American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda’s U.S. subsidiary (headquarters: Torrance, California; President: Eiji Fujimura), made the following announcement on August 29, 2026 (August 30, Japan time).

Hunter Lawrence (age 27, Australia) of Honda HRC Progressive has claimed his first title in the premier 450MX (450 class) of the 2026 AMA* Pro Motocross Championship.

* AMA: American Motorcyclist Association

The AMA Pro Motocross Championship got underway in California in late May. Honda HRC Progressive riders Hunter Lawrence and his younger brother Jett Lawrence competed aboard Honda CRF450RWE machines and battled each other for the overall championship lead throughout the season. The intense title fight went all the way to the final round, which the brothers entered separated by just one point.

Hunter Lawrence demonstrated outstanding strength throughout the season, taking six victories and nine podium finishes across the 11 rounds to claim his first 450 class championship.

With Jett Lawrence finishing second, the Lawrence brothers secured the top two positions in the series standings for the second consecutive year. The result also extended Honda’s record for championships in the premier class of the Pro Motocross Championship to 16.

“I don’t even know where to start. On the first lap of Moto 1, after I got caught up in another rider’s crash and dropped back through the field, I thought, ‘This is just my luck…’ In Moto 2, I knew all I had to do was finish right behind Jett. To be honest, I think most of the battle had already been decided in Moto 1. Jett fought incredibly hard despite his leg injury. It wasn’t a typical day for the Lawrence brothers, but we got it done. I want to thank everyone on the team who supported me, my brother and family, and everyone who cheers us on. A huge thank you to everyone who prayed for us and sent their blessings. Thank you, America. We’re living the American dream, and there’s nowhere else in the world where we could make this happen.”

“Finishing second in the championship is a new feeling for me. I gave it everything, but I just wasn’t at my best today. I hurt my leg several times during practice and Moto 1, which was really disappointing. I gave it everything I had in Moto 2 as well, but I’d reached my limit. Hunter has been incredible this year. This was his year. I did everything I could to catch him, but I couldn’t quite get there. Considering all the challenges we’ve overcome, I’m not too disappointed. I’m still pretty happy. Congratulations, Hunter!”

Birth date: August 1, 1999 (27 years old)
Birthplace: Australia

Career highlights

Birth date: August 7, 2003 (23 years old)
Birthplace: Australia

Career highlights