Injury-sidelined champion delivers Sunday masterclass at Trapani as Beta starts 2026 campaign on top
After an extended period on the sidelines due to injury, Beta Motorcycle’s Brad Freeman has made a triumphant return to the world stage, claiming overall victory at Round 1 of the 2026 EnduroGP Championship in Trapani, Sicily. Held on home soil for Beta Motorcycles, the opening round took place in the rugged, rocky terrain of north-west Sicily, where riders were challenged by treacherous loose earth and formidable rock obstacles throughout the weekend.
Freeman, aboard his Beta RR 300 RACE, endured a challenging start to the event, with a series of mistakes on Friday and Saturday limiting him to fifth place in the highly competitive Enduro3 (E3) class. However, the 10-time world champion delivered a commanding response on Sunday, producing a flawless ride to secure victory in both the E3 class and the coveted EnduroGP Overall class. “A weekend of ups and downs. I didn’t manage to perform at my best on Saturday, but I made up for it on Sunday, where I won the class and the overall,” Freeman said.
Teammate Nathan Watson delivered a consistent and composed performance across the weekend. The British rider finished eighth overall and third in the Enduro2 (E2) class on Saturday.
Watson pushed hard on Sunday with blistering times which would have seen him place 3 outright, but a time penalty resulted in a 2 place finish in E2, and 7 place finish overall. “On Sunday I battled for the top positions all day long. A good race weekend, without making any serious mistakes,” Watson commented. Also noteworthy was the performance of Alex Pichaud, who dominated the Open 4-Stroke category aboard his Beta RR 430 Race to secure victory. With a strong opening round complete, the Beta Enduro Factory Team now turns its focus to Round 2 of the championship, set to take place in Oliana, Spain, from May 1–3.
