Lotte van Drunen of De Baets AIT Racing enjoyed a perfect weekend at the WMX Grand Prix of the Netherlands in Arnhem. Racing in front of her home crowd, the Yamaha rider was fastest in free practice, qualified first and went on to win both races. With her first Grand Prix victory of the season, the reigning World Champion also moved up to third place in the championship standings.

After a challenging season so far, Van Drunen was determined to turn things around at her home round. In recent weeks, she had been training extensively in the sand, and three weeks ago she gained additional race experience at the MXGP of Flanders in Lommel, where she competed in the MX2 class with a wildcard.

That preparation immediately paid off in Arnhem. In the opening race, Van Drunen was running at the front from the start and took the lead within half a lap. Riding her Yamaha YZ250F equipped with GYTR components, she steadily pulled away from the competition. She eventually won the race by a comfortable margin of 28 seconds.

Van Drunen was dominant once again in the second race. After taking the holeshot, she immediately took control and continued to extend her lead throughout the race. The 18-year-old Dutch rider crossed the finish line as the winner once again, with a margin of more than 21 seconds.

With her perfect 1-1 score, Van Drunen secured her first Grand Prix victory of 2026. The maximum points haul also lifted her from seventh to third place in the WMX World Championship standings. With one round remaining, Van Drunen heads to the season finale with renewed confidence. The final round will take place during the MXGP of Australia, on the weekend of 19–21.

Photocredits – Full Spectrum Media