With the established stars of the 2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship forced onto the back foot following a outstanding debut from series newcomer Ashton Boughen (VRX Dirt Store Ducati) at the series opener in Roden early this month, round two takes place this coming Saturday (30 May) at Terenzano in Italy.
- 2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship heads to Italy for round two
- British newcomer Ashton Boughen leads title chase into Terenzano
- Former champion Sammy Halbert in action for first time this season
The British teenager, on both his and Ducati’s championship debuts, won two of his Heat races in the Netherlands before storming to an historic victory in the Grand Final to open up an early advantage at the top of the standings ahead of former champion Gerard Bailo (Zaeta) and his fellow British rider and team-mate Tim Neave (VRX Dirt Store Ducati).
Boughen will be determined to dispel any notions of ‘beginner’s luck’, but he will have to fight for every position against a field of experienced riders that as well as Spanish star Bailo – champion in 2022 and second the following year – also includes defending and two-time champion Ervin Krajčovič (KTM) from the Czech Republic, who was fifth at the opening round, as well as his compatriot Ondřej Švédík (KTM), who claimed series bronze in 2025.
There is also a growing sense of excitement among fans after the appearance of 2024 champion Sammy Halbert (Picasso Engineering) on the entry list. The American star – who failed to defend his title by just five points last season – missed the opening round, but has since revealed plans to contest selected events and will race the Swiss company’s innovative OMT 450 project machine this coming Saturday.
With Bailo rediscovering his podium-threatening form for the first time since 2023 and Neave, who scored two podiums last season, also starting the campaign well in the Netherlands, this year’s extended ten-round series – that for the first time will travel outside of Europe when it concludes in October with two rounds in Argentina – is wide open.
Britain’s Jack Bell (Triumph) was a fighting fourth in Roden and the twenty-three-year-old will be aiming to carry his momentum into Italy while home hero Daniele Tonelli (Donelli’s Garage TM), who was fifth in 2025 and scored a pair of second-placed finishes including here at Terenzano at last season’s opening round, has ground to make up after taking fifth first time out.
Another rider staging a solid debut in the Netherlands where he finished seventh, Dutch racer Stef Hamstra (KTM) is back for a second helping of FIM Flat Track World Championship action on Saturday where he will be aiming to stay ahead of France’s William Bonnici (Suzuki) – who was ninth in Roden – and the Ukraine’s Stanislav Ohorodnik (Husqvarna) who ended the opener in eleventh.
Picking up just nine points after being disqualified in the Grand Final in Roden, Švédík has a point to prove and expect stronger performances from Britain’s Thomas Hunt (Yamaha) and Gary Birtwistle (Royal Enfield) and Argentinian Santiago Arangio (Zaeta) who will all be at the very least aiming to make the cut for the twelve-rider Grand Final.
The opening Heat from Terenzano is scheduled to get under way at 19:45 (local time) on Saturday 30 May.
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