint underlining his speed and skill ahead of the Sunday action. The #43 then carried on the theme of the weekend by securing fifth in the main race despite encountering some tire problems to pick up some quality points to propel himself to ninth in the standings.

“We still have a bit of work to do but this was a massive improvement over Qatar.”

“I wanted a little bit more today. I wanted to go with the boys at the front early on but just didn’t quite have the pace mid-corner to get my claws-in and hang on for the [tire] drop. We got a bit lucky with some of the crashes at the end there…but we’ll take it. We have to have some luck sometimes! We still have a bit of work to do but this was a massive improvement over Qatar. The bike has plenty of potential, so we’ll do our homework, look at the data and come back for another go in Austin,” Miller mused.

Senna Agius – Moto2
Making steady progress in Portugal following his difficult weekend in Qatar, where he battled tire issues to ultimately claim 17th, Portimao was a valuable step in the right direction for Senna Agius. Gaining a boost of confidence by getting fourth in Q1, this held him in good stead to enjoy a solid weekend full of vital track time and learning.

Eventually clinching 13th in qualifying, not far off the pacesetters, Agius headed to Sunday aiming to secure a points scoring position. And that’s what he did, even though he was handed a long lap penalty for a pass when the yellow flag was out, to ride to 14th. Getting better with every passing race and gaining crucial experience in the elite confines of Moto2, expect him to keep levelling up when the series heads to America.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling. The first points of the season and the gap to the winner was the smallest I’ve had in the championship so far. Anyway, the first five laps were a good improvement, but during the race I had a little problem when I did an overtake under the yellow flag,” he reflected.

“A big thank you to the team, we are working well because I felt the best all weekend today and we are competitive.”

“Nevertheless, I had to give back the position and so I had to ride super slowly. In the end, the situation was a bit confusing, and it turned into a long lap penalty. So, I thought I’d do my best afterwards and bring the points home. A big thank you to the team, we are working well because I felt the best all weekend today and we are competitive. Unfortunately, the top ten slipped away from us due to one or two mistakes, but the most important thing is that we made a good step in pace and the overall feeling is good. A big thank you to the whole LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team for the weekend, we are ready for Texas.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3
Having began his rookie campaign in Moto3 under the Tech3 awning with a solid 10th at the opening round, young Aussie flyer Jacob Roulstone backed that up with an 11th in Portugal. Making improvements all the time with the bike and in terms of his riding while he adapts to the class, Roulstone’s navigated the step up admirably so far.

“Quite happy with the race. I left it all out there, which was the main thing. The only thing that could be better was my first laps and I need to be more aggressive. Still, it was a step up from Qatar. I fought my way back as much as I could. The bike felt really good with a couple of changes we made for the race. The team is leading the championship, which is great, and I learnt a lot today.”

“The team is leading the championship, which is great, and I learnt a lot today.”

Immediately shifting his focus to Texas, it’ll be intriguing to see if he can keep along his upward trajectory and keep making strides in all areas.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Starting his 2024 term with a handy eighth in Qatar on a night that could’ve been even better if his tires didn’t deteriorate so severely, Joel Kelso is proving what a class act he is. Continuing to flex his muscles in Moto3, the Australian’s speed was tremendous all weekend at Portimao, for the man who loves the thrilling circuit let his riding do all the talking.

Stamping his mark in the early sessions before bagging second in qualifying, this set him up nicely to put his best foot forward in the race. In the fight for victory throughout, super comfortable mixing it with the frontrunners and gelling superbly with the bike, Kelso ended the bout in fifth to round out a brilliant weekend of action.

“It was a good weekend, we worked really well. In the race the bike was perfect, so I’m really happy with how everything went.”

“We scored some good points today. It was a pity not to finish on the podium, but overall it was a very good race. In Moto3 it’s like a lottery, there are a lot of fights and anything can happen in the front group. It was a good weekend, we worked really well. In the race the bike was perfect, so I’m really happy with how everything went. We will have many more opportunities, the season is very long, it’s not how it starts, it’s how it ends. Every race we are stronger and we are already fighting at the front, we have shown that we are candidates for the victory,” he explained.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Although he knows there’s huge scope for refinement, the second stop on the WorldSBK calendar didn’t treat Remy Gardner too badly. Looking fast from the off and slotting neatly inside the top five in the early free practice session before nailing down eighth on the grid for race one, a frustrated Gardner battled with tire life to finish 15th.

Sunday saw an uptick in performance after some bike adjustments, though, allowing him to record ninth in the superpole race and sixth in race two, which was amended to seventh due to him being docked a spot for exceeding track limits on the last lap.

“The pace overall was good and in the sprint race everyone was close and I managed to finish ninth”…

“The day was okay, I think we made the correct choices. The pace overall was good and in the sprint race everyone was close and I managed to finish ninth, which allowed me to start again from the third row in race two. Then, I had a good getaway gaining places, ending up fighting for the top five; in the last lap I tried everything I could and crossed the line in sixth before being demoted to seventh due to track limits. I don’t think that’s right, even after checking, but it is what it is,” he insisted.

“We come back home scoring valuable points and being aware that we could enjoy a strong weekend in Assen. I’d like to thank the team for the great job done and the support, see you in the Netherlands.”

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Mixing the ups and downs in Catalunya, Oli Bayliss left round two with many positives to extract in his quest to get back to a level resembling his best. Struggling in the early stages of the event, which led to him only managing to grasp 17th and 21st in the superpole race and race one respectively, it was terrific to see him flip the script for the final race.

Blasting through the field in the red flag interrupted race, there was much to admire how Bayliss surged from 24th to 11th in just six laps. Showcasing his capabilities emphatically and giving himself a real injection of confidence, he’ll be eager to translate this momentum into Assen in April.

“It wasn’t an easy weekend, I struggled more than expected, but we did a good job in understanding what needed to be changed”…

“Obviously it feels good to finish the weekend off with a pretty good result, considering my starting position after the red flag. It wasn’t an easy weekend, I struggled more than expected, but we did a good job in understanding what needed to be changed and things went differently today. From my side, we know what I need to improve come qualifying in Assen and for the remainder of the year. Thank you to the team and all the sponsors for their great support,” recalled Bayliss.

Tom Edwards – World Supersport
Heading into the opening WorldSSP Challenge round mentally and physically in top shape, Tom Edwards was full of excitement that he could assert his authority early on a track he’d previously shown speed at. The Aussie did precisely that in his first outing with the D34G Racing squad to bank the win in his class, plus prove he has the pace to mix it with some of the WorldSSP heavy hitters.

While his weekend began on the wrong foot with a technical gremlin that the team subsequently resolved and a crash in race one, Edwards stuck at it manfully to produce an excellent second stanza to win his category by virtue of his 13th place finish (just behind Bayliss).

“Obviously. I was very disappointed with the race one crash, but we managed to make amends today”…

“I am happy with today and the weekend overall and I think it is a positive start to the season. Obviously. I was very disappointed with the race one crash, but we managed to make amends today – this is racing, after all. I feel like we have much more potential, and I am excited for what is ahead with the D34G Racing team. The team and I have learned a lot together over the weekend and are ready to fight further up the field in Assen. Big thanks to all the team who worked their hardest all week,” read his statement on the team’s website.

Off-Road
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Currently leading the championship by 16 points having won three of the last four races, Jett Lawrence continues to captivate audiences across the globe in AMA Supercross. Clearly the fastest man in the absolutely stacked 450 division, it’s been a joy to watch the Aussie sensation strut his stuff in March, and over the course of the campaign as a whole.

Although his three race winning streak this month was broken in Seattle, the fact he picked up third was fine, in a race where mistakes cost him. Owning the fastest lap time in the main event by over a second, an unfortunate incident with eventual winner Cooper Webb, in combination with some extra missteps, ensured he was unable to reign supreme in this one. Nonetheless, Jett still remains the man to beat with seven rounds left, as the series heads to St. Louis.

Jett still remains the man to beat with seven rounds left, as the series heads to St. Louis.

“It was a bit of an up-and-down day – good qualifying, good heat race, not that good of a start in the main. I had a really good flow for the first 10 minutes and started catching the guys in front of me. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t check up when I caught second in the sand and took the fall. I still got away with a third. I lost some points overall, but I’m excited to get them back in St. Louis,” Lawrence stated.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Considering he’s suffering with a lingering shoulder injury that kept him out of Birmingham, Hunter Lawrence deserves immense credit for charging through the pain barrier since. Indeed, his latest body of work in Seattle was a testament to the tenacious #96’s mental and physical fortitude, where he won his heat race, just like his brother, and went on to secure seventh in the main.

“It was awesome to get my first career heat-race win”…

“It was awesome to get my first career heat-race win; I wish we had the same kind of start in the main. I struggled the first 10 minutes, but I felt like I caught fire in the last half of the race and caught a bunch of guys, so that was epic. Thanks to the team because we put in a ton of work lately, and I can feel it paying off,” he concluded.

More than holding his own in the premier class, it’ll be a case of more of the same for Hunter in St. Louis, as the 250 champ’s next aim will be grabbing a coveted 450 podium finish.

The post RACING NEWS | AUSSIES RACING ABROAD APRIL 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

With many talented Australian motorcycle racers 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. This month we look at Jack Miller, Remy Gardner, Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller secured the 11th fastest time at the two-day MotoGP test in Qatar, with this latest outing full of upside for the popular pilot even if the results weren’t exceptional. Finishing just a tenth off his teammate in Brad Binder, who claimed ninth, there was much to be gained in terms of bike setup, track knowledge and tyre insight ahead of the first round, which will be held at the same venue in a little under two weeks’ time, as Miller will be eager to come out swinging.

“Positive last day here and I’m pretty happy where we are with the bike. I made a few setup changes today and I think we are in the right ballpark to get the season underway. I feel good and looking forward to getting back here to do it all for real,” he explained.

All-in-all it’s been a good pre-season and the boys have done a fantastic job through the winter.

“We still have a few little tweaks to make: motorbike racers are never totally happy! The conditions were tricky away from the racing line; if you make a mistake then it’s hard to come back off the dirty stuff. All-in-all it’s been a good pre-season and the boys have done a fantastic job through the winter with the improvements and I believe we have a very competitive bike to go racing.”

Remy Gardner – WorldSBK (Superbike)
Having achieved ninth in the test prior to the season launching Phillip Island opener, this saw Remy Gardner in a sound position to start off the new term on the right foot. Although plenty of encouragement could be drawn from the #87’s fifth in free practice three and seventh in the Superpole qualifier, his first race was frustratingly ended prematurely when a collision with another rider forced him out early.

We had some good fights in the sprint race and the pace was there, unfortunately we couldn’t finish inside the top three even though we had great speed.

Desperate for an improved Sunday in front of the adoring home fans, his super showing in the Superpole race that saw him battle with the frontrunners before banking sixth set the tone wonderfully.
Come the second race, though, and while the red-flag interrupted race saw him forced to start last following the restart due to him hitting Jonathan Rea’s bike, Gardner produced a smashing charge to ultimately get a credible 12th.

“Well, this weekend wasn’t meant to be. We had some good fights in the sprint race and the pace was there, unfortunately we couldn’t finish inside the top three even though we had great speed. I felt we could make another try in Race 2, but I couldn’t avoid Jonathan’s (Rea) bike and I ended up having some damage,” he reflected.

“The red flag gave us another chance, but I had to restart from the back of the grid. I think this is not good, but rules are rules. Although the guys did a fantastic job on making me able to go out again, the bike was not completely okay but we were still able to score valuable points. It’s a bit of a shame that we couldn’t convert our race potential, but we have to take the positives from the weekend; speed was there and we did a great job. Heading down to Barcelona for the second round of the season.”

Oli Bayliss – World SSP (Supersport 600)
While Oli Bayliss endured an injury interrupted off-season, the Aussie began his third year in World Supersport with a solid 12th in pre-season testing at Phillip Island. Serving as an ideal precursor to get his campaign underway on home soil, the talented Australian bagged a brilliant fifth in race one, which was especially positive given his struggles with the bike and the weather on the Friday. Although he couldn’t find his groove on the Sunday, posting a 10th place was a strong effort, thus meaning he ended the opener sixth in the championship.

“Today went not too bad. I did struggle a lot in the first couple of laps to find a good rhythm. However, after a couple of laps I found some pace…”

“That’s round one in the books and the D34G Racing Team and I walked away with a tenth-place finish in race two today and we leave the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in sixth place in the championship,” he posted.
“Today went not too bad. I did struggle a lot in the first couple of laps to find a good rhythm. However, after a couple of laps I found some pace and then could start to push how I wanted and put some laps together. Anyway, was a pretty good first weekend of the year with the team. Now time to rest up and get fully healed for Barcelona at the end of March. Thanks so much to the team for their efforts and I have to say a huge thanks to the Australian crowd for coming out this weekend. It’s awesome racing at home.”

Off-Road
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Breathing life immediately into his February by registering a scintillating victory in Detroit, Jett Lawrence became the first rider to win two races this season in the stacked 450 class. Racing out of the gate to dominate proceedings, there was no stopping the #18, who led every lap of the main event to stamp his authority on the series. He then followed this up with a third in Glendale, where he admirably carved through the field after a challenging start to secure a deserved third to regain the red plate.

Jett importantly maintains his grip on the championship lead seven rounds in.

Next on the agenda was Arlington, and all the signs were there that another win was on the cards, as Lawrence stormed to the holeshot and surged to a commanding lead. Disaster then struck for the sensation, with two late spills ultimately meaning fourth was the best he could manage.

“There were ups and downs tonight in Arlington—lots to focus on. It was going good, then it went bad, then it could’ve been good, but then it went even worse! So, fourth place. I have to clean up a few things, but it’s always good to learn some things. I’m looking forward to Daytona this weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve raced there, so I’ll enjoy that Daytona sun,” he told the HRC website.
Jett importantly maintains his grip on the championship lead seven rounds in.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
This month has seen Hunter Lawrence make some huge strides forward in the elite division, with him now looking right at home duking it out with the plethora of heavy hitters out there. After riding to a notable eighth in Detroit, he then really turned things up a notch in Glendale to produce his best result of the season to cross the line in fifth on a tricky track. The #96 was then arguably even better in Arlington, for he looked comfortable running upfront and battling with KTM star Aaron Plessinger on his way to banking fifth to equal his season-best finish.

“It was a good night, a lot of positives to take away. It’s a bummer—on the last lap, I was doing everything I could to pass AP [Aaron Plessinger] for fourth; live and learn. Two fifth places in a row, and ending up there after being in the wall, so that’s something I can be happy about. Thank you to the team; we’ll keep on plugging away,” he recalled.

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