It’s the start to the season in the UK and one of the biggest races of the year – the Hawkstone Park international which takes place on Sunday on the legendary Shropshire track. And this year, the excitement will be higher than normal as the man on form, Briton Max Anstie, takes on his arch rival and sand specialist Jeffrey Herlings. Herlings has never raced a 450 at Hawkstone and will be keen to make up for his 2018 debut in Italy last week where he was taken down in the first corner and his day ended there. He’s not completed a lap of racing this year, and was battered after his crash.

But the man most will be hoping to take the win will be Husky ace Anstie. In his last race on UK soil at the Nations in October, he won both motos in convincing style. And his 2018 season started off with two runner-up places behind MXGP champ Tony Cairoli in the deep sand of Sardinia on Sunday. It’s Cairoli’s winter test track, in his home country, so Anstie’s performance of two runner-up places shows he’s right on the pace. Last year Anstie crashed while leading the Hawkstone race, and still finished on the podium. It was his debut 450 season so with a year on the big bikes under his belt, he’s hoping to be even stronger this weekend.

But both men will find it tough as the field is crammed with talent, such as former British champion Tommy Searle and current British champion Graeme Irwin, making his race debut for KTM. Other top GP men racing include Gautier Paulin, Glenn Coldenhoff, Evgeny Bobryshev, Jordi Tixier, Arminas Jasikonis and EnduroGP ace Nathan Watson. Plus top British contenders such as Brad Anderson and Jake Nicholls. And once again Barry Turnbull will be out on his 30-year-old Honda CR500 two-stroke!

The MX2 class is headed by world champ Pauls Jonass, but will face tough opposition from British champ Ben Watson on his Yamaha, as well as Thomas Kjer-Olsen, Zach Pichon, Davy Pootjes, Conrad Mewsem Martin Barr, Mel Pocock and ex-British champ Adam Sterry. And as 250 two-strokes are allowed in MX2 racing, there will be a few smokers including Rob Holyoake.

At the end of the day following two motos each, the top MX2 men go head-to-head with the MX1 riders in the Superfinal. Plus there’s support action from the teenage talents in the MXY2 class.

The Hawkstone Park Circuit is just off the A49 near to the villages of Hopton, Wem, Prees, Shawbury and Whitchurch. The exit off the A49 can be found between B5065 and B5063, and is sign posted “Booley / Stanton. The popstcode is SY4 4NA. Tickets can be bought on the gate they are £30 for adults and children 5 – 15 £5, free parking and free entry to the riders paddock. The racing starts from 9am and will go on until around 4pm.