NAfter the incoming transfer of Romain Febvre, there is now also outgoing news at Ducati Factory Racing. Calvin Vlaanderen (30) is moving to Josse Sallefranque's Honda Motoblouz SR Motul team after one season on the Desmo.
Here is the announcement from the French Honda team on social media:
“We are proud to announce the arrival of Calvin Vlaanderen for the 2027 MXGP World Championship! Calvin already has two GP victories to his name and consistently finishes in the top ten at the highest level. He joins the team with great motivation and a clear ambition: to compete at the front and deliver strong results throughout the 2027 season. Welcome to the HRC MXGP and Honda France family, Calvin!”
The likeable South African-Dutch rider stands 11th in the World Championship standings after 14 GPs. This makes the two-time GP winner the best Ducati rider this season. His strongest result was a 4th place in the final standings of the South African GP.
For the Sallefranque team, 2027 must be a fresh start after a rollercoaster year. MXGP rookie Thibault Benistant crashed in late May and sustained a severe spinal injury. Norwegian Kevin Horgmo finished an impressive 8th in his first MXGP season for Honda SR Motoblouz in 2024 but is now struggling to find his best form.
Remarkably fast announcement
Official teams in the Motocross World Championship usually have the absurd habit of only announcing transfer news after the contract has ended.
In the past, this has often led to surreal situations where the general public already knew “the news” months in advance. The confirmation would then only come out after the season or even on January 1st.
Both the confirmation of Romain Febvre—who is leaving Kawasaki for Ducati at the end of this season—and the early news regarding Calvin Vlaanderen are therefore (for the time being) exceptions. In any case, it is commendable of Ducati to opt for this fresh communication approach. The Italian manufacturer is, incidentally, accustomed to nothing else in the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks.
Photos: SR Honda, Samo Vidic/Red Bull Contentpool
