Lawrence claims 450 AMA MX crown - but which one?
By Team TMX on 30th Aug 26
The 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship came to a dramatic conclusion at Ironman Raceway on Saturday, where Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence secured his first 450 championship after a season-long battle with younger brother and team-mate Jett Lawrence.
The Australian brothers have now made motocross history, becoming the first siblings to each win a premier-class motocross championship.
Hunter entered the final round with the title still within reach but was forced to fight for every point after a dramatic opening moto. The championship leader made his customary strong start and quickly put himself in contention at the front, only for a crash involving race leader Haiden Deegan to leave Hunter with nowhere to go.
The resulting fall dropped him to the back of the field, but Hunter refused to panic. The Honda rider methodically worked his way through the pack and eventually caught and passed Jett midway through the moto before continuing his recovery to finish eighth.
Jett endured an equally difficult opening race, starting outside the top 20 before aggravating an existing foot injury early in the moto. He eventually crossed the line 11th, leaving the championship finely poised heading into the final race of the season.
With the title on the line, Hunter and Jett lined up second and third for the final moto. Jett briefly dropped to fourth while Hunter ran into trouble of his own, allowing his younger brother to regain the position with Hunter immediately behind him.
Knowing the championship was within reach, Hunter stayed with Jett all the way to the chequered flag to secure the title by just two points.
The championship caps a remarkable season for Hunter and completes a landmark achievement for the Lawrence family, with Jett having already established himself as a premier-class champion.
Honda also ended the season with the 450 Manufacturers’ Championship, while the manufacturer collected Team of the Year, Manager of the Year and Mechanic of the Year honours in the premier class.
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