Round 01
/
08 Aug
Canadian GP
Calgary, Canada
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
If you are new to the sport, think of supercross as a high-intensity form of racing held on a purpose-built dirt circuit inside a stadium. Riders race powerful off-road motorcycles over jumps, through deeply rutted corners and across tightly spaced obstacles, with every lap demanding precision, bravery and fitness.
This guide explains the World Supercross Championship, its race format, the riders to know, the language you will hear on race night and how to follow the action at the British GP.
What is World Supercross?
The FIM World Supercross Championship is the international, FIM-sanctioned supercross series. It was relaunched in 2022 with the aim of taking elite-level stadium supercross beyond its traditional North American base and into cities around the world.
The championship has already visited Britain, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Argentina, Sweden and South Africa. Britain was especially significant in the championship’s return: the 2022 pilot season began at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The 2026 calendar is here.
World Supercross awards three World Championships each season – each winner with the right to claim to be the best in the world:
- SX1 World Supercross Champion — the leading rider in the premier class.
- SX2 World Supercross Champion — the leading rider in the second class.
- World Supercross Team Champion — the top team across both classes.
The British GP: the essentials
The British GP takes place at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday 10th October 2026.
- Venue: Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham
- Round: 2 of the 2026 World Supercross Championship
- Main gates: 17:00
- Show start: 18:00
- On-track racing: 18:30
- Scheduled finish: 21:00
The exact running order may change, so spectators should check their ticket type and the latest updates before travelling. Note there are early-entry upgrades, along with a Track & Pit Walk upgrade. Get there early and soak up the atmosphere in the fan zone before the action gets underway.
Supercross versus motocross: what is the difference?
The names are similar, but the disciplines feel very different.
Motocross is generally raced outdoors on longer, natural-terrain circuits. Tracks use hills, cambers, changing soil, weather and wider open spaces.
Supercross is raced in a stadium on a compact, man-made dirt circuit. The track is built specifically for the event and features jumps, whoops, rhythm sections and very tight corners. It is shorter, more concentrated and more intense: spectators can see much of the circuit from one seat, while riders face constant technical demands. At Birmingham, the track will be constructed inside Alexander Stadium using approximately 600 truck loads of dirt.
The two racing classes: SX1 and SX2
World Supercross has two principal classes. Unlike any other supercross series, electric bikes also compete against their gas-powered rivals, with their power output limited, although they were quick in Calgary.
SX1 is the premier category. It is generally associated with the larger, more powerful 450cc machinery. These are the championship’s headline riders: established champions, elite supercross specialists and experienced international racers. SX1 races tend to be fast, physical and tactically demanding, particularly at the start and through the whoops.
SX2 is the 250cc category. It is not a “junior race”; it is a World Championship class in its own right, packed with highly capable professional riders. SX2 machinery has less engine capacity than SX1 bikes, but the competition remains extremely close. Riders often carry high corner speed and need to be exceptionally precise through technical sections.
How the teams work
A distinctive feature of World Supercross is its team structure. Licensed teams field: Two SX1 riders and two SX2 riders.
That means each team contributes riders to both individual championships while also accumulating points for the team championship.
The eight teams in the 2026 standings are:
- Rick Ware Racing
- Quad Lock Honda
- Stark
- Team GSM
- Pipes Motorsports Group
- Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki
- MotoConcepts Racing
- 595 Racing
After Round 1 in Canada, Rick Ware Racing leads the team standings on 101 points, ahead of Quad Lock Honda and Stark.
What is a wildcard rider?
A wildcard is an additional rider entered for a specific round rather than a rider occupying one of the regular team’s championship positions.
Wildcards help the championship bring in local talent, high-profile guests or riders who are not committed to every round of the season.
For the British GP, Tom Vialle has been announced as a wildcard, with more names expected soon. Wildcard entries can make a round particularly unpredictable, because they may have the pace to challenge for race wins without being in the full-season title battle.
How a World Supercross GP is decided
A GP is built around multiple on-track sessions and races rather than one single race, with more info here.
The 2026 format:
- Free Practice – 10 mins
Riders familiarise themselves with the circuit and the conditions. They also use this time to asses bike settings. - Practice – 10 mins
More track time to develop speed, bike settings and race lines. - Qualifying – 10 mins
Fast laps determine the order for the next stages and are important for start-gate selection. - Superpole – 1 lap
A high-pressure qualifying feature for the quickest four riders. The aim is a single, clean, fast lap when the stakes are highest. The rider who wins Superpole gets to pick their place in the starting gate for each race – so the ideal starting place, which is crucial. - Sprint Race 1 – a short race of 8 laps
- Sprint Race 2 – a short race of 8 laps
- Main Event – a longer race of 12 laps
The two Sprint Races are short, aggressive contests in which starting well matters enormously. The Main Event is the final and most substantial race of the evening.
Riders score points across all three races, and their combined total determines the overall GP result. The season championship is then decided by points accumulated from all of the rounds.
Key supercross terminology
Bar-to-bar – Riders are so close that their handlebars are almost touching. It is a common description for intense side-by-side racing.
Berm – A banked outside edge of a corner, built up from dirt. Riders lean into it to carry speed through the turn.
Gate drop – The moment the starting gate falls and the race begins.
Holeshot – The rider who reaches the first turn first. It is a major advantage, especially in short races.
Inside line – The shortest route through a corner. It can offer defensive strength but may not always provide the best exit speed.
Rhythm section – A sequence of closely spaced jumps that riders negotiate in different combinations. One rider may jump through in larger steps while another makes more, shorter jumps. Choosing the fastest combination is a major technical skill.
Roost – Dirt thrown backwards by a rear tyre under acceleration. Riders following closely can be hit by it, reducing vision and making overtaking harder.
Ruts – Grooves carved into the dirt by repeated tyre contact. Ruts can help riders guide through a corner, but they can also pull a bike offline or make a track unpredictable.
Tabletop – A jump with a flat top between take-off and landing. It is designed to be safer than a gap jump, though riders still carry substantial speed over it.
Triple – Three jump lengths combined into one large leap. Clearing a triple is often one of the biggest moments on a supercross track.
Whoops – A long line of small, closely packed bumps. Riders skim, hop or rhythmically ride across them at speed. They are physically punishing and can cause dramatic mistakes.
What to watch for on the night
If you are attending your first British GP, focus on these moments:
- The starts – Watch the riders choose their gates, launch when the gate drops and funnel into the first corner. A great start can shape a whole race.
- The rhythm section – This is where riders make or lose time through technique rather than simply top speed.
- The whoops – Riders who can stay composed through the bumps often make decisive passes or build a gap.
- The final laps – Short-format racing leaves little time to recover. A late mistake, crash or pass can change the GP order and championship standings.
- The team battle – Do not only follow the individual race leader. Every points-scoring rider matters to the team championship.