News

Thursday May 7th - The intense competition for the crown in Runabout GP1 is set to continue for 2026, with a replay of the French rivalry for the top on the cards following the confirmation that last year’s runner-up Jeremy Perez joins current Champion Francois Medori as an Official Rider. Their charge for the title went right to the wire last season, being decided in dramatic fashion following engine issues for both riders at the last race of the season in Doha, with Medori ultimately triumphing after all hope had seemed lost.

Their duopoly at the top of Runabout GP1 is anything but guaranteed however, as former World Champion Samuel Johansson is also confirmed as an Official Rider. The Swede missed the last race of 2025 owing to medical reasons, but is set to challenge for the title as he returns for the full slate of races this season. He pipped current World Champion Francois Medori to the title in 2024 by just three points, so will need to shoot back into his best form if he is to once again go toe-to-toe with the French racing legend.

In third place that season was Lino Araujo, who is also confirmed as an Official Rider. Araujo struggled last season to match the impressive pace set in 2024, with his total points count taking a hit from his failure to start at the Grand Prix of Indonesia due to engine problems picked up in previous Endurance races. The Portuguese rider has three third place Championship finishes to his name, meaning he always remains a threat at the top of the table. 

Pierre-Francois Savelli was a breakout star last year in which he made his World Championship debut in the GP1 category, frequently fighting for points at the top of the table and earning his first podium finish in Moto 2 in Doha where he came third. He is yet to match the pace of fellow Corsican Medori, though Savelli has shown flashes of racing brilliance that demonstrate clear potential as a future star of the sport.

Having got the bronze in the Endurance World Championship, Anthony Radetic proved unable to match that strong form in the Runabout GP1 category. Having pushed his bike so hard during the Endurance races that preceded the opening Runabout GP1 race in Indonesia, the American was unable to compete in that round and therefore started 2025 on the back foot. But Radetic comes into 2026 his usual positive self, confirmed as an Official Rider and ready to push to reestablish himself towards the top of the racing pack this season.